San Francisco-The most eco-friendly city(Part-2)

     

                               Palace of fine Art,  Build in 1915 and re-build in 1960 (San Francisco)

                                              Designed by Bernard Ralph  An brilliant architect

                                                                       A Slice (Palace of Fine Arts)

Time really travels quickly as the first quarter of the year has already passed. There is not much change within us,  may be little wiser as the days passes by. It's somewhat like we are seating in a train that is not moving, as the train of time's passes us leaving a feeling of our movement. This allows my mind to think about 'Theory of relativity'.

Well, I had visited to San Francisco once again today. Now, being tired in a good way, I am excited to share my discovery of spectacular arts and architectures in San Francisco, that I obsessed love about. The traffic was not bad and the weather was quite delightful.

At first I went to The Palace of fine Arts in Lion Street. It was build for the completion of Panama Canal; but for the city it was a opportunity to showcase the recovery from the 1906 earthquake. The city is blessed for its survival of any kind of disaster and achieves the respect of many scholars around the world. San Francisco is a brilliant example of a stage where past and present play in the same time.  

                                                                 Pillars of Palace of Fine Arts

                                                             St. Ignatius Church (Built in 1912)

Its seems like the above pillars are similar to those in Palace of fine Arts. In fact the colors are a exact match too. I guess around year 1900, the major parts of the architectural designs ware based on visible high pillars, contrary to the architectures of now-a -days based on geometrical shape.

                                                                A Sculpture on Market St

While returning back home I spent sometime contemplating the difference between old architecture and modern architecture. The first question arises in my mind was, is it just a matter of changing tastes and materials? or the human quest of creating something different (out of box)?

                                                                                A view from a hilly street

I perceived San Francisco city as an open art gallery, where all kinds of artists (architect, designer...) never feel tired of displaying their priceless creations. The people are always eager to admire those creations.

Take care until next time more of San Francisco.
San Francisco The Most-eco-friendly city- Part-1

My Humble Respect To All Mothers....

                     She is a beautiful self taught singer and she is blind.

                                           
and women who are wearing the ornament of good nature. I believe it's precious than diamonds.                           
                                                  Happy Mother's Day

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where's the warm smile is?

While traveling back every Friday from my workplace by bus about hundred miles and then by train another hundred, she used to appear in the Bus like a ray of sunshine caring the spring around her. She wears colorful hats that made out of flowers and feathers. And if she is not there my eyes stay busy searching for her. She knows the two bus drivers and their families very well. She asks, what is wrong if one driver in that route is off.  She always takes the right side first seat near to the driver and I usually take the seat behind the driver.

She talks about  how her mother died long ago by a hit and run driver, how she is saving money to visit her old father. How she  herself learn to sing. She also talks about election and craw fish. I quietly join with the conversation. She never complains of anything. She sings on the local farmers market around the route.

Ultimately, though some events live on only in memories. But then, couple of weeks ago my eyes captured her in our local farmer's market. I had heard her voice before in the bus and I heard her singing in the market. I always found her voice is comforting enough like my favorite desert made by my Mom or soft breeze slowly playing with my hair..

Here is the beautiful poetry that Blessed Mother Teresa had on the wall in her room in Calcutta.

-The  Final Analysis-  People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; ...Forgive them anyway!  If you are kind,people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; ...Be kind anyway! If you are successful,you will win some false friends and some true enemies; ...Succeed anyway! If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; ...Be honest and frank anyway! What you spend years building,someone could destroy overnight;  ...Build anyway! If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; ...Be happy anyway! The good you do today, people often forget tomorrow; ...Do good anyway!  Give the world the best you have, It may never be enough; ...Give the world the best you got anyway!  You see in the final analysis, it is between you and god; ...It was never between you and them anyway.

Jamestown!

                                         Jamestown, ca

Thinking about a trip to somewhere after a long gap, is surely exciting. I planned early on Saturday morning by making-sure  everything is ready; all basic needs for traveling. A friend of my husband also joined with our fun adventures. Oh, I did not mention yet where we are heading. It's the historic Jamestown (California) around  two hour east from San Francisco. This town was famous for it's gold mining  back in California gold-rush time 1849. As of today it's famous for being historic and  providing opportunity for visitors to time-travel back in the history and feel how it was back then. And of course try our luck in finding real gold.

                                 Main st. sidewalk (Jamestown)

                 The shop for buying equipments for gold prospectors.

I spent most of the time just enjoying the mood of the town and trying to merge myself into the soul of the whole place. I guess the city has become much quieter now as compared to the booming time back in 1849. The miners, their families, the dreams and the hopes, how it would have been when they are all together.  Booms come and go, just like tides in the oceans. But the cities stays to tells their never ending stories.

                                

 Gold prospectors are busy digging and experiencing outdoor exercise too.

I enjoyed the company of many new friends. Amazingly, I experienced a real 'no stranger' feeling. Also patience is very important when it comes to finding Gold or anything which is precious in life.

Nevertheless, it was a spectacular early morning with anticipation of finding gold as well as digging a little deeper into the history and a satisfying evening as I thoroughly enjoyed myself just pottering about.

Happy Earth Day to you all my dear readers.

Tulip Mania!

                                                                             Tulip (It's looks like flame)

                                                                      Hello World It's me- The Tulip

Red, Yellow, Yellow with red-lines;Tulips are in season now. They are gorgeous. This is my first attempt towards planting tulip. I planted them from bulbs. Every week, I was making sure whether the plants are coming or not. Finally I heard the whispering "Hello World". Happy me at last.

According to the record, Tulips were brought from Turkey in 1593 and introduced to Dutch. The flower became popular because of its beauty and rarity. People liked tulips so much, back in 1637 in dutch golden age, 12 acres land were offered for one Semper Augustus Tulip bulb. 
That period was called "Tulip mania" (Tulips price went extremely high and suddenly collapsed).

There was a book called "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" written by Charles Mackay, a British journalist in the year of 1841, where he mentioned about the Tulip mania and the behavior of the market in a whole.

Even there was a event described in the book, where one guy bought a Tulip bulb by trading all of his money. Unfortunately, his wife accidentally cooked the bulb. Oh Dear!

It's seems like recession is getting deeper here in the US. If I looked back the history, there are many brilliant companies started in the recessions. So possibly, our high spirit and creating new hopes to deal with the current recession, will help us.

Lastly a silly joke of the week:
 Two cows were talking.
Cow no.1: "Are you concerned about this mad cow disease?"
Cow no.2: "No! It doesn't worry me at all. But then, I'm actually a horse".

It's Spring

                                          Dandelion  seed head
I believe this Dandelion would already disappear in the air as I am writing now. I took the picture week ago.

                                 Many dandelion seed head

Possibly this is the last dandelion seed head picture for the season.  The dandelion flower head can change into white globular seed head overnight. The life-cycle  of this flower is amazing. It's a common believe that if you blow the dandelion seed head in air, your wish will full fill.  Lets pick a Dandelion..make a wish..blow the seeds in air.

Bright sun shine has taken over the cloudy sky. Last couple of weeks the weather has been wonderful. As I am writing this,  the days work of the sun has over. But it's not dark yet. I am glad that I have landed on this beautiful planet where the fresh air, now a days smells like smelling a scented flower up-close.

                     Cherry Blossom are every where

                 

 These are little late bloomer, but don't worry they are coming soon.

While taking the above picture I was thinking about myself, I born as a premature baby at seven and half month. I learned to walk and talk little late.

      Today, I found this fellow was quite serious about driving.

Happy Spring and have a lovely weekend.

A creative week!

                                            Paper Crane

After continuous downpour in California,  I believe, it's hard to say that this state had been experiencing drought over more than four years. The colors of the plains and  mountains have converted into pleasant green, the tall green grass and wild flowers have made their appearance everywhere and of course the fresh mud on sidewalks made me think like a child once again

Recently Corner Home was hijacked. I am not sure whether you have experienced the same with your blog or website? I was trying to add a blogger gadget in the blog called nature sound machine which I believe was the source of the problem. I tried to open my blog and after five seconds it redirected to other sites. It was frustrating. I removed the HTML code for that gadget from edit HTML option in the Layout page. The problem solved. I am glad to find the blog back.

As I have mentioned the week was creative, I managed myself towards recycling old news papers into paper bags. I made couple of bags. Also, I think origami is creative enough to do once in a while. I tried to make some paper cranes. I found by folding the papers and making something out of it is also relaxing.

                       Old News Paper Bags

       
The week has been proved itself a creative week. My hubby also made his effort to make his old computer server super quiet. The server was making lots of noise. Yes Lots. He used a plastic sheet and made a passage from the fans to the processor.
The fans are meant for cooling the server. Also he replaced the fans into more quieter fans. So, Now the server is super quite. So, I can say the noise pollution is gone.

                                      Server Air Duct

                                    Server with the air duct

Sometimes, we plan for something, but nothing works according to the plans. Rather something very different happened to our favor.

San Francisco-The most eco-friendly city

                         Sculpture of the lady, San Francisco

Last week I had a chance to visit to San Francisco city. Although the temperature was a bit low but still I had encountered a moderately sunny day. The city has always something new for me even sometimes the same old Albert S Samuels Clock build in 1915. This land mark on Market St. looks like a new discovery for me, even though I have been seeing that clock as a land mark, twenty times. I called it San Francisco vibe. This time I noticed a brand new landmark, A huge sculpture of a lady had been installed up at Linden. The art had been made using recycled iron rod, chain and wire. It was quite an experience, watching such a huge art work that was so perfectly made. My every visit brings me joy or something new to think about. The old houses with astonishing  colors, the Art and architecture.... amazing.

Being the most eco-friendly city in the world, no wonder its been the most green city, dominated by the nature. The city has abundant opportunity for artists, art lovers and someone like me, who appreciate everything, surprises at its every corner. Most of all every kind of Arts and architectures feels at home here. I too feel comfortable here, so it's a indication of me being artist at my heart. who knows some day I might would be a Sculpture artist, may be at my old age.

                                   Ocean Beach, San Francisco

After around four miles west in Geary blvd. there is a  beautiful beach called Ocean Beach. This particular beach attracts many surfers, because of its strong current. I had my lunch there while enjoying the sky and the sea without anything in between.

My eyes captured many historical as well as newly constructed  churches in the city. I found the architecture were amazing and so as the art and design ware eye catching. I am planning another new post about those churches in San Francisco.

                                              Trolley Bus

Spider wave like electrical wire, up above the head, used for Trolley buses in San Francisco. The city itself has largest no. of Trolley buses. These buses are entirely pollution free and quieter. I noticed many more two wheelers, as a comfortable medium for transportation.

San Francisco city people prefers to walk a lot, love to use alternate energy source and  serious about recycling/reuse . The city contains largest city-owned  solar insulation in entire US/Canada. All of the local peoples contribution and tourist understanding made it one of the most greenest and eco-friendly city in the US.

Library Book drop Boxes!

                                              Eagle library book drop box (Hayward, ca)

 

Elephant

                                                                                Zebra

You may not have given much thought to library book drop boxes, But I think these book drop boxes are lovely, and worth a posting. I noticed many electric grid supply boxes have been transformed into mural artwork.

I liked this idea and its implementation a lot. Back home, when I was in high school, always thought that it would be great  if the street walls in my hometown painted in vibrant colors and murals instead of some faded and some new advertisements. It took many years for my wishes to fulfill, as of now, I can proudly encounter the murals on the walls of my hometown, instead.

                                   A mural on a side walk back home: twin city Cuttack/Bhubaneswer(India)

Great works always leaves its signature in our mind. Those artists who volunteer for these lovely art for public display are admirable in all aspects.

                                 A nice Mural on power sub-panels

 I wish all the library book-drop boxes would look like some-kind of art.
Have a great week ahead.


P.S- I received couple of e-mails about posting some more pictures of Library book-drop boxes.  Here are they (All are from Hayward Public Library)

                                                Drive through book-drop

Hello there,

Its for you.

                                                                                                                                                                              

Flower Power!!

I am wondering the name of this flower.

  

Our Window

The flowers have decided to bloom overlooking our window. Everyday I saw them blooming little more.  Its a beautiful feeling. I think, every flower have unique personalities just like human beings. Doesn't matter whether they are expensive well-known flowers or just some unknown grass or wild flowers but they are all beautiful and unique.

 

Orange wild Poppy (its widely seen)

• A simple tips to enhance the atmosphere of  your home, in a frugal way is to collect any flowers, leafs and put them in a glass jar with water. That's all and of course enjoy!

While writing this post I came up with a title named "Flower Power". I searched the name in the internet and found Flower Power was a popular slogan used by American counterculture movement during the late 1960's, as a symbolic action of protest against the Vietnam War. Its originated in Berkeley, California.

               The muddy water in Don Castro Reservoir

I went outside today and took these flowers photos. The reservoir water has became muddy after the continuous downpour. Since the Earth socked up  I found many smiling wild flowers.
I would like to share some links below, to admire some spectacular wild flowers. The seasons starts around February.

California Wild flower: Table Mountain
Ohio Wild flower
 Wild Flower Identification Guide

100% Pure Air freshly packed from unpolluted Areas!

                                  A Ranch in Mission Blvd, Ca

Its a Sunday afternoon. A cloudy sky with little windy outside feels like already evening. The weather forecast showing upcoming rains form today to whole week ahead. There you go. So no reason to go out for the rest of the day unless until its an emergency. Sometime its nice to get out of the house and go for a long walk in the reversed forest areas; its the fresh air, the trees, the grass, the bugs on the grass...  Well, I believe the more we are well equipped with civilized equipment the more we realize that actually we are close to nature. Today I had a thought popping in my mind which is forcing me to think about it repeatedly. The thought " may be after couple of decades if we want to experience fresh air we have to buy it, packed from unpolluted areas, like bottled water from natural springs". I wish I could have written a since fiction on the basis of this particular thought I have.

As we have already entered into another decade,  the awareness has grew within us about our surroundings and environment. We also have been emerging with modern information systems and tools quite rapidly. If I would like to know what is the composition of pure air or say about anything else,  I can Google it and get the answer right away. Wow!.

After couple of decade we may be well-equipped with all shorts of things from our wish list but I am wondering may be in our corner store, they will have to add a self for bottles of 100% fresh air freshly packed from the most unpolluted areas ???

Inhaling real lean fresh air is quite an experience. The pollution in the Earth already has reached at alarming level. I suspect with the rapid forwarding movement of mankind, we are going to live in a world we are imagining in our movies one day, like Gotham city in Batman, robots will take care of all of our everyday works shown in  I, robot and our own clone will be our medical insurance in movie like Island and so on...Also the movie like WALL-E the robot, is a perfect example of our impending future...that the worse we could imagine, the way mankind is moving forward. Believe me, nothing wrong with the moving forward matter but I hope balancing should be the mantra for everything.

Now the rain has been starting already. Dancing of the raindrop sounds wafted through my windows as I write this post. It feels comfortable and safe when weather starts producing the result its supposed to. Its been more than three years the rainfall amount is below expected in California.

Geese are busy in search for food in the patches of melting snow (Lake Tahoe Area, Ca)

Happy New Year to you all!

Holidays has been over far too quickly as the year 2009. A closure analysis of my failure and triumph of last year hope would help me to face the New year quite logically.

The geese in the picture are busy in search of food which is precious for them in winter. They are so focused that when I took the picture they have not even distracted by my presence. I have no idea about the year 2010. What is it holding? But I hope the new year would hold all of our desired goals. I believe, by focused search and planned work, we can achieve them.

A Christmas Dinner!

                           Christmas Tree in San Francisco, Ca


Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!. This year we ( me and my husband) had a different experience in the Christmas since we were invited for dinner from a family from Guatemala. well I was a bit grump about attending the dinner since I knew that we were the only outsider. But the thing is the person who invited  us to attend his family Christmas dinner was very persuasive. So I don't want to disappoint him and managed to motivate myself to visit his family. the family had a tragedy just three month ago before Christmas. They lost their youngest brother in an accident. That's another reason which motivates me to visit the family since I can at least support them in their terrible time.

The family have four sons and two daughters and their kids and the mom who is seventy-nine year old. Its a lovely family. All my hesitation disappears the moment I steeped in to the house and hugged by the mom. I fit right-in like her own daughter. My bad is I do not understand Spanish and obviously I should not expect mom to know English since she has been visited to her sons from Guatemala for 6 month. but Its seems like I got couple of volunteer translates right away (including kids). Each and every family member talked about the brother they lost. They show us his favorite place in his house, his passion...and almost everything about him they remember the exact time in last Christmas he got home from work. how he was a part of their heart. And now...he is not here.

The only thing after having dinner interests kids most is unwrapping their gifts. Usually they exchange gifts among all cousins. As, they are feeling the heavy atmosphere of the house and also have been noticing their uncle Rafael is crying whom they never saw crying, but still they are bringing the Christmas charm on their face.

Its Christmas! well, the singing, cooking, eating and crying like chorus or a bit like spices of life. I could not stop myself crying. next day morning I was bit down in my usual mood. I forced myself to plan for a visit to local Fry's store for a camera I was thinking to replace or even a visit to Lake Tahoe for New Year Eve.  But nothing seemed like working. Took a deep breadth and thought what is  life anyway? Its about living in the planet or living in the memories of loved one?.

Hope you all have a lovely New Year!

A warm smile!

                  A view from a ranch on mission blvd,  Ca

May be 10 smile (sometime more then that) I got everyday starts from sidewalks and sometime ends with the smile from the neighbors guest. All are strangers but anyway after all its just a smile. I could not remember one of them. I bet no one could.

But once in a while in a blue moon we get a warm smile.from a stranger.And want to remember.
            

Today it was a cloudy day. I was at the toll gate waiting to pay my toll fee. I slides the car window glass down and stretched my hand with five dollar while thinking something else, to the person standing at the tollgate. I stretched my hand again to get my one dollar return back before my eyes concentrate on the road. I noticed a smile on the face of the man while he was returning back my dollar bill.  Yeah a real warm smile which touched  my heart. The man was wearing a blue turban which was around 10 inch high. His long white beard was touching his belly. The only visible thing in his face was his long nose and eyes and a warm smile. I looked at his eyes and returned back another smile with warmth (I hope).

 The bottom line is, we are still getting pure sunshine, pure water (unless until we are making them impure). Our inner self can still recognize the difference between pure and impure. Then why pretend?

Green Gossip!

Gossip! Yes, I mean negative gossip. In some point we all do that. At work, at home, in phone...
We don't even care how much energy and time we are spending through gossiping.

For some folks, gossiping is a daily habit.They usually gossip about their co-worker, family members or neighbors.
Why they gossip?

To show (the entire planet if possible) that the person about whom they are talking (gossiping) is less then them in every aspect of life. Also to give a big picture about themselves.

The sad part is, some folks goes beyond by putting obstacle in the persons path. So, in simple word negative gossip is not a healthy practice for our environment. Its take time, energy and also pollute the positive vibe of the place and home.

Can we stop gossiping? There is no rule like gossiping is prohibited.

Can we make it green? Yes, Absolutely.

How?

When we  gossip (talk), we can talk about our next green project or how someone can help a needy person without their knowledge or at work lunch time we can spend it by volunteering in the nearest pet shelter....so on... by spending same amount of energy and time we spend in negative gossip.
 
Grown up hesitate to appreciate openly if they like something (may be they do not like anything). We analyze everything microscopically. Are not we?
Another green gossip practice is learn to appreciate openly and spread the Eco-friendly message through gossip.

Happy Green Gossiping!

Lipika


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Reduce plastic from your household

Plastic is harmful for everyone and for the Earth. Below there are some tips to reduce plastic from your household.

1- Reduce ballpoint plastic pen-

Keep one pen and pencil in every room where it would be very handy in stead of ten plastic pen in a pen holder.

2- Garbage Can- instead of plastic you can use one of the Cardboard box for dry garbage.

3- Use wood comb Instead of plastic.

4- Keep some canvas bags or cloth bags for grocery and vegetable shopping.

You can make a habit of not to bring even a single plastic or paper bag to your house hold.

5- Instead of plastic Soap Case re-use one of your glass jar or buy non-plastic case.

6- Avoid buying plastic hair clips.