December 25, 2010
It is with great thanks to fellow blogger Katie at Phyte Club that I even knew the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum would be open (and free) on Christmas Day. It was my first time in the gardens. Wow! It would be well worth the relatively inexpensive $7 non-resident admission price on any other day... especially if it's not raining.
As per my typical rain curse (whenever I plan ahead for a hiking or camping excursion), it rained, and then it rained some more. Did I mention my graduation ceremonies from Ohio State was the only 2nd rain-interrupted outdoor procession in its over 100 year history? Don't let me get started on my wedding day! Most of my pictures from S.F. ended up too dark or fuzzy to post, and I'm still not decided on how to handle "garden" pictures on Nature ID. I do hope to show above that there are numerous blooms here on the coast of CA during the winter.
No worries, I had an absolutely lovely day, exploring the lesser known high peaks of San Francisco, finding new places in Golden Gate Park, enjoying a New York-style bagel heaped with more lox than I could buy at a grocer with tomato, red onion, and capers at the House of Bagels on Geary, and lunching for hours with a total stranger I met on Clement who advised me of the best Vietnamese noodle house I've ever been, Le Soleil. Angela, if you're out there, you were my angel on Christmas Day.
Again, with many thanks to Katie and Angela, for helping me find and create a memorable Christmas Day.
As per my typical rain curse (whenever I plan ahead for a hiking or camping excursion), it rained, and then it rained some more. Did I mention my graduation ceremonies from Ohio State was the only 2nd rain-interrupted outdoor procession in its over 100 year history? Don't let me get started on my wedding day! Most of my pictures from S.F. ended up too dark or fuzzy to post, and I'm still not decided on how to handle "garden" pictures on Nature ID. I do hope to show above that there are numerous blooms here on the coast of CA during the winter.
No worries, I had an absolutely lovely day, exploring the lesser known high peaks of San Francisco, finding new places in Golden Gate Park, enjoying a New York-style bagel heaped with more lox than I could buy at a grocer with tomato, red onion, and capers at the House of Bagels on Geary, and lunching for hours with a total stranger I met on Clement who advised me of the best Vietnamese noodle house I've ever been, Le Soleil. Angela, if you're out there, you were my angel on Christmas Day.
Again, with many thanks to Katie and Angela, for helping me find and create a memorable Christmas Day.
7 comments:
You have such an adventurous heart! And those gardens look so lush and green! :)
Not only was it one of my favorite places to walk when I lived in SF, there is one section of it where if you have a couple of peanuts on your outstretched hand, a scrub jay will land, delicately select one, and fly off to shell it....
Hi katie -- Thanks for the shout out! Glad you had fun in SF. Having the botanical garden here is really such a treat, and a saving grace in the City, for sure. Next time we'll meet up. --k
twg, I appreciate your comment. When I'm by myself, I tend to go out and find places and people for the sheer pleasure of discovery.
Janet, it's always nice to have fond memories.
Katie, we're planning on heading to the SC Fungi Fair first thing tomorrow. Have you already been?
I have been wanting to go to the Strybing Arb for years. Perhaps 2011 is the year . Happy to hear you were able to make it : )
That's pretty wet looking. I love that garden around February/March when a lot of the southern hemisphere plants are still in bloom and the California natives are starting up.
I know what you mean about "garden" plants, but most of the plants and animals don't make a distinction so maybe all nature is a garden, all gardens are nature? I find I use my tree book more to ID planted trees than to ID wild ones.
Amber, no time like the present. I don't know about you, but I often rarely visit (or appreciate) the touristy places closer to home.
Ryan, I'll have to ponder your wisdom.
Post a Comment