Southern California Day-Trippin

2011-08-21

2011-08-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been awhile since I have posted anything. I've been focused on Flickr--uploading images and occasionally identifying them.
Anyway, today I thought I'd come back and pay a visit here instead. Don and I went to Dana Point yesterday in hopes of seeing the promissed Polynisian (sp?) canoes. I think 7 of them were expected to arrive and stay the night. I guess we were too early, so we took a few shots from the bluff above and West of the harbor.
It was great to get a little excersize, enjoy the sun and ocean breezes.

2011-04-15 Thursday's lunch break stroll through Orange

2011-04-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

I needed to drop a check off at Wells Fargo, so took the opportunity on my morning break to walk to Starbucks/Wells Fargo and grabbed a snack while I was at it. I brought my little camera and took a few pictures along the way. This was like an appetizer though. I wanted to take pictures for the rest of this beautiful day!

So at lunch I took my serious camera for a walk. By then the sidewalks were teaming with like minded strollers out enjoying the beautiful Spring weather, so I ducked down a side street and went flower hunting through the residential streets.

2011-04-13 Wednesday

2011-04-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Wow, it had been so long since I'd posted on Blogger when I went to post yesterday that I messed up my own themes and put my garden entry on this one. I'd intended this one for local travel so I've moved that. Meaning, if you were here in the past 24 hours and are just sure you saw a post about our new "Creeping Cape Lilac". That post has been moved to the "Home Home on the Range" branch. I'll take you to the UCI Arboretum instead. If I can get this thing to cooperate with loading photos that is. I had the darnedest time yesterday loading photos that are on Flickr. I couldn't get "paste" to work at all. So today I read the Blogger "Help" and one solution was to try clearing the cache. The other was to use "Firefox" (I was on "Explorer" at the time). Using Firefox sounded like the easiest of the two since I already had it loaded and sure enough, that worked. So maybe the photo pasting will go better for me today. Here goes . . . How's that? Do you see the picture or just a bunch of characters? So far I see just characters. What happens if I click save? It stays the same. OK, I'll try "grab link" instead of "grab code" . . . http://www.flickr.com/photos/twobears2/5603951555/ How's that? Still I only see the characters and I've already clicked "Save". Grrr. OK, I could go into Flickr and try "Share". I've been having trouble with that too though, because it only sees one of my 4 (or is it 5?) blogs and won't let me train it, but this is the one it sees so I could try it-- still, yesterday Flickr insisted that it wanted to make a new entry and I don't want it in a new one, I want it in this one. I used to be able to do this easily. I'm thinking they've made too many changes to Blogger since I used it last November. Are they trying to frustrate me? Well, hold that thought. I may be back tonight, but since I've gotten home from work I've been gardening (i.e., am now exhausted) and I have not eaten yet (i.e. am on the verge of being cranky), so I'm in no mood for foolishness. :-) So more likely I'll try to get the image in here tomorrow. I'm going to post this though, just in case that is the magic I've yet to try. P.S. It was! It was! Hurray! Now I just have to remember that it's the "Grab Code" option in Flickr. Remind me if I forget, Okay?

2010-11-16 Tuesday at Balboa Island

2010-11-16T19:04:00.000-08:00

Don was off today. We spent much of the day preparing for a camping trip, and then made a stop at the Newport Beach Public Library where I bought a couple of biographies: Zane Grey and Julie Andrews, and a book about angels. On the way home, drawn in by dramatic lighting, we detoured to Balboa Island and stayed long enough for a few photos.

2010-11-15 Photo day

2010-11-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

Don and I took a week off from work, but then Don had to work today after-all, so I spent the day with my 70-300 mm lens. I left the camera on automatic most of the time--which caused a lot of my images to be out of focus either because of a very shallow depth of field, or because of too slow of a shutter speed, or both. I just didn't seem to have the patience today for constant lighting changes--being in and out of shade and then missing a good shot all-together because the setting was wrong--so for spontaneity's sake I settled for automatic. Another day I might try less magnification for greater clarity, but this was fun. I did use a wide angle lens for one shot of a large tree, but found I really needed the long lens for the caged creatures if I was going to have any hope at all of eliminating the cages--not all that much success on that front though. The Orange County Zoo at Irvine Regional Park in Orange has rather finely meshed cages, much to my consternation.

Nearby sign reads "Pony Rides".

Woodpecker in Sycamore tree.

Bald Eagle

For my HBPL friends.

Sycamore tree.

Woodpecker in Sycamore tree.

Peacock

Train tunnel,

Peacock

Is this a pepper tree?

Coyote

Coyote

Benches

Bald Eagle

Sycamore trees.

Mine

Peacock

Peacock

2010-11-14 Roses

2010-11-15T06:02:00.000-08:00

Greetings and salutations!
So, not too long ago when I posted a photograph of a rose on my Flickr account, I discovered a message attached to it inviting me to join the "il ROSETO" rose photo group. I viewed the group's photos and even though at least half of the comments attached to photos there were languages I didn't understand, or maybe because of that, I joined.
Seeing the really beautiful images there of roses, and how the ones that stand out get umpteen million comments on them-agreements that they are as exquisite as I thought, I've been inspired to improve my rose photography--which is why if you go to my Flicker account these days, you will probably be bombarded with roses. And now, lucky you, they are spilling over to the blog.
Fortunately for me, I only have to travel about 3 miles to get to an excellent rose garden, as the Westminster City Hall has sponsored the Orange County Rose Society for years---I think since 1969 actually.
So here are a few practice shots from yesterday afternoon.

Friday at the Aquarium of the Pacific

2010-10-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday (Oct 16) was a workday for me, so I had Friday off. Friday was the last day that our free Chapman tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach were good, so after Don's doctor visit (he checks out in top shape after his ablation surgery two weeks before), off we went to the Aquarium. Many of the tanks are open at the top to the outside, so get natural sunlight. This being an overcast day though, lighting was a bit dim and my camera settings were set for the dimmest of conditions; with a "Hi1" ISO (equivelent to 3200) which I hoped would allow me some depth of field and reasonable shutter speeds--hee-hee, as it turns out though, silly me didn't notice that I had previously set the camera to a -2.3EV adjustment. Grrrrr.
So images are a bit dark, but here are a few, and later I'll post a few of Don's videos:

2010-10-18 Horses

2010-10-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Don and I saw the movie "Secretariat", about a horse of the same name who was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, who in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in twenty-five years. The cinematography in the movie was so great that I decided it had been way too long since I'd photographed a horse. (Probably the last time was when I photographed a fund raising horse show as a part time photographer for Western Medical Center in the early 1990's)
So on my lunch a couple of days last week I went to horse stables.
This first place was listed as Hunters Pointe and is in Anaheim off of Phoenix Club Drive:

OK, it's not a horse but isn't he a cute kitty?

And this second place is at Irvine Regional Park. It's listed as Peacock Hill Equestrian Center:

I think I'll see if I can learn Photoshop well enough to eliminate those pesky flies.

Newport Back Bay August 21, 2010

2010-09-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I visited Newport Back Bay to take some morning shots. I was surprised at how crowded the one way road was, with the occasional car, streams of bicyclists, and teams of runners. Happily this didn't do much to detour the wildlife from going about Summer as usual.
I managed a few shots of this little fellow. You'd think the chirps would help to locate him, but they only helped me generalize an area I might see something. I mostly had to rely on glimpsing the tip of a moving reed and then followed it half down the stock, tricky when most stalks were obscured by several more reeds,

According to The "National Audubon Society Field Guide to California", he is a "Common Yellowthroat" bird (technically known as a "Geothlypis trichas") of the Wood Warbler Subfamily.
They are 5".
"Male upperparts and sides uniformly olive-brown; throat and chest yellow; midbelly white; black mask over forehead and cheeks; broad white line above mask. Female and imm. olive brown above; pale eye ring; throat yellow. Imm. male has blackish cheek. Feeds low; often raises tail at wren-like angle. VOICE Song: rollicking witchity-witchity-witchity-witch. Call: flat chep. HABITAT Riparian thickets, marshes, shrubs. RANGE Resident in c and s CA on Pacific slope; inland valleys. May-Sept.: n CA, valleys east of Sierras. Apr.-May, Aug.-Oct.: all CA."

5-30-10 Honoring Dan Colby for Memorial Day

2010-05-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

Westminster Memorial Park

05-14-10 Crystal Cove

2010-05-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

I gave you a break from Crystal Cove for over a year. Yes, I know it's hard to believe---you'd seen so many pictures of that little beach you probably thought my camera had become allergic to it. Actually, we were getting our "beach" fix on the sail boat. Now that it's gone we must revert to the old methods. Sorry.
So this is Mothers day at Crystal Cove. The wait at the restaurant was an hour and a half, so we passed on that feature, but still enjoyed taking a few pictures. Don had purchased a new camera that had arrived mid-week and wanted to try it out here. Those pictures are still in his camera though, so it may be awhile before they make their way here. Meanwhile, here's a few of mine. (Smile)

Chicago?

2010-05-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

In my last post I promised a posting about Chicago, yes? Well, it IS posted, but not at So. Cal. Day Trippin', because, in case you were unaware, Chicago is not IN So. Cal.. (Smile)
Also, I went to Chicago for work, so it's on the "All in the Name of Work" page. There's not much there yet in the way of photos, but there are a couple, and there are links to the photos. Eventually I will get a few more on the blog though, because they look better with a black border. :-)
Here's the blog where it's (kind of) posted: http://all-in-the-name-of-work.blogspot.com/

Just to avoid any possible disappointment though, I'll post ONE here. (smile again).

Before leaving Anza . . .

2010-04-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

OK, it's time to move on from the desert to Chicago, but before we do...I just want to add a few more photos, lest you think that Anza is all about little stuff --i.e., Gnatcatchers, butterflies, beetles, flowers, sand grains, cactus needles, etc.
For some folks, Anza is about palm trees, streams, horseback riding, and four-wheelin'

Jumping Cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida)

2010-04-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Looking up the identifications and locations of the plants we'd photographed our first time out, I happened to read that the desert was still in bloom, and expected to be through the coming weekend. Don was all for a return visit and read that many more of the Jumping Cholla, also known as Teddy Bear Cholla, were now in bloom, so off we went on April 3rd for another photo excursion.
According to Wikipedia, "It grows at elevations ranging from 300 to 1000 m (1000 to 3000 ft). While the name "jumping cholla" is applied especially to this species, it is also used as a general term for all chollas."

The previous weekend had also provided some good Cholla photo ops:

Blue Palo Verde

2010-04-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia "Parkinsonia florida (Blue Palo Verde; syn. Cercidium floridum) is a species of palo verde native to the southwestern United States (southeastern California, southern Arizona) and northwestern Mexico (Sinaloa, Sonora, Baja California). Its name means "green stick" in Spanish, referring to the green trunk in which the tree does photosynthesis." ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinsonia_florida ). When they bloom they are smothered in yellow flowers. It's rare for me to like a tree sans leaves and flowers, but I find this one very attractive through it's entire cycle.

9:30 A.M. April 3, 2010. Approaching Anza-Borrego

2010-04-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

These are a few shots of the Anza Borrego desert valley taken from the top of the "Montezuma Grade" on S22.
The route to Anza Borrego from Orange County (CA) that we take is the 22 Freeway East to the 91 East to the I-15 South to Temecula. Highway 79 is then taken South about 41 miles to the S2 where we turn left. Then another left in about 4.5 miles on the S22 which leads into the desert valley. Once on the desert floor, the first intersection is Palm Canyon Drive. We turn left here and follow our noses to the visitor center so that we can find out which areas are in bloom at that time.

Aposematism

2010-04-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

These too are photos I took in Anza Borrego a week ago. This little fella is called a Desert Blister Beetle (Lytta magister), so named for the effect of the cantharidin toxin he excretes that will blister skin or sicken any would-be hapless diner. Such beetles have proven fatal for horses who've inadvertently consumed them while munching alphalpha hay.
"Aposematism" is warning coloration, in this case his bright red accents, that serve as a warning of the toxicity. If this little fella lands on your skin, you are likely only in danger of blistering if you startle him. So it's probably best not to scream or whack at him. (smile)

I haven't figured out yet what type of spider that little white fella is on top of that flower.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and West Coast Lady Butterfly

2010-04-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy and preoccupied with that pesky jury duty, that I have not had a chance to post any of our photos from our desert trips the past two weekends.

They are all loaded at our Flickr site though, and clicking on either of these images should take you there.

2010-03-23

2010-03-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Who'd have thought that jury duty would involve so much exercise? I feel like I've been to a gym!
The jury parking lot for the Santa Ana courthouse is a block from the courthouse. So I walk the length, get into line at window one to show my summons, and realize I've left my wallet with the jury summons and my id in the car. So, I set my purse, computer, and jacket down in a corner and jog back to the car and then back again to the court.
"Boy it's hot in here! Is anyone else hot?"
By 10:30 a.m. I have been assigned to a court room....on the 9th (!) floor. I don't like really crowded elevators, so I took the stairs...since we were already on the third floor. It's just as well we had no morning break --it would have involved choosing between a crowded elevator or the stairs again.
At noon, after eating the lunch I brought, I think I actually took the elevator down to the third floor, as I needed a spoon from the cafeteria to finish my lunch. From the third floor I still needed to get to the first, so took the escalator...which, because folks seemed to be in a hurry, I treated like stairs.
I walked back to my car...relieved to unload all the crap I'd brought to entertain myself, finished my lunch and then headed back, taking a few photos on the way.
Again the elevators were crowded by the time I was ready to return to the 9th floor. I had 20 minutes to get back still, so I decided to go ahead and do the stairs again, since I had time to stop every two floors and read awhile at each stop. That's what I did, but I was still exhausted when I arrived on the 9th floor.
I was thirsty be the afternoon break, so took the elevator both ways.
When we left I was ready for the stairs again...got halfway back to my car and realized my parking ticket needed validation. Argh! Oh, and guess what? I had to go all the way to the car to get it, as I'd left it there when I unloaded all my crap at lunch time.
So I walked back to the courthouse with my parking ticket, validated it, and walked back to the car.
I'm tellin' ya, that was exhausting! And I go back for more fun and exercise tomorrow!

2010-03-22 older stuff

2010-03-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

A couple of people have asked me for pictures, so I need to be able to refer them somewhere. These were taken during 2009.

Me at the Christmas party at Professors Ronald and Kyndra Rotunda on December 12, 2009.

Don when we were at the Getty Museum:

Don when we were in the Beachcomber Restaurant at Crystal Cove

Don in El Segundo before a Toastmasters contest:

Me in El Segundo before Don's Toastmasters contest:

2010-03-19 Evening in L.A. to attend "Sacred Fools" Theater Co.

2010-03-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

Don and I went to L.A. to attend a play called "Neighborhood 3" on Friday night. We arrived early so walked around town awhile. This was a little courtyard behind the Buddhist center where Don had attended a lecture the previous night.

2010-03-07 Happy Birthday to me--Balboa Island stroll

2010-03-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

2010-02-28 El Dorado Nature Center

2010-03-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

I took this picture because I loved the deep blue of the flowers. It wasn't until I was uploading the pictures to my computer that I realized it's the plant we were seriously considering planting in our front yard last summer.

It's common name is "California Mountain Lilac". It's complicated name is Ceanothus Concha.

2010-02-28 Great Egret at Long Beach Regional Park

2010-02-28T20:40:00.001-08:00

2010-02-28 Great Blue Heron at Long Beach Regional Park

2010-02-28T15:41:00.001-08:00

2010-02-16 A portrait of Q

2010-02-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Q is my Miata.
I took this portrait of Q on Tuesday when I went to a nearby park at lunch to photograph whatever wildlife I could find.

Newport Nature Center

2010-01-29T12:30:00.000-08:00

I don't think I have ever posted this picture. I was looking for one to use on a wedding shower card and thought this might work. It's easier to copy it from here than from Flickr--so I can just paste it into an e-mail to show the other folks who will be signing it; so that's why this is landing here now. (smile)

Dec. 31 Dana Point Marina

2010-01-01T17:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday "Brian from AZ" (Sorry, I never learned his last name) came to pick up Sadalsuud. Yes, our lovely little boat now belongs to a nice couple with three kids, and will be whisking them about Lake Pleasant in Peoria, AZ.
We were concerned that the keel would be frozen in place because the cable was broken on it. But it slid right up with a clunk and then dropped into place on the trailer with another, proving it was sliding free in it's slot. It seemed helpful too that the tide was quite high due to the season and full moon.
While Brian and Don brought the boat around to the boat ramp, I busied myself taking pictures. After getting the boat squared away we had a wonderful lunch at the Jolly Roger. The moment we sat down I spied a Great Blue Heron just outside our window and was pleased that he waited until we finished lunch and Don and I each had a chance to capture a few photos of him before flying off.

Monday, December 28 Old Orange County Courthouse

2009-12-29T16:49:00.000-08:00

I re-took a few photographs of the Old Orange County Courthouse. The last time I'd photographed it I'd had some lighting problems so I wanted to get better shots.

I'll stop with that one, since as usual I sort of over shot. :-)

10-25-09 Dana Point Harbor

2009-10-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took Friday off. Don and I took advantage of the opportunity to visit the Dana Point Harbor on a weekday. We took Sadalsuud out for a little spin, and I actually managed to take a few photographs from the boat without getting sick! (Compliments of "non-drowsy Dramamine")

Speaking of sailing, have you heard about Jessica Watson? I know it's hard to tear yourself away from MY blog, but hers is definitely a "Must Read" even if sailing holds no interest for you!

It can be found at: http://www.youngestround.blogspot.com/

09-10-01-09 This is a test

2009-10-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

9-26-09 Balboa set 5

2009-09-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm afraid I DID notice the fishing line straying off my new friend here's tail. Unfortunately he was not close enough to even attempt rescuing from the thing.---not that he would have stood for an attempt.

9-26-09 set 4

2009-09-27T17:59:00.000-07:00

9-26-09 Balboa set 3

2009-09-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

9-26-09 More Balboa images

2009-09-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

9-26-09 Saturday at Balboa

2009-09-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

9-26-09 view from the Balboa Ferry (Newport Beach, CA)

2009-09-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Julep's Fall Open House 9-11-09 Part 1

2009-09-12T14:55:00.001-07:00

A quaint little shop in downtown Orange named "Julep's" had their 4th Annual Open House yesterday from 4:00-9:00. I didn't arrive until about 5:20 and couldn't stay, but did get to be there for the 5:30 drawing. Tasty beverages, soup and hors dourves were enjoyed by all attending and of course, not winning the drawing, I had to buy a couple of things while I was there, because you just can't walk out of that place empty handed!

Julep's Fall Open House 9-11-09 part 2

2009-09-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

7-19-09 Sadalsuud

2009-07-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Don and I visited Sadalsuud early this morning because Don wanted to do something a little different with the dock lines. While we were there we gave her a little bath.

For the rest of this morning's images, click here.

7-19-09 Butterfly Bush

2009-07-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Don and I stopped at the Armstrong Nursery in Newport Beach (1500 East Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA. 92660 US ) on our way back from visiting the boat. We'd been planning a hedge for the front yard and had been talking about California Lilac (Ceanothus pronounced /ˌsiː.əˈnoʊθəs/), so decided to check whether they had any. They do. They also have some topiary butterfly bushes (Buddleia pronounced BUD-lee-ah). We purchased five butterfly bushes (pictures below) but won't have them delivered until we return from vacation.

Mourning Cloak butterfly (and bee) on Buddleia

For more nursery photos, click here.

Sailing preps

2009-07-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

Our friend Penny from Washington had notified us she could go sailing with us on July 4th if we were interested, and of COURSE we were, so we spent some time on Friday (July 3), since we both had a vacation day, gathering our supplies, preparing for Saturday.
We'd done some preparation in June; with getting a few new sheets, removing a couple of sharp hooks in the cockpit, and removing extra gear that had been sold to us by a very nice couple who'd had to sell their boat after 30 years of happy memories in her.
The previous week we'd taken the Spinnaker sail to the boat just in case Penny was feeling especially adventuress on the 4th. We had also gotten our new Tohatsu motor mounted after testing her in a trash barrel at home. The wind was up, prompting us to test the motor as well as the theory that Don had read, (or did he hear it?) that sailing in a good breeze can be accomplished handily with just a jib.
That turned out to be a bigger adventure than we'd planned in fact. With a new motor, a current and a wind all introducing themselves to us for the first time, we became dockside entertainment.
Our intent was to ease out of slip # 4, hiney first, aimed East, bringing the bow to face West, from whence the wind and current flowed, but within the first minute of becoming a two man (ok. ok, two person) sailing team, we found ourselves at cross purposes with our Eastern neighbor's boat which, being unoccupied, had no inclination to leave port however much Sadalsuud tugged. Like a couple wearing braces, the boats had managed to lock jaws, with our anchor, then secured to our bow pulpit, having slipped over the other boat's bow pulpit as we drifted into it, and then caught hold as we tried to move away. My attempts at lifting the anchor above the other boat's chrome banister to free the hook were hindered by my weight pushing the bow (and therefore the anchor) down. As the Eastern neighbor, just the other side of the offending boat, looked on, I self consciously laughed and, grunting with effort, managed something to the effect of "This would probably be easier if I wasn't counteracting my efforts with my own weight on the bow. This anchor needs to go UP, not down." Don, unable to see why I was taking so long, and probably hearing the grunts but not the words within them, offered to trade places. "But then," I grunted, "won't your presence on the bow counter your attempts?" At this point the nice neighbor appeared to realize that, simple as it looked from his perspective, I wasn't going to succeed, and probably seeing that Don hoped to conquer the anchor himself, shouted that he'd be right there and for me to return to the cockpit. I follow instructions better than I lift anchors.
In one quick motion the boats disentangled and, free at last, we drifted swiftly right for his boat to which he beat a hasty retreat. A second man appeared on his boat announcing how happy he was to get to use his new boat hook. A gentle shove just in time and now we're being pushed, again by wind and current, into a dock behind us. Here we encountered a mini skirt clad woman who appeared prepared to be a dock bumper. Don asked her to be careful where-upon she announced that she knew what she was doing. Well, that's more than we've got right now. (No, we didn't say that.) Rescue Man announced, "OK, give it more power now to get control." I seriously thought about how relieved I'd be to just head back into that slip and call it a day, but Don was giving it more gas so I bit my tongue (no, not literally).
As we approached the intersecting canal into which we needed to turn left, our path was crossed by a zippy little motorized rubber boat entering the same canal from the opposite direction. As we approached the channel, we encountered the same boat again, floating stationary mid-canal as the occupants made ready to photograph a little seal, also mid-canal. Probably not until they realized we were unstoppable (as in, "how do you stop this thing?") did they scoot off to the side, cringing (like us) in hopes the seal would also duck out of our path.
Headed West now on a path that winds in a U-turn approach to sea, we encountered more threats but made our way to sea unscathed. The wind felt a bit strong...in fact I was making an uneducated guess of 25 knots, due to the signs my manual told me to watch for, but in fact, when we returned and Don checked with his blackberry, the report said Dana Point had winds of 10 miles per hour. I think the report was wrong. It did deflate my estimate, but 10 mph? I think 15 knots at least. (BTW, miles per hour & knots are not synonymous, knots are actually slightly less because there are more feet in a knot than in a mile---[1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour = 6076 feet per hour, 1 mph =1 mile per hour = 5280 feet per hour]).
At any rate, after tossing about on the sea with a scare or two as buoys and jetties threatened to attack us, and the jib tried to throw Don off the bow while he struggled to furl it with a line apparently too short to finish the job, we safely returned.
I'll post the "videos" I took in the harbor before and after our excursion, but keep in mind that the harbor is protected...when you get beyond the breakwater the wind is stronger. ('Video' is in quotes because that was the word for taped films...digital motion pictures need a new word in my opinion.)
Well, sorry. I'd begun to tell you about July 4th, but diverted a bit and never got back...I guess that will have to be the next post.

Before Excursion

After Excursion

June 26th: An Evening With Julia Styles at the Mark Taper Forum

2009-06-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

Friday evening Don and I attended the play, "Oleanna" written by David Mamet, directed by Doug Hughes with Bill Pullman as (Professor) John and Julia Stiles as Carol.

Asking a gentleman sharing our elevator to the garage on our way out, what he thought of the play, he responded that he was uncertain and planned to Google it for reviews. We understood the sentiment.
(Spoilers) We discussed our impressions with each other and found those of Carol differed slightly. We agreed she was at fault, but unlike Don who saw anger in her throughout the entire play, I thought her character flaws were based on frustration at feeling stupid and insecure, and I thought I saw her transition from fearful frustration to angered empowerment. I suspected her "group" had influenced her into seeing the professor not as a friend interested in helping her, but as a self motivated enemy.
When we read the summary online of the movie starring William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon, (who had also starred in the play which had been directed by the playwrite himself, and perhaps written with Pidgeon in mind as Carol) describing the professor as smug, pompous and insufferable, we decided we needed to see that version, because Bill's John didn't seem like any of those things. We found the DVD at Chapman University, checked it out and went home to watch. In the Pidgeon-Macy version there were a couple of differences--primarily Macy portrayed the smugness we'd not seen in Bill's John. I noticed all the illusions in the first act to Carol's anger that I'd not observed, or had overlooked with Julia's Carol. We both feel we understand the characters more having seen both versions, but now I'm of a mind that Mamet did not give me enough of Carol for me to understand or accept her foibles as genuine.

6-21-09 Barona Casino/Hotel

2009-06-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

Don and I had to return to the Barona Casino where we'd been earlier with Dad, Julie, and Tom to retrieve the keys I'd left behind. We thought the mountain was kind of pretty with a cloud sitting on it.

6-21-2009 A Father's day visit

2009-06-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

We had a great visit with Dad, Julie, and Tom (Sorry--messed up. No picture of Tom. Next time.) on the Saturday before Father's day at their house in Lakeside (San Diego).

6-22-09 Father's day at Dana Point Marina

2009-06-23T18:13:00.000-07:00

Today (Father's day) Don and I installed the blue (Halyard), red (Main) and black (Spinnaker) rigging ropes that we purchased last weekend and removed a couple of ill-placed brackets that threatened to slice some unsuspecting sailor's calf. We've yet to figure out what the darned things were intended for--resting fishing poles perhaps?

June 2009, Dana Point Marina

2009-06-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

The Dana Point Harbor, originally built in 1971 for local residents, is undergoing a revitalization project.

Click here to visit the Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Plan website.

6-12-09 Huntington Beach Public Library Celebrates 100 Year Birthday Part 1

2009-06-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

On February 17, 1909, the City of Huntington Beach, so named in honor of H.E. Huntington, (responsible for the Pacific Electric Railway to the West Coast) was founded. By June 14th of the same year, the city officially had it's own library. On June 12, 2009 the Huntington Beach Public Library celebrated it's 100th birthday.

6-12-09 Huntington Beach Public Library Celebrates 100 Year Birthday Part 2

2009-06-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

For the entire "Huntington Beach Public Library Celebrates 100 Years", click HERE.

And here it is on YouTube (I don't take credit for the YouTube footage--I think the library folk posted it.)

5-10-09 Mother's Day in Dana Point

2009-05-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

I think I mentioned that a friend I've known since 7th grade, Penny, comes to CA (from Washington State) on business periodically and gets together with us for dinner. We'd been talking about sailing because she sails all the time and we just got our Aquarius 23 in December. Well, Sunday she was actually able to extend her trip long enough to visit our boat in Dana Point and help us take it out for the first time. Don has sailed before where my experience is much more limited, so for him it's just remembering combined with some common sense. For me it's a matter of learning a whole new science. Using our electric motor we took it out past the breakwaters, into the wind and swells. I got to be Tiller Girl and direction determiner while they trimmed the sails to accomodate me. :-) FUN!

The boat behind us here, by the way, is actually not ours, it's one she raced against in a Newport Ensenada race, called No Parle...or is it No Parly... No Parley? Sorry. I don't remember! It's a Cal 40 like the one she generally sails.

To see these pictures and more on Flickr. Click HERE.

5-10-09 Penny helps us take the boat for a quick spin

2009-05-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

Cute French style shop on PCH in Newport Beach, CA

2009-04-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday, 04-25-2009 inside French style shop on PCH in Newport Beach, CA

2009-04-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Ruby Throated Hummingbird (?) in Huntington Beach park

2009-04-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

In the park where the Huntington Beach Public Library resides is a tiny little garden. In the Spring it attracts a variety of Hummingbirds.
The rest of this set are
HERE.

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 9

2009-04-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 8

2009-04-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 7

2009-04-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 6

2009-04-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 5

2009-04-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 4

2009-04-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 3

2009-04-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 2

2009-04-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

4-4-2009 Environmental Nature Center, Newport Beach, CA Part 1

2009-04-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

2-15-09 Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa Pool Area Part 3

2009-02-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

2-15-09 Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa Pool Area Part 2

2009-02-16T16:46:00.000-08:00

2-15-09 Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa Pool Area Part 1

2009-02-16T16:35:00.000-08:00

These are the images taken with the smaller, Coolpix, Nikon of Agua Caliente Casino Resort and Spa mentioned earlier, in the "2-15-09 Big Morongo Canyon, Part 1" post. I only photographed the pool area as I wasn't sure they'd appreciate photography in the Casino.

2-15-09 Big Moronga Canyon Preserve Part 4

2009-02-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

2-15-09 Big Moronga Canyon Preserve Part 3

2009-02-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

2-15-09 Big Moronga Canyon Preserve Part 2

2009-02-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

2-15-09 Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, CA Part 1

2009-02-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a full day for Don and I.
We began it with Bible Study at Harbor Trinity; made a quick stop at the neighboring Starbucks where I changed into Jeans while Don bought our coffees; made another quick stop at Ace Hardware on PCH in Newport Beach where we purchased some bathroom caulking tape before heading to the Dana Point Harbor to apply the tape to the topside of Sadalsuud around the hatch in hopes of stopping a leak we discovered on our visit to her last weekend.
After I applied the tape per Don's instructions, we headed back West toward home, detouring from the 5 freeway, at the 133 North Toll Road, to join up with the 142 Toll Road for a quicker arrival on the 91 toward Riverside--and beyond, in hopes of finding bluer skies. When we got to the vicinity of Bob Hope Drive in Palm Springs we decided we reached our destination, stopping to eat at Agua Caliente Resort and Spa...pictures later--they were on the small camera and it seems the large camera is the one whose photos I've downloaded first.
We stopped in one of their gift shops where I couldn't resist the sparkles of a ring AND a necklace! Shameful, I know.
Our buffet lunch was a $25.00-a-peice Champaign Buffet (I was still collecting my lunch but Don tells me our server was visibly surprised when he declined the Champaign--that's probably a good part of the reason for the high price.) but the food really was quite delicious. I had beaf fajita makings (bell peppers, beaf, refried beens and rice), properly dressed in cilantro salsa, pineaple salsa, guacamole and sour cream; a tangy mushroom salad; a sweet crisp sprig of asparagus; a couple of iced shrimp; a chocolate covered strawberry; and a lovely little chocolate truffle dusted with powdered sugar. There was so much more to choose from it was hard not to pile it all on my plate, but this combination was perfect and I went away satiably content.
We visited the pool area where I took a few photographs, and Don won back a little over $15.00 of our dollars on a slot machine before we headed West again.
It was about 3:30 pm and though the sky was overcast and the wind was cold, we figured we probably had enough daylight left to take another detour. So we veered off highway 10 at the 62, and drove 11 miles to the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. Picasa wisely only loads four pictures to Blogger at once, so I'll load these pictures four at a time in a few more posts.
After strolling the boardwalk loop we again headed toward home. Our last stop was Barnes and Noble at the Tyler Mall in Riverside where we briefly sat with coffee and a book--mine being a lovely little book of Saints--one for each day of the year with accompanying art. Those sly Starbucks marketers...You sit down thinking you'll browse through some book like you're in a library while you enjoy your coffee (which you can't do in most libraries, and why you are in Starbucks instead) and then, bam! you're buying the thing. So yes, we went home two books richer.

1.24.09 Heap's Peak

2009-01-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

We had company visit us up on the mountain this weekend. They like hikes, so we went for a walk at Heap's Peak. Fog was heavy enough to rain down upon us at times but happily we all had hooded jackets. This tree got caught in the last fire.

January 4th, 2009 Laguna Wilderness Park

2009-01-04T16:29:00.000-08:00

Don and I stopped at the Laguna Wilderness Park because I couldn't tell the last time I was there if there were dirt roads for vehicles. There are not, so I just took a few pictures while we were there.
If you look (really) close you'll see that behind this screen of grass is a little bird looking back at me.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 9)

2009-01-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

And here's Sadalsuud in her new home!

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 8)

2009-01-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

We're so pleased that this little motor is doing so well!

Here's the first channel (of dock C) in from that main channel (that would have taken us under the bridge).

Here's the 2nd channel of dock C in from the main channel.

And here is the 3rd channel of dock C--the one closest to the gate. This is where we'll turn right, so it's time to put the camera away and head up to the prow so I can hop off and pull the boat into the slip with one of the front ropes.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 7)

2009-01-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

OK, 'excitement's over. Here's where we are headed now.

And this is where we just came from--we came out of that space between the two middle-most boats.

The sea lion/seagull competition has dispersed and only this canoe can be seen behind us now.

Now we've turned left again and are passing between docks B and C. This is a view of boats on dock C.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 6)

2009-01-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

It doesn't look like he still has the fish . . .

Yes! He does! And at this moment I hear a little voice yell, "It's a Halibut!"

Mr. sea lion is re-submerging.

Oh, and here's the source of the little voice! Wow, he's pretty small for someone who recognizes a fish. I checked on the Internet though, and I think he was right. Halibut are flat fish (family of the right-eye flounders) who are white on one side and gray on the other. They are generally gray side up so that when they are on the ocean floor they blend into the darkness and when they are near the surface, the perspective is usually from below so the white blends in with the sunlit surface. Also, they are a favorite dish of sea lions. The name "Halibut" derives from "haly" =holy, because they are eaten on holy days) and butt, meaning flat fish.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 5)

2009-01-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

The gulls and the sea lion are so close to the sea lion. What's that about?

Ohhhh. I understand. It's a fish! We're all fishing!

Where's the fish? He swallowed it already?

No, I think I see it in his mouth.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 4)

2009-01-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

It's hard to tell in this one, but I'm pretty sure we're looking at the sea lion and a few birds. I believe the sea lion is just left of the seagull with his wings raised.

The sea lion dove under water.

Mr. Sea Lion's head has re-surfaced.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 3)

2009-01-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

Now what's all the commotion out here? (The birds were all squawking)

Oh look! There's a sea lion here too.

Are the birds and the sea lion interacting?

The birds left? Now is that because of our boat? Our boat wasn't making any noise (the electric motor is silent--that's what we love about it), but maybe we disturbed simply by passing near by. Sorry this one's a bit blurry. It's Mr. Sea Lion's head.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 2)

2009-01-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

After clearing out the boat locker of all trash and/or usable items, hauling a large car battery on board, mounting and hooking up the little Minn Kota 12 volt motor, and pulling out my camera, Don manned the motor and tiller and away we went at an exhilarating average speed of .7 mph. Well, at least that's what Don's GPS said.

Don did an excellent job of reversing us out of slip A56 and aiming us out of our little canal.

I'm on the starboard (right) side of the boat, so I'm not sure at which point I twisted around to photograph the beach, but this is not the direction we were headed yet, so I must have turned toward the stern (back) of the boat here.

Definitely this is the back of the boat. This is "The Little Engine (motor) That Could".

Here I am facing forward and starboard. There is a flock of seagulls I'm interested in up there. We'll be turning left when we get to that main channel ahead.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 1)

2009-01-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

You may recall that when we bought Sadalsuud we had 7 days use of the slip she was in free, and then reimbursed the seller for the rest of December. At the end of the month, we were to remove the boat from that slip, because when Tim (seller) told the folks at Dana West Marina he had sold the boat, they rented the slip to someone else as of January 1st. Apparently it is their practice, never to turn the slip of a sold boat over to the new boat owner.
And it was because of this plan to rent a slip for Sadalsuud under our own name beginning January 1st, 2009 that I met the AAA Insurance man at the Dana West Marina on Monday, returned to sign the contract on Tuesday, and came back with Don today (Thursday) to move her to her new slip, C004.

December 30, 2008 about 2:30 pm at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park 18751 Laguna Canyon Road Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (949)923-2235 (PART 5)

2008-12-31T09:38:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2008 about 2:30 pm at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park 18751 Laguna Canyon Road Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (949)923-2235 (PART 4)

2008-12-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2008 about 2:30 pm at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park 18751 Laguna Canyon Road Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (949)923-2235 (PART 3)

2008-12-31T09:34:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2008 about 2:30 pm at the James and Rosemary Nix Nature Center in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (PART 2)

2008-12-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2008 about 2:30 pm at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park 18751 Laguna Canyon Road Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (949)923-2235 (PART 1)

2008-12-31T09:25:00.000-08:00

I drove by this place on Monday and didn't have time to stop, so decided to take Laguna Canyon Road home Tuesday in hopes I'd spot it. Happily, I did indeed find it again.
So, here we are at the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park---about 5 or so miles South of the 5/133 interchange on Laguna Canyon Road.

December 30, 2008, about 11:45 a.m. at The Black Iris, 2950 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 92651 (PART 5)

2008-12-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

And now, for a quick glimpse around downstairs, before we leave . . .

December 30, 2008, about 11:45 a.m. at The Black Iris, 2950 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 92651 (PART 4)

2008-12-31T08:08:00.000-08:00

A back patio at The Black Iris

December 30, 2008, about 11:45 a.m. at The Black Iris, 2950 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 92651 (PART 3)

2008-12-31T08:02:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2008, about 11:45 a.m. at The Black Iris, 2950 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 92651 (PART 2)

2008-12-31T07:58:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2008, about 11:45 a.m. at The Black Iris, 2950 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 92651 (PART 1)

2008-12-31T07:45:00.000-08:00

Zipping up the Coast Hwy. in my little Miata, I stopped here at The Black Iris in Laguna Beach for another wonderful 50% off "after Christmas sale". Many years ago Don and I had purchased an ornament at a Laguna Beach garage sale. The seller had dropped the name of this florist as though it were the most exotic, high brow shop in California, so I was ecstatic at the chance to browse, and actually be able to afford an item or two.

This little Christmas Elf greets you at the door.

Take a gander at the wonderful treasures hiding upstairs---and remember everything is 50% off!

I had to take several shots of this cool "Alice in Wonderland" Rabbit, complete with heart pocket watch adorning his left wrist, just to insure I got at least one good one of him. I especially love his hat! (Click on this picture to see it enlarged)

12.30.08, About 10:30 a.m., Great Blue Heron at Dana Point Harbor

2008-12-31T07:14:00.000-08:00

Having taken care of Sadalsuud's boat insurance on Monday, I returned to Dana West Marina on Tuesday to sign the contract for Dock C, slip 004. Before leaving I stopped at the Harbor where the shops are and took advantage of a wonderful "after Christmas sale" at "The Upstairs Store" (odd name for a ground level shop)where I enjoyed a brief conversation with the shop proprietor, who, just as I was leaving, exclaimed about the awesome wingspread she was observing over my shoulder (through the window), of this great blue heron.

12.29.08 Dana Point & Laguna Part 5

2008-12-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

And a few more images from the Koffee Klatch . . .

12.29.08 Dana Point & Laguna Part 4

2008-12-29T16:56:00.001-08:00

And a walk up the street rewarded me with entry to and coffee in this charming little coffee house that feels like the perfect setting for great chats on metaphysics.

12.29.08 Dana Point & Laguna Part 3

2008-12-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

Then I meandered South down the street a few steps to one of the "Pottery Shack" shops. It was sad to see a sign in one window telling me their hours were 12:00 to 5:00 after seeing one that said 50% off all Christmas items. Most of the items to be seen through the window were Christmas items and it was only 10:00 a.m. (!) but I had too many errands to run to waist two hours hanging out in Laguna just to trade dollars for items that wouldn't see the light of day for an entire year--especially since there was a parking meter to be considered.

12.29.08 Dana Point & Laguna Part 2

2008-12-29T16:55:00.000-08:00

One more image taken from the back of the Chart house and then a few taken in Laguna. I parked in front of this restaurant that promises Steak and Jazz (only open for dinner), and photographed the outside of a few quaint but, sadly, closed shops.

12.29.08 Dana Point & Laguna Part 1

2008-12-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

Today was the day to introduce Mr. Insurance Man to Sadalsuud. Dana West Marina requires that anyone renting a boat slip have boat insurance so I met Jim down at the boat at 8:15 this morning. After meeting with him I checked in with Sue at Dana West Marina and got the instructions to have Triple A fax the insurance information as soon as the insurance was official. Jim had said it should be all set by the end of the day.
Afterward I stopped at the top of the hill to photograph the marina and the Chart House restaurant grounds were so picturesque that I took quite a few there. There was some activity inside the restaurant---people cleaning and straightening. I saw no one outside at the tables, so the reason for the presence of the two full water glasses on one of the tables here was a complete mystery. After stopping at Starbucks for awhile in hopes my friend Margaret would get my phone message about being in town and meet me there (it's just a few blocks from her house), I moseyed back on up the coast toward home, making one stop along the way in Laguna where I window shopped at the Pottery Shack and had a cup of coffee while e-mailing Don from the Koffee Klatch. These five posts include images from this little excursion.
This particular group were all taken from the "backyard" of the Chart House.

Sunday December 28, 2008 Ruby St. Park, Laguna Beach, CA Part 4

2008-12-28T18:22:00.000-08:00

Sunday December 28, 2008 Ruby St. Park, Laguna Beach, CA Part 3

2008-12-28T18:19:00.000-08:00

Sunday December 28, 2008 Ruby St. Park, Laguna Beach, CA Part 2

2008-12-28T18:18:00.000-08:00