She's On Her Way

The Best Summer Photo

Late July in Our Garden

Gardeners in S.P. are convinced the world is coming to an end because so many plants are blooming out of season, like these red clivia above. Three stalks in July on a plant that usually blooms only in Spring. Clivia will bloom outside up here, but when you bring a blooming plant into the house it will stay in flower for two months. Then, out it goes again, into dappled shade, or until the Apocalypse.

These are gladiolae, or gladioluses, or glads, or Plural of Gladiolus, next to Italian Parsley.

Dahlias, under the lemon tree.

Some kind of exotic lily whose name I can't remember, something like Lilium PreDisastrum. Bought it at Annie's. It generally blooms right before a tsunami. Up here on the hill we should be fine as the waters create new shorefront property, and the lilies should flourish.

Casablanca Lilies. Looks like the start of a beautiful friendship. You old guys get that.

Agapanthus in the foreground, and in the background the area called Plotnik's Folly, soon to contain a small Writer's Cottage/Playhouse on the right, and contemplative seating area on the left. Construction is scheduled to begin, sort of, in a way, kinda, before too long, or thereabouts, unless, you know, End of Earth.

Ocean Beach

It was too hot to stay in the house yesterday, yes, you heard me right, here in Saint Plotniko it was too hot to stay in the house in Summertime. So I got on my bike and pedaled down to the ocean, hung around, took pictures, then rode up the bike path along the Great Highway for awhile, turned down Ulloa and rode through St. Francis Woods back home. Two hours in total, but what a delightful break.

It's a huff, but really not a huff and a puff. Mildly downhill going, mildly uphill coming home, with a bit of a pull going up Monterey in both directions. 

The surprising thing for me to see was so many people lying on the sand looking at their phones. Using phones wasn't the surprise, it was that they were using them on the sand. Sand can be really destructive to electronics.

If you look very closely, you still can't see the shark that attacked that surfer outside of Capetown. 

My Favorite Painting at the DeYoung

Went to the DeYoung yesterday to see the JMW Turner exhibition, thanks to The Great Mushnik.  First, though, I had to stop off to see my favorite painting in the Museum. Or maybe it's two paintings. Or a set of two paintings. Or maybe they just painted rectangles on the walls.

This always reminds me of the Chief -- we saw something like this at MOMA in LA once, and he turned to me and said: "Boychik, there's nothing there." 

Right again, Chiefie,  as always.

Conversation

THE THING IS SHE'S STILL HERE

"Hi, Mom."

"Hi, Honey."

"How are you, Mom?"

"I'm fine."

"What did you do today?" 

"Nothing." 

"We just got back from Colorado."

"Uh huh." 

"I spoke to Danny awhile ago."

"Uh huh."

"He moved to a new apartment."

(silence)

"I said, Danny moved to a new apartment."

"Uh huh."

"Mom?"

(silence)

"Mom, are you there?"

(Helper, Anna, comes on the line): "Hi, Doug. Your mommy says you wanted to talk to me."

"Hi, Anna. Uh, no, she just handed you the phone I guess."

Anna: "Rose, do you want to talk to Doug some more?"

(silence)

Anna: ""Rose? Do you want to talk to your son?"

"No."

"No?"

(silence)

Anna (to me): "So,…maybe you call tomorrow?"

"OK, Anna. Say good night to Mom for me."

"I will. Don't worry. Your mommy is fine."

"OK." 

"OK."

Sleepaway Camp for the First Time

Boulder Creek, Upstream and Downstream

Mime Troupe: Freedomland

It's Official

One of these beauties is in her thirties now. Who can believe the other one is her Auntie?