not exactly gourmet...

 Sometimes a woman just needs a hot dog, garlic fries and a lemonade. Especially after walking around Stow Lake, now renamed Blue Heron Lake, in Golden Gate Park. Neti and I walked around the lake twice yesterday with hundreds of other folks eager to be out and about on a sunny Saturday. So beautiful. 

take a minute

 I was in the neighborhood and I found parking near Golden Gate Park, so I stopped to just sit and unwind and appreciate this glorious space. We voted to ban cars on this stretch which some citizens utilized for commuting and now it is filled with grateful bikers, walkers, readers and folks like me who are a bit overwhelmed with politics currently here in the USA.

luxury outdoor dining

 I met Neti for a walk around Stow Lake yesterday and then a gourmet hot dog/fries/Coke® lunch outside the boat house. A huge tree has fallen (middle photo, sorry you can barely see it) but the ducks were enjoying the sunshine and so were we. They have worked on the walkways there and now they are smooth and no more trip-and-falls for the over 70 crowd. Gorgeous.

Friday fun ~ more art, good friends and food

 Amy and I visited the deYoung yesterday to be overwhelmed with the OPEN exhibit of more than 800 pieces of art from local artists. Not the famous names, but impressive proof of all the talent in the Bay Area. Too much for one visit, to be honest. Well done, deYoung! Then we took the Ferris Wheel (middle photo) and that was delightful. Doug and Barb invited me to dinner and aren't these carrots gorgeous? Delicious pork and wonderful conversation. Lucky me. I am feeling grateful as I stare at the fireplace this morning. 

and a dog named Heaven

 What a glorious sunny Sunday we had and I was fortunate to be able to spend most of it at a picnic table in Golden Gate Park with my museum co-workers Larisa and Lauriel (and her husband and dog). We enjoyed walking, talking, eating and wishing Larisa the very best as she moves to Italy to join her new husband. It felt so great to be outdoors in the sunshine and very fresh air. 

Tuesday, in the Park

 These two young beauties had set up a photo shoot at the tulip garden in Golden Gate Park yesterday and I asked if I could take their picture ~ how fun is that? Ginger and I admired the tulips and then had a good walk and enjoyed our coffee at Stow Lake where these geese were looking for a handout. Blue sky!

Dahlia Dell with music

 Golden Gate Park was filled with dahlias and people yesterday when Ginger and I had our walk and coffee. I read somewhere that park attendance has gone WAY up since the pandemic and this news makes me happy as we are people watchers and the knowledge that out busy city supports a big and diverse park is music (not necessarily accordion) to our ears. A lovely morning indeed.

do you call this Summer?

 Eventually the fog burned off yesterday, but it was pretty chilly out at Stow Lake for the Tuesday Adventure and Coffee with Ginger. Still beautiful, of course. I do love my fireplace on these cold, grey mornings, even if SF is out-of-step with the rest of America. 

the beauty of SF

Back to the Botanical Gardens yesterday with Ginger and a thermos of coffee. What a treat with sunny weather featuring a perfect breeze. Still a few rhododendrons and poppies to admire. Then back home to memorize every word of the Jan. 6th hearings. Trump was (is) ruthless. 

 

fields of beauty and sorrow

 THE AIDS MEMORIAL QUILTS

The weather was perfect yesterday for walking slowly through the hundreds of quilts

in GG Park ~ heavy, misty and mournful. This was only a two day event and I needed

to pay our respects to those men and women who died way too young.

Thirty-five years ago Bill and I toured the memorial AIDS quilts display and I will

never forget that day. I needed to return yesterday.

My friend Terri told me where the quilts she made for her brother Frank (photo) and his

partner were and I wandered for quite awhile looking and weeping quietly. I was

surprised by how powerful these memories remain. And they should.

wild irises in bloom

 The June Swoon fog (Karl) spend most of yesterday morning with Ginger and me out at Stow Lake. It was still a good walk and we warmed up with coffee. Fun to watch the summer kids' camps and try to help the tourists. The sun came out, of course, when we got home. 

serenity NOW

 The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park is now FREE to SF residents so Ginger and I took advantage of that yesterday for our Tuesday Adventure. It really is such a lovely and tranquil setting, especially during these worrisome war times. The garden began during the 1894 California Fair and expanded over the years. The 9,000 lb. Lantern of Peace was donated in 1953 by the Japanese government. Lots of happy tourists yesterday ~ such a good sign.

under the windmill

Ginger and I visited the tulips in the park yesterday ~ so lovely. Then we found a picnic table in the sun for our coffee and blueberry muffins. This is what retirement is all about, no arguments there.
 

it's summer at Stow

 The entire world (almost) was out walking and picnicking (and where did that K come from?) at Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park yesterday. Patrice and I met there for a walk and talk yesterday ~ we used to work together at the museums and now she lives up in Sonoma County. She will be cat sitting for me in October when I finally get back to Ashland for some deep theater. Lovely day.

peace, calm and nature

 The most welcome light rain Monday night left us with clean air and sunshine yesterday, so Ginger and I walked around Stowe Lake before coffee. A beautiful day and time to breathe between addressing holiday cards and checking off the endless To Do List.

dahlia dalliance

 Ginger and I had a good long walk in Golden Gate Park yesterday, ending up at the Dahlia Gardens and you can see how stunning these flowers are. Our big city park was packed with people, dogs and picnics ~ a very pleasant Tuesday indeed. 

six Stowe ducklings

 I know you can barely see the six little ones in the bottom photo, but they came right up to rest by our table yesterday. Mama was guarding them and trying to get a nap. There was some early morning fog as Ginger and I walked ~ most welcome after the heat last week. 

we did not tip toe

 Yesterday Ginger and I visited the glorious tulips down at Queen Wilhelmina's windmill and tulip garden in Golden Gate Park. Good thing we arrived early because it was crowded with people, kids and cameras by the time we left. SF did not let our parks disintegrate during the pandemic, everything is beautiful and just what we shut-ins need then and now. 

one fine Ferris Wheel

 Yesterday Ginger and I rode the HUGE (and controversial, of course everything in SF is controversial) Ferris Wheel in Golden Gate Park. It was totally delightful and I recommend this whole heartedly. You can buy tickets online and we lucked out on the weather because clouds and rain started later in the day.

who let the dogs in?

 Yesterday Ginger and I went to play at the brand new dog run in Golden Gate Park. Posh. As it should be. We parked easily at 36th and Fulton and did some serious dog watching before heading south to North Lake and walking there. That is a wild overgrown lake, completely different than pristine Stowe Lake. A delight ~ filled with wild flowers and little animals. Then coffee and home grown coffee cake sitting in the sun (you can barely see the lake, but it is there) at the one picnic table. Excellence.