Bear's Life and Tides

Today is Thursday, July 30. I can't remember what I did yesterday. Today, Beth and I hiked our usual neighborhood trail. At the top of the hill, we noticed an ingenious method a neighbor employed to keep rodents off their fruit trees. Climb that mother f'er! As we made out way into the Inverness Watershed ridge trail above town, I found lots of ripe huckleberries. I had heard of huckleberries before moving to Inverness, but had never seen one. They are small and delicious, growing on small bushes similar to blueberries. We meditated at our meditation bench, which I customized with a foot rest. As we walked, I realized that we are still in a transition with the pandemic. We still don't know much. We live in fear of getting sick.  No one knows how long we'll have to endure the reasonable restrictions on activity.  Transitions are difficult. We have not reached a new norm yet. The social and economic turmoil we experience every day is stressful. We try to "normaliz...

Just got back to Inverness tonight (Tuesday July 28). I have been on vacation in SF for a few days. I set aside Monday to work on the boat. I installed a new downrigger, organized tackle, cleaned and tried to solve some plumbing problems with Mike's help. It got windy. Some kids had a bad sailing lesson in Clipper Cove. I met Mark Gaydos for lunch at Wildseed (upscale vegan restaurant on Union Street).  Before lunch, I stopped at the ATM to get $300 cash. It gave me 30 ten  dollar bills. I could barely fold my wallet. I came across this new Cevicheria in SF. I like their logo and their closed sign. I fished today with Earl and Greg. We took my boat.  We went out a long way. All the way out to the end of the shipping channel/ship entrance to SF Bay. About seven or eight miles - to the end of the channel, an area they call the "Channel Buoys" because there are bouys a mile apart on each side of the channel. There was a fleet...

In SF tonight. Usual neighborhood hike in Inverness with Beth yesterday. Stopped at our bench to meditate. On the way back home, I discovered a new (to me) Osprey nest. This morning, I went on a 56 mile bike ride with Bonnie. This is "Barry's Ride", from Nicasio. I rode it weekly when I lived there. I found some actual wild sage to go with the smell that I love. Saw a bobcat out hunting in a pasture. Cute calves Here is Bonnie at the crest of the Marshall wall We stopped at the halfway point for pastries at Route One Bakery (formerly the Tomales Bakery). Great pie! After the ride, I left Beth and Meyer meditating (?) in the yard I think Meyer is doing a silent back plank. I came to the city, picked up a few items and went to the boat to fix a few things. New line on the down riggers. I am trying to fix a weird plumbing issue. When the boat is under way, sea water comes thru my bait tank pump. If I close off the line, it goes into the bilge. Not good. Otherwise, it fills u...

Another day with nothing really to say. Uncle Gene died almost a year ago. His wife Jeanne sent me a bunch of old photos. I looked at them nostalgically before starting today. I always go over all my new photos and edit them before I start. This time, I had some old ones as well.  Yesterday, I did nothing of importance. My old buddy Jeff Greenberg called. He and his family are staying at a goat farm in Dillon Beach. We met for a drink at Nick's Cove on Tomales Bay.  Uncle Gene, in his later years, had fond memories of Nick's Cove. I am sure he fished from there. My mom bought me an Ollalieberry pie from Fatapples in Berkeley. She wanted to surprise me with it. However, after a few days of me not getting the hint, Lynn told me to come and get it. Today, Beth and I went over for a visit and pie pickup.  My mother is the most kind, generous, thoughtful person ever born. Knowing that I love Ollalieberry pies from Fatapples, she had to get me one. She is that selfles...

I spent last night in SF.  Beth was away for two days, taking care of a loved one who just had surgery. I spent the morning tending to the boat. I had lunch with my brother Mike at Iysare in Berkeley. We sat at an outside table. It was the first time I had eaten at a restaurant since March 15th, when I had dinner with Thomas at Sorella.  [I don't know how to put in a footnote - I'll just do it like this - I remember well, the meal at Sorella. The pandemic had just gotten everyone's notice. We tried to keep a bit of distance. No one wore masks. Thomas took a picture of the rooster pitcher, our Chianti came in,  and sent it to Sigfried, his brother in law in Germany. I can't remember why. I hope Siggy and Gigi (Thomas' sister) are doing well.] It felt a little surreal at Iyasare, eating outside, being served by someone with a mask. The food was excellent. Beth is too cautious to eat at a restaurant right now. I had been dying to eat out. I don't think we took any ...