We got the flu and covid vaccines today. No issues at the CVS in town. We did not want to take any chances, so we got them earlier than usual. It’s good to get that task out of my brain.

The first storm of Fall over the California Northern Coast Range means I should be hearing the song of White Crown birds very soon! (they summer in the foothills and mountains, overwinter in the valley; seemingly they appear shortly after the summer weather breaks)

Update: Voting is over and Azurite lost.

Here’s a photo of Azurite with smaller amounts of Malachite at the Freudenstein Castle in Freiberg, Germany. Let it lull you into voting for it in Mineral Cup 2025! Only a few hours left… #MinCup25 #Azurite #Geology #Minerals

A professionally displayed hunk of dark blue nodular Azurite or Azurit (German) from Seabra, Brazil. There are some greener nodules of malachite. It looks like clumps of candy making a rock, all but ensuring that you’ll vote for it. Photographed with permission.

My wife discovered another, smaller avocado fruit in our “Bacon” avocado tree. So that’s two! Very exciting. We still need to continue research harvest time for this variety. It’s a minefield on the internet for that 🤨 #Yarden #HomeOrchard #Avocado

A small, finger length avocado amongst broad dark green avocado leaves and tree tape.

A Nuttal’s woodpecker visited our front yard Toyon yesterday! #Yarden #NuttalsWoodpecker #Birds

Update on check engine light: loose gas cap! 😅

Grumble. We all know the check engine light is just a catch-all these days. Probably an emissions fault. #CheckEngine

Goodyear Blimp reg. N3A just passed by. They’re headed to a college football game at Eugene, OR from Livermore, CA. If you’re in Redding, I think it’s heading your way… #GoodyearBlimp #N3A #Aviation #AvGeek

FlightRadar24 screen shot showing the Good Year blimp about to pass Orland, CA at 2400 ft and 44 knots A heavily cropped photo of the Goodyear Blimp passing far in the distance. Its cylinder shape can be made out but otherwise there’s no detail. The foreground is a residential area with lawns, power lines and trees.

Adult California Gull and their chicks at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary last July #CaliforniaGull #BirdPhotography #Birds #NorCalCoast2025 #Fujifilm #SOoCOn a manmade island, covered in short grass, an adult white and gray California Gull looks away from their three chicks. The chicks have fluffy brown plumage.

Brown Pelicans occupying an island at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary back in July #BrownPelicans #BirdPhotography #Birds #NorCalCoast2025 #Fujifilm #SOoCA Brown Pelican comes in for a landing on a very small island in a large pond. The island is full of other brown pelicans, mostly grooming themselves. They're a dirty brown with awkwardly long necks and long, thick beaks.

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