Today was a magical hiking day. Julie, Gabriella and I hiked part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail near Woodside, in the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. It is a gorgeous place to hike, with lots of beautiful towering redwoods, luscious ferns and colorful wildflowers. The weather was a total 180 from our hike…

Today was a fairly active day, though I spent the day at or close to home. On my walk in the neighborhood this morning, I saw some blackberries that are almost ripe enough to eat! Also saw some plums that are still very green. I love seeing wild fruit when I’m out walking around. When…

I had a very social day on Thursday. After a morning walk around the neighborhood I met a friend for lunch in Walnut Creek then Emmy and I went to the Godfather Winery on Mare Island and enjoyed some delicious wine on the porch of the beautiful old officers house where the winery is based.…

Had a quiet 4th hanging out with Margot and reading. That night I heard lots of fireworks and from the front door saw the light show on Sutro Tower-very cool effects from the fog. The next morning I walked around the reservoir and passed a San Francisco Water Department truck blaring classical music with a…

Today is my 55th birthday. I usually am not concerned or take a lot of notice of birthdays that are not ones that push me into a new decade. 25 was the last time that a ‘five year’ birthday was important to me since that’s when I turned a quarter century. But for some reason…

I started my birthday celebrations a little early this year with a trip to a wonderful outdoor musical experience put on by the Transcendence Theater Company. My sisters Lisa, Lori and I went to see the closing night performance of The Beat Goes On, which took place at Belos Cavalos Ranch in Kenwood. The company…

Today was a very challenging but beautiful hike from the Skylawn Memorial Park at the intersection of Highways 92 and 35 to Skyline College on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. We finally got to have all four trail goddesses together for a hike, the first time we’ve done it in a year! It was a…

I have spent the last couple of days house and dog sitting in San Francisco. I’m in Midtown Terrace and it’s a quiet lovely little neighborhood. The house has a hot tub and that’s been a real treat, especially in the foggy evenings. Margot, the dog I’m looking after injured her shoulder yesterday morning, so…

I spent Tuesday with three amazing women. Started the day with a hike on Mount Diablo with Michele, doing a loop that we have done many times over the years. It was such a treat to be able to hike there with her again. I really miss not being able to hike with her regularly,…

Emmy came over today to hang out with Mom and I in the afternoon, then we drove up to Santa Rosa to a lavender farm called Bees N Blooms. Emmy was helping me celebrate my birthday a week early by participating in a sound bath in the middle of the lavender labyrinth at the farm.…