Watch some whales

Watch some whales

Whale watching is an activity you can do almost year round in the Bay Area. I have never been whale watching on a boat – that is still on my to-do list, but the gray whales migrate and swim quite close to shore, so sometimes you can get lucky and see the giants from land.

From December to May the gray whales migrate back from Mexico. First the males and the juveniles and later when the babies have some blubber the mothers with their babies. Orkas, not really whales but named killer whales, can be seen then too hunting the baby gray whales. Humpback whales and blue whales are in the Monterey Submarine Canyon from mid April to December.

Ms. Blue, a blue whale skeleton outside of Seymour Marine Discovery CenterIf you want to get an idea of size of a whale I recommend stopping by the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Outside is what might be the world’s longest blue whale skeleton, Ms. Blue is an impressive 87 feet long! They also have a grey whale skeleton. I took the tour – which comes with the $8 admission, the volunteer was very knowledgeable and they let you touch some baleen, the whales filter system for eating. Plus you can pet a shark and some other ocean creatures inside the center.

Where do you go whale watching?

Science not Silence, pin designed by Penelope Dullaghan

Stand up for science

April 22nd 2017 is Earth Day and you can support your scientist by marching. Many of the marches end with an Earth Day celebration, or with activities for kids. A great way to introduce the importance of marching for democratic rights to your children.

Science not Silence, pin designed by  Penelope Dullaghan
Science not Silence pin designed by
Penelope Dullaghan

Like the Women’s March on January 21st, the March for Science’s biggest crowds are expected in Washington D.C. But there are eight satellite marches in the Bay Area where you can show your support:

 

San Francisco Start: Justin Herman Plaza, 11:00 AM; End: Civic Center Plaza

San Jose Start: San Jose City Hall, 11:00 AM; End: Plaza de Cesar Chavez

Santa Cruz Start: Santa Cruz City Hall, 10:00 AM; End: San Lorenzo Park

Pacifica Start: 2:30 PM, from Linda Mar Beach to Rockaway Beach and back

Walnut Creek Start: Civic Park, 10:00 AM

Livermore Start and End: Livermore High School; 1:00 PM

Hayward Start: Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, 10:00 AM

Berkeley Start: Sproul Plaza, 4:00 PM

Here is a list of Earth Day events in the Bay Area:

http://www.bayareaearthday.org/bayareaearthdayevents/

 

Will you stand up for science?

Banner advertising free wild flower walks at Edgewood Park

Hunt for wildflowers

We made it out of the drought and one of the perks after a rainy season is the abundance of wildflowers. While the ‘super-bloom’ refers more to fields in Southern California, here in the Northern part are also fast amounts of wildflowers.

Edgewood park in Redwood City is offering a free docent led tour every Saturday and Sunday at 10 am. This popular event draws so many people that they offer a free shuttle from East Palo Alto over to San Mateo.

Wild flower at Edgewood parkI visited on Tuesday morning and walked by myself. It was a stunning hike, which starts out uphill but shady, and you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view of the Bay. Plus, I found more than 20 different wildflowers along the way. Some of these flowers are tiny, which makes me wonder if our store bought flowers are on steroids.

For your convenience, the Edgewood Park also has a web page dedicated to what’s blooming this month, so you can look up the names of the flowers you saw. Happy hunting!
What is your favorite place to see wildflowers?

Sign for Encore Book in Redwood City

Read a used book

Used books make me feel great – less trash produced and less money spent. Now I have another reason: money raised for the San Mateo Historical Association.

The Encore Books on the Square store below the history museum in Redwood City is one of the largest used bookstores on the Peninsula.  

On April 8th and 9th from 10 am – 3 pm they hold their semi annual book sale; all 50% off.

Paperback section at Encore Books in Redwood CityI just found my book club book for this month there for $1.50. The German section has about 50 books and I loved their extensive cookbooks. The volunteers are very helpful and knowledgeable. I will be back soon.
What is your go-to used bookstore?