Oak Hill Park, Danville

Have you been to Oak Hill Park in Danville yet? It's right next door to Monte Vista High School. Yesterday after my trek to the cemetery, I paid this park a quick visit. It has a beautiful community hall which can be rented out for parties or other functions, a lake which you can walk around, a fun-filled playground for the kids, and some hiking trails through the hills that border the park. Oak Hill Park is also home to the All Wars Memorial which commemorates local veterans. The weather was sunny and perfect for shooting off a few pics. Come take a peek at what I saw...

Stunning views of Mt. Diablo...

A colorful vine climbing the wall of the reception hall...

This self-oiling windmill was once referred to as the "Cadillac of windmills" - now it's a fountain in the playground...

Lots of ducks and birds floating around in the small lake...

Some birds resting on the rooftop of the community center...

Lots of fallen leaves blanketing the ground...

Canadian geese having a snack on the hillside...

One of many lovely oak trees bordering the park...

An inscription marking the entrance to the All Wars Memorial...

There are several bronze plaques depicting various historical scenes...

Memorial stones...

A solitary leaf gracing one of the stones...

A statue at the memorial site...

The centerpiece of the memorial...

Just one more wonderful park in the San Ramon Valley...

Dublin Cemetery

This morning when I woke up to soft sunlight streaming through my bedroom window, I knew that I just had to get going and head over to the old pioneer cemetery in Dublin. I could tell that the lighting would be just right for some photographing. And to my delight, it was. The Dublin Cemetery is part of a heritage center that includes St. Raymond's Church, the old Murray schoolhouse, and a few other old buildings from Dublin's past. The skies were cobalt blue, the cemetery grounds were blanketed with fallen oak leaves, and many of the tombstones were glistening in the morning light - the perfect photo op! Come take a stroll...

St. Raymond's Church was built in 1859 and is the oldest existing Catholic Church in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties...

It looks like a typical New England Church and was built by the city's earliest settlers...

The belltower was added in 1890 and was used to communicate celebrations,

time, and emergencies to the townspeople...

The cemetery is filled with Irish names (hence the city's name of Dublin) as well as other European names. Take a look; you may recognize some names from some of the more prominent early settlers of the San Ramon Valley...

Here's the view looking toward the church from the back of the cemetery...

The Dublin Cemetery has hundreds of tombstones. I only photographed the ones that were basking in the morning sun. There are also information boards which explain the background of many of the settlers who are buried in this place. At this time of year, in particular, it is a very tranquil place to visit especially if you're interested in our local history. Stop by and stroll among the tombstones and check out the other historical buildings. Oh, by the way, when I got home and opened up the morning newspaper, there just so happened to be an article about this place - that's where I got some of my information about the church.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! 

Let's hope that 2009 brings all of us peace and prosperity...