A certain star
Speaking of a certain star over a certain place on a certain day, here was our own star, the sun, late in the afternoon on October 29th as seen from Grizzly Peak Blvd. looking west out over Berkeley toward San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
© 2016 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
Astoundingly beautiful, Steve!
Pete Hillman
December 25, 2016 at 4:38 AM
Thanks, Pete, for appreciating my take on that late afternoon. “Printing” dark served well here.
Steve Schwartzman
December 25, 2016 at 4:57 AM
That is a great image for today’s post! Happy holidays!
Playamart - Zeebra Designs
December 25, 2016 at 6:06 AM
Igualmente, Doña Lisa. Though taken two months ago, this picture insisted on offering itself up for today.
Steve Schwartzman
December 25, 2016 at 6:16 AM
What a beautiful photo — and so evocative. This was my neighborhood for three years, since Pacific Lutheran Seminary lies at the intersection of Grizzly Peak and Marin Avenue. The area had some great spots for watching fog come in, over, and around the Golden Gate: not to mention San Francisco itself. I still can pick out some landmarks in your photo — and oh, the memories.
shoreacres
December 25, 2016 at 7:43 AM
Yay for evocative! The day before, we’d visited a college friend of mine in Berkeley and had gone back to San Ramon, where we were staying, via the scenic route that ended up taking us along Grizzly Peak Blvd. We stopped at a lookout up high and watched, as you mentioned, the fog rolling in over San Francisco Bay. I didn’t have my camera equipment with me, though, so we returned the next day. I understand why you say “oh, the memories.”
Steve Schwartzman
December 25, 2016 at 8:55 AM
What a fantastic shot, Steve!
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours,
Pit
Pit
December 25, 2016 at 8:57 AM
Yes, it’s something a little different from my usual fare, appropriate for the day.
Happy holidays to you guys, too.
Steve Schwartzman
December 25, 2016 at 9:31 AM
Merry Christmas, Steve!
oneowner
December 25, 2016 at 10:40 AM
Same to you, Ken, from an Austin that’s 72° as I type this.
Steve Schwartzman
December 25, 2016 at 10:42 AM
Stunning! Merry Christmas to you and yours Steve!
marksshoesbyevamarks
December 25, 2016 at 2:09 PM
And the same to you, Eva.
Steve Schwartzman
December 25, 2016 at 2:50 PM
Just glorious, Steve.
Speaking of our favorite star, are you planning to travel to see its eclipse this summer?
melissabluefineart
December 26, 2016 at 10:15 AM
“Glorious” is a good description. Thanks.
Your mention of the solar eclipse is the first I’ve heard about it. At
http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/path_through_the_US.htm
I found a map of the eclipse’s path on August 21. There are lots of appealing places to visit along the route. We’ll have to try to get to one of them.
Steve Schwartzman
December 26, 2016 at 10:29 AM
My brother, in Moses Lake Wa is expecting to have a pretty good seat.
melissabluefineart
December 26, 2016 at 10:31 AM
Then I guess he’s planning to go down to Oregon. Maybe you can visit him and take in the eclipse together.
Steve Schwartzman
December 26, 2016 at 10:42 AM
No I don’t believe so. He’s out in a desert-y area and expects pretty good viewing right from home. I seem to remember having a good view from our house in Peoria back when my son was 2, about.
melissabluefineart
December 28, 2016 at 8:47 AM
In looking just now to see where Moses Lake is in Washington, I discovered there’s a Moses Lake in Texas City, near Galveston. Too bad I can’t drive to the Texas one and miraculously get transported to the one in Washington.
Steve Schwartzman
December 26, 2016 at 10:47 AM
Wouldn’t that be handy to have a portal like that. My daughter used to imagine a portal along one of the trails we used to walk.
melissabluefineart
December 28, 2016 at 8:46 AM
Too bad we’re just mortals
Who don’t have such portals.
Steve Schwartzman
December 28, 2016 at 8:51 AM
But who can chortle.
melissabluefineart
December 29, 2016 at 8:44 AM
I’ll stay forever silent, or till
I find another rhyme for chortle.
Steve Schwartzman
December 29, 2016 at 9:26 AM
Stunning – Merry Christmas!!!
norasphotos4u
December 26, 2016 at 7:36 PM
You’re the second commenter to find this stunning.
Happy holidays to you too.
Steve Schwartzman
December 26, 2016 at 7:53 PM
OMG OMG YAY!
Elisa
January 1, 2017 at 7:17 AM
Now that’s a reply I appreciate. Thanks.
Steve Schwartzman
January 1, 2017 at 9:19 AM
…my favorite star of them all… beautiful image you’ve captured 🙂
mist6114
January 5, 2017 at 3:21 AM
I like the way you described our sun as your favorite star of all, and the fact that you appreciate this image. I do too, in part because it’s different from any other I recall making.
Steve Schwartzman
January 5, 2017 at 8:16 AM
Thank you, Steve – While I can say that I do have a star in the sky that I “prefer,” the sun makes us possible here, so almost by default it is my favorite. Not to mention it brings warmth… and I love the sunshine 😀
Happy New Year to you!
mist6114
January 7, 2017 at 11:39 PM
Many cultures have worshiped the sun as a god. That’s understandable, given that it’s the source of our life here. Nature photographers also have a deep appreciation for sunlight.
Steve Schwartzman
January 8, 2017 at 12:43 AM
I worship the sun in my bathingsuit! lol 🙂
mist6114
January 10, 2017 at 11:23 PM
Just don’t forget ample sunscreen. Your older self will thank your younger self.
Steve Schwartzman
January 10, 2017 at 11:25 PM
Indeed
mist6114
January 22, 2017 at 11:00 PM
Excellent, beautiful photograph.
artsofmay
January 6, 2017 at 10:56 PM
Thanks. I’m very pleased with this picture.
Steve Schwartzman
January 6, 2017 at 11:25 PM
Wow! Like a scene from a Ridley Scott movie, landing on an alien planet!
Robert Parker
February 4, 2018 at 11:03 AM
Many people do consider this part of California an alien planet. Not for nothing is Berekely (from the heights of which I took the picture) called the People’s Republic. Even the pizza we had there was made by a workers’ collective.
Steve Schwartzman
February 4, 2018 at 11:07 AM