Author: treve

When I'm not creating architectural photos for clients (see my primary website at www.treve.com), I like to travel, hike, kayak and enjoy other artistic and cultural pursuits. I'm also concerned about environmental and social issues and issues of faith.

Paddling to Paradise

Our paddle today takes us to Paradise. Paradise Beach on the Tiburon Peninsula. Our Lauch site is Windsurfer Beach. Given the tide prediction for the day we decided to launch at 11:00. Yea! I can miss the morning commute traffic on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. It took me less that 30 minutes to get to our launch site. There were 12 of us assembled on the beach at 11:00, quite a turnout for our recurring Thursday paddle.

The temperature was a bit chilly, so I put a second thermal top on under my drysuit and glad I did. I was quite comfortable despite the chilly overcast.

Our course took us across the ferry channel. We stopped to let ferries go by going both directions, then it was across the channel, past Paradise Cay, and on to Paradise Beach.

We landed at 12:05, grabbed our lunches and made the short walk up the hill to the picnic tables in the park.

The overcast sky provided nice lighting for portraits, and a nice view of Mount Tamalpais and we made our way back to Windsurfer Beach. I’m experimenting with my iPhone in a waterproof dive case. It seems some moisture condensation inside the case resulted in a soft-focus effect.

We were back on the beach at 2:30 having logged 8.5 miles. The battery on my iPhone went dead on our return leg, so I lost my GPS log i normally track with GAIA GPS. I was also carrying a Garmin InReach and an Olympus TG-5 camera. It was good to have a backup, both for the GPS log and for photos. More photos ae available in an online gallery.

Botticelli

Our adventures today take us to the Botticelli exhibit at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. It’s 45 minute drive from our house across two bridges, The Richmond-San Rafael and the Golden Gate. We had the windshield wipers going most of the way with wet drizzly weather. The towers of the Golden Gate Bridge were lost in fog. I was thinking it would make a wonderful moody photo, but something for the mind’s eye, since I was driving.

Botticelli was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance (1445 – 1510). Born as Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi he was better known as Sandro Botticelli.

The exhibit is all about drawings. I was surprised to learn that these drawings were studies in preparation for creating larger finished pieces. Needless to say, the drawings are exquisite, using a variety of media on specially prepared paper, not simply sketches that a modern-day artist might make. Some of the drawings were created by other artists working in Botticelli’s workshop, or other artists of the time such as Fra Filippo Lippi.

We picked up our reserved headsets when we entered the museum, and the guided tour was quite educational. Many of the drawings were created using tempera, a medium that consists of egg yolk mixed with pigment. This is a very fast drying media which requires application with many thin layers. We spent an hour and a half in the exhibit taking our time. After viewing the exhibit, we headed to the museum cafe, where we shared the Classic Onion Soup Gratince and the Roasted Beet Salad. Quite delicious and pricey, although we were not surprised with the price given the location.

Upon exiting the museum we were met with rays of sun and blue sky. We stopped to admire Auguste Rodin’s sculpture The Thinker and then took a walk around Lands End to get a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. More photos are available in an online gallery.

de Young Open 2023

Today we made a visit to the de Young museum to see the Open 2023 exhibit. This exhibit celebrates the vision of Bay Area artists. There are 883 works on view created by artists who live in the nine counties surrounding San Francisco Bay. I was one of the 7,766 artists that submitted artwork, although my work was not selected. The piece I entered, Boulders, Alabama Hills, is available in my art store. I was curious to see what works had been selected. With an online web gallery, we were able use our phones to read about a few select pieces.

The first piece that caught my attention was piece #9, entitled Hollow by James Shefik, a piece based on a thumb push puppet. Here’s an excerpt from the artist’s statement:

My original intent was for the puppet to represent America’s continued slide into authoritarianism. The sculpture’s puppet character was made apparent by George Floyd’s murder and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests that spread worldwide. The Robert E. Lee puppet, when collapsed, reflected the fate of many of the monuments that had been raised in America in the past 120 years.

Of course, visiting an art exhibit is also about watching people, so I took a few images to document the event including some long exposures to introduce some intentional camera motion. I was clearly being watched while taking this photo. I’m calling the photo the watcher.

Here’s Joann photographing piece #694 entitled Name that Tune: H___ on the R____ by Ellen Reintjes. Ellen says:

Singing this traditional western song while viewing the painting will hopefully bring a smile to your face as the puns come alive.

We arrived at the museum about 11 a.m., spent an hour or so exploring the exhibit, took a break for lunch and returned to continue. It would be overwhelming to try and read about every piece but taking a few small bites about selected pieces made the experience quite enjoyable. The exhibit goes through January 7, so if you are interested in viewing this exhibit, time is of the essence.

Up the Creek

Ten paddles and eight boats. More paddles than people since you wouldn’t want to be stuck up the creek without a paddle. Some of us carry spare paddles. I broke a paddle a couple of years ago so it’s nice to have a spare available.

Our day began with an early start, with a stop at the Bovine Bakery in Point Reyes Station for breakfast. Their Morning Bun Coffee Cake is extraordinary. After our breakfast stop, we continued on to Miller Boat Launch. From there the plan was to paddle up Walker Creek until we could paddle no further. A king tide would afford us access to the upper reaches of the creek that are not normally accessible. Since this was mostly a flatwater paddle, I decided to take three cameras: my iPhone 14 in a waterproof dive case, my GoPro mounted on the deck and my trusty Olympus TG5 which is my camera of choice for kayaking. If I’m paddling in active water where managing a camera can be a challenge, I usually stick to my TG5 or my GoPro mounted on my helmet.

We were on the water shortly before 10:00 a.m., ahead of the posted OTW (on the water) of 10:00. When you are paddling with this group it’s best to be on time. Our navigation was a bit off. We missed the entrance to the creek and ended up dragging our boats over a bit of marsh. Once we were back on the main waterway it was smooth paddling.

We paddled up the creek and under the Highway 1 Bridge, continuing on as the waterway narrowed, keeping an eye out for snags and an occasional branch slapping us in the face. At the 5-mile mark we could paddle no further, so we turned around and paddled back to a little beach for lunch. 

After lunch we were back on the water, anxious to get back down the creek while we still had water. The current was now moving down the creek and it gave us a bit of a push. We saw a number of birds: egrets, herons and white pelicans. They evaded my photo attempts. More photos are available in an online gallery. You can also view more details about our track online. We were back at our launch point about 2 p.m. having logged 10 miles over the course of our paddle.

I was quite happy with the photos I got from the iPhone, although the shutter actuation on the dive case was a bit problematic. That’s something I need to work on.

Lunch at China Cove

Our paddle today took us from Dunphy Park in Sausalito to China Cove on Angel Island. There were 12 of us, a large group for a weekday paddle. We assembled on the beach for a safety talk and radio check, and then we were on the water at 11. Slack water in Raccoon Straight was 12:30, with a high tide of 6.4 feet at 11:15. We try to plan our paddles to take advantage of the current. Being on the water a little before slack means we might be pushing against a slight current, and after lunch we would have the current with us for our return trip. My boat for the day was my Pygmy Ronan which handles the wind and chop of the Bay with aplomb, although we had little to challenge us in that regard.

At China Cove we decided to carry our boats well above the tide line lest the rising tide should carry our boats away. Here’s a photo of our group having lunch, along with a map that shows our track and a photo of a pod of kayakers preparing to land at China Cove.

Weather conditions were quite favorable. My drysuit and my usual insulating layer felt a bit warm initially and I was thinking I might have overdressed, but in the end my layering proved to be a good choice. We had calm water on the route to the island. On our return we had a bit of lumpy water as we crossed Raccoon Straight. By now the ebb had started and we had the current assisting us on the return trip, logging up to 6 MPH. We were back at our launch site at 2:30.

It turned to out to be a beautiful day on the Bay, with a great group of friends. For wildlife we saw pelicans, cormorants, a great blue heron, and the requisite harbor seals. We logged 7.8 miles. More photos are available in an online gallery.

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving Day we congregated at a cabin in South Lake Tahoe. Eight of us: our two kids, their spouses, their kids (grandkids), and two dogs. As grandparents it was a delight to watch the kids playing together. They are five years old and a month apart in age.

Being that we were traveling on Thanksgiving Day, it seemed like cooking a dinner with all the trimmings was out of the question. We arranged to take most of the dinner fixings with us, provided by a friend of ours, Peter, who runs a catering business, The Table Catering. Highly recommended if you need a caterer in Berkeley.

In addition to the catered dishes, our daughter Amy cooked an apple pie, and daughter-in-law Serena cooked at pumpkin pie. We brought an olallieberry pie from our local FATAPPLE’S bakery. More than enough pie for eight people.

On Friday, November 24, the day after Thanksgiving, we had a birthday to celebrate and we took a short drive to the Cascade Falls trailhead, donned our hiking boots, and had a very pleasant hike on a beautiful and chilly day. The kids found playing with ice in frozen puddles an entertaining activity. The frosty mornings led to some exploration of ice crystals near the cabin. So much fun to be together as a family. More photos are available in an online gallery.

To Bishop and Back

With our recent travels we haven’t had much opportunity to play grandparents, so this past weekend we made our way to Bishop. Along with visiting family we had the task of delivering a Tigermoth camping trailer. Here’s the trailer ready to tow over to Bishop and a photo of my son’s family sitting inside. This should be a great camper for a family that loves to camp. Well designed and quite fun!

Our short trip and the fact that we were recovering from colds kept us close to home, although we did manage to get out to explore a bit. The Cottonwoods were showing color. And we took a short hike in Birchim Canyon just off of Highway 395.

On Sunday November 5, we made the return trip, stopping near the Groveland Ranger Station just off of Highway 120 to enjoy the display of the black oaks – a mix of green, yellow and red.

Back from the UK

On October 3 we boarded a plane from San Francisco to Heathrow. The purpose of our trip was to escort my aunt Sue back to England to visit family and friends. Sue came to the US in 1964 after graduating from a horticultural school. She and one of her classmates were hired to work for a wealthy estate owner in New York. She eventually married my uncle, hence becoming my aunt. She is now 87 and asked us to escort her back to England.

Once we were on the ground at Heathrow, Sue’s nephew Peter met us with his car and drove us around much of the south part of England.

One of our first stops was in Chelmsford, just northeast of London where we visited with Sue’s cousin Tricia. Tricia served us Elevenses, which is what the English call tea when served in the morning. Tricia is in the blue sweater, with her son-in-law pouring tea. Sue is on the right. From there we made our way to Witney where we visited with Margaret, with whom Sue had come to the US to work on the Greentree Estate in Manhasset, NY. The two of them eventually went on a yearlong road trip around North America after working at the estate. Margaret served us a home cooked meal of venison stew. That’s Peter serving up a bowl of stew. Our trip included many stops in the south of England and Cornwall. The orange marks on the map indicate places I captured photos. I’m in the process of sorting through some 1400 photos, so there will be more stories to tell.

We covered a little over 1000 miles by car and added a trip to Edinburgh where Sue had more friends to visit. Much of our traveling was on country roads over the rolling hills of Cornwall with green fields, quaint villages and hedgerows. We also managed to visit Oxford and Sherborne Abbey.

One of the highlights of the trips was visiting Mevagissey. Sue’s nephew Andrew did the driving stint to Mevagissey where his singing group, Barrett’s Privateers, were participating in a sea chanty festival. Andrew is the third person from the left. What fun!

And, of course, while in Cornwall I had to have a pasty, the national dish of Cornwall, a flakey pastry pocket filled with steak and potatoes. We did get out for a few walks in the countryside including a walk on the Camel Trail between Wadebridge and Padstow. Here’s a photo of the trail as it passes through a tunnel of trees.

London

It wouldn’t seem right to visit England without seeing London. We arranged to spend two nights at the Premier Inn at London Heathrow Terminal 4 in order to afford us one day in London. We took the Underground to Hyde Park. Our goal was to get to Buckingham Palace by 11 a.m. to watch the changing of the guard.

Wow. I do my best to avoid crowds. This event is all about crowds. Perhaps we should have arrived earlier, but even so, where’s the best place to watch the event? Once I got over my initial disappointment over securing a vantage point, I decided that the people were part of the story. I pulled out my Sony RX100 and started experimenting with some intentional camera movement. I think these images capture more of the feeling of the event. Throngs of people, many with their smartphones poised to capture photos. The changing of the guard dates back to Henry VII (reigned 1485-1509). We were surprised at how much music was involved with a mix of traditional and popular tunes.

Then we were off to see Westminster Abbey, although with the dispersing crowd it took a few minutes to navigate our way. We were lucky to be able to buy tickets for an afternoon tour, and we added a visit to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries located high above the Abbey floor in the beautiful 13th century triforium. Photos are not allowed in Jubilee Galleries; however, Joann was able to capture a view out the window as we climbed down the stairs.

Since 1066, Westminster Abbey has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British monarchs, and a burial site for 18 English, Scottish, and British monarchs. Quite a bit of history here with exquisite architecture.

After visiting the Abbey, we took a walk past the Tower of Big Ben and across the Westminster Bridge over the River Thames. Then it was back on the Underground for the return trip to our hotel.

More photos are available in an online gallery.

Cornwall Highlights

Our time in Cornwall traveling with my aunt Sue took us well off the beaten track, visiting places where she had connections. One of our stops was at Waterperry where Sue attended horticultural college. Here’s a photograph of the church of St. Mary the Virgin at Waterperry. Inside the church is a plaque listing of vicars of the church going back to 1235. We also visited the beautiful Sherborne Abbey. Like Sherborne Abbey, many churches house shrines and reliquaries.

We spent several days in the town of Kilkhampton. Much of our travels involved riding in a car with the view hemmed in by stone walls and hedgerows. Our time in Kilkhampton afforded me the opportunity to wander around on foot with my camera. I was fascinated by the Parish Church of St. James the Great and also by the stone buildings and the treelined lanes.

At one point in my wanderings, I was able to find a view of the rolling hills as the sun was about to set. Our adventures also took us to the fishing town of Mevagissey. The tide was out and the boats were sitting on the bottom.

And while exploring Kilkhampton, I was intent on capturing an images of a stream passing through the woods. More photos are available in an online gallery.