Saturday, July 31, 2010

Talking about Wesley the Owl

A month ago, following the advice of a blog reader, I went to a talk on Wesley the Barn Owl by the charming and very entertaining biologist and author, Stacey O'Brien, held at the local Borders bookstore. The amazing story is well worth reading. Here is a link to Stacey's web page Wesley the Owl.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Things are Looking Up...

Clear skies above PV Main Library.
Dear blog buddies, I'll be on vacation for a couple of weeks and this is an auto-post. I will catch up with you when I return.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

It's in the Details...

Ceiling at the PV Main Library.
Dear blog buddies, I'll be on vacation for a couple of weeks and this is an auto-post. I will catch up with you when I return.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

After Hours...

... do the panthers roam around?
At PV main library, during hours. (P.S. I am remiss in giving credit to the artist. I hope my library staff friends can add the name in the comments.)
Dear blog buddies, I'll be on vacation for a couple of weeks and this is an auto-post. I will catch up with you when I return.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

A Real Fish Tale ... at Hot Creek, Eastern Sierra Nevada

Catching BIG BERTHA ... (after a couple of years trying by a proud 15-yr-old)...

... and then releasing.
Catch-&-release at its most satisfying at Hot Creek.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Cool Views at Hot Creek (Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains)

From the ledge above Hot Creek, a very popular "catch-and-release" fly-fishing location. Access road to this creek is off of Hwy 395, just before the Mammoth Lakes airport turnoff.
A few years back, swimming was allowed in the pools where the hot springs mixed with the cold water of the stream. But now, due to unstable ground, that section of the creek is fenced off and access is prohibited.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Anticipation ...

... "They've gotta save some of that bacon for me!" - Amy outside of cafe in Lee Vining.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Observing Mono Lake ...


... on a still, warm summer morning. (18 July 2010)

Friday, July 23, 2010

SkyWatch in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas

Sky-watching for an hour last Saturday from Camp Site 25 at Convict Lake campground.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

More parental care...Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Spyrapicus ruber and offspring, 18 July 2010
We couldn't tell if this was a mom or a dad. The youngster would raise a ruckus when he thought the parent with food was nearby. The trees were just in front of the cabins at the Convict Lake Resort.
(Convict Lake got its name from a group of escaped convicts who were captured in the canyon in 1871. Read all about it HERE.)

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Tranquility in Eastern Sierras

Morning at June Lake and Convict Creek.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Mothering - the Eastern Sierra Way

Mama duck with 6 little ones at South shore of June lake, 18 July 2010.

Mama cliff swallow with a big mouth to feed at the Mono Lake Visitor Center, 18 July 2010.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Imitating the Minarets - Eastern Sierra Nevada, CA

From the Minaret Vista point at Mammoth Mountain, 18 July 2010

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Summer Lift - Mammoth Lakes, CA

Summer view of the Little Eagle chair lift at Mammoth Lakes, CA - coming down the Lake Mary road seen here last winter. The tunnel can be a bridge of sorts - Join "Louis La Vache's" Sunday Bridges at SF Bay DP.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Frolicking in Lake Mary - Mammoth Lakes, CA

We headed for Mammoth this weekend ... Amy had a cooling dip in chilly water of Lake Mary and made a few new friends.
For my previous posts of Mammoth area, click HERE.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Summer Clouds (SkyWatch Friday)


Warm, humid weather moved in with the clouds last night. This morning we had " "Scattered showers hit parts of Long Beach, San Pedro and surrounding cities Friday morning amid hot, humid conditions.", as reported by LA Times.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

"Z" is for Zo PT (abc Wednesday)

View from the main library rooftop parking overlooking the buildings on Silver Spur Rd.
The summer look of the dry grass on the hillside past the above building.
Join ABC Wednesday for "Z" end of Round 6.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

On how to "toot your own horn"


Outrageously orange trumpet vine has no problem showing off.
On Roxcove Dr. across from Bristol Farms in Rolling Hills Estates.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Dolls

Peninsula High School is putting on the Broadway musical "Guys and Dolls" (with the cast made up of South Bay high school students) starting this Thursday and running for two weekends. Judging from the preview last Sunday at the PV farmers market, the timeless show will be a smash hit.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Flight to Mt. Baldy

Photos taken by my son (with his Palm Pre cell phone) from his solo flight in a sailplane (i.e. glider) along the San Gabriel Mountains a couple of weekends ago. The first photo is of Mt. Baldy, with the clouds over the LA basin. He started with a tow from Crystalaire in Llano (SoCal Soaring Academy) and then found lift that took him higher and farther.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Rider in the South Bay (Weekend Reflection)


South Bay HOG (Harley Owners Group), on Hawthorne Blvd, at the foot of PV (or "The Hill")

Friday, July 9, 2010

Tidepools along PV Peninsula (Weekend in B&W)

The flip side from yesterday's post...going farther "down" the coast of the PV peninsula, looking north along the coastal tidepools and cliffs between Pt. Fermin and White Point.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

SkyWatch from Abalone Cove

Between the ocean and the sky (much better than between a rock and a hardplace) - 26 June 2010
PV has been mostly in fog (or the marine layer) since then, with some clearing at mid-day.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

"Y" is for Yellow Alert (abc Wednesday) & Preserve-Hahamonga-Watershed-Park-Day

The view is of the Pacific and Catalina Island as seen from the winding PV Drive East as it rises above the cliffs, with the sign alerting the drivers of the hairpin curves. The bluff in the foreground is a development for large, expensive homes on Trump's property.
The real alert is in support of the Pasadena-way bloggers who are trying to preserve Hahamonga Watershed Park in Pasadena in its current wild, beautiful, and undeveloped state. Here is the link to some of their posts: Karin at Altadena Hiker, PA at Pasadena Adjacent, Petrea at Pasadena Daily Photo, Mr. Earl at Mr. Earl Musing, and Ben at The Sky is Big in Pasadena 
Save Hahamongna.org

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

A Few Horsemen of Millard Sheets


Detail - 50 Horsemen Mural, Millard Sheets, 1974
Glass mosaic inlaid in black granite,
Chase Bank, 27319 S. Hawthorne Blvd. Rolling Hills Est.
The beautiful mural once again adorns the front entrance of what was originally Home S&L in RPV. The cement holding the tiles had losened and had to be redone.
"S&L OFFICE SET TO OPEN (Source: Los Angeles Times, Apr. 21, 1974)
Construction of a branch office of Home Savings and Loan Assn. at 27319 S. Hawthorne Blvd., Rolling Hills, is scheduled to open about May 1.
The 8,260-square-foot facility, costing $350,000, will replace a small temporary structure now in a coner of the building site. Home Savings has 56 offices.
The entrance to the new branch features a giant glass mosaic inlaid in black granite, depicting 50 horsemen. Millard Sheets of Claremont designed the building and Robert Clements and Associates, Los Angeles, did the engineering and planning."

Monday, July 5, 2010

Color in the Sky (Guest Photographer)


My friend PJ captured the fireworks from last night from her back yard in Laguna Niguel, about 60 miles south from PV. I think her photo is just outstanding.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

1776


The Declaration of Independence (copy), Old Courthouse Museum, Dover, Delaware (August 2009)
On this day in 1776, my mother-in-law's great-great-great- ... grandfather, Roger Sherman, signed this document. I just love that I, a naturalized US citizen, married into a family with a connection to US history.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Biplane Cowboy

Two weekends ago at Brackett Airport (La Verne, CA), this handsome young man was filmed running into the biplane (over and over) after the day's rides were done. Maybe the filming was for a Spanish language "telenovela".

"FLY with The BARNSTORMER" (The Travel Air bi-plane with tricycle landing gear) on every 3rd Sunday of the month at Brackett.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Triple 7


777 Silver Spur Road (1 July 2010)
Seven-hundred seventy seven marks the number of posts for PVDP.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

July Theme Day: Reflections

Outside the front enterance of the Palos Verdes Main Library.
The photo has a '60s feel to it, don't you think?