Kelp Forest Exhibit

This past weekend, we drove to Monterey for a combined-event vacation: birthday and anniversary. Getting there was an Herculean effort - both I-80 and I-5 were stop-and-go, and the 3.5 hour trip took 6 hours! But we got there, and the hotel was pleasantly situated near Monterey, and we had an ocean view.

This photo is from the Kelp Forest exhibit in the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It's so peaceful there, with mood music and a small section of bleachers for those who just want to meditate. I'll be posting more photos, and sending a "photostream" to Flickr in the next day or so.

Harry Potter-Mania

So the hysteria is abating, and Harry didn't die. It was interesting to observe the silence in the 'burbs on Saturday, as people waited for their pre-ordered books to arrive in the mail. There was no traffic, no birds, no children making noise, no washing-machines, no leaf-blowers, no freeway noise, no helicopters or small planes ... it was uncanny!

Our book was delivered around lunch time, and the postman took a few minutes to tell about his son, who waited in line at midnight at the bookstore for his copy. Laurel immediately appropriated the book and finished it before bedtime. I lucked into a second copy, because my walking-buddy had a deadline project to do over the weekend, and she asked me to please take her copy so she wouldn't be tempted to read it. The proviso was that I must return it by this evening, which I did. So, Both Marty and Laurel have finished the book, and I'm about a third of the way through it.

On Friday, there were about 750 holds on the title at the library; here are links to the book and to the audiobook - watch as the holds are slowly filled.

The Nugget Truckbed

Here's the same truck bed that showcased a pile of watermelons in the Nugget Market the other day - now it's featuring asparagus, onions, potatoes and flowers.

Fresh produce is abundant now, with summer in full swing. The Farmer's Market in Cesar Chavez Park attracts hundreds of shoppers every Wednesday afternoon. I haven't visited it yet, because it is on the same day as my Weight Watchers meeting.

Watermelon Days at Nugget

Our local grocery store, The Nugget, has always mounted interesting seasonal displays. Tonight, I spotted this bed of a pickup truck heaped high with watermelons. I wish I knew where they get their antiques. The beer, for example, is displayed inside a really old icebox, and their soaps in an old footed porcelain bathtub.

We give the store lots of business, because we feel they offer the freshest produce as well as an eclectic selection of common and regional items, including fresh papayas and pineapples from Hawaii (at $5 per fruit). The staff is known for its friendly customer service, and regular shoppers are rewarded with discount coupons a couple times a year and with a free poinsettia plant at Christmastime.