Sunny and Pleasant By The Bay

A mild warm up for San Fran and Sausalito, still cooking across the bay inland (the weather forecast here shows temperature variety from mid-60's to mid 90's for today, within 30-ish miles) with no fog noted last night or this morning.
Missed the TOE with a busy day yesterday so I'll be playing my usual catch up game. Monday by the bay took me north to San Rafael and Peacock Gap golf course. Lots of activity with a kids Nike golf camp going on and what seemed to be an interminably slow day on the first tee picked up and we waited little and were never pushed. I survived without injury but my score, pretty respectable of late, took a serious beating. Texts from the 18th green to an old friend and leave of the golf course sent me through China Camp state park, a former fishing village by the northern bay for Chinese immigrants and startling view from the bluffs above the bay (more sudden shocks with the road skirting drop offs of 100's of feet). And, as soon as I exited the park I was at Ellen and Rich Helms home and met in person the adorable, Spencer, quite a rascal of a pooch. Ellen and I visited and caught up on the last 20 years before heading down to Sausalito for more amazing dining (yes, I know, it's becoming a food blog).
A walk through a breezy Sausalito, past some serious bocce playing, to Bar Bocce and a choice to dine inside on a brisk night.  (The abuse continues for this southerner about the normal, i.e..cool, bay area temps and my clothing choices…) Ellen's husband Rich joined us and we all dove into calamari in a tomato sauce with largish couscous appetizers, local beverages, tasty pizzas and when pleasantly full outside for more planet, moon, star gazing on the fog-free evening. Jupiter continues its drop toward Venus, the moon slides eastward, 12 degrees each night, and the home covered hillside above the marina sparkled its own light show. Saturn still rules the south eastern sky at dark above Scorpio.
Want to check on your eyes, see if you can spot Venus during the middle of the afternoon. Once I saw the moon yesterday I was able to gage the distance to where Venus should be and picked it up about 2 o'clock. Spotted again on the walk to dinner, sun still up. It's bright and spottable if you look hard ( I suggest sunglasses and the sky needs to be clear and bright blue) and if you have a star finder phone app that will help get you in the area. Star gazing, Today on Earth.
Just heard news of big quake off Japan, will check it out and comment and update on quake blog!! Only 6.3…and no tsunami warning, over hyped tv news has to make news of something...

The North Bay from China Camp

 Selfy from the bluffs above China Camp

 Spencer with his own home brew - brew credit to Rich

 Stargazers: Ellen, Rich and the rambling blogger