A gorgeous picture of Saturn from within its own shadow, taken by the spacecraft Cassini. The faint blue dot at 10 o'clock just outside the bright rings is our own Earth. Simply beautiful.

(Credits: Jan, 11 2009 Astronomy Picture of the Day, via NASA and the Cassini Imaging Team. Check out the Cassini Imaging Team site for more spectacular images.)

glowing fish, littleredfrog,

fleet of stingrays, snakethatwasabranch

redyellowturquoisepurplegreen fish

penguincuriosities

butterfly-filled rainforest. world of stars.

On a first visit to the San Francisco Academy of Sciences, a wonderful world of nature's colors, adaptations, ancient holdovers, oddities, and treasures was to be found.  I'm looking forward to a return visit, and the upcoming NightLife Events starting February 12th!

(credit: panther chamleon, alexandre ewen) 

(source: http://www.marvitours.com/)

In a pile of blankets, waking, fresh snow falling, bare feet slide into boots, for an early morning wander.

The muffled silence of a snow-covered wood, and the crisp scent of winter mingled with pine and woodsmoke.

The smooth white surface of an unplowed road. A long wander, now more snow falling, numb fingertips, wet toes. A forest waking with the sound of a rising wind.

Back to a cozy cabin, pile of blankets, warm fireplace and sleeping.

Crackling fire and warmth-of-candle as seen through a Cabernet.

Tahoe, January 2009

Just had to share this gem circulating via email....

(Here's a letter the teacher received the following day.)
 
Dear Mrs. Clancy,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.  I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit.  I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole.  It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot. From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.             

Sincerely,

Mrs.Waters

On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Vixen.... on Comet...

A collection of reindeer in celebration of the holidays. Next up, we add the antlers.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Skittle-colored mock stone, catwalks and cubby holes.

A wall-sized view of Golden Gate and the Bay.

Welcome to San Francisco's newest climbing gym. Based in the Presidio, it is placed in one of the most arguably scenic locations in the city.  And I can't wait to get feet to wall!

(Pictures from the new Planet Granite climbing gym)

Every year, the SF/SPCA  partners with Macy’s to promote pet adoption through festive windows that feature available cats and dogs.  Last year, the windows inspired the adoption of 277 animals and approximately $37,000 in donations. 

Interested in helping :)? Volunteer for a couple of hours to greet the public, answer questions and take donations! I'll be headed over this weekend for my first shift :).

'nough said.

Blushed cheeks and the color of stormy waters swirled together to form a San Francisco sunrise.

As well written as the voter guides try to be, I'm finding that I'm not able to make a decision on all the upcoming initiatives just from the content in the guides.  Searching online for more information, I recently stumbled on BallotPedia.org, a site that offers more robust information in a much better format. Found on the site are:

• Major arguments for and against measures summarized (with less rhetoric)

• Financial impact analyses         

• Full detail on who is funding each proposition and with how much money          

• Current voter sentiment on each ballot initiative

• Links to promotional ads and related websites

• A complete and up-to-date list of *all* newspapers and organizations for / against each initiative
  

The information felt robust, well organized and thoughtful. Something to check out!

More pictures from Fleet Week, 2008 in San Francisco. These were taken from my roofdeck.

A view of the Blue Angels from the deck of the Akela. More pictures here!

2008 Fleet Week, San Francisco 

 happysoftcomfortablecontentstretch

We have a moral obligation to provide humane treatment for the animals that we use for food. Period. Factory farms throughout our country have failed miserably in this regard, cramming animals into tiny spaces that disallow basic movement.

Proposition 2 is a modest proposal that requires all animals in California factory farms be able to "tum around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs".  I hope that California will once again lead the way by approving it.

As always, it is excellent to purchase meat and eggs from cage free and free range farms. It costs a little more, but I look at it as a donation for humane treatment of animals.

Warning: the video below contains some graphic images.

I recently heard this song on the radio driving home, and as always, first heard it without perceiving the words... just absorbing the melody and momentum.

It felt like a city night.

It felt like driving with the top down.

It felt like street lights passing overhead in time to the beat.

(A collection of pictures of San Francisco at night that felt the same....)

Cambodia

Portrait of a beautiful little girl I found outside a small temple. Her grandmother tended incense and candles just inside.

More examples of the astounding beauty to be found in nature...
 

(Credit, Evan Leeson via Dark Roasted Blend)

(Original Photographer Unknown, via Dark Roasted Blend)

We have seen the profound impact the CEO of the United States has on scientific policy and I hope to see our country pay close attention to our candidates' positions (and level of knowledge) on issues of scientific importance this election.

Scientific Integrity. Genetics. Stem Cell Research. Education.  Obama and McCain have each responded to 14 questions posed by SEA (Scientists and Engineers for America), as SEA works to bring greater exposure to science in the world of politics. See their answers  here!