Ramble 16: Of monkeys and (wo)men..

Pushing middle-age, Marge was ever so pleased to discover, finally, the trick to eating bananas. Moreover, she's tickled that she learned this trick after years of banana dissatisfaction struggling to break into the fruit from the stem-side.
The traditional way of breaking into a banana is to puncture the stem-side of the fruit then peel it back. But, this is so awkward when all one wants on the ride home from the grocery store is a quick banana snack (all that goodness:  vitamin B6 and vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese; yum!).
The fruit often ends up squished or, if one tends not to walk around with a pocketknife ready to lop off the occasional banana stem, one has to resort to biting through the skin to start the peel; doesn't that chalky taste impair one's banana pleasure?
When Marge met Holly she notice Holly holding and eating her banana upside-down.
"Well, that's a logical way of peeling and eating a banana! Where did you learn that?"
"This is the way monkeys eat bananas. I figured, who better to demonstrate the correct way to eat a banana than a monkey. After all, when did you last see a monkey carrying around a pocketknife? Since 'monkey see, monkey do', I tried it. " Holly laughed, "It's easy to break into that end of the fruit and peel it. The stem acts as a natural handle. You don't get all that gooey banana left on your fingers either."
And there you have it.
Here it is illustrated.

Even Sergei, who doesn't much like bananas, concedes this is a miracle of simplicity and elegance.
Then he said, "That reminds me, Marge, How do monkeys get down the stairs?
"Don't know, Sergei. How?"
They slide down the banana-ster!"
Then he started on a roll of banana-and-monkey-isms.
"Hey, Marge, what kind of a key opens a banana?
A monkey
and
Why did the monkey like the banana?
Because it had appeal!
and
What do you call a monkey with a banana in each ear?
Anything you want, it can't hear you!
and
What did the monkey say when he cut off his tail?
It won't be long now.
and
Where should a monkey go when he loses his tail?
To a retailer!
and
Why don't monkeys play cards in the jungle?
There are too many cheetahs there!
and
How do you catch a monkey?
Climb a tree and act like a banana!
That Sergei. Once you start him up he just keeps chugging!

Ramble 15: Boaters' Eden

The live-aboard boaters' veggie garden at Ballena Bay Yacht Club is voted one of Marge's favorite spots in Alameda.
While on her rambles she seldom runs into any of the gardeners cultivating their patch of dirt, the community garden (seen here as Sergei captured this large - artificial - sunflower during the brief warm days of early spring in February) exudes care and calm enjoyment.
The garden fits in among patches of concrete (Marge guesses that, in the past, this deck had something to do with hosting the tennis players from the still-used courts next door.
From this angle in the photo, most of the community garden spaces are in the background.
Right now there are signs of early cultivation among the kale, parsley, and other winter crops. Amazingly, a few roses blossom (seen here in the middle ground). Jonquils and narcissus and
During the summer, live-aboard boaters grow tomatoes, squash, all sorts of herbs, flowers, whatever strikes their fancy.
There's also a spot to sit in the sun or in the shade under the trees and listen to birds, bees, and the sounds of boats.

If you're thinking of going -  here's a photo looking west towards the community garden. Walk towards Ballena Island and you'll find it.

Ramble 14: Jacksmelt, jacksmelt... everywhere

This picture captures a handful of the many happy fisherpeople (a woman's wearing the red hat) pulling jacksmelt out of the promontory near Crab Cove in mid-February.
Marge talked to them (as well as got their permission for Sergei to photograph their catches) and learned jacksmelt have habits similar to sardines in that they "run" in large schools for a couple of days then disappear. Fisherpeople bring coolers, buckets, and any other containers to hold their catch and hook as many as they can until its over.
One thing about jacksmelt: they are sleek and pretty. While still alive yellow patches glow on both sides of their heads - near the gills.
"Sergei, don't you get a sense of what it's like inside the roiling school while this is going on? Imagine the sunlight playing over hundreds - thousands? - of glistening silver fish bodies with flashes of golden yellow everywhere."
"I'm not much of a swimmer, Marge, so I'd wait until they're in the cooler until I appreciate 'em. Imagine the  taste when they come out of the pan and are served up for dinner tonight!"

Two views of dinner.



Meanwhile, on the other side of the promontory, shorebirds enjoyed a bit of hunt and peck for lunch.

Ramble 13: EBRPD's expanded storage

Ever the busy-body, Marge persuaded Sergei to investigate what might be going on with EBRPD and Neptune Pointe. On Jan 31st, Marge saw three very large, bright orange trucks driving one after the other from EBRPD's "ship shaped" building on the point to Central.
The activity going on there on this day, Feb 1st, includes another truck.

Luckily, the work crew of three was taking a tea-break and were polite as Marge approached them, apologized for interrupting, and asked them to explain.
Turns out the long and narrow zone on the bay side of EBRPD's property - in front of the proposed Neptune Pointe - will be an expanded storage area for EBRPD to stash their mobile aquarium when its not in use. (The work crew called it a "fish tank" but "aquarium" sounds more...educational...doesn't it?)

This picture - right - with the fence gives a good view of both the EBRPD's planned storage area and a view (right of the fence ) between the trees in the distance towards Crown Beach (the public restrooms for the beach and picnic areas are located there).
For both photos, Marge positioned herself with her back to the small bay - part of Ballena Bay? -  around the corner to what she and Sergei call "Sunny Cove". (They agree that a fitting name to refer in public to the debris pile behind Paden School - and mentioned in earlier posts - is "Coconut Grove." In private, though, they refer to it as Poopy Point - due to the...sewerage... on the coconut and bottles Marge insisted on bringing home.)
Here's a picture of that bay at low tide.

BTW, yesterday, Jan 31st, was the day EBRPD faced the City of Alameda in court for the first time regarding the 3 acres parcel the City sold off to a developer right under EBRPD's nose - despite the Park's long term interest in purchasing the acreage for the park district. 

We're busy trying to learn the outcome of this phase of the suit. More soon....