A walk around the neighborhood.

Bernal Heights, San Francisco, California.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006.
Approximately 11:30 a.m. through 2:00 p.m.

Mundane

Comfrey Compost Tea

"Out at the garden, he broke the seal on that well-aged tub of compost tea and, honest to goodness, this is what it looked like."

"I want Fish and Game to capture them, feed them barbiturates and send them to Idaho."

Link.

I want this.

A short walk in San Francisco's second largest public park, John McLaren Park (317 acres, compare to Golden Gate Park at 1,013 acres, and NYC's Central Park at 843). I can see it from my house, but I've never been there before today.

Not much to take pictures of this time of year... it all looks like this.



I live in the neighborhood on that hill in the distance.



Zooming...



Further on, a vista opens on Holly Park which is a few blocks from my home.



Zooming...



I'm impressed with my camera's zoom.

Ah, I see the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater is that way.



The plant behind the sign is Gunnera. It's deciduous, and those 4-6' wide (or larger) leaves grow new every year. It's a very thirsty plant.

Last weekend's jaunt here.

"When they shortened the ants’ legs, the insects have trouble finding home. When they put stilts on the ants’ legs, the insects traveled further and had to backtrack looking for home.

So, Harald and colleagues concluded that ants have an internal pedometer: they "count" (well, kind of) their steps!"

Link.

Point Bonita Lighthouse, a whole day re-cap

Not substantial enough to be a daytrip; this is more of a jaunt. Up to Marin County to visit Point Bonita Lighthouse. It's a half-mile walk from the parking lot.



Some plants along the walk. Artemesia?





Small tunnel.



The view down at the tunnel entrance.



Waiting at the other side of the tunnel, Mimulus aurantiacus, Sticky Monkey Flower. One of my favorite native plants.



Eriogonum, or Buckwheat. California has many lovely buckwheats. I only know a few of them by name. I know the family name: Polygonaceae.



The name for this escapes me...



At first I thought this was some Oenethera, but I think it's pretty clearly Calystegia (Convolvulaceae).



Some Angelica on the way down...



The lighthouse comes in to view.



Beautiful cliffside.



"One American at a time, two of everyone else."



You can feel the bridge sway.



The lighthouse approach. It looks like I stepped over the rail to take the picture, but I didn't.



The ocean that covers half the world.



A natural bridge. Surprisingly clean of bird guano.



The north coast.



An example of the light bulb actually used by the lighthouse.



The bridge supports.



The Golden Gate Bridge in summer fog.



Close up.



Little house, threatening to jump.



)sigh(.

Last weekend's jaunt here.