Category Archives: Oakland

November Afternoon Skies, Oakland

Over Eastmont.
Sky east Oakland

Over Harrison Street and 20th Street.
Sky business district Oakland

Over East Oakland.
Sky less east Oakland

Over Fruitvale.
Sky Fruitvale

Over my house.
Sky home

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Filed under Oakland, On Color

Monday Morning around Jackson Street, Oakland

Monday morning was a foggy morning.

About 17th St, looking towards that corner of Lake Merritt.
Jackson Street Lake Merritt

Looking up.
Jackson Street Looking Up

Looking out, from five stories up.
From Jackson Street Five Stories Up

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Already the Past – 42nd Ave, Oakland

Graffiti Gone 42nd Ave Oakland

42nd Ave under San Leandro St and the 880 freeway. I was lucky one morning and the stopped traffic was just right to snag a photo. Cleaned over now. We miss FROG. The guy’s pretty neat too.

I’m seeing GERMS tagging the BART pillars along San Leandro St, just the other side of High. But which germs?! Should I pull out my mask? (it’s a professional hazard, and a dose of contrary literal mind)

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Walking East Bay Hills – Grass Valley Trail, Anthony Chabot Regional Park

I walked down the Redtail Trail until it met up with the Grass Valley Trail.

The willows along the creek were blooming, full of the heavy sound of buzzing bees.
Grass Valley trail willows

The plums were in full bloom, scattered through the valley, with plenty of their own working bees.
Grass Valley trail plum approach

Grass valley trail plums

Grass Valley under plums

A week later, the same plums finished blooming.
Grass Valley plum wk later

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Filed under Excursions, Oakland

Walking on Wednesday

Wednesday I took myself for a walk up in the East Bay Regional Parks in the Oakland Hills.

I saw weaving.

Big Trees trail web

Grasd webs below Big Trees Tr

I saw seed heads lighter than down.

Lighter than down seeds below Big Trees

I walked through fog, and sun through fog, and sun.

Sun thru Fog thru Trees

Sun below Big Trees

I picked the Kid up from school (yup, already) and dragged him to Alameda Beach. Poor Kid. Heh.

Alameda Beach

I’m on vacation at home this week. I like it.

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Filed under Excursions, Oakland, Uncategorized

Trees in January, Oakland

Dog Park, in Anthony Chabot Park
Dogpark tree hill

Redwood trunk, in the dog park
Trees texture redwood trunk

Redwood trunk base, in the dog park
Tree burl trunk base

Tree stand down by the creek in the dog park
Tree stand dog park

Continuing in the dog park
Tree silhouette dog park

Underside of a manzanita
Manzanita

Outside of a manzanita
Manzanita flowers

Olive trees, I think, still at the dog park
Olive trees? Dog park

Peeling eucalyptus at Chabot Space and Science Center
Peeling eucalyptus

Tree in the rain, through a window at Chabot Space and Science Center
Tree at chabot

More rainy trees, through a blue window at Chabot Space and Science Center
Rainy window chabot

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Filed under Excursions, Oakland, On Color

City Wildlife

Dimond hawk

Grabbed a pigeon and stopped in this tree, right above us. It stayed a long time here, whistling at another hawk a couple trees away. We pulled out the super duper wildlife camera (the iphone – what can I say? It’s always at hand) and managed this photo. Dimond Rec Center, less than 1/2 mile off 580.  Ah, life in the Oakland wilderness.

In other news, my back is still sore.  Nuts.

Still, the trip was worth it.  We only went to Alabama to visit my parents so I could pick this up.
Wheel in maleta

What’s this? Why, it’s Mom’s old Louet S10, and now it’s here with me in Oakland!
Louet s10 new in the room

Such a simple wheel. Simple to take apart, simple to put back together, simple to spin with. There’s only one mysterious small plastic piece I found on the living room rug during the reconstruction process. But it could be from anything, given the boys who live here (not a lego for a change). After 5 days back (and back at work), I spun up a little of my old favorite oatmeal wool.

Spinning 5 days

I am not a one-project person. I started this in the Atlanta airport on the way out. And I’ve got half a batt spun up as of right now. See?

Verdura batt half baked

Abby Batt verdura – 60% merino 37% tussah silk 3% firestar nylon. On the Kid’s bloodwood Jenkins Turkish Delight. Spun mostly long draw from the fold, not trying for tiny. And I’ve got another batt just like this one!

Not knitting much.  Seaming Sprossling very slowly.  I blame the back.  Because of course I would have the sweater finished last week for the cool weather, if it weren’t for my back!  Heh.

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Filed under Excursions, Oakland, Spinning

Here a pop, there a pop, everywhere a pop BOOM

It’s the Fourth of July, and my neighbors are celebrating in style!  Kiddo is running from window to window, chasing fireworks.  Why would we go to the professional ones, when we have all the fun right here at home?  The parking’s better, too.

I celebrated by sorting and tossing/recycling and actually putting away lots and lots of stuff.  All day.  I think I’ve stopped.  I’m not done.  I could do this all day and night for days and not be done.  But the recycling bin is full, and the trash isn’t far behind.  Kiddo and Papa hung out with the Richmond cousins and their other cousins and left me to my own, unusually house productive, devices.

Kiddo and I are finishing up our week of summer vacation together.  I was very happy to miss the family time today.  We’ve had a mostly awesome time, but a break is good.  Tuesday we’re back to the grind.  Summer camp for him, so not quite a grind!  But lunches, and up and out of the house, and coming home late.  We can tell it’s summer, because he has no homework.  Lucky boy.

Oh dear.  Frustrated kid.  He keeps missing the fireworks.  Must offer sympathy.

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Filed under Family Stories, Oakland

Bags of Koigu!

Walked past Article Pract yesterday.  Bags of Koigu KPPM are piled in the window.  It might be the most beautiful window display I’ve seen…

I couldn’t go in.  Not enough time.  Sniff.

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Filed under Knitting and more knitting, Oakland

Work Trucks

Seen in Albany:  Newton’s Apple Hauling

Seen in East Oakland:  IF IT’S TOO LOUD YOUR TOO OLD Stereo Installation

And a bit of graffiti off San Leandro St at about High Street (Oakland):  the usual tags, nothing special.  The top tag is Rob Lowe.  Hee!

Sometimes, I love driving all over the place.

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