Sunday, October 21, 2012

Twin Peaks - Sunrise





I often forget how lucky I am to live where I live.  To remind myself, I roll out of bed a little bit early and walk up the hill side.  
Twin Peaks, SF







© 2012 Hayley Thistlethwaite

China Town - San Francisco - Envelope #11













© 2012 Hayley Thistlethwaite

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Fort Funston San Francisco

My new favorite SF place is often described as a Dog Heaven; Fort Funston.


Happy Dance
It has to be the best off leash dog area in San Francisco. Definitely one of the best places to feel the sense of freedom that evades corporate life.

It's my second year living in The City and I still can't wrap my head around this thing called San Francisco Summer.  Until it happens...  Just when the depression that I have completely missed summer hits, the thermometer creeps into the 80s and 90s.  The fog disappears.


On this particular SF summer weekend, Lote convinced the crew to checkout Fort Funston. The name doesn't serve it any justice. Neither does the parking lot, it is nothing but sawdust and bark.  Not very impressive.

Beyond the parking lot is breathtaking trails that take you alongside cliffs leading the Pacific Ocean. 
This place takes your breath away.





Take Flight



Hi Puppy

©2012 Hayley Thistlethwaite, all rights reserved.



Sunday, September 16, 2012

Conservatory of Flowers - Envelope # 16



It was a rather dreary foggy morning in the Inner Sunset when we arrived at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Opened in 1879, this is the oldest municipal greenhouse on the West Coast. Spending time in 5 rooms exploding with exotic flowers and plants turned the dreary day around. 



Carnivorous Aquatic Plants such as the bladderwort will vacuum trap insects. Unable to photosynthesize, these plants need bugs to survive.


 Gorgeous Orchids




Exotic Orchid 


Hundreds of Dahlias, outside of the Conservatory....


Monday, September 3, 2012

Wildlife in San Francisco - Envelope 15






Wildlife in San Francisco... An interesting envelope to open.  When I think of wildlife I think of an all night-er somewhere in the Tenderloin.  But this wasn't the San Francisco wildlife that this envelope had intended.

There is an abundance of wonderful wildlife in the city. From the zoos, the aquariums and the seals; to the hawks, raccoons and coyotes that naturally roam my neighborhood; I settled that this "assignment" fell somewhere in-between...


First Visit - The Bison of Golden Gate park
A permanent fixture in the city, these American Bison have transformed this corner of the park into a piece of the Wild West. These creatures move slowly behind the protective fence. Deceivingly so, as they have been reported to be able to run up to 40 miles an hour.

These are among the last surviving species of the American Bison or Buffalo. The park has a successful breeding program which has contributed more than 100 calves to the remaining 200,000 North American Bison population. 

Hawk in our backyard



Another fascinating "wildlife" phenomena is San Francisco's Organic Weed Abatement Program. We discovered the goats one morning 2 years ago when we woke up to an overwhelming amount of "Maaaaas"...  Right under Sutro Tower, the traveling goats had arrived!

Every year in early July, the goats are dispersed through out the city to trim back weeds and over growth. These goats attack the brush and devour the brush at warp speed.  This year instead of the "Maaaas", we woke up to overjoyed children, "The goats are back! The goats are back!"



    © 2012 by Hayley Thisltehwaite. All Rights Reserved.