Princess Bellerina

The queen perches on her royal chaise. A servant hovers nearby should she desire anything.

Little Apples?

I'm not sure if this is a manzanita or wild pyracanthus.

Manzanita means "little apple" in Spanish, and a close look at the bright red berries confirms that they do, in a way, resemble a highly idealized version of an apple.

I think they look more like tomatoes, myself.

This bush was spotted on another Pulgas Ridge excursion, a place that is rapidly climbing to the head of our list of favorite places to roam.

Edit: I've since confirmed that this is pyracanthus.

Thankful for...

pleasures both simple and extravagant...

Can you believe this bottle of champagne? It was a raffle prize at Mr. Hands' company holiday party some years ago. We did not know then what a treasure we had. Tucked away since then, awaiting a special occasion--that occasion was today, our Thanksiving feast with family and friends.

Mr. Hands' verdict--"I'd rather have a Coke." My verdict--"Can I have yours then?"

Shady characters

Is it just me... or do these two look like they're up to something?

Pulgas Ridge

Katie takes Mr Hands and I for a walk
in the Pugas Ridge Open Space.

This dog-friendly preserve has great trails and an off-leash area where Katie can crash through piles of leaves and go bounding around bushes. Funny how such a resource can be in our very backyards without our knowing about it until now.

Last Harvest

I toppled the tomato plants and pulled the peppers today and here's the final bounty from the garden. I hauled all this inside using my robe as a sling, prancing in my slippers and pajamas between the first raindrops of what turned out to be quite a drizzly day. I'm tickled that I pulled all this from my garden on November 10! But I absolutely do not know what to do with green tomatoes.

Camellia

"Flowers are beautiful hieroglyphics of nature,

with which she indicates how much she loves us."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I'm the leader here, and I say... it's a little cricket bug."

Fascinated by the cricket-crab bugs she found on the shore, Katie wore herself out on the trail.

Blaze of Autumn

 

Glowing Red Fountain Grass along the Bay Trail in Burlingame.