66/365: There's a Storm Coming In

66/365: There's a Storm Coming In, a photo by doglington on Flickr.

We desperately need more rain in Sonoma, but as I drove up 280, it looked like the threatened storm was headed directly over San Mateo and sweeping south. (For non Bay Area residents, that blue is a reservoir that is directly on the fabled San Andreas Fault.) I fiddled with my polarizing lens and various settings trying to get more contrast and colors. Then I gave it up as it was just this gray and ominous in real life.

65/365: Yes, Another Flower

65/365: Yes, Another Flower, a photo by doglington on Flickr.

This is become cliche for me. But I'm not trying to punt. I'm genuinely amazed at all the flowers and plants that are bursting out. I'm not sure how their long-term health will fare as we are having periods of warm Spring-like weather interspersed with a week of freezing cold weather. So maybe the buds of one week will be the casualties of the next week. We've had a cold week and this guy came through. If he can just hang in there, they are forecasting some balmy weather in the 70s for next week.

64/365: Babe the Giant Muffler Man

64/365: Babe the Giant Muffler Man, a photo by doglington on Flickr.

More San Jose kitsch. Amazingly, this statue -- just off the historic Alameda -- still advertises a working muffler shop.

Another day attempting to find the walkable and historic parts of San Jose. Mixed results as I outline here:

leftcoastcowboys.com/2013/03/05/estamos-recorriendo/

63/365: Dancing Pig

63/365: Dancing Pig, a photo by doglington on Flickr.

As I tool around San Jose, I'm constantly on the lookout -- behind the malls and the freeways -- for vestiges of the old San Jose. Helping me out is the Roadside America app (or view their website at roadsideamerica.com). These people are dedicated to steering you to all things weird and wacky with an emphasis on Americana. I wasn't looking for this sign, but took a wrong turn just outside the main downtown of San Jose and there it was. The meat products company is long gone, but the sign lives on. Roadside America describes it this way:

"An enticing yet disturbing display of happy pig cannibalism."

Apparently, when the sign is lit up, the pig is holding neon sausages.

Roadside America rates it worth a stop and I agree. An interesting reminder of how small a city downtown used to be and how it used to give way, within a block, to things like meat processing plants and forges.

62/365: A Restorative Cuppa

62/365: A Restorative Cuppa, a photo by doglington on Flickr.

Cuppa tea that is. British Breakfast to be specific. We're still trying to work through this tri-city living. After a Saturday in Sonoma, swinging by San Francisco to pack more stuff, we ended up in San Jose to start the week. Sometimes, as the British say, you just need a good cup of tea to set yourself up again.

61/365: I Hear You!

61/365: I Hear You!, a photo by doglington on Flickr.

Putting on your outdoor shoes. Don't think there is any chance there WON'T be a walk.

60/365: NO Paparazzi

60/365: NO Paparazzi, a photo by doglington on Flickr.

Today, I accompanied Princess Amelia May to Disney Princesses on Ice. She gave the Official Court Photographer a very small window of time for pictures. Then it was NO to the paparazzi!

It's a Princess World, and Princess Amelia May lives in it. Today we had the excitement of Disney on Ice, featuring PRINCESSES, PRINCESSES, PRINCESSES!

The story here:

leftcoastcowboys.com/2013/03/01/its-a-princess-world