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Conventional wisdom…and good sense…would suggest that when its sweltering hot in Northern California, you certainly don’t head east. But that was my Saturday destination, and I persevered.

When we awoke on Saturday morning, it was an uncomfortable 88 in the City. Around noon, I drove to the East Bay to pick up my friend Susan in Rossmore, to begin our drive to Sacramento for a “gathering” of our photo classmates at our instructor’s house.

The temps peaked at 108 as we passed the town of Davis, and were a relatively chilly 104 once we reached Sacramento. I’ve got to give big kudos to Susan’s Prius…which held onto an amazing 51 mpg even with the air conditioning cranked…bravo.

In spite of the heat, the day was wonderful. Our gathering was fun (as always)…we shared work-in-progress and “what I did on summer vacation” stories (oddly…on the first full day of summer). My long drive and chat with Susan was relaxing…revealing…comforting. And by the time I made it back to SF, the heat had broken, and the City was down to a refreshing 56 degrees!!

Its now Sunday morning, and Mother Nature has sent back our lovely fog to cool us down (wow…53 this morning) and give our weary garden a break. In my happy mood, I thought I would share some of the shots I took from the top of Twin Peaks on Friday night. The sun was low, and lit up the entire scene like a painting. The air was clear enough to see Mount Diablo off in the distance (the bottom photo).

A few of the post-midnight photos from Italy Day 2 got auto-filed into the Day 3 causing a rift in the space-time continuum. Missing shots…our favorite Venitian bar/restaurant (Improntu) and the hands-down BEST tiramisu we had in all of Italy.

Oh, and let’s not forget this 450 euro Murano glass-covered, golden ass. This eye-catching sculpture was sitting in a fine-art store window in the fasionable Dosudoro neighborhood.

Who wants one for Christmas?

My Aunt Teela and Uncle Jim wrapped up their two-week west coast vacation with a return visit with us last night. They arrived early enough in the afternoon for a sunny walk with Jeff along the Embarcadero…from the Ferry Building all the way to Maritime Park. For dinner, I made our favorite white-bean chili. We topped off the evening with a third-and-final round of Mexican Train. Jim held onto his lead…and Matthew held onto last place 🙂

This morning, Teela and Jim left for the airport at 5am…we said our goodbyes the night before. Safe travels.

It was harder to get through Day 2’s images than I had originally thought. This was quite a long day of wide-eyed wandering through a city that I love. The day’s overcast skies allowed for some rich, saturated colors, which I think are fitting for a city full of paintings. [FYI, I haven’t quite gotten to the image descriptions…so please pardon this work-in-progress.]

Our first full day in Venice was like getting reacquainted with an old friend. After a light breakfast in the hotel, began the day with a slow stroll through the Dorsoduro. Window browsed tiny shops full of local treasure…glass, paper, fine prints…all too tempting. Visited our favorite church…Santa Maria della Salute…her dome clad in scaffolding…her interior always grand. A familiar waterfront return route…the Guidecca looking picturesque across a choppy channel. A Greek cruise ship passed…reminding us to stick to paths less traveled today.

Lunch at an outdoor cafe at the foot of the Accademia bridge. The sights and sounds of the Grand Canal accompanied our simple meal.

Spent the afternoon winding through the sestieri of Cannaregio, Castello, and San Marco. Light drizzle sent us into tiny shops. Visited several churches spanning the centuries. Standouts included the Gothic church of Santo Stefano and the marble-clad jewel box Santa Maria dei Miracoli (home to a bona fide miracle painting). Our favorite new site: the church of San Zaccaria…a 14th or 15th-century church with a fantastic 10th-century crypt beneath glimpses of a former 9th-century church. Layers and layers of history…such is Venice.

Returned to the hotel past dozens of wily fake handbag scalpers. A quiet drink on the loggia before dinner.

Caprese di Bufula and simple pastas for dinner at a popular spot in the Campo de Santa Margarita. After dinner gelatos from Il Doge…still our favorite gelato in Italy. Late night mojitos and a fantastic tiramisu from Impronta Cafe.

First it was rubber bands and broken glass. Then we found the dead squirrel. And today’s treat? A nice runny pile of dog shit in our front flower bed. I’ll spare you the photo.

We think it may be because Jeff yelled at the Church of Scientology to stop calling us!!