28 December 2011

Sacramento Coot and Other Wildlife Refuge

Geeses. And coots.
A medley of ducks. And coots.
Is this immature eagle? I dunno. Is not coot.
Other geeses and ducks. And coots.
Geeses on wing. Coots on water.
Segregated ponds. Turtle at foregound left on log, ducks (and coots) sleeping at center, and stilty-wading birds at back (and coots.)
Geeses. And coots.

Geeses. And coots.
Geeses. And that might be a coot on water at left-center.

21 December 2011

Happy Holidays!!!!!

"...chirp...chirp...chirp..."

14 December 2011

I Just Love the Way the Colours Change, Don't You?

That's frozen hummingbird drink, by the way. Poor little fella had to wait till 11am when it thawed.





01 December 2011

29 November 2011

Surgery is FUN!!! Mom's adventures over Thanksgiving.


 Warning: an image below is of stapled knee surgery incision. Tidy and precise, but real.


Ready for the knee replacement adventure

Post-surgery: What hit me?
Fleurs from well-wishers
Soup can be dangerous if you fall asleep holding the bowl.

Grounds at Stanford Hospital had many flowers. Good smells
The knee. Those are staples, not stitches, and the writing is confirms choice of knee.
Gigi pursuing some therapy of her own.
 
Well, at least Gigi is feeling better. Mom has been relocated to rehab across the street from the Stanford Shopping Center.

Gosh! More tea.

But there is cake!

27 November 2011

Sinko-Sanko-Bay by Night

View from home. So clear you could clearly distinguish the edge lights on the Embarcadero.

16 November 2011

A Thanksgiving Howdy!

Beautiful feathers. Flock of 8 just strollin' through.

13 November 2011

Rome, Florence 2011: Part II

Espresso macchiato!
Campo dei Fiori
Campo dei Fiori
The finest gelato in Rome after rounds of testing. Three visits. (Actually, I went back for seconds, once.)
Shhhh.... I'm thinking.
Gelateria del Teatro: Il Migliore!
Florence! Gigi performs luck ceremony, which involves throwing money down the drain.
The Baptistry (the original doors are being restored)

Giotto's Campanile
Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) interior.
Frescoes on High! (Vasari/Zucchero)
Ceiling of the Baptistry at Piazza del Duomo
Baptistry altar
Altar mosaic detail
Baptistry, Florence
Baptistry detail
Piazza del Duomo: Baptistry, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Campanile
Piazza del Duomo: Duomo, Baptistry, Campanile
View through smudgy glass: The Arno with rowers, Ponte Vecchio from the Uffizi
The Market in Florence
A meagre counter meal of lasagne al forno, porchetta, and bicchieri di rosso. Hardship, hardship....
The famous Alberti facade of Santa Maria Novella
The weight of the Beltrami Debacle settles.
Piazza Santa Trinita. Ferrari is promoting brand. Same campaign will clutter image of Piazza Santa Croce.
Column of Justice in Piazza Santa Trinita
The Arno, Ponte Vecchio
Strolling with gelato. How sensible.
View of Florence from San Miniato al Monte
San Minato al Monte
San Minato al Monte
San Minaito al Monte
Apse mosaic, San Miniato al Monte
San Miniato al Monte
Florence view: Baptistry, Campanile, Duomo, and Badia Fiorentina, Museo Bargello in front.

Santa Croce
Basilica of Santa Croce
Tomb of Galileo, Santa Croce: Oh, NOW you're sorry!


Pazzi Chapel
Pazzi Chapel
Pazzi Chapel
Pazzi Chapel
Florence Triumphs Over Pisa!
Although there is no statue, Roma Triumphs Over Firenze! in the gelato rivalry.
Back in ROME!
Colosseum.


Coloss-o-rama
Arch of Constantine
Arch of Constantine
Temple of Roma and Venus
Colosseum
Gnocchi alla Gorgonzola, boar ragu, and house red.
Much time spent with maps.
Santa Maria Maggiore
Mosaics of apse at Santa Maria Maggiore
Fuel.
Piazza della Repubblica
Largo di Pallaro (near Teatro di Pompeo)
Largo di Pallaro, Sant'Andrea della valle at upper rear.
Sant'Andrea della Valle
Sant'Andrea della Valle
Sant'Andrea della Valle
View along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza
Piazza San Eustachio, Sant'Ivo at rear. Good coffee at Sant'Eustachio (left tables).
Approaching Piazza della Rotonda
Piazza della Rotonda
Pantheon
Piazza della Rotonda, Pantheon, Fontana del Pantheon.
Fontana del Pantheon