Bear's Life and Tides

Another epic fishing day. I had the alarm set for 5:20 a.m. Meeting Earl at the boat at 5:45. I woke up at 4 and could not get back to sleep. No problem - I did the NYT spelling bee. Got out of the house and got to the boat early at Treasure Island. Got things set up and started the engines. Earl arrived and we quickly shoved off. Motored across the bay to fisherman's wharf to get live bait. We were not alone. There was a line of about 20 boats all the way out of the cove into the bay, waiting to get bait. We slowly eased our way to the bait receiver and got our two netfuls of live anchovies which they call a "half scoop", poured gently into our live bait tank. Decision time: where should we fish. There were at least 25 boats fishing all around Alcatraz. I often avoid the popular crowded spots unless I know for sure that the fish are biting there. I tend to go to fishing spots where I have personally caught fish. When I catch a fish, I mark the spot with a big red X ...

Awesome thunder storm last night at about 4 a.m. It woke us up. First we just saw an odd flash of light, then another and pretty soon the thunder started following. Less and less time between, until they were almost simultaneous when the storm was right overhead dumping rain on us. The thunder and lightning gradually slowed and moved on. We don't get that many thunder storms in the Bay Area. I enjoy them. I always weigh myself first thing in the morning - to get the lowest weight possible.  173 lbs.. Low for me. The bike ride yesterday helped. BMI 25.7 just overweight a bit. My father (Al) complained when the doctor told him he needed to lose weight, based on his height and weight. He responded he that he would be at his ideal weight two weeks after he was dead. He was so funny. I don't know how he came up with this stuff. We watched another great movie from the NYT article: The Traitor. Loved it. Italian movie with subtitles. About the Sicilian Mafia. Based o...

My feet felt better today, so I went for a bike ride. I did my short loop (43 miles) instead of my long (64 miles) loop. It looked kind of cold and gloomy out. I really did not want to ride, but I needed the exercise. Before I rode, I drove to Point Reyes Station for a BEAR claw.  Downtown Point Reyes - No Barking Zone (parking allowed?) I headed out on my ride. It was a bit windy and about 55 degrees. I dressed warm. First thing I noticed was all the wild fennel growing by the side of the road.  Very fragrant. Lots of buckeye trees in bloom I love the sweet and savory smell of buckeye blossoms Ladies And Gentlemen Vineyard Old Truck Top of the Marshall Wall I took this photo with Tomales Bay in the Background. I passed this couple on their electric bikes on the flat part of the Petaluma Marshall Road. They were very friendly. He passed me, climbing the Marshall Wall. He said, apologetically, "I'm 76 years old,...

Osprey Nest from Yesterday's Walk Crap! Its 8 PM and I did nothing today. I hardly left the house (except for my morning pastry at Bovine!). I took zero pictures. I am flying blind here. Making this up as I go along. I'll keep it short because it is just a bunch of BS anyway.  I should take a day off but this is only day 3. Excuses: my feet have been a little gouty for the last few weeks. I was going to go on a bike ride with Meyer today but cancelled to give my feet a rest. Maybe I'll ride tomorrow.  Still doing my daily NYT crossword and Spelling Bee. A healthy addiction, except that I often wake in the middle of the night and do the Bee which comes out at midnight. Fergus Sullivan is my silent partner on these puzzles. We don't solve together but enjoy witty texts, kvetches and lewd commentary.  I spent hours on the phone today. Changing over retirement accounts to Vanguard. Several friends who I trust and respect made this change earlier. ...

I have to get used to blogging again. I feel like I have a homework assignment. No idea what I am writing about. I took a few notes and pictures. Here goes. I am fascinated by the huge local bumble bees harvesting our foxglove plants all day long. I published early last night. After dinner, Beth and I walked to "the boat". I probably mentioned it in a prior blog. There is a "shipwreck" in Inverness on Tomales Bay shore.  An old fishing boat that slipped its anchor years ago in a storm and has been in Inverness since. Beth and I often stroll down there in the evening, look out over the bay, and catch the sea breeze. I like to look at the tide table while we are on the shore.  It seemed very unusual to me that there was only a 0.8 foot drop from the high tide at 5:13 PM to the low tide at 10:15 PM. That's like no tide change at all. I think it has to do with the new moon and that the tide follows a massive six foot drop from 5.0 feet h...

I've been thinking about blogging again. I finally got inspired this morning. It is both exciting and scary to start a new blog.  I would have started sooner but for Covid. So much travel I did NOT do. Supposed to start the Camino in April; deferred to September - (doubtful this year).  Beth and I rented an apartment in NYC for the month of April. Cancelled. Then we had a flight booked from NYC to Lisbon May 1st. Cancelled. Return flight from Barcelona to SFO May 21. Cancelled. We have survived the Covid shelter in place okay. I have been biking and fishing regularly. Beth and I have been primarily in Inverness, with a day here and there in San Francisco. Doing lots of gardening in Inverness.  Planted a new lawn I feel the TIDE turning re Covid. Life is slowly returning to "normal". We have started socializing; having guests over for dinner. Summer is coming. The weather is warming up. It feels hopeful. I have a new routine. I ...