hardware stores

Been doing some home repairs and a little house painting. (And, some maintenance on the rental properties).  Funny how it seems as if I'm in that Ace hardware store every other day.  And through that hardware maze, I always search out my namesake 'J B' - who can find just about anything.  Though, the paint department seems a little more complex, where you really might need - that true "soul paint" mate.

Palm fruits

With the unusual weather patterns this year (cooler spring & wetter June) most of my palms are 'fruiting' more than they ever have.  There are others that are currently seeding that I could not photograph - the Royals, which are over 40 feet high and too far for my extension ladder to reach - and the one small rare Arenga palm, that does not reach more than 3 feet in height, which recently lost it's fruit to the yard rats.


Rhapis Palm

Pygmy Date Palm

Bottle Palm

Areca Palm

out for breakfast

Rode out to Arcadia - to Wheeler's - to meet my buddies for breakfast.

Not to many people out.  Rainy Day.

always good to be home

After two weeks of travel, and being delayed first by a major plane crash, then days later, two flat tires on an outgoing American Airlines - I came home not feeling well and with a deep chest cold.

That first drive home when entering town, down that exotic North Tamiami Trail is always a treat, especially if you're paying attention to the signage.  At home, the dog didn't seem to recognize me and the yard mosquitoes seemed feistier than ever.  My upcoming exhibition had been delayed once again and my motorbike wouldn't start - so yesterday I made a doctor's appointment and went to buy that new battery. On the way, I stopped by our local community radio station for some information, and while there, a big commotion and arrest was going on next door at the homeless's Resurrection House. My doctor seemed a little sluggish too - told me I had acute bronchitis - but, the nurse was nice and said she wished I felt better.  Crossing the bridge I saw a discouraged "Billy".  Says he might now have to get a job and possibly, have to go back to living with his mother.

I've been feeling weak and tired from dealing with the congestion for so long, that last night, I started on my new scripts and this morning I woke up with a good case of diarrhea from those damn antibiotics.

But maybe now, I can finally finish that novel that I bought at the first airport, nearly three weeks ago.

I'm goin' miss my buddies

My friends from across the road. I know they're going to miss me, and likewise, I already miss them.

When I asked them each something personal, they all told me, 'an apple a day keeps their horse flies away'.

The Ranches of West Marin

These ranches are isolated, the roads minimal and the landscape - more than desolate.

We found the Red Hill Ranch while driving along the Petaluma / Point Reyes Road.  'Red Hill' is a cattle ranch belonging to the Dolcini family, who have been in the Marin County area since 1870. Their ranch today is noted primarily for their grass-fed Angus beef - and this original homestead was built by the family's second generation, in 1918.

The Dolcini's "farm stand" is up a long graveled road. And inside a barn, in a large refrigerated glass case, - butter, cheese, eggs and packaged beef. Their purchase policy is based on the old, tried and true honor system - with a crumpled worn out notebook to record the amount, and a simple wooden box for the cash.

Most of these coastal ranches are cooled annually from the western winds blowing off the nearby Pacific. But today, it is not only cool, but eerily quiet.  Only hearing now and then, ever so softly - the moving creaking of an old hinged barn door.  The name of "Kitty" is on the mailbox, but from today's visit - no hide, nor hair of anyone - not even a cow.

Marin County & the grandkids

San Geronimo Valley, Woodacre, CA

Bella;  always the planner and organizer who chose the theme of her mums recent surprise party - India.

And Lola;  who is the party.