Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Birds of a Feather......and more.......


And speaking of 'Magic Feathers'........



last weekend.........we traveled to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.....to see the Festival of the Cranes......celebrating the return of the migrating Sandhill Cranes


 and other fowl




to the Bosque:


Bosque [bos’-kay]
noun
1. Wood, tract of land planted with trees and brushwood: forest, grove; any woody place. (m)



......in November.....every year......

It was a beautiful fall day, a gift so late in the season.....a warm, sunny....didn't even 'need a coat' day. 

There were thousands of birds...best captured with a telephoto lens and a tripod...
and the whole thing was an awsome spectacle....

but I'm not so sure the most lasting memory of this day won't be.......


the green chili cheeseburger  Roy and I shared.... 

skinnined up to the bar at the Buckhorn.......


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Magic Feathers..........



Lovingly Stitched for Jude's Project

and in honor of my dear friend Wendy.....

note: making magic isn't easy and requires practice!

Please go here and join in the fun!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Rock Art.........



and on that snowy day near the end of October,

our merry band braved a walk......

to see.....










these petroglyph treasures near Abo Mission....

and 

were treated to


strikingly sweet berries from a large Algerita bush

at the end of the trail....

Thank You to Ranger Billy Weinman, 

our most excellent guide for this adventure!


Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Astonishing beauty......Sausalito and Yosemite........

Fog....

Rolling over Sausalito


a giant wave of blinding mist

crashing

into the bay.....



.......cloaking the Golden Gate Bridge


The Half Dome at Yosemite National Park

and


ranges beyond...

viewed at Sunset from Glacier Point


The 'Tunnel View'

encompasing El Capitan and the Half Dome


Yosemite Falls


Bridal Veil Falls


El Capitan


Mariposa Grove 
of Giant Sequoias

note: the cabin is not a miniature!


Trying one on for scale!


Sunset over the bay from Oakland


Cathedral of Christ the Light


An astonishing piece of Architecture

With beautiful blue skies.......lovely sunsets.......and sparse crowds.....

my traveling companion and most excellent host

assured me it would be a trip of a lifetime.......

as it was.

Lucky for me I am living many lifetimes in one!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Postcards from California......catching up!

 A temporary 'lull' in the action here has allowed me a a few moments to reflect on my recent visit to the San Francisco Bay area, north of there and on to Yosemite........



after a ride to the waterfront to gather a bit of chocolate....

from here.....

we sipped an amazing Irish Coffee...or two... at the Buena Vista.....

and

then visited the warf....

and took a long cab ride back to our hotel where I succomed to a 'bad cold'....

no worries.....had a good night's sleep

 and 

 The next day, tissues in hand....

 we walked to 'Golden Gate Park'

and experienced....


the Conservatory of Flowers....


and....


the Japanese Tea Garden.....

and 

enjoyed....

some tea.....

and


more.....

then we wandered to....




the amazing

de Young museum......

and....

the next day....we wandered some more.....


and some more...

and then....


boarded a ferry

to the other side of the bay.....

and

were whisked.......

to


Muir Woods.....

and



an amazing sunset.....

at Muir Beach.

And now....

I must now pause.......

to write...

some more.....postcards.

whew.