Mira (the cat) found a snake in the garden. I took it away from her & the snake went back to hiding in the brush under the lemon tree.

I'm pretty sure this is a common garter snake but it almost kinda looks like the endangered San Francisco Garter Snake. Almost. The head coloring isn't right and I didn't turn it over to see what color the belly is. Still, I'd like it if it WERE an endangered species, found in my back yard. OK, so the cat found it & tried to kill it but still...it's nature! Wildlife! In my garden in the City! This is the 3rd time the cats have brought me a snake.

Another stairwalk...

Last year, about this time, there was a fire near my house. This year, instead of staying home & listening to the explosions around my house from my neighbors playing with fireworks, I went to my hospice shift at Laguna Honda. It was one of the more intense shifts I've had so far.

These are flowers from my garden...a big Stargazer lily, stock (from seed!) with some roses in the background.

This stone cat is a memorial to Camille, who's gone for good at this point. :-(

I found this construction on the way home after seeing this year's San Francisco Mime Troupe performance (Mr. Smith Goes to Obscuristan). Once again, SFMT has produced a wonderful show.

This is Mira in the bathtub. She has some fascination with water, sitting in the tub & licking the walls after I take a shower.

...

I hate it when my fave soap (Passions) ends up pre-empted so Bush can babble about another financial scandal.

I went on another City Guides walk. This time, I started with the 'Bawdy & Naughty' tour of Maiden Lane and ended with a tour of Chinatown.

I found a poppy in my garden! And a few more tomatoes (Stupice & Early Girl) in the yellow-red stage.

Tonight, I go to Cupertino for my investment club meeting.

More green tomatoes in my garden.

It was hot. There was a heat wave. I took all the water out of the cat's water dish and replaced it with ice. She didn't notice.

Later in the evening, I went to my knitting group.

Inside an elevator at Laguna Honda hospital where I volunteer at the hospice.

I went to Treasure Island for a day-long ultimate frisbee clinic.

I came home with a huge blister on my left foot.

Homemade Risotto at a friend's house for dinner

This was a LONG day...ultimate frisbee during the day, this dinner party in the evening and then I had good intentions for stopping by 22nd & Mission for the Rube Waddell street show but I was too tired. Home to bed!

Driving on my way to Laguna Honda.

I accidently spilled the catnip in the corner.The cat found the catnip and was happy.

I wish I'd thought of this or drawn it...

It's an airline sickness bag.

Mira (the cat) sometimes throws up. She never uses the airline sickness bag, though.

We tried to go to Baker Beach. While Bernal Heights was warm & sunny, Baker Beach was cold & foggy.

Murals along Balmy Alley...on the way to an exhibit at 66 Balmy Gallery.

The Chicken Truck at the Farmer's Market.

Move Day...ack. Boxes? Ever heard of this concept called 'Boxes?' or if the question is asked "does this go" the correct answer is either "yes" or "no" There isn't a middle ground of "yard sale". Whether the stuff should have sold at yard sale doesn't matter. What matters is whether or not it goes in the truck.

Later, we went to see the Women of SRL at the Tentacle Session.

I did a walk around the north side of Bernal Heights. On the way back, we stopped for gas at this gas station.

Terry's Lodge, the Dive Bar of the evening.

The hall to the women's toilet at Terry's Lodge.

This was a fun Dive Bar. While the regular patrons weren't quite sure what to make of this crew initially, they soon let themselves be entertained by our antics.

After Dive Bar, a group of us ended up in a Potrero Hill studio playing with a professional (oxymoron?) karaoke machine.

The Dive Bar Activity of the evening - building straw structures with glue guns.

We went to see the San Francisco Mime Troupe's show, Mr. Smith Goes to Obscuristan. Great show...afterword, we came back to my place for a 'Blender Bender', blender-party & BBQ.

We picked a few lemons for lemon juice.

I cut my hand earlier in the day. I was washing a glass. The glass broke. It scared me enough that I didn't take a picture at the time. This picture was taken later in the evening. All the glasses in my cupboard that matched the one that broke have now been thrown away. I wish I had a more interesting story to go with this cut, something other than "I was washing the dishes."

We tried to go see Circus Contraption at Cell Space. The event was publicized for a 6pm start time. When we arrived early, around 5pm, they claimed the door would open @ 6:15 & the show start @ 7:45. We opted to return the party blenders, instead.

I keep thinking that maybe this is one of those endangered San Francisco Garter Snakes that keep getting smushed by big trucks in the BART/airport construction. This time, I turned it upside down to see the belly color. The head still isn't quite the right color (red) but the greenish-bluish belly is close.

I'd like to think this may be an endangered species in my garden. Well, not great that the cat keeps finding them & doing what cats do. Still, I like the idea of nature here in my urban home.

Each time, I take the snake away from the cat and put the snake back under the lemon tree or in a corner of the old compost bin. The cat pouts for a while at having her toy taken away. Then she finds a new toy.

update: I emailed someone at Berkeley & they said it's probably just a generic garter snake. I still like the idea of it being one of the rare, endangered ones. Well, it's still very interesting looking for a common garter snake.

The hand is doing better, much better.

Go see Circus Contraption. It's a wonderful show. They're on tour for another two months. And how often do you get to see real baby aardvarks in ballerina slippers? We saw them at the Odeon Bar tonight, after sitting through an angst-ridden play. I think the bar had been double booked and the play-people didn't realize exactly what environment they were walking into.

We went to Scrap to buy Trauma Team suits & whatever other recyclable junk they have. (think Dive Bar art projects!).

In the alley near Scrap, we found these cars looking for a home.

Later, we went to the Parkside Lounge for Dive Bar. This night was supposed to be about making Frank Chu protest signs, in anticipation of Frank's court appearance the next day.

Later, we went to see Ghengis Blues at the Parkside Theatre, where this picture was taken. Kitka did a pre-movie performance.

This is on the way home, driving across the Bay Bridge in the fog.

I tried to go to Frank's court appearance. But I was late & missed all the fun. Frank almost missed the fun. He'd forgotten he was supposed to be in court. A Cacophonist reminded him so he parted from his usual protest rounds and went to court, checking his sign with security. We think Frank lost the case, although the outcome will not be known until the judge mails his ruling. Later, we had a few drinks with the ambiguously identified defendent.