FE: The Sunset District and the Golden Gate are enveloped by fog when we leave San Francisco to head north.

We drive up to coast towards Point Reyes National Seashore where we stop at the ranger station and take the Earthquake Walk. The picture below shows a fence that was broken and moved 16 feet during the 1906 earthquake. How awesome to stand atop the San Andreas Fault.

Giant Siberian Elm trees dwarf even the mighty Rae

RN: I was a graduate student from 1975-1980 in the Biology Program at UCSD and it was a special time to be there. There was a broad mix of fun and interesting personalities that connected us for the rest of our lives. I introduced you to Willard in Kensington MD and Mark in La Jolla CA and today we’re on the way to visit Corey and Marcia. Corey was a postdoc in the lab next door to me and in the same lab as Willard. Marcia was in the class that entered two years behind my class. Later in this blog you will meet Janis, Bill, Susannah, and Jon who were also all there at the same time.

FE: We arrive at our friends Marcia and Corey’s ranch in Marshall above Tomales bay. Here they are in the new addition to their garden

Their house with a most peaceful garden in front.

Marcia grows sheep to produce yarn that she hand-dyes with extracts from plants in their garden

Some sheep are pets too. Here are Gracie and Nugget.

Collecting vegetables for dinner

Much beauty to see. This butterfly is on a Black Knight Scabiosa, which is one of the flowers that Marcia uses to create a dye for the wool she sells. Interestingly, the wool dyed with this turns out a lime green color.

A last look from their guest cottage over Tomales bay towards the ocean