Today's walk report: 060421

Yesterday's walk was the same as my first post fully vaccinated walk on May 8th, same route, same 1.63 miles. This dictated by a continued caution with left leg pain. The biggest difference was the start time, that took place about an hour and twenty minutes later than what I was becoming accustomed to. I left shortly after 7:00 am. The "usual" was 5:45 or perhaps a few minutes earlier. The biggest reason for the change? For the first time since the shutdown, or rather since my covid-19 shutdown, February 28th, 2020, I got eight hours sleep. Delightful. My average was probably closer to 7 and there were some radical departures from that. I like the quiet of the earlier walks. And it's so very challenging to get up, hydrate, shower, perform morning rituals and get out the door. This morning I got close to 8 hours in the sack but decided I'd drive in toward the local college campus and walk the rest of the way to the local botanical garden. I also decided to start closer to 8:00 and have more light than my last visit. Even though the light still pretty much sucked. From car to garden entrance was a mere .44 miles (.70 km). Total walk, about 1.3 miles. But I took some pictures! Not a lot, I'm still working on my patience... or something.

These images all took a spin in Affinity Photo just so I could adapt from 32 years of using Photoshop. If money were no object I'd rent the Goodyear blimp and have it fly around Adobe Inc. in San Jose with colored lights flashing a barrage of expletives telling them what I think of their subscription services. And with all that money, I still wouldn't think to subscribe.  Right now, Affinity Photo is only $24.99, it was $49.99 and there's a free trial. I have no vested interest in telling you this, it's merely revenge. So there, stupid Adobe.

Here are some pictures from today.

Caesalpinia gilliesii

Male Calypte anna

Danaus plexippus

Chilopsis linearis

 The same male Calypte anna

Romneya coulteri

Salvia darcyi

This is a shitty picture and represents my aforementioned lack of patience. This is a Selasphorus rufus (rufus hummingbird). They were abundant on the above Salvia darcyi but I didn't feel like traipsing after them. Rufus are migratory, they will be leaving soon. This was also an exercise in Affinity Photo--the lighting was horrible.

Western fence lizard

Yucca whipleii

Thanks for looking!