http://www.websailor.org/index.html Beautiful pictures taken by Websailor en-us http://www.websailor.org/i/zimg/misc/rss_feed_1.jpg http://www.websailor.org/index.html 48 48 http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Animals/Turkeys_On_Neighbors_House_Feb_2010/ A couple of wild turkeys decided to visit our neighbors. It was cute to watch them! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Our_Homes/Popcorn_Ceiling/ We've been working hard on our house getting the popcorn ceiling replaced with skip textured ceilings. First we had to get stuff out of the way which we did over the previous two weeks. We also had to get everything set up for us to be able to sleep, eat, and work. Then, after the work was done, we went around and spackled and painted all the blemishes on the walls since they were clear. We also got new alarm system sensors, installed a new smoke alarm, a new sliding screen door, and bought a new (live!) plant to replace an old silk one. We also glued back in place one large section of wallpaper. We've bought new lamps to replace the hallway lamps but they haven't arrived yet... Our wonderful neighbor's brought over dinner the night we "got our house back" - also the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony night. We barely stayed awake to watch it. Wow, we've been busy!!! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Animals/Red_Tailed_Hawk_Jan_2010/ This Red Tailed Hawk was sitting on the trees below our house. My wife took these pictures since I was not around. How sweet that was of her, and she does pretty good photography too. http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Our_Homes/Fog_Jan_2010/ When we woke up this morning the valley was like a huge bowl of milk. Then the fog started to lift, revealing just the tops of the trees. For 45 minutes we got to watch this amazing sight while having breakfast. It was so beautiful to watch! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Our_Homes/Earthquake_Retrofitting/ I've been working under our house to do some earthquake retrofitting. We have a tall area under our house - large enough for me to stand in. So we have a lot of posts and cripple walls. I've been putting up plywood to strengthen the cripple walls, and t-brackets to hold the posts in place. I'm also building some retaining walls to help build up the support for three of the posts - these were originally built on the side of a steep slope. http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Mendocino/Gualala_Dec_2009/ A few days in Gualala, in Mendocino County, while a winter storm created large waves. We got to see the sandbar blocking the Gualala River from the ocean open and close several times. The number of birds was amazing! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Family_and_Friends/Neighbors_Xmas_Lights_2009/ We ran around the neighborhood taking pictures of our neighbor Xmas lights. Some people didn't have their lights on and one person was still trying to get all theirs to work... It is very pretty to see all the decorations out at this time of year! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/BofA_Stuff/BofA_Xmas_Lunch_2009/ We hosted a small work team Xmas pot luck lunch with some delicious food prepared by everyone and a fun gift exchange. http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Family_and_Friends/Thanksgiving_2009/ We cooked a small turkey for our little Thanksgiving dinner. We watched a movie, then ate till we were stuffed...and then had desert! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Animals/Red_Foxes_In_Backyard_Nov_2009/ We had a couple of Red Foxes playing in our backyard this morning! They were running all over the place, playing with each other. It was a real treat to watch them! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Trips/Half_Moon_Bay_Oct_2009/ We took a little vacation to Half Moon Bay again, just like we did last year. We stayed at the Cypress Inn on Miramar Beach, a delightfull place. They have wine and cheese before dinner, and delicious deserts with good coffee for after dinner. Their breakfasts are great for filling you up until lunch. We had good weather once again, so I got some nice long walks along the beach in. One day, I walked to the harbor where the california sea lions, pelicans, coromants, and fisherman were all getting their fill of anchovies. http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Regional_Parks/Benicia_Martinez_Bridge_Oct_2009/ I went on a ~10 mile hike across the Benicia-Martinez Bridge which now has a walkway across it. So you can walk across the Sacramento River to Benicia, a historic California town. Along the way you get to see the Mothball Fleet and the top of the Railroad Bridge. Once I was on the Benicia side I decided to go to the old Benicia Army Depot where I wandered around some of the old (1850's) historic buildings. I saw the bow of the sailing ship Galilee. It was an overall wonderful day! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/National_Parks/Sequoia_Natl_Park_Sept_2009/ We went to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, home of the HUGE Sequoia tress, for a late summer vacation. We got to see some wildlife, including a bear encounter in the Wuksachi Lodge parking lot! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Animals/Red_Tailed_Hawk_Dec_2006/ This Red Tailed Hawk was sitting on the wall of our pool. I was able to get just one picture before it took off. I think it was a young junenile. I just added it to the existing Red_Tailed_Hawk_Dec_2006 album. See page 2. http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Our_Homes/Sunsets_Sunrises/ Another set of old pictures I have on my memory cards - one of our beautiful sunsets. I just added it to the existing Sunsets_Sunrises album I already have since we see a lot of beautiful sunsets and sunrises. See page 19. http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Animals/Praying_Mantis/ I'm getting caught up on some old pictures I have on my memory cards before I get to our next big trip. Another brown Praying Mantis was on the side of our buckskin colored house. It blended in with the color extremely well - better than even these pictures show! I just added it to the existing Praying Mantis album I already have since we seem to be visited by these critters every year. See page 2. http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/State_Parks/Bodie_SHP_August_2009/ I had two hours to go very quickly through Bodie SHP, a place I've wanted to visit for a long time. It was during Friends Of Bodie Day, so there were people dressed in period cosutumes, antique automobiles and horse carriages, miners, etc. I had a fantastic time (though very, very short) and I have to go back!!!! http://www.websailor.org/gallery/v/Trips/Sabrina_Basin_August_2009/ I went backpacking for four days with two buddies in the Sabrina Basin of the High Sierras. We had a great time and even survived the unusual weather we had - it made for some great pictures! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Lassen_Natl_Park_2009 We took a camping trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park - they only opened the road up a few weeks ago. I went on a number of different hikes and once again climbed to the top of Mt Lassen, 10,457 feet in elevation. It was neat watching the clouds. We also camped two nights at Southwest Campground where they have a beautiful new Visitor Center. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Red_Dragonfly_June_2009 There was a beautiful red dragonfly in our Bird Of Paradise that stayed around long enough for me to get some snapshots. When I was a little kid, I used to think they were poisonous, so I was terrified when my Dad let one land on his finger once! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Spring_Our_Home_2009 I wandered around our home the other day taking a few pictures of flowers. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Rainbows We have had some weird weather lately - it's hot for a while, then cold almost like winter. On this day we had bright blue sky and sunshine on half of the sky and towering thunder clouds on the other half. I got some neat pictures of the clouds, a rainbow, and the moon, all while standing in the sun! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Airplanes Once Again several WWII airplanes came to Buchanan Airport for Memorial Day (technically that was a few days ago - they were in Livermore then), and they flew over our home. They were a B-19 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator (bombers) and a P-51 Mustang (fighter). http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Mexican_Riviera_Cruise_2009 We just got back from a Mexican Riviera Cruise - it was the last Princess Cruise to actually go to the Mexican ports before the big Swine Flu warning came out. As always, it was a lot of fun with some neat sailing adventures. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Mt_Diablo_Drive_Apr_2009 It was a beautiful spring day, the wild flowers were out so we took a little drive to the top of Mt Diablo. The views were great - we could see San Francisco Bay and the City of San Francisco! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Yosemite_Winter_March_2009 For my birthday, we spent some time in Yosemite National Park. We got the whole gamut of weather - rain, snow, clouds, and sunshine. We got to Yosemite in between storms - no chains required going there, but we got snow during our stay. Then it melted enough so we didn't have to put chains on to leave. Nice! We had all our rain and snow gear so every day we went out walking, all bundled up and snug as a bug in a rug (GRIN)! On one of our hikes we got to watch a coyote hunting in the snow for a while. I did two big hikes - one up the Upper Yosemite Falls trail where I had a terrific time hiking in the rain. The other was up to Nevada/Vernal Fall where it was a snowy trail. While watching the falls, it started to snow a lot - I couldn't even see the cliffs - so I headed back down. It was a beautiful hike. Once again, we had a wonderful time! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Ernies_B_Day_2008 My birthday at Vic Stewarts Restaurant...steak!!! Another catch-up folder. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Canal_Trail_April_2007 A small exercise hike along the Canal Trail when the wildflowers were out. Another catch-up folder. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Birds_By_Pool_2005 These are Morning Doves and Ducks by our pool - it's a folder I've apparently missed loading before. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Mt_Diablo_Back_Creek_Jan_2009 It was a sunny day, and we needed exercise, so we went for a hike in Mt Diablo State Park. It was incredibly warm for a January day! We got to watch a flock of wild turkeys for a while. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Rainbows A storm front moved through with some heavy rain...but with the sun shining also. There was this great rainbow that moved along from one side of the hills, across the valley, to the other side of the hills! I put these with the other rainbow pictures I've taken. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Fog_Jan_2009 The fog crept in on it's silent feet overnight, laying a white blanket over the city. Some of the taller buildings and then the trees stood up through the fog. it was quite amazing to watch it slowly lift. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Moon I got two pictures of the moon over the city... kinda neat. I put them in my "Moon" folder with the other moon pictures. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Gualala_Dec_2008 This was our Christmas Winter vacation, a few days in Gualala on the Mendocino Coast. As always, we had fun watching the waves, the animal life, and the changing ocean views. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Mt_Diablo_Back_Creek_Trail_Dec_2008 I took a little hike on Mt Diablo - the Back Creek Trail - to try to work off some of the holiday food. It was a fun hike, probably about 5 miles total, going about half way up the mountain. The weather was gorgeous, not too hot, not too cold. Because of the previous rain and cool weather, there were some neat pictures that I was able to get. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Xmas_Decorations_2008 These were Christmas decoration put up by one of the folks in our town. It was a beautiful display and fun to see with all the other people there. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Toad_November_2008 It seems like every year in the fall we get a large toad in the pool. I fish it out and put it in our flower planter bed. I'm beginning to wonder if it's the same toad ervry year! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Praying_Mantis A brown Praying Mantis was just outside our front door when I went to pick up the newspaper, so I took some pictures of it. It blended in with the door frame and the rug very well! Since I already had a Praying Mantis folder, I just added these pictures to it - look for the brown one. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Half_Moon_Bay_Nov_2008 We took a short trip to Half Moon Bay, staying at the Cypress Inn on Miramar Beach, which is right on the ocean! We had fantastic weather and had a great time. A storm up in Alaska was sending large waves down to California - they were awesome. Judging by the numbers of surfers we saw, they liked them also. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Moat_Creek_Nov_2008 I took a trip to our Moat Creek property where I camped out for the night and did a lot of tree pruning and road cleanup. I also took a number of pictures showing the view we will have for a future house (fingers crossed). I got some neat pictures of Turkey Vultures letting the ultraviolet rays from the sun clean their feathers. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Capitola_August_2002 I just found out that these never got scanned in - the pre-digital camera era! For our anniversary in 2002, we took a trip to Capitola, along the California Coast. We stayed at the Inn at Depot Hill, in "The Kyoto" room, a Japanese styled room. It was wonderful! We also went back to the Shadowbrook Restaurant, a super romantic place where we got engaged. It was a wonderful little getaway! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Dinner_Party_Oct_2008 We had a little dinner party at our house with some friends from our Mt Whitney backpacking trip. Lots of great music, good wine, and a great dinner. Then it was off to the hot tub... http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Deer Wow, look at our visitors! Here they are on our neghbors front lawn, looking fondly back at our roses that that had just been munching on right outside our front door! All the critters around us seem to be getting bolder and bolder... I wonder if it's due to the dry years we've been having or over population. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Pt_Reyes_Oct_2008 We went to Pt Reyes Station and stayed in a little motel for a couple of nights. I went hiking in Pt Reyes National Seashore on the Bear Valley trail to Arch Rock, on the Pacific Ocean. I left early in the morning, so I got a few nice pictures along the way. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Yosemite_Fletcher_Lake_Backpack_Sept_2008 Four of us went on a weekend backpack trip to Fletcher Lake in Yosemitexi''s High Country, above Tuolumne Meadows. Two of the group were on their first backpack trip, so it was quite interesting to see how they enjoyed it. This was an end of the season trip - it got down to freezing at night. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Yosemite_Tuolumne_Meadows_August_2008 We've been to Yosemite many times, but this is the first time we've camped at Tuolumne Meadows. Other than the high altitude (8,600 ft elevation) which can affect you, it was quite nice. We got a beautiful campsite right next to a river, where you could go swimming in the afternoon in warm water. While there we walked around Tenaya Lake, a pleasant stroll with gorgeous views. On another day, I hiked to the top of Lembert Dome, which had a view of the whole meadows and the surrounding mountains. It was a great hike! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=IBM_Technical_Universary_2008 I attended the IBM Technical Universary in Chicago...didn't bring my camera, so I ended up taking these pictures with my cell phone. Chicago was a pretty neat place to visit. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Mt_Whitney_August_2008 I went backpacking with a group of friends on the High Sierra Trail for nine days (plus three other days where I went to Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks to get acclimatized). We slept the last night on the top of Mt Whitney which is the highest peak in the Continental USA at 14,505 ft. Every single day that we hiked was awesome. It was hard hiking at times because you just wanted to look all around at the scenery and not at the trail....which could have been a fatal mistake. I have to say this was my best backpacking trip ever! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=SF_Festival_of_Sail_July_2008 We hopped into the City on a beautiful day to see the Tall Ships that came in for the San Francisco Festival of Sail. I got to try out my Pentax Optio Z10 in the outdoors. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Russian_Gulch_SP_June_2008 We went on a camping trip to Mendocino to Russian Gulch State Park. It was cool and foggy, but a welcome relief from all the smoke from the fires raging in California right now. I took lots of nice wild flower and animal pictures, not so many scenery pictures. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Airplanes The WWII bombers and one P-51 airplane flew around our house on Memorial Day. I just added these pictures to the existing Airplanes folder since they are the same planes. http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Alaska_Cruise_2008/index.html These are pictures from the Alaska Cruise we took in May 2008. They have not yet been gone thru, so there are tons of pictures! http://www.websailor.org/twg14/index.php?twg_album=Lake_Tahoe_April_2008 The DVC Philharmonic Orchestra held a concert (selections from Carmen) with the Truckee Community Chorus up at Lake Tahoe. It was a great concert and we got to stay at the chorus members houses. In between practicing, we went for a walk along the shore at Lake Tahoe.