Irish invade the Farm

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Notre Dame fans

Notre Dame souvenirsIt was hours before game time but the Irish were already staking out their territory in the parking lots around Stanford Stadium in advance of this afternoon’s game against the Cardinal. On a route that took her from the far East side of campus to the far West, the Dawn Jogger stopped along the way to talk to some of the fans.

One couple, who described themselves as “Notre Dame fanatics, even though we didn’t go there,” had driven up from Southern California. They said they go to all the games the Irish play on the West Coast or in Arizona and collect souvenirs. Given the amount of stuff they already have, it’s hard to believe they have anything left to buy. The DJ’s game day coverage was followed by her favorite breakfast at Mayfield Cafe…

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Morning gone to the birds

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Arastradero Preserve

Arastradero PreserveThe Dawn Jogger was on the look out for the wild turkeys that can often be seen at Arastradero Preserve this morning, but clearly they are still in hiding. But there was other good viewing. As she climbed the first hill up, a hawk swirled up and around the canyon (it’s in upper right in photo). Later a bunch of pigeons were city in what she calls the “crow tree”. Lots of families were out walking off Thanksgiving dinner…

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Nothing says “thanks” better than olive fingers

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

A milestone of sort was achieved today. There is the moment in every parent’s life when they become the guest at holiday gatherings. It happened to the Dawn Jogger today. She drove over the Julie and John’s recently purchased home where they cooked their first full Thanksgiving dinner together. Of course, traditions endure. None more important than putting pitted olives on ones fingers…

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Back to the Bedwell Bayfront circuit

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

The Dawn Jogger’s Wednesday morning routine of walking at Bedwell Bayfront Park followed by a Pilates class was interrupted by her teacher’s ill health. But it was back to normal Wednesday this morning. And back to another glorious sunrise over the salt flats…

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Dawn jog eclipsed by visit with Santa

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

The Dawn Jogger saw a spectacular red sunrise this morning as she was making her way across the Stanford golf course and around Lake Lagunita. But that sight was eclipsed by Grace’s visit with Santa at the Stanford Shopping Center (where the Santa is “real”). There were few children around on the Tuesday morning before Thanksgiving so she got a good 10 minutes of face time. That meant she could not only give Santa the letter she’d written to him, but also discuss many important, all with great gravitas. James joined her for the formal photo…

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Sunny Monday morning on the Dish

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Big Dish

The Dawn Jogger, if not up and out before dawn, was earlier enough to see the sun come up over the Big Dish ridge line this morning. She was there with the usual assortment of Monday exercisers, all, like her, bundled up against the chill that stopped short of being frosty. As she started down the Junipero Serra side, she came across a man doing up and down knee squats quite briskly. Just watching him made her hurt…

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All about Grace day at preschool

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

When the Dawn Jogger, attending Grandparent day/Thanksgiving lunch at Grace’s preschool, learned it was “all about Grace day,” she wondered when it is not. (At least in the DJ’s mind; Grace is quite happy being a good little girl even when it’s not all about her.)

It was a triple play day: Grace got to share her Mr. Broccoli Man, plus talk about some collected photos displaying her four years on this earth (assisted by Miss Irene), and then take out all the items that start with G that she’d gathered at home last night. So for the DJ and her Pop Pop (Julie’s dad, also in attendance), it was a banner morning.

Other highlights included the singing of numerous songs, the most notable about a turkey from Albuquerque. Grace is now one of the “big kids” at her preschool and appears to be enjoying the role...

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Vibrant orange of fall close up

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

For the past two mornings the Dawn Jogger has been walking all over Menlo Park and taking photos of the wonderful trees displaying their bright oranges and reds of the fall season. But what caught her attention most was the lilies she purchased at Sunday’s farmers market sitting on her kitchen dining table. All the Scott photos taken at the same table after he and the male DJ walked made her smile…

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Be true to your school even when it’s a goner

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

Hillview School construction

As the buildings rise on the eastside of the Hillview School campus, the clock ticks on the school’s original buildings. Some will remain, the Dawn Jogger has been told, but other than the new multi, which wasn’t part of the original, she’s not sure what. This was her campus from ages five to 14, so she’s quite sentimental. Plus there was the recent meeting about an Hillview class of (gulp) reunion…

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Fowl frenzy on the Farm continues

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Linda Hubbard

turkeys on Stanford University campus

In was last August that the Dawn Jogger thought she was seeing things when a turkey passed in front of her just south of Sand Hill Road on the Stanford campus. Today she encountered another “show” as two hen turkeys had somehow gotten loose on the wrong side of their enclosure and where running up and down trying to figure to out how to get back with the rest of their flock.

Turkeys on Stanford University campusHow they had escaped was a matter of discussion among the two bicyclists who had stopped to watch the attempted corralling, along with various members of the Stanford Sheriffs department. Turkeys can fly, but not very high. The fence looked tall enough to contain them. Squeezing through a slight opening in the gate seemed out of reach to the birds’ brain capacity – and they certainly weren’t figuring out how to get back in. There was some conjecture that it was a planned “Thanksgiving escape” even though they didn’t much look like the eating kind of Bird.

Inside the enclosure a Tom turkey (photo above, left) was strutting his stuff on top a pile of shavings, seemingly unconcerned, although the rest of the hens were following the two escapees up and down the fence.

Turkeys on Stanford University campus

This was all in all, a fun way to begin her loop around campus. And she’s happy to report that the two hen turkeys finally made it back into the enclosure, unharmed if not a bit aflutter…

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