Meet Tula, as she is called by her owner, who tried to name her Tulip. You can see how that worked out. I had seen the kitty a few times during the past few months […]
Tag: San Diego
The Cats of University Heights: Scamp
In the same yard where I first saw Thin and Slim, another black and white kitty appeared on Dec. 15, 2022. The trio are quite possibly from the same litter. However, this one was skittish rather than friendly. But, hey, doesn’t sibling personality often vary—vastly sometimes—even among humans?
I used iPhone 13 Pro to capture the Featured Image. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 32, 1/99 sec, 77mm; 12:59 p.m. PST. Nickname: Scamp (for no particular reason).
The Cats of University Heights: Thin and Slim
I had hoped to get the real names of these two fine felines but must move along their sharing, because the Featured Image has nagged since Dec. 16, 2022 to share it.
The entire set comes from Leica Q2. Vitals, aperture manually set for all: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/30 sec; 2:23 p.m. PST.
Last Walk with iPhone 13 Pro
I relished yet another Summer-like day—19 degrees Celsius (66 Fahrenheit)—and walked from my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights to Hillcrest for groceries. The jaunt also served as opportunity to take final photos with iPhone 13 Pro, which will be retired tonight.
This post also marks the last using my beloved 16.2-inch MacBook Pro—by far the most satisfying laptop ever to be in my possession. But, alas, after much discussion, my wife and I have decided to change computing platforms, which reasons will be explained on another day.
Candy Cane Critters
Please pardon yet more holiday motif—and, pitifully, almost none pertaining to the real spirit of the season (e.g. Christ’s birth). But a computing platform—well, two, if more accurately stated—switch is underway within the Wilcox household. Sudden. Unexpected. Long time brewing. I have been busy backing up and transferring data; not everything resides in the cloud and caution demands redundancy and meticulous review of data before devices are irrevocably wiped.
As such, posting priority is a bit back-burnered but shouldn’t be ignored. While quality is always first objective, quantity matters, too—seeing as I committed to sharing something each and every day of 2022, like last year. For now, please accept my apologies; you’ll read the story about the big transition soon enough.
Supermarket Santa
Warm weather returned to San Diego this fine Wednesday. While the temperature only reached 16 degrees Celsius (61 Fahrenheit), the experience was much milder; summer-like. Turkey was on super sale at the Ralph’s grocery in Hillcrest. Annie drove us over for the (hefty) bird, and I walked home.
I had to laugh when approaching the entrance and seeing the huge inflatable St. Nick rising above the doors. Say, isn’t that the character from stop-motion TV special “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer“? The juxtaposition of snowy Santa waving to tropical Cutie oranges demanded a photo.
The Real Rainbow
Responding to some of the news from Washington, DC today, I present a simple reminder. The Featured Image comes from Sigma fp on Christmas Day 2019. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 125, 1/500 sec, […]
Best Use of Porta Potty Yet
Every delivery comes with St. Nick’s personal guarantee: “These toys don’t stink!” As seen in San Diego community University Heights along Louisiana Street, where one of my neighbors has massive home foundation reconstruction underway.
I used iPhone 13 Pro to capture the Featured Image. Vitals: f/1.5, ISO 50, 1/3968 sec, 26mm; 10:29 a.m. PST.
IKEA Santas
The autumn season has been unusually pleasant here in San Diego—not seen since our first in 2007. Cool and cloudy, while often wet, is more typical. But sunny and mild was the climate’s character until this rainy and wet Sunday. As such, my wife and I decided to keep dry by taking our afternoon walk around IKEA, which is a 4.2-km (2.6-mile) drive from our apartment.
The retailer’s 2022 seasonal collection, VINTERFINT, sprinkled about the store. Most prominent: Santa Claus, in two sizes—$7.99 or $19.99, respectively, for card carrying Family Members. The large dominate the Featured Image and the smaller the companion pic, which odd cropping removes a shopper. The things were stationed everywhere—all departments. This dedicated display was near the checkout lines.
The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Fancy
The number of new neighborhood sightings is low, while that of missing kitties is unusually high—along with warnings about wandering coyotes. Sadly, and surely, there must be a connection. Across Texas Street, into parts of North Park, I see more felines than is typical—and further distance from canyons is some protection. That said, Queenie, one of the prettiest putty-tats designated Honorary, is missing and, based on circumstantial evidence, presumed to have been taken by a coyote.
I have a backlog of Honorarians to add to the series, including the beauty photographed today. She (or he) joins sixteen others: Boo, Buddies, Chill, Coal, Envy, Guapo, Lonesome, Jade, Mona, Moophie, Ninja, Promise, Queenie, Sammy, Shakey, and Tom and Jerry. Darth Mew initially belonged to the group, until later turning up in University Heights.
The Fox is Red
Surely someone wanted to display a red Christmas fox outside the restaurant. Orange is considered similar enough on the color palette, yes? I wouldn’t know, which is why I must ask. But, hey, in the current state of our society, does the answer really matter? When people go by what you tell them, not by what they see with their eyes, just say the words to make it true: the fox is red.
I used Leica Q2 to capture the Featured Image on Dec. 7, 2022. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/800 sec, 28mm; 2:53 p.m. PST.
Mini-Mushrooms Gather
Two days ago, while walking along Panorama Drive in San Diego neighborhood University Heights, I came across an unusual crop—if that word can be used—of mushrooms. They stood out for their number, small size, and very existence. Too many residents replace grass with imitation greenery or rocks/gravel. So it’s also a wonder the fungi had any place to grow.
The Featured Image is the first of only two photos taken. This one uses car tires for perspective showing how tiny, and many, the mushrooms are. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/200 sec, 28mm; 2:16 p.m. PST.