Category Archives: Nature

Nature

Rowing and Rowing

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I’ve been rowing with others in a whaleboat most weekends with Solano Rowing Club, but my friend Nancy recently inspired me to try to get back into kayaking, which there is a great club in Vallejo that facilitates that. In Dan Foley Park we kayaked adjacent to Six Flags Park and got to see giraffes eating on the side of the lake! Who knew!? There are roller coasters and other things to see from the lake, but the hills and the park are wonderful as well. What a cool place! We hope to do this regularly. Dan Foley is such a beautiful place. We’ll be back for more.

Speaking of rowing in a whaleboat, periodically the boat needs to be brought back and forth between my neighborhood in Vallejo (Glen Cove) to Benicia. During one of those trips, I had to take a picture of these geese on top of this house right by the water. I hope the residents of this house don’t have to suffer from this kind of goose attack that often, but it would be worth it for the views they have!

Art, Home & Garden, Nature

Vallejo Garden Tour 2022

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We loved this event, which was a fundraiser for the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum. To our amazement, two of the houses were on our little block – only two and three houses away from us. In fact, those were our favorites since the use of their backyards was so well-planned. It was amazing to see from their perspective the same eucalyptus forest I see from my backyard many an afternoon in my own sanctuary. I was definitely inspired and amazed at the time that was spent by so many of these gardeners. As the president of the Glen Cove Community Association, I was also particularly proud that three of the houses among the ten involved, were in Glen Cove itself (including the two on our block).

California, Nature

Benicia Views of Vallejo

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Our next-door neighbor town within Solano County is Benicia. Like our Glen Cove neighborhood it’s on the water and has amazing views of this lower part of the Sacramento Delta feeding into the Carquinez Strait, San Pablo Bay followed by San Francisco Bay and then of course the largest body of water in the world, the Pacific via the Golden Gate Bridge. These kayakers have great views and plenty of guts since this does have large ships coming in regularly!

California, Nature

Glen Cove Vallejo Marina

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Looking out from the “Lighthouse” building, which is a gorgeous Victorian-style building, definitely not a lighthouse.

These photos are just a small sampling of the marina down the hill from us where I row with the Solano Rowing Club on a whaleboat.

This particular Marina in Vallejo has been rated one of the ten best in the United States! The “Lighthouse” building is an event space, but the natural setting and meticulous landscaping help make it a site to behold.

The marina has its own vineyard and there’s a beautiful senior living facility just up the slope, with several businesses and then our neighborhood. The layout is fabulous, with parks all the way along the waterfront and lots of million-dollar views. More galleries are available on GlenCoveVallejo.com. Here are just a few I took on this glorious January date from the pier.

Some people think I’m crazy when I noticed that January is when things “start warming up” for Spring in California. The roses always blossom in January and the days literally start getting longer from the Winter Solstice in late December. I remember feeling this way even as a child when I lived here. I’m so appreciative to live in this amazing climate; one that I very conscientiously picked to move to, and to a city I knew had the diversity and beauty I wanted to boot.

Before we bought in Vallejo, I literally studied meteorological reports and compared them to Hayward where we rented. I did this because we did not want to lose the ideal conditions of cool nights and warm days without experiencing scorching weather for months. We are happy to VISIT the heat and snow as it suits us.

California, Nature, Travel

Coastal Drive and Palm Springs Visit January 2022

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Our drive down to Palm Springs via the scenic route whenever possible (especially during the daytime) with a stop in rural, coastal Santa Barbara County.

My parents lived in the Lompoc area before I was born, and my dad is from Monterey originally, so it’s always particularly nostalgic to stop in Central California, where I still have a ton of relatives on my dad’s side. Pebble Beach has this amazing Monarch Butterfly Grove. We were there when most of them were still asleep, but it was still a nice place to pause on our trip down.

Santa Barbara County is magical. I forgot to take pictures of us having tea with Oprah, Harry and Meghan, but you can imagine they were delighted to receive us again. It was great seeing the kids too.

While I was working Shando took a hike in Palm Springs:

Had dinner with good friends Richard Kraft and James from BC.

I also ran into the identical twin brother of my friend Rob from Princeton, New Jersey (they both live in San Diego now). He happened to be in town at the same time as me. I had never met his brother in person. Unfortunately the picture is out of focus, but what a small world!

Crow on a palm tree in downtown Palm Springs

Bella, California, Cappy (Capulet Georgia), Hiking, Husband, Monte (Montague Gilligan), Nature, Outdoors, Pets, Timber, Tucker, Vallejo, Video

Glen Cove Waterfront Park

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This was the first time to this park with all five dogs. We found a very cool, calm and isolated place where they could go into the water safely for a little cooling off. There are lots of great places where one can launch a small boat or go swimming. We’re going to enjoy this park often.