The Mystery of Fog

The Northern California coast where I live is famous for its fog.  Mark Twain’s line about “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” is a popular quote used by locals.  When my Irish cousins come to visit, our first stop is often to buy a pair of long pants or a sweatshirt (for warmth not as souvenirs). In my quest to stop whining about things I have no control over, I chose to adopt a...

Bakesale Betty, Take 2

A tragic thing happened last fall.  Bakesale Betty decided to close on Sundays – the day that I frequent Oakland.  I am heartbroken – as is my mother who, now in her eighties, has developed both a dislike for cooking and a hearty appetite for Betty’s chicken potpies. As fortune would have it, I was in the neighborhood one Tuesday afternoon and managed to scoot in just before closing to snag some goodies for...

Teachings From the Banana Slug

On a recent outdoor adventure, I had the opportunity to spend some extended time up close and personal with a banana slug. Here’s what I learned. Move at your own pace and with the intuitive rhythm of nature.  Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly and never in a straight line, slugs get where they’re going with grace and ease.  With curiosity, they investigate everything that crosses their path.  They also stop to...

Generosity and Bakesale Betty

For me, the most gratifying Sunday morning involves a rockin’ celebration of worship at the East Bay Church of Religious Science followed by lunch with friends at one of the many great restaurants in Oakland’s Temescal District.   My favorite stop is Bakesale Betty. There is no sign, just a black awning.  In the window is the day’s menu scrawled on a piece of butcher paper.  It’s an easy place to find – look...

Get Your Feet Wet

LEARNING CURVE ALERT – This post is a semi do-over from last week.  I was on the road and posting while tired, indecisive and not completely sure how to handle the technology of deleting a post and substituting another.  The result?  A blog post that was missing the main graphic,  featured two posts back to back and a video link that didn’t work.  I’m sending the second post again complete with...