On the last evening of my California visit, Liz showed me the area of Mill Valley which is made up entirely of house boats, a whole small village of them. I never even knew this place existed! We walked up and down all the piers, and I loved it! Lots of color, lots of potted plants, lots of surprises....
The whole time we were walking up and down the piers the tide was low:
whimsy, again and again:
At first, I assumed that this duck was a carving, with feathers placed around it, one more work of whimsy. But when I looked more closely (thank goodness I did) I saw breathing! I assume someone worked hard to make the duck feel so welcome, though, of course, perhaps it was a breathing piece of art! I know that a bird will stay on a nest if there are eggs newly hatched, but, in any case, I was touched by the beauty of it all.
The morning of my return home, it was raining as I took the wonderful bus at 7 a.m. from Mill Valley directly to the SF airport. This meant I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge en route, headed toward San Francisco and beyond. I had time to take this one photo, with my iPhone, while the bus was moving across the bridge. I couldn't believe how it turned out. I share these words about how it happened because it's such a thrill to capture one's emotions in a moment that unexpectedly presents itself. I was sad to leave, glad I had been able to come, so thankful for friends, and, always, grateful that I still love making photos. The seeing seems to help me make sense of so many things.
My plane from SF was delayed three times, so, essentially, I spent a day in the airport, and I didn't see my checked bag for a day and a half. But, hey, my two planes were took off and landed safely, and the airline put many of us up in the Hilton Hotel across the road from the Chicago airport. I slept in a Murphy bed! with a great mattress! Once we actually were flying somewhere, I couldn't help taking photos of moments when sky, clouds,and light from the sun banded together.
A totally different look outside the next day on the way to Lexington:
A last note: I saw this large photo during my visit, in a restaurant in Ukiah, and I wanted to make some joke here about how I got slowed down by some construction problems getting across the bridge..... However, I realize that my humor might not make enough sense to share. (Sometimes my humor doesn't make any sense, but other times..... ) Seriously this photo shows the Golden Gate Bridge under construction, in the 1930s. It was way ahead of its time, and it changed the whole region. Everyone, here's to adventures, every single one.
When I was playing at Malone's a mother duck laid her eggs in a planter three feet from where I was playing on the open patio, hatched them, and led the ducklings to the stream behind the club all the while surrounded by a LOT of diners and drinkers into the small hours every night.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was playing at Malone's a mother duck laid her eggs in a planter three feet behind me on the open patio and when the ducklings hatched she led them to the stream that runs behind the club, surrounded by a LOT of diners and drinkers into the small hours.
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