Sights of Dublin, Ca

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Photos to make you smile :)

2010-04-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

This week's topic was chosen by Kerry from Corvallis, Oregon--Photos to make you smile. A fitting topic, as Thursday was Tax Day here in the U.S. of A.

Head here to see the other participants' great shots.

Kerry challenged us to share JUST ONE smile-worthy photo this week, and mine's from the archive (I'm in rehearsals for a production of "The Producers" that starts next week, so time is scarce). Too bad that I wasn't able to take pictures of two situations that gave me a chuckle this week--1, one of our resident wild turkeys heading towards 7-11 (maybe he wanted a Slurpee??), and 2--a tow truck with a flat tire.

Nonetheless, this is still a good one!

Seen at a local church:

Have a great week!!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Country Roads!

2010-04-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

This week's FMTSO was chosen by Gordon in St. Augustine, Florida--country roads!

Head here to see the other participants' fine photos!

Dublin has an interesting situation... in one direction, it's a bustling, modern, suburban city with people scattering hurriedly to and fro.

But... in the other direction, we still have the ranches and fields, full of livestock and crops, that hearken back to the founding days of Dublin, when the horse was the preferred mode of travel.

On the cusp of the two, it's an interesting sight:

(behind me is a MAJOR development being built: Windemere)

And we have to keep our equine friends in mind, too--these are THEIR types of country roads.

But head off the beaten path, you'll find the roads that time pretty much forgot.

(Yes, that's a busy 10 lane freeway behind this small, meandering road...)

Until next week, shutterbugs... :)

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Bokeh!

2010-04-02T17:15:00.000-07:00

This week's theme, chosen by T in Maryland--bokeh! It's a technical aspect of photography that deals with blurriness in a photo.

Being an amateur photographer, this one was hard for me, especially since I try to delete the blurry shots I take!

But, I gave it a whirl. Being a music teacher, it's hard to show examples of student work on Open House, so I usually try to take photos throughout the year and have a slideshow running. I went back to look through the photos of the year to find a few good ones:

My orchestra kids were flying!

Hope I did this right....

Have a great weekend, shutterbugs! If you celebrate Easter, hope you're blessed!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Bridges!

2010-03-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

This week's FMTSO theme was chosen by Elaine in Ontario, Canada--bridges! The FMTSO group also suggested the option of doing the entire shoot in black and white.... so here we go!

The babbling sounds of an arroyo can lead to quiet contemplation...

Northern California has a long history of trains, so old train trestles hve been refurbished and integrated into the Iron Horse Trail, a 33 mile bike/walking/horseback trail crossing 12 cities and 2 counties.

Have a great week, shutterbugs!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--favorite colors!

2010-03-19T00:16:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was chosen by Doreen in Michigan--your favorite color!

Mine is purple, as well as nature's orange....

Spring is in the air here in Dublin, California, so here we go!

Some orange occurs natrually, like California's state flower, the Golden Poppy...

And other oranges aren't so naturally occurring!

Spring means birds are out, so here's California's state bird, the California Quail (note the "cowlick" feather on the head!). You can hear these guys with their unique "whistle"...

Lastly... a black-crowned night heron giving me the stink eye...

Friday "My Town" Shootout turns 1!!

2010-02-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

Hey there, MTSOers. It's been a while since I've been around; being a music teacher isn't easy right now in the midst of severe budget cuts. :/ Add to that our usual schedule of concerts, and I barely have time to sleep!

Things are starting to calm down a bit, though. :)

Hard to believe, but this week celebrates FMTSO's year anniversary! The blogger team had the great idea to go back and revisit topics. I decided to be different... and celebrate birthdays on OUR birthday!

Click on the larger camera link in the sidebar to see the other participants' great photos!

(No, I'm not mistaking "1" for "7"... ;) )

Some of us try to hide from the passage of time...

Some are comforted with the frills and bows, as well as gentle stuffed animals...

...but no one stops Father Time. Happy Birthday, Friday "My Town" Shootout!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Sounds!

2010-01-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

I'm a few days late here, but here nonetheless! Being a musician and a music teacher, this is a busy time of year--my own groups had their concerts last week, and this was tech week for a show I'm playing.

So... on to the pictures!

This week's theme was chosen by Nan from France--Sounds in your Town!

Click on the camera icon in the sidebar to see the other participants' photos!

As I'm sure you've heard, California has had a whopper of storm after storm this week. The normally quite stream near my house was turned in to a furious, raging whitewater experience...

Here's what the creek looks like on a summer day:

...and here's the same stretch of the creek after 4.5" of rain in 4 days. (Dublin normally gets about 15" of rain annually, so having this much in such a short time means that we have to watch the local creek levels and have sandbags at the ready)

I've never seen ducks work so hard to stay in one spot...

A young boy looks and listens to Mother Nature's work...

Along with the rain, and with it being winter... our surrounding mountains were once again dusted with snow. None fell on the valley floor, though!

Like I said, I'm playing in a show that opened this week... so here are some "behind the scene"s shots! This is was we musicians see!

My battle ax...

A musician's view from the pit...

And lastly, a proud teacher moment... this weekend was a memorial reception and concert for a man who had volunteered with my orchestras for over 20 years (his wife still comes in 4x a week). I had asked my students if any of them wanted to play for it, and 12 of them stepped up. They even came in on a day the didn't have school to practice.... I have such great students! Here they are, playing the famous "Pavane" by Maurice Ravel (and that's me playing the piano behind them!).

Friday "My Town" Shootout--"UNDER CONSTRUCTION"

2010-01-01T00:03:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Dublin, California!!

It's 2010, and with it, Gordon from St. Augustine, Florida got tapped to choose the first FMTS topic of the new year--UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Head here to see a GREAT write-up on his thoughts, then head here to see the other participants' great photos!

This was a fun topic for me; back in October, when we had to do a photo study of a building, I shot the Kolb House, which is the homestead of one of Dublin's founding families and was in the process of being moved to our Heritage Park. In October, the house had just been moved (in THIRDS, no less!) to its new home and the contractors were slowly shoring it up to start putting it back together.

What a difference 4 months make!

Here's what it looked like in early October:

And now...

Some of the surrounding farm buildings are in various stages of construction...

And of course, with construction, I have to have the obligatory orange cones...

Some more shots of the house and grounds...

What's going on? Give 'em a call! :)

Some of the farm equipment that will eventually be on display...

The paving stones starting to be placed...

A shot of the park.... and my car ;) ...

And lastly, a new life under construction... my best friend got married this week!! Cheers to them as they construct their new life as husband and wife!

Friday "My Town" shootout--Angels!

2009-12-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

This week's FMTS theme is "Angels" chosen by Kim in Chicago.

Head here to see the other participants' fantastic shots!

My thought on the theme this week was that there are angels all around us, just not in the usual conventional ways; common, ordinary people around us, doing uncommon, extraordinary things. (makes me think of the Michael W. Smith song "Angels Unaware")

I only have one this week, but we all have angels like these in our lives:

Whenever we need them, rain or shine, day or night, they show up, ready to be angels to people really in need. When they're not saving lives, they're making our commuities better places.

Thank you, angels!

Friday "My Town" Shootout---Christmas!

2009-12-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

This week's FMTS theme was suggested by the blogger team--Christmas Around Town! Head here to see a great write-up by Ginger.

And... head here to see the other participants great photos!

Being a musician, my holidays are dominated by musical performances. Earlier this week was the final dress rehearsal for a production of "The Nutcracker" I'm in, and I was lucky enough to actually be able to watch it, since my part was being covered in the pit!

A nutcracker sentinal stands guard at the end of the stage...

One of his infantrymen watches the action on stage...

A panorama shot of the opening... the scrim becomes transparent as the light onstage comes up...

The Nutcraker makes its first appearance. Herr Drosselmeyer demonstrates it for the anxious children...

The Nutcrakcer comes to life and prepares to battle the mice (with our two "Clara"s marking their spots!)...

The end of Act I... the Kingdom of Snowflakes...

The opening of Act II...

The SugarPlum Fairy looks a little distressed, since this is the last dress!

Ah, all better!

Finale of the Entrance to the Land of Sweets...

Clara and the handmaidens await the next dance...

...the Arabian Coffee dancers!

The Mirlitons (AKA Dance of the Reed Flutes)...

Chinese Tea...

...and the energetic Trepak! (this little guy in the middle is amazing!)

And the famous "Waltz of the Flowers"...

The Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux...

Finale with all the dancers...

The Spanish Chocolate dancers...

And the company bow with the SugarPlum Fairy and her Cavalier front and center!

Lining up for the final exit...

And Herr Drosselmeyer makes a final appearance... was it a dream or not??

Friday "My Town" Shootout--weather!

2009-12-11T22:43:00.000-08:00

I'm back! It's the holiday season, and with all the wonderful holiday music, SOMEONE has to play the concerts! :P Being a music teacher as well as what I call an "amateur professional" musician, I have a Christmas concert tomorrow, as well as starting my annual run of playing Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker", and this is all on top of all the performances with my students. Woo! Just a FEW things going on here!

Head here to see a wonderful write up on the topic, which was chosen by Emma in Arizona.

It was kismet that weather was the topic this week... SNOW fell here in the San Francisco Bay Area!! It RARELY snows here, and it's EVEN MORE RARE that the snow actually sticks! As in it sticks about once every 30 years!

This first picture was taken with my camera phone outside my classroom... our poor environmental science classes' garden! Maybe they were growing SNOW peas. ;)

All the surrounding mountains had a blanket of snow... gorgeous! I only wish the clouds cleared more so I could get a good shot! (look off in the distance here)

Unfortunately, rain came in today, which will probably wash away all the snow that's left. :(

My favorite shot of the week:

And this has NOTHING to do with weather, but it was TOO FUNNY not to share! As seen on the message board of a local church:

Lastly, a "preview" of next week. Tonight was the final dress rehearsal for "Nutcracker", and my part was covered, so I took the opportunity to actually WATCH it! (a novel concept for a musician!) The famous Waltz of the Flowers:

Have a good week, shutterbugs!

I'm still here....

2009-12-06T20:32:00.000-08:00

... but extremely busy! Being a musician, this is the busy season for me; I think that there are only 3 days this month where I don't have something on.

I promise I'll have something up for this coming Friday!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--smiles!

2009-11-29T20:19:00.000-08:00

Friday shootout.... on a Sunday night...

This week's FMTS theme was chosen by Sarah in Idaho--smiles!

With Thanksgiving being celebrated in the USA this week, time to get pictures was scarce, so I only have one to share... but it's a good one!

Local community music groups abound in the area, and I attended the Pleasanton Community Concert Band's annual Family Concert. The theme this year was CIRCUS!!

A number of kids participated in the event--just like these two girls! They were taking part in the preformance of the "Circus Polka" by Igor Stravinsky, which was originally written for 50 ballerinas and 50 elephants!

These two girls first danced across the stage as ballerinas, and then plopped on some pachyderm ears and trounced around some more!

Have a great week, shooters!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--my town's premier attraction!

2009-11-19T22:16:00.000-08:00

This week's FMTS theme was chosen by Kent in Montana--he wants to see the premier attaction of our towns!

Click on the camera in the sidebar to see the other participants' fantastic photos!

So, what is Dublin's main attraction? Some could say it's the county jail (which has held the likes of Squeaky Fromm, Scott Peterson, and Barry Bonds' trainer Greg Anderson); some might say the Alameda County Sherriff's Bomb Disposal Range (seen in many a Mythbusters episode!!); but I was looking for a more, shall we say, pleasant option!

If you're passing through Dublin, you'll have to stop at Hacienda Crossings!

It's the local hub of entertainment and shopping... TONS of stores and restaurants, but the star of the complex?

The Regal Cinema, which has 21 screens! This weekend, THIS is the place to be, since the place will be jam-packed with the opening of the smash New Moon. All 4 midnight showings have been sold out for a LOOOONG time. :) (and... um... in the effort of full disclosure... yes, I'm going to see it on Saturday ;D )

It's designed and laid out very aesthetically. :) Restaurants are mixed in all over, with gorgeous palm trees towering over the patrons.

Here's what all the hub-bub's about.... (and for the record, the other movie, "Blind Side", looks FANTASTIC--it's a touching, true story. I feel sorry in the fact that it's opening against New Moon.)

And lastly... just another gorgoues California sunset.

Have a great weekend, shooters!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--places of worship!

2009-11-12T23:28:00.000-08:00

It's Friday again, so it's time for the shootout! This week's theme was chosen by Rebecca in Ambler, Pennsylvania--places of worship!

Click on the camera icon in the sidebar to see the other participants' great photos!

Here in California, a lot of the older and unique buildings have either been torn down or remodeled--they didn't have to worry about earthquake-safe buildings in the past!!

One old church we DO have in the area is in neighboring Livermore. St. Michael's Catholic Church (and school) has been in the area for decades, and as you'll see, the cornerstone of the church was placed in 1918.

And this last one just for fun... how can we be scared when the Red Baron is overhead?? ;)

Friday "My Town" Shootout--skylines!

2009-11-05T23:38:00.000-08:00

Today's shootout theme was chosen by Kate in Kansas--skylines!!

Click on the camera icon on the right to meet the other participants!

Dublin is a relatively small town (at least by SF Bay Area standards) and doesn't have many tall buildings, so I found the few we did have...

Dublin is the home of Sybase's world headquarters...

... as well as a few other non-descript buildings...

I didn't get too much this week due to the weather, so that's all!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Park landscapes!

2009-10-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

This week's Friday Shootout theme is from JarieLyn in Las Vegas, Nevada--Park landscapes!

Head here to see the other participants' fantastic photos!

That's one thing I love about these shootouts... even though I've visited this park many times before, I always get to see it in a new perspective since I'm always photographing a different subject.

And now, Stagecoach Park in Dublin:

There are so many of these wonderful mosaics here!

These installments are all a part of our "Art in Public Places".

And some other landscapes:

In California, this is OUR version of the fall leaves... yeah.

Hmm... something doesn't fit here...

A lonely grill looking for some love...

The start of a beautiful sunset with the moon starting to peek out...

And lastly, that beautiful sunset...

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Classics of Childhood!

2009-10-23T17:35:00.000-07:00

(I tried posting these last night but it seems Blogger was down!)

This week's theme for the shootout was chosen by Ellisa in Michigan--Classics of Childhood!

Head here to see the other participants' great photos!

I was musing, trying to figure out what to use... what did I miss about my childhood? Then some subjects presented themselves!

A trip to the park with Gramma and Grandpa was a thing I rarely got to experience...

A mom takes her kids to the park on a sunny California afternoon...

Many of us miss our youthful physique... (not to mention the confidence to walk around sans clothing in park!)

The lazy afternoons with nothing to do...

Running around after local wildlife... we used to CHASE wild turkeys, not drink it! ;)

And lastly, I miss the childhood sense of humor we all had. So...

Guess what?

TURKEY BUTT!

(I couldn't resist that one!)

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Sunrise, Sunset!

2009-10-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, raise your hand if you started singing "Fiddler on the Roof" when reading the title. ;) [raises hand]

This week's shootout theme was chosen by Sherri in Florida--Sunrise/sunset!

Be sure to head here to meet the gang and see some more of their fabulous photos!

I only have a few to share this week; I leave for work before the sun is even up, and you probably heard about the remnants of Typhoon Melor that slammed us earlier this week (giving us almost 3" of rain in 24 hours, when we normally get about 15" total per year!), so there weren't that many opportunities!

This is about all I have for "current" photos... this was taken on my morning commute with my camera phone while at a stoplight.... (I fooled with the contrast on this one)

And then two from the good 'ol archive (both photos are untouched... it's just Mother Nature's work!):

This first one was taken when I was on vacation in Hawaii (Oahu, to be precise) in 2005. The usual afternoon rain had been particularly stormy, resulting in this:

And my all-time favorite... this was taken on the North Shore of Oahu when I was vacationing there again in 2007 (pic taken in the town of Hale'iwa to be exact--home of the famous Matsumoto's Shave Ice!). My feet were in the sand, the birds and waves were providing an awesome soundrtrack, and I had just had a fabulous seafood dinner at a local restaurant. I could look at this one forever. :D [peaceful sigh]

Friday "My Town" Shootout--SILHOUETTES

2009-10-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

This week's Friday Shootout theme was chosen by Carrie in Westport, Washington--Silhouettes! (click on the link to see a wonderful description for the shootout from her!)

For this week, I headed to a local park at twilight...

The edge of the park is on the top of a little hill, and what should I see? The Dublin High School Gaels frosh football taking on the Miramonte Matadors!
(taken from quite a distance)

TOUCHDOWN!!

Dublin won, 35-0. :)

Friday "My Town" Shootout--photo study of a building

2009-10-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was chosen by the blogger team at Friday "My Town" Shootout--a photo study of a building. Click on the link to head over and see some of the other participants' photos!

I headed over to Dublin's Old St. Raymond's Church that was built circa 1859. I've never done a photo study before, so I just tried to take some interesting shots!

Be sure to click on the photos to see them up close and in detail! (the last one of the church shutters is my favorite!)

As I was heading back home, I saw this construction going on... and then it dawned on me that this was the Kolb House, the historical residence of another of Dublin's founding families what was recently acquired by the city and relocated. The city is expanding our heritage center to include more land as well as the Kolb House and it's surrounding buildings (which have also been moved to this location). The first phase of the newly expanded park should be open in the spring.

It's such an interesting house; I only wish I could have gotten closer!

Read more about the Kolb family here.

Friday "My Town" Shootout... My favorite place to ________

2009-09-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

Only one pic today.... busy week! I wish I had more time to show you things like my favorite breakfast place, my favorite fruit and vegetable market... :(

This week's shootout theme was chosen by Cindy in Alaska--"My Favorite Place to _______". Head here to see all the wonderful pictures!

My favorite place? This is my favorite place to go and feel better--my chiropractor! Dr. Mike and the gang at Foothill Chiropractic Center are always so optomistic and they take good care of their clients. I originally went to him since physical therapy for my carpal tunnel wasn't helping at all. Ever since starting with the chiropractor 10 months ago? The CTS has virtually vanished. :D Dr. Mike is awesome!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--domesticated animals!

2009-09-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was suggested by Sandy from Apache Junction, Arizona--domesticated animals!

Be sure to head here to see all the other participants from around the world!

Head here for a previous entry when I visited the local dog park. :)

There aren't many domesticated animals around me that are easy to photograph, but I did find one sneaky guy...

Hmmm... what's that peering at me through the bushes??

I love his blue eyes!!

Friday "My Town" Shootout---"Aged and Weathered"

2009-09-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

This week's theme for the Friday "My Town" Shootout was chosen by Pauline from Northland, New Zealand--"Aged and Weathered"!

Even though Dublin is a relatively "new" town, people have been living in the area since the 1800s. (the town decided not to incorporate or get a mayor, city council, etc. until 1982. :) Matter of fact, we STILL get fire protection from the county instead of having our own dept.)

I took a drive down one of our "country" roads to see what I could find...

An old barn...

A fence leaning precariously...

A tree that was still loaning a wee bit of shade...

...and one that had seen the years....

Last but not least... a street sign that could use replacing!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Doors and Windows!

2009-09-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

This week's Friday Shootout theme was chosen by Kerri from Canada--Doors and Windows! Don't forget to click on the blog to see some fantastic photos!

Since Dublin is a relatively "new" town (incorporated in 1982), we don't have many old things!

At a loss for subjects, I headed over to a local Lutheran church to take some pictures of their beautiful stained glass windows. Notice the windows have a separate pane on the outside... gotta love living in earthquake country!

These are behind the altar, and tell the story of the Parable of the Sower. First up is the sower planting his seeds...

...and the other side is the wonderful harvest. Sorry about the reflections!

Next to the side entrance, there are these wonderful matching angels...

These lend a nice touch to Sunday morning worship... this was the church I went to growing up and was confirmed there a long time ago. :)

Friday "My Town" shootout--INCONGRUOUS!

2009-08-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

This week's theme for the Friday "My Town" shootout was chosen by Mary in Kansas...

INCONGRUOUS: Meaning: Out of place, ridiculous, inconsistent, contradictory

This one gave me a bit of trouble.... there's not much around here out of place! Dublin's city planner do fine work and have a great vision. Double that with the exhaustion of the first week of school (compounded by the "discovery" that my teaching schedule had changed and was teaching a different class than I was told, at a different TIME than I was told, which left three months of planning to be done in three DAYS) and this week has been one that has seen me crash on the couch each night. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find something!

As I was driving home the other day, I saw it!!

A while ago, Dublin was wanting to expand a shopping center (there was talk of even having an IKEA here!), and some of the infrastructure was placed to help this change happen. Unfortunately, the IKEA plan didn't happen, so there were some, shall we say, "loose ends" left...

I think there's not a soul in town that will have trouble missing this stop sign. ;)

Friday "My Town" shootout--funny signs!

2009-08-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

(sorry I'm a day late this week... school starts Monday and I'm going CRAZY!!!)

This week's topic for the My Town Shootout was chosen by Si in Virginia--funny and/or amusing signs!

I have only one photo to contribute this week; a local establishment had one that was HYSTERICAL but was taken down a while back (probably because someone got offended... lighten up, people!). It was for a dry cleaner in town, and the sign out front said "Drop your pants here--receive prompt attention". Brilliant!! Alas, it's not there anymore. :(

Here it is. Yes we're in the SF Bay Area, but we're NOWHERE close to the Golden Gate! We have to travel about an hour to it!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Relaxation!

2009-08-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

When Dubliners want to relax, we head outside!!

This is a local trail that runs beside a creek. Should you feel so inclined, there IS a trail on top of that hill! Bikers and walkers abound on this trail around twilight each day--as to wildlife! On this particular evening, there were many egrets, dove, and quail out.

Local parks are also a popular place. People hanging out with their families, fathers pushing their kids on the swingset, and local canines are out socializing!

Lastly, on the left, are a father and daughter playing a little one-on-one!

A morning at the Farmers' Market!

2009-08-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Bay Area is a melting pot; while there are many towns weaved around the hills, Bay Area people aren't hesitant to head to another town for something!

So this morning, I headed over to neighboring Pleasanton to the WONDERFUL Farmers' Market that runs year-round, rain or shine, on Saturday mornings.

In addition to the market, our local animal shelter, the Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, sets up an adoption event with numerous dogs and cats looking for forever homes.

I only wish I lived in a house and was home more often; I'd adopt one in a SECOND. I miss having a dog around.

An Australian cattle dog cools off in the shade with a TVAR volunteer.

This is Lenny, a pitbull mix who's just a big softie!

This is Doobie, a chihuahua/terrier mix. I'd call him Dumbo, since his ears are ENORMOUS!!

A shy chihuahua mix looks for shelter under a volunteer.

You can just hear his thoughts... "Please take me! I love you!!"

"Here's my best side!"

On to the market... peppers are in season!!!

Some beautiful flowers...

And some yummy strawberries! The flat on the right came home with me... and I have a cobbler recipe waiting! These berries are going to join the peaches and blueberries I also bought this morning and make a great dessert!

Friday "My Town" shootout--power!

2009-08-07T01:23:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty much done moving (but still don't have a couch! I bought a new one and it'll be delivered Saturday), so.... back to the pictures!

This week's theme for the Friday My Town Shootout was chosen by J9--Power!!

Power can be in many different forms. The area around Dublin is home to the Altamont Pass Wind Farm, which has almost 5,000 windmills taking advantage of the marine layer and the bay breeze.

But what about other forms of "power"?

Some use sex appeal for power... (and this place is ALWAYS busy.. and the hot wings can't be THAT good!)

Sun is always powerful, whether it be converted into solar energy, or the sun is powerful enough to put the burn on fair-skinned individuals like me!

The folks at City Hall are powerful, making decisions that shape our lives...

Some believe youth is power... and they're exerting their power at soccer practice!

Some like horsepower!! (and yes, this is my baby. :) )

Lastly, I consider KNOWLEDGE to be power! Here's Dublin's library!

One of the sculptures out front:

And... we can't forget about the healing power of time...

No Shootout this week...

2009-07-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm finishing up moving this week and wasn't able to get to this week's assignment. :( Plus, it took a lot longer than anticipated to get the internet hooked up.

I'll be back next week, I promise!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--"Reflections"!

2009-07-24T02:21:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was chosen by Audrey in Canada.

Alas, I'm in the process of moving this week, so I didn't have time to head out and take pictures, so I'm looking back in the ol' archive for my most absolute favorite reflection photo.

These were taken last October; my cousin was getting married in Cape Cod, Massachusetts at twilight.

I now see why photographers refer to this hour as "the magic hour"!

No filters whatsoever were used here.

To set the scene....

And here it is. My aunt and uncle liked this photo so much that they used it in their Christmas letter! (Take a look in the "tidepool" in the foreground. :) )

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Yard objects!!

2009-07-17T00:07:00.000-07:00

Since I live in an apartment, I don't have a yard.... so I went to my parents' house and used theirs!

There are tulips abound in the backyard, and a lot of the bulbs have grown together, giving us these "hybrids". Also growing are purple and white tulips!

Another thing about living in California... fresh fruits and veggies! My parents have two orange trees, plus an ever-bearing lemon tree. I can't remember the last time they actually bought citrus!

Lastly, just as an amusing aside, this little guy peeks out from amongst the daffodil greens.

Now go enjoy the sunshine!

Friday "My Town Shootout"--Texture!!

2009-07-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was chosen by shootout team member Linda from Canada--TEXTURE!

Remember to click on the pics for full size! (and take a look at my excursion to San Francisco post below this one!)

How about some leafy greens?

Or how about some iron in your diet??

And a little fruit and nut for some variety. ;)

I left my heart.... in San Francisco...

2009-07-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

Since the Bay Area is such a melting pot and accessible from all over, today I adventured over to see the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park (SF's Golden Gate Park is bigger than NYC's Central Park, thank you very much!). Matter of fact, Joe DiMaggio himself played baseball on the park's diamonds as a kid.

Unfortunately, cameras weren't allowed in the exhibit, so the images will have to live in my mind (which is a shame, since the lighting in there is so spectacular!).

Remember to click on the pictures to see them full-size!

The item used here is the top of one of his canopic jars. It's amazing to see the amount of detail and construction in all these items, and yet they had no benefit of our modern tools and technology.

Ponds all over the place... and the waterlillies were blooming!

Okay, you movie buffs... does this look familiar?! What movie was it used in?

(if you guessed "The Wedding Planner" with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConnaughey, you're right!)

We next headed across the concourse and went to the California Academy of Sciences. It was founded in 1853 and they recently re-opened in the park in their new $500 million state-of-the-art building. This building is AMAZING... it's all about being green and sustainable. 60% of the building is insulated with recycled blue jeans, the roof is a garden that cools the building as well as collects the rainwater to be used for watering, radiant heating in the floor, solar panels for energy and heating, lots of windows for natural light thus eliminating the need for artificial light, and on top of that, this museum was recently certified as the "greenest museum in the world." I'm not one for being over-the-top green and eco-friendly, but the things considered here are mind-blowing!

A panorama of the new digs...

The Northern California Kelp Forests...

Docents cheerfully assist academy visitors at the ever-popular tidepool exhibit!

An eel is rocking the black and white.

One of the intriguing alligator gar fish.

A snapping turtle chilling in the swamp exhibit...

...next to his friend, the albino American alligator! For obvious reasons, he can't live in the wild!

The Academy claims this guy was used for research for the Jurassic Park films... I'd hate to tell him otherwise!

I then headed towards the Living Roof.... this shot is of the coastal shore exhibit as well as the queue waiting to get into the rainforest exhibit that's 4 stories tall!

These two shots are of informational panels about the roof.

Shot across the concourse, showing the de Young Museum (where the Tut exhibit was) as well as some of the 60,000 solar cells.

This shows their plan for using nature's AC--the marine layer and Bay Breeze--as a way to cool the museum. The area in the center there is an open-air piazza where there are tables set up to eat lunch or just enjoy the sunshine (assuming the famous fog hasn't rolled in!)

Even though the building is almost a year old, they're still planting on the roof!

A panorama from the roof....

And a parting shot... picturesque Sutro Tower with the Living Roof in the foreground.

Thanks for "coming with me" on the excursion!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a happy 4th of July!!

Dublin itself doesn't have a "central" 4th celebration (but they have legalized the "safe and sane" fireworks, so people celebrate that way). I instead headed over to the neighboring town, Pleasanton, to take part in their festivities; the annual theme is "Celebrating Freedom and its Evolution since the Revolution".

I was actually taking part in the celebration by playing in the community band onstage, so most of these pictures were taken by my mom--thanks, Mom!

Here, greeter Barbara Lucich hands out programs and American flags to attendees.

Our Master of Ceremonies Ken McDonald.

Our local Lions club was selling lunch--a hot dog, soda, and a bag of chips, all for $1! Thank you, Lions Club!

Our local VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) legion presents the colors.

The all-volunteer Pleasanton Community Concert Band provides patriotic music for the afternoon (and I'm up there! :) ).

Our own "Uncle Sam" (AKA Pleasantonian Ward Belding) reads a tribute to Abraham Lincoln (and for the record, he owns that suit and his mother made it for him in high school--and he can still fit into it!).

Recognizing veterans and thanking them for serving!

It was a good 'ol flag-waving celebration!

Friday "My Town Shootout"--Celebrate LIFE!

2009-07-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

This week's Friday Shootout theme was chosen by Doreen from Michigan--Celebrate LIFE!

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I ever get back.
For it's root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.

What better way to celebrate life this 4th of July weekend than with the American pastime--BASEBALL! Dublin is ridiculously close to Oakland, home of the Oakland Athletics, and with Dublin's proximity to our commuter rail, it's an easy trip--no driving involved, and there's a train station AT the ballpark. Piece of cake!! I played ball as a kid, and as a family we attended a number of games throughout my years as a kid. I've also taken my father to a game annually for Father's Day for a number of years (Mom comes along too!), and it's always a fantastic photo opportunity. Remember to click on the pictures to see them full size!

Pre-game....

These little kids are getting the opportunity of a life.... an autograph of a major league baseball player. It's probably one of the best days for them... and they'll celebrate it! (random note... I love my camera's 12X optical zoom! My seats are in the bleachers and I was able to get this close without using the digital zoom!)

A family soaking up the glorious California sunshine. We were having a heat wave, and since Oakland is on the Bay, we get nature's AC, the marine layer, which made the day wonderfully comfortable (whereas Dublin hit 108* that day!)

It was also Little League Day, so the team hosted a number of little league teams. The teams from Stockton (to the East) got to walk around on the warning track before the game (more on that later).

The A's mascot, Stomper!! He's quite the entertaining pachyderm. He comes around the track during the pre-game festivities of the weekend games, and he usually has a rap/hip-hop song by an Oakland artist blaring over the PA system and he then jives behind homeplate with his "driver".

But today, he had "The Tonight Show" theme from Johnny Carson's days playing over the PA, and he was CELEBRATING the LIFE of Ed McMahon. (taken off the JumboTron)

Here's more about the Stockton kids. One of the A's players, pitcher Dallas Braden, hails from Stockton and grew up being raised by a single mother who had to scrimp and save to give him the chance to play little league. Seeing her struggle, he's "adopted" a few kids annually who have single parents and he covers all the costs involved in playing on a little league team. See here for more info. The real neat thing? The kids got to throw out the first pitch!

Sundays are also "Take the Field with the A's" days, so one little league team from the Bay Area gets to head out on the field for the National Anthem, get an autograph from "his" player, and then stand on the field with the player for the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. Way cool. :)

Two little boys near us who were proudly wearing the day's freebie... a neat A's cap!

Unfortunately, the team wasn't showing much life, and centerfielder Ryan Sweeney stepped up to the plate to try to remedy that....

... and he did it! Line drive, scoring the runner from third base!! Here, fans CELEBRATE the spark of LIFE the team is showing!!

And then the TEAM CELEBRATES!!

Alas, the spark wasn't big enough. The A's lost to the Colorado Rockies, 3-1.

A day excursion to the Sierra Nevada Mountains...

2009-06-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday I headed with some friends to the Sierras for a day away from the hectic Bay Area. That's one marvelous thing about living in California; in less than 3 hours, we can be in the mountains, OR headed for a day at the beach.

(Remember to click on the pictures to see them full size!)

First thing we visited was the Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park (known as "Chaw'se" to the native Miwok Indians). These bark huts were used as housing, and off in a secluded part of the park are other huts that can be rented out for camping.

The grinding rock is where the tribespeople would gather and grind acorns into meal. These divots are about 7" across, and there are TONS.

Thanks... good to know!

After, we headed down to the small town of Sutter Creek. It was founded in the 1840s as an outpost for pioneers, and later, forty-niners who were panning for gold.

The creek itself!

One building in town captivated me; my mind was wandering, thinking of all the layers of ads and words that had been painted on the wall.

We headed next to the Jackson Vista, a lookout over the small valley we were visiting.

A panorama shot...

Since the Sierra Nevadas are GOLD COUNTRY, there are a number of mines in the area. This is the head shaft of the Kennedy Mine (the head shaft is the top of the track that controls the ascent and descent of the mining cars). Behind me is the Argonaut Mine; these two mines are listed as California Historical Landmarks. The Kennedy Mine is noteworthy in that it's one of the world's deepest (almost 6,000 ft. DOWN), and the Argonaut Mine has the unfortunate distinction of being the site of the worst mining disaster in the state's history.

We then headed to the house of the person we were visiting; this is the site from the back deck. I could get used to this!

Lastly, this is an interesting shot; the temperature there was about 90*, and lo and behold, that's SNOW!!

Friday "My Town" Shootout--Colors of the Rainbow!

2009-06-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

This weeks' Friday Shootout theme was chosen by team member Debby from Germany.

Dublin is part of a rare climate zone called a Mediterranean Climate, which means that all our precipitation happens in the winter--not a drop in the sky at all during the summer! So sorry, but no rainbows to be seen.

I wanted to capture the color in everyday life, so I took a walk and had the camera at the ready.

These flowers are outside my house and I've always found their colors fascinating.

The colorful jersey of this cyclist caught my eye.

These flowering bushes are all around, widely used in landscaping.

The sun playing on the ivy...

Some white roses giving their last gasp...

And how could I go wrong with a Great Blue Heron?!

Sun shining through an empty wine bottle... (and NO, I didn't drink it all myself! ;) This empty was left in a park.)

Some plants ready to be planted in the median....

... and the hard-working men in their chartreuse vests doing the work!

Even though we're not in the South, we have magnolias that scent the air with their wonderful perfume!

I loved the angle of the sun on the silver car and how the rays danced in the taillight.

The shadow....

... of a basketball hoop!

The bright (and HOT!) green in a playground slide...

Some local flora...

With the 4th of July coming up, I had to include our colors...

And living in Dublin, this was the perfect photo to end it all--a GREEN street sign for EMERALD Avenue!

The joys of summer wildfires....

2009-06-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you hear every year of the wildfire season in California... almost like Hurricane Season in the Southeast and Tornado Season in the Midwest.

Annually, CalFire (also known as the California Department of Forestry) conducts training for local fire departments in Dublin should a wildfire pop up in their respective areas. Today was that day!

Dublin is the home of Camp Parks, a reserve training facility for the 11,000 men and women in the Bay Area serving as Army reservists. It's not unusual to hear artillery and cannon fire going off at all hours of the day! The only thing that bothered me? When they did an air-raid exercise at 3:30 AM!! That one took a few years off my life, I think. If one is up early enough (read: 4:30 AM) and the weather is still, one can actually hear the strains of "Reville" come through the chilly morning air.

(and for those of you who are fans of Mythbusters on Discovery--the Alameda County Sheriff's Bomb Disposal Range that they're so fond of is located just on the other side of the base!)

First clue that it was training day?

Luckily with all the signs, Dubliners don't get alarmed when they see the plumes of smoke wafting over the hills... (plus, they put notices in the local papers)

I had seen them working this area earlier in the morning; the brilliant bright orange of the controlled burn stood out on the brown, dry hills.

The operation headquarters from afar...

And not to be left out, they also train the aerial forces as well!

Thanks to the men and women of CalFire!

Friday "My Town" shootout...

2009-06-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Today's theme was chosen by Shootout member Audrey from Canada, and the theme was METAL.

I had to think a while before the local dog park idea came to me. These sculptures are made of simple, everyday metal items like pipes, nuts, bolts, and gears.

Those things in front are metal cut-outs in the shape of dogbones!

And being a musician, how could I not include a brass instrument like a French horn?!

"My Town" shootout.... a little early this week!

2009-06-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

Being a music teacher, and with school letting out for summer this week, time Friday will be scarce (gotta have the school band play at our promotion ceremony!), so here's the shootout on a Tuesday!

This week's theme was suggested by Shootout team member Sarah Lulu in Australia--anything and everything M in honor of her new granddaughter Matilda!

I was wracking my brain trying to think of things unique to Dublin that were "m". We have the usual MALLS and MEDICAL offices, not to forget the beautiful MOUNTAINS and quirky MALLARD ducks mentioned in previous posts. Then it hit me...

MURALS!

Under our two major freeway overpasses are these fantastic murals depicting Dublin life. The three artists have done a spectacular job incorporating images from Dublin's time of Indian habitation all the way up through modern times. Wonderful artwork with I wasn't too keen on the idea of running onto the median to get some really good shots (way too busy of a street!), so these will have to suffice.

(Be sure to click on the photos to see them in their large size! The detail is amazing!)

If you click on this one, you'll see the names of the artists!

These "medallions" are at the end of each support. They're all in various stages of "decay".

A shot from afar to give you the spectrum...

And some close-ups...

The stagecoach harkens back to Dublin's first days; people started settling here since Dublin (known as Doughtery Station at the time) was the mail outpost!

The Scotch/Irish influence in the area is evident. Besides the town name, our one and only high school in town has the Gael as the mascot!

And two more M things I don't have pictures of, but have to mention....

MOVIES
Every summer, Dublin hosts free Movie in the Park events. It's a great opportunity to see a film with the family out under the stars!

and

MUSIC!
Dublin's annual Summer Concert Series is about to start! Friday nights in our Civic Center Plaza will see acts ranging from R&B to zydeco! And it's FREE, so come on out!

"My Town" shootout.... open assignment!

2009-06-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was open, so I headed back through the ol' archives to dig up some good ones.

First:

The most prominent landmark of our area, Mt. Diablo. It's also a fabulous state park. Unfortunately, with the state budget crisis, the Governor has proposed closing most of the state parks in an effort to save money. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to a large number of state parks, and it'd be a shame to see them shuttered. One neat thing about the mountain is that there's a strobe beacon on the top that's usually dark; however, annually on December 7th, it's lit from dusk to dawn to commemorate the Pearl Harbor attack. They have a ceremony at sunset with the few remaining survivors in the area.

Next I was experimenting with sunlight and shadows... this was on an afternoon hike on the Alamo Creek Trail.

The aforementioned state bird, the California Quail!

Had to share...

2009-05-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

I was driving home tonight and saw a spectacular sunset. So, I grabbed my camera!

(if you click on the first photo and look at the distant mountains, you can see the fog rolling in over them!)

My town shootout... water, water everywhere!

2009-05-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

This week's theme is water, and even though lovely Dublin is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have to drive about 30 minutes to see the ocean. So, why not take a stroll around Dublin's creeks and arroyos?

This is Alamo Creek, which has a charming and meandering paved bike path alongside that runs north-south through the entire town. On any given day you'll see Dubliners out with their dogs, or cycling through on their way. You'll also have a good chance to see various fowl, like our state bird the California Quail (easily identified by the little plume atop its head), numerous ducks and loons, as well as the occasional group of our wild turkeys!

My town shootout.... paint the town red!

2009-05-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

For this week's shootout, the theme was "red", which is difficult when one lives in a city known for "green"! I had to get a bit experimental this week. And living in the San Francisco Bay Area, how could I NOT include the world's most famous RED landmark?!

San Francisco is about 45 minutes West of Dublin, easily traveled by car or our mass transit rail system, BART.

And now for the pictures... they speak for themselves.

If you look below the bridge there...

...you'll see Fort Point.

Some black and white...

A panorama shot... the Lincoln Park Golf Course (owned by the city of SF) is the proud owner of this view.

Now you know what Tony Bennett was singing about!

"My Town" shootout... getting around!

2009-05-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was getting around town without a car. We have a fantastic train/subway system, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (AKA BART), that has one line that originates in in town and can whisk you away all over the Bay Area. Matter of fact, if I ever venture over to San Francisco, BART is the preferred method of travel!

Here in Dublin, we're fortunate to be part of the Iron Horse Trail (click on the link for info and a map), a 25 mile trail spanning 12 cities in two counties. This trail follows the bed of the Southern Pacific Railroad, which was first run through the area in 1891; it was abandoned and torn down in 1977. The trail meanders through neighborhoods and passes schools, golf courses, and the like. On any given day you'll see walkers, bicyclists, even horseback riders!

It crosses many main thoroughfares, and there are signals at each (see the shadow?). If you were to take this leg, you'd end up at the Dublin library!

Imagine the wonderful sunsets this house sees on a daily basis...

Mile markers for each direction.... mile 1.5 heading north, mile 22.75 heading south!

All that's left of the railroad path...

On such a warm day, one of our local wild turkeys was taking refuge in the shade!

Here's the bed, and on the left you see the trail.

If you ever visit our wonderful town, take a hike on the Iron Horse!

Long time, no post....

2009-05-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

I'm a school music teacher, and it's a busy time of year, so picture taking time has been scarce! But, as I was leaving my parents' house last night, this gorgeous full moon was hanging just above the horizon. What's really a shame is that the craters stood out in wonderful contrast, but I couldn't get them to show up in the photo. Drat!

(be sure to click for full size!)

"My Town" shootout...

2009-04-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

The topic this week was "Choose your own". I figured I'd take a stroll around a local neighborhood and see what was out there.

I've been itching to photograph this old oak tree I see frequently around town. It's easily centuries old and was integrated into the design when the surrounding apartment complex was built. Just to give perspective, it's next to a three-story building.

While looking through the neighborhood, a number of "natural" things caught my eye...

Lastly, this bird chose a really strange place to sit a spell!

"My Town" shootout--hungry?

2009-04-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

This week's theme was eateries. I tried to stick to things that are unique to Dublin or the Bay Area, or if it's a chain, one with not many establishments. Enjoy the culinary tour!

My FAVORITE restaurant--Bangkok 101! Fantastic Thai fare. Their pad thai is delicious, as is their pineapple fried rice and PaNang (red curry).

Armadillo Willy's Texas BBQ. I highly recommend their pulled pork sandwiches!!

Amici's East Coast Pizzeria. Really good salads and pizza. They've got the really thin, crunchy crust that I love! Go for the Amici's combo--yum!

Peet's Coffee & Tea. BETTER than Starbucks! Peet's started in the Bay Area in 1966 and we're very loyal to them!! They roast here in the Bay Area, and if you're driving by the roastery at JUST the right time, it smells DIVINE. Aaaand... Peet's started BEFORE Starbucks (and the founder Alfred Peet was good friends with Starbucks' founders--Starbucks even bought their beans from Peet's those first few years), and is considered the "inspiration" for the mega-chain.

Hunan House Chinese Restaurant. Very good food--quick, friendly, reliable service! Go for their lunch special. I recommend the sesame chicken.

I might be getting a new neighbor...

2009-04-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on the sofa one afternoon when I heard the wind chimes on my patio start to go crazy. I looked out the window and....

A few minutes pass, and then I hear a wild scampering on the ledge above the glass door....

and then....

He's a peeping bird!! :)

"My Town" shootout...

2009-04-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

It's Friday, which means it's shootout day! The theme was Main Street, and since Dublin doesn't have a true "main" street, I took the closest thing. This is Del Valle Parkway, where the post office is....

Another shot...

And some trees too pretty to pass up!

If we want a true main street, we usually head to a neighboring town. Dublin is in the Tri-Valley area, and it's three cities all in one big area. Three separate towns with separate ideas, but mesh pretty well into one cohesive area!

Some of our local residents...

2009-04-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

Dublin has a large number of local fauna that are coming out with the warm weather...

One such animal is the wild turkey (the Rio Grande variety, to be exact). They aren't out in droves yet, but I did find one lone female forraging in a field of mustard.

Give them a couple of weeks--then there will be scores of them out about with their poults!

Many apartment complexes have lakes and streams that our local fowl find welcoming!

One such duck came over to check me out....

...give me an action shot...

...and then pose for me!

We also have a large year-round population of the Canada goose. They're wonderful to watch and photograph, since they've become quite comfortable around humans. Just watch out where you walk! ;)

Lastly, I headed to our local dog park to take a few shots of our wonderful "dog day" afternoon...

Notice the shamrock collar on this guy--even our canine friends are Irish!

I can imagine the collies' thoughts... "Throw. The. Ball. NOW!"

Dublin Honors the Fallen...

2009-03-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

By now I'm sure you've heard of the four police officers in Oakland, California who were killed in the line of duty last weekend. Today was their public funeral, which was held at Oakland's Oracle Arena, home of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. Law enforcement from all over, including the town of Dublin, turned out en masse to honor these men. In addition to agencies from all over the US, units from Mexico, as well as a unit from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were here to pay their respects. All in all, over 21,000 people attended the service. This afternoon, as the four were taken to their final resting places, each and every freeway overpass in Dublin had two fire trucks on it, facing the traffic that was carrying their commrades. These trucks had their lights flashing, flags flying, and each truck's crew was standing on top of the truck, saluting the procession. In addition to service personnel, there were scores of folks just like you and me standing there as well, American flags clasped to their chests, silently weeping for the fallen. I only wish I had my camera at the ready to capture the deeply moving sight. (Calling the sight "deeply moving" doesn't even begin to do it justice)

By the time I had my camera handy, the moment had passed and the last truck was on its way to resume its daily duties.

Dubliners are good people; I'm extremely proud to live amongst them and call them my neighbors.

Head here to see photos taken by our local photojournalists of the AP. Pictures say it better than words ever could.

A glance to the past....

2009-03-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

It's cemetery day...

Dublin's Heritage Center has our Pioneer Cemetery in which are buried many of the town's founding families. The Cemetery rests behind Old St. Raymond's Church. Oh, the stories these people could tell.

(click on any of the photos to see a bigger version where you can read the plaques)

Burial site of John Martin, who helped rescue members of the aforementioned Donner Party. Behind him rests Tom Donlon, who actually died falling off the roof of St. Raymond's Church.

Resting place of the Fallon family, another family who helped rescue the Donners.

Founding family Dougherty, whose patriarch was James W. Dougherty. He was one of the founding members of Alameda County, where Dublin is! Read the sign... if you look closely at the foot of James' grave....

... you can see the small headstone for his beloved dog, Carlo.

Springtime's bustin' out all over!

2009-03-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

"Welcome to Dublin"!

These white trees are flowering like CRAZY right now... they're perfuming the air with their pungent, sweet smell. The petals fall and that's our version of "snow"! (see them behind the city sign in the above photo)

Our state flower, the California Poppy. It's a wildflower that grows all over the hills to signify the arrival of spring; it opens in the sun and closes up at night or when the fog and clouds roll in.

They're gorgeous!

Pink Friday

2009-03-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

In California, Friday the 13th was "Pink Friday"--the day any teacher has to be notified if there was a chance that s/he might not have a job next year (hmmm... Friday the 13th; fitting, no?). People were encouraged to wear pink, and many of us put these stickers in our car windows. It's a rough time in California, but like the unwavering spirit of the 49ers and prospectors in the Gold Rush Era, we will persevere and survive!

It's a big weekend for Dublin

2009-03-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

With a name like Dublin, you know the town has to have a big St. Patrick's Day celebration!

I took a walk Friday around our City Hall to photograph all the preparations for our annual St. Patrick's Day Festival.

The Civic Center Plaza entrance was all decked out.

These small banners were EVERYWHERE!

City Hall

L-R: Dublin, CA flag; State of California flag; and of course, the flag of the US of A.

Even the streetlights get in on the action!

All about blacksmithing... (but with Scottish flags?!)

The clock tower in Civic Center Plaza

Banners in the wind...

Even with all the festivites, daily life still goes on...

History about town...

2009-03-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

The Old Murray Schoolhouse, built in 1856. It's obviously been beautifully restored. :)

Old St. Raymond's Church, 1859. This church still exists, only in a new building across town. This church, as well as the schoolhouse, make up the Dublin Heritage Center

Steeple of Old St. Raymond's

Close-up of the shutters...

One of the lamps on the front of the church. I love the iridescent reflection.

The Heritage Center... hard to believe that there's a bustling 8-lane freeway just beyond those trees!

The bell of St. Raymond's

The bell of the Murray Schoolhouse.

In addition, the center also features the Dublin Pioneer Cemetery. Interred there are the town's founding families--the Fallons, the Murphys, the Kolbs, the Wells, and the Doughertys, to name a few (Gee, Irish much?!)! Plus, there's another fascinating part of California history there; the ill-fated Donner Party was rescued by John Martin and William Fallon, and some members that managed to survive ended up settling here. Matter of fact, most of the founding families came west as prospectors and ended up settling here instead of mining for gold. :)

More nature around Dublin

2009-03-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

Panorama shot from the summit of the aforementioned mountain.

A study in perspective...

First entry

2009-03-02T22:42:00.000-08:00

Taken from the summit of Mt. Diablo, 3,849 feet, looking East towards the Sierra Nevadas. And no, there's nothing devilish about this wonderful mountain!