Saturday, January 23, 2010

Old Faithful

Lush Vancouver Island, mountainous Whistler, scenic Coeur d'Alene, desolate Four Corners, sizzling Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Big Sur, Phoenix, Mt. Constitution, Coulee Dam, Moab - those are just some of the many destinations our trusty silver Volvo sedan has safely taken us. We've lost count of how many times she's hauled us up and down the length of Interstate 5, her large trunk packed full of suitcases, backpacks, camping gear, and coolers, not to mention over 12 years of commuting to our jobs in San Jose and Hayward. Yes, our trusty '98 Volvo S70 has been one of the best traveling companions we've had...

...and hubby was there to capture an important moment in her life:

On 1/6/10 at 11:57 pm when the temps around San Ramon were a bit colder than usual, she clocked in at 222,222 miles...all on the original engine, transmission, shocks, muffler, AC, body parts, sound system and more... and still not a scratch in the paint or a tear in the upholstery.

Sure, she's gone through a number of brake jobs and sets of tires, but for that many miles, I think she's still looking pretty darn good!
With the family teenager behind the wheel now too, will she make it to 333,333?

Memorial Park - After the Storms

In between the storms that have been sweeping through the Bay Area, I made a quick pit stop at Memorial Park in San Ramon. Once there, I was captivated by the dramatic skies, the emerald green hills, and the brilliant sunlight that peeked periodically through the cloud covered sky. The park was deserted except for a few hardy dog owners letting their pets run wild around the rain-soaked enclosure. Take a quick look and enjoy Mother Nature's powers...

Snowcapped Mt. Diablo...

Looking southeast...

Looking northeast toward Mt. Diablo...

Benches and puddles...

Oaks basking in the late afternoon sunlight...


Bare trees and charcoal gray skies...

An established oak...

The flags at Memorial Park...


Two Canadian geese frolicking in the flooded baseball field...


The lone oak...

A cluster of oaks...

Decomposition at work...

The last glimmer of sunshine...

Want to see more images of Memorial Park? Click HERE.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Skies around Contra Costa County

We've been having interesting and varied weather around here lately which has resulted in some wonderful skies this weekend...

Foggy skies...

Blue skies...

Sunny skies...

Painted skies...

Skies with a touch of soft sunlight...

Rain soaked skies...

Threatening skies...

Gray skies...

And heavenly skies...
What will tomorrow bring?

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Lafayette Reservoir

Today late in the afternoon F and I took our first hike of the new year. Well, it was more of a stroll - around picturesque Lafayette Reservoir. The trail was packed with people, kiddies, and dogs. The lighting wasn't the greatest, but the colors of the sky, trees, and water were almost pastel like and rather muted. Come take a look for yourself...












Click HERE to view last year's walk at the same reservoir.

Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year's Day

Happy New Year!
Wishing you all the best in 2010...
Cheers from San Ramon!