Fog and No Fog

Just thought I'd show the difference in our view on a clear day (top, yesterday) and a day when the "marine layer" rolls in (bottom, today). It's not ALL sunshine here! And it's only going to be in the 60s today instead of yesterday's record 83!

Miscellaneous Pics from Saturday

Fred coming back from his run. Always a good thing.

I guess these people don't have a motor, so they row out of the channel. Never saw this before on such a large boat.

The beach volleyball games were in full swing.

The couple that surfs together stays together. I wonder how long they've been surfing together? No spring chickens, these!

Dolphins in the Channel

First thing I saw when I got up was this view of a pair of dolphins swimming into the channel. About a half hour later they, or another pair, swam back out. In addition to the dolphin, I saw about a dozen loons swimming in (there will be pictures on the bird blog www.birdlist.blogspot.com) and a sea lion. And of course, some cormorants, fishing boats, dogs on Dog Beach behind the dolphins.

Balboa Park, Sunday afternoon

Super Bowl Sunday turned out to be one of the best weather days we've ever had in San Diego. (Sorry to our East Coast friends who might be reading this.) We headed out to Balboa Park to take advantage of the weather. Below is one of the buildings at the park; don't know which one, it was just beautiful, though.

One of the many street performers at the park today. He was just outside the Botanical Building.

Botanical Building and Lily Pond, Balboa Park

This spectacular building is the Botanical Building at Balboa Park, built for the 1915 Exposition. According to www.balboapark.org, it's one of the most photographed spots in the park. Ok, so I'm trite. It's still great. Inside was a great orchid exhibit.

Fun on a Sunday at Balboa Park

Balboa Park was full of people enjoying the very warm day. Some looked like they had come from church. The fountains are always kid magnets.

There's an artisan village at Balboa Park. This lady (below) was a glass blower.

Balboa Park Carousel

The carousel is one of our must go to places, whether we ride or just watch. It's one of the few carousels that still offers a gold ring for a free ride.

Today, the boy shown below was compelling. He really wanted that golden ring
!

In this first picture (above) the carousel is not moving yet. He's working on his form.

Reach for it!

Got it!

And here's the ticket for the free ride. Even the giraffe seems to be celebrating!

Balboa Park Organ Concert

We went, as always, to the Sunday afternoon outdoor organ concert at Balboa Park. It was such a beautiful day; and we knew it would be even warmer inland at the Park.

The Spreckels Pavillion was built in 1915 for the Panama-California Exposition and deeded to the city. The organ now has 4518 pipes in 73 ranks. That means something to organ people. To me it means there are a whole lotta pipes. The smallest one is the size of a pencil. I forget how big the largest is. There is an outdoor concert here every Sunday, rain or shine. If it rains, the console is kept right next to the pavillion. There is a metal wall that slides down over the pipes and the console when not in use. For more info, see http://www.sosorgan.com

Carole Williams, the Civic Organist for San Diego and Lyle Blackington, Curator of the Spreckels Organ

Fred at the Spreckels Organ console.

La Jolla

We decided the Miata deserved a good washing, so took it to our favorite car wash in La Jolla and gave it the "gold" treatment. Then we cruised with the top down through La Jolla. We had lunch outside in one of our favorite places. It was a beautiful day, but we did manage to find a parking space (Betsy's Rule: if you find a parking space in La Jolla along the cove, take it, even if you weren't going to stop!) The pelicans and cormorants were enjoying the day too.

Waking Up in San DIego

Here's a view of our first morning in San Diego this year. From top to botton, the view across the Mission Bay; two views of sunrise, and the view from our window. Today will be spent getting organized, going grocery shopping, perhaps lunch in La Jolla. The good weather comes this weekend, we hear.

We Arrive in San Diego

Here is Art and Kathy's Miata parked in front of the condo while we unload. Picture taken from the balcony of our unit. Tough view, huh? Below, Fred gives the Miata a pat for a job well done after parking it in its garage, around the corner from the condo.

Kelly Ingram Park

Across from the museum is the Kelly Ingram Park, the site of large scale demonstrations during the civil rights era. There is a statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. and memorials to the demonstrations. Fred is shown with the monument depicting the water cannons which were trained on the children. We arrived fairly late on the 26th, so came back on the 27th to tour the Institute.

Birmingham, Alabama

Our first place to visit on this trip was Birmingham, Alabama. We went to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which is a museum and much more. We spent three hours there and were totally drained. It tells the story of the battle for civil rights. The only thing that I can compare it to is the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.

Across from the museum is the Kelly Ingram Park, the site of large scale demonstrations during the civil rights era. There is a statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. and several statues depicting scenes from the demonstrations: the water cannons which were trained on the children and the dogs that were allowed to threaten and terrify the demonstrators. There is a monument to the children who were jailed: on the jail, upside down, is written "segregation is a sin" and across from the jail are statues of the children who vowed they would turn the jails upside down.

Westward Ho!

When Fred and I agreed to drive our friends' red Miata West for them, we didn't know what we were getting into. Art and Kathy Buono moved to Colorado just in time for all the December 2006 blizzards. We picked up the car at their old house in VA, and fifteen minutes into the drive home, the Buono curse hit us too. The snow in our driveway melted before we left, but more snow flurries hit just as we were leaving on Wednesday the 24th of January.

We stopped in Staunton, VA for lunch at the Hi Nieghbor restaurant. The salt on the side of the Miata is a testimony to the snowy conditions that had been around.

We spent the night near Knoxville, and left the next morning in, you guessed it, snow flurries.