Small Wonders.15 (Urban Aviary, Volume 2)
This little guy buzzed so close to my head one morning just walking down the street in SF last week that I simply had to try to get an image and/or video of him flying around. Managed to get one adequate shot ad one adequate video — in the still, he’s on the top right, but so small and green that he disappears against the leaves. I apologize that I couldn’t find a way to shorten the first three seconds of this video, in which I’m rapidly trying to get him in the frame – but he appears around the fourth second and does his hummingbird thing then 🙂
Covid Travel.1
Well, now that I’ve been on four flights during times of covid, I figure I might as well show a few of you who are avoiding airports what it’s like: still mostly empty. On July 4, I flew Dhaka->Dubai->Chicago->SF. Then two days ago I flew SF -> Chicago to spend some time with family in Wisconsin for birthdays and such. There are a few more people in airports now than I saw when I came back into the country in July – in both O’Hare and SFO. It’s a bit sad and a bit alienating, but probably a good deal lower risk than many activities that lots of folks are doing now…and the flights are mighty inexpensive. It does all get a bit exhausting, though, doesn’t it…?
By the Golden Gate
OK this is it, the last post with photos taken in my wanderings on three continents in 2019. If there are to be posts going forward, I’ll actually have to boldly try to get my camera out in this big crowded city I’ve now called home for two months. These are miscellaneous shots taken of or by me during visits down to SF during those lovely summer months I spent at home in Sonoma county: outside a BARS concert in June, of a flowering century plant on Bernal Hill (above & below), or during my last visit to SF when I had to pick up a few supplies at Target in SOMA, prior to flying out here. I shall now focus on sharing views of the streets of Dhaka or the beaches of Cox’s again, until or unless I’m elsewhere on holiday :-).
Have a golden 2020, one and all.
Vistas, Bridges & Buildings by the Bay
Each of us resonates particularly to some kinds of beauty more than others. I’m naturally drawn more to wilderness and natural areas than to cities, as you can probably tell by all the natural-world photos that occupy these pages. But I do find the combination of hills and abundant water, with densely-packed urban centers featuring tall buildings and dramatic bridges, interesting architectural features and urban parks quite compelling. San Francisco has all of the above in abundance. Now that each of my assignments begins and ends with flights from and to SFO — now that each trip back to my own home involves crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and seeing many of the views you see here — I find myself collecting photos two or four at a time, whenever I visit the city for a concert or lunch with a friend or just a trip to or from the airport. This post is full of my miscellaneous photos taken in such trips over the past year or so. As I prepare to head out for another assignment far away, some photos of my home region to enjoy while I’m away. 🙂 If you’re curious what’s shown in any of the photos, by and large they will have names that are descriptive.
From Sea to Sierra (SFO->EWR)
If you haven’t been to the San Francisco Bay Area yourself, and if you wonder why I’m always so happy to get home to it; or why visitors to SF and the bay area so often rave about it — a good place to start is to take in the photo just above. I’m still working my way through photos I took last year, before I headed over to Bangui, where I’ve been now for more than two months. I shot all of the photos in this post during a take-off from SFO en route to EWR last year, in May — but what I’m posting are just photos from the bay area and up til the time we reached the still snow-covered Sierra Nevadas. Since it was nearly a year ago, and this year hasn’t seen as much snow — just remember: it’s last year! Enjoy!
