Foam

An astounding thing to watch is foam, sea foam, as it spreads, the only visible evidence that this cellophane sheet covering the flat sand is in motion. A totally disorganized, yet perfectly arranged array of bubble blobs, never ending.

One allows a wave to flow over his feet, since moving would disturb the opportunity to behold this perfection. And starting the day with wet feet was worth it today, when infinity was found while walking a city beach.

Baker Beach Morning Foam, San Francisco, 2012.

San Francisco Snowy Peaks

The peaks in San Francisco that appear covered in snow in late Fall/early Winter are those of Baccharis pilularis, or coyote brush. The flurries are the wind-blown seeds of this shrub, native to much of California and considered the backbone of many scrub community types. Like other members of the Aster family, Baccharis produces fluffy seed that is transported in the wind. If you are reminded of a dandelion, it's for good reason -- it is in the same plant family. 

I'm told that one of the reasons coyote brush (not coyote bush) has its name is owing to its fluffy seed, which, coating its branches, makes one think that a coyote has brushed against it.

I took this photo while biking to work one cool, late October morning. I stopped along Lincoln Blvd, just north of N. Pershing. I shot it looking east (into the sun, of course).

This is one of the restoration sites where I currently work. It is the site of one of the Presidio's first large-scale habitat restoration projects. Five residential buildings, like those in the background, once stood here and were removed in 1996 to increase the populations of certain plants. The moving .gif below depicts the change from an aerial perspective. 

Now the site supports populations of numerous rare plants, and the spring --> summer flower show is impressive. Last year I photo'd two green hairstreak butterflies copulating here. And I've seen the tracks of coyote here, who brush against the Baccharis.

Baccharis pilularis, North Pershing Dunes, 2012.

1983 - 2012 aerial of North Pershing Dunes - courtesy Google Earth.

Fiber Monday

I can't be the only one who's cleverly thought of this phrase to describe what today's eating habits should be after the Thanksgiving weekend eating binge. I hereby declare that we consider "Fiber Monday" a healthy lifestyle alternative to Cyber Monday.

You may have been expecting a photo of a bowl of oatmeal, beans, grits, or Cream-of-Wheat, but after searching the archives, I'm going with a nature photo.

I took this picture of meadow barley (Hordeum brachyantherum) during a contemplative stroll through a gorgeous meadow on Sweeney Ridge in June a few years ago. I indulged in a catnap shortly after snapping this.

The nodding flower heads are the native meadow barley, and, as least as far as I can tell, the straight ones are those of Italian rye grass, an exotic species known to invade California grasslands. It seems meadow barley has a strong foothold here.

Hordeum brachyantherum, Sweeney Ridge, 2010.

Thanksgiving: let's eat

The holidays are here -- the cycle of overeating has begun that in one month and eight days will result in numerous resolutions to lose weight and improve our health.  Let's go!

I hope that people are eating turkey sandwiches for lunch these days. And still savoring stuffing and puckering with the taste of cranberry. And re-warming that apple pie a lot. Or just eating it cold next to a wedge o' pumpkin pie.

And I hope that others out there, like me, are finding creative uses for egg nog: today alone, I employed it as an enhancement to oatmeal, coffee, and this evening, a cup of chai. Tomorrow I'll repeat the coffee addition, perhaps spiking it a bit.

Piggy Butt, 2011.

Piggy bank face, 2011.

I took these piggy bank portraits at brother Kev's house last year at about this time. I was with family when I took this, so it makes me think of them. Happy Thanksgiving!