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....

Ramble 12: Pipe to Know-where...

A surf scoter in Sunny Cove (learn more about these birds on this Marge-embedded link).
Handsome fella, isn't he?

Sergei was off making a living on this sunny day while Marge was simply living...rambling, enjoying the sun, chatting with EBRPD plumber on area now known as Neptune Pointe.

EBRPD is looking to more easily clean debris that collects behind the lovely little concrete walkway that is exposed at low tide. It wends through a segment of the Cove and, similar to the experience of walking the wall at the Vietnam War Memorial, this walkway allows ramblers an impression of walking down and into or at the level of the water. Turns out there's already old pipe laid out there but, like many politicians' bridges, it leads nowhere that makes any sense to current maps and plans. So, a new one is going in that will not only appear on maps and plans but will also result in a drinking fountain at the Pointe.

While Marge was chatting with the plumber, another rambler (actually, he's a runner) Bob arrived to report to the EBRPD representative (in the role of plumber) about the build up of New Zealand spinach along another segment of the Cove. Apparently it's a weed that should be controlled.

Marge recognized Bob from a recent event in which he shared with her a link to his gorgeous photographs of local flora and fauna. (Here's a link to his site - fantastic pix of birds, bugs, and botany.)

Since Marge was on her way around Sunny Cove to explore further the recently-discovered walkway behind Paden School, she introduced Bob to this new find.
Turns out he'd been looking for a way to access that part of the water way too. Both agree to inform one another if they find an access route that circumnavigates the cove rather than forces ramblers to return along the same route.

Below is a pic taken along the public walkway from Crab Cove to Central Ave - it's well worth knowing about and maintained far better than the walkway behind the school. Here it shows the sort of pollutants that collect and mar the cove when the tide is up.

Imagine how this spot looked in the old days when the public baths were located here. Back then, "the public" paid admission to swim in the baths as they were maintained and were free of garbage.
The bay was pretty much a cesspool back then with households and people permitted to toss garbage into the bay; plumbing effluent was pumped into the water too.
"Out of sight, out of mind" was the then-order of the day. It didn't work too well back then either but it was the way things were done. So, if you think we've "come a long way, baby", here's Marge's other way to look at it:
Humans can learn from our mistakes and one of these days we may also learn that garbage - in general - can be dealt with in a way that does not pollute our environment IF cities, counties, and states tighten up laws for packaging products and the recycling laws. (Remember, while Marge does not agree with rationale behind it, Alameda now has the strictest no-smoking laws in the country...and a fee for grocery bags too. More on the no-smoking law in a future blog where Marge, not a smoker, takes a different tack on that law.)

Here's pic of the a possible sunset picnic spot behind the school. This pic taken close to noon with bright light (that's why Marge didn't photograph in the other direction and into the sun).
She can easily imagine sitting on that bench with Sergei, eating a tasty picnic dinner, and talking about all sorts of interesting things.




Below, a view of the walkway looking north, toward Central Ave. It looks scarier than it actually is. Marge imagines that these dried out plants will deliver a grand aroma of aniseed in the summer.

Update on Coconut Journeys
Last post Marge wrote of finding two coconuts that, when she shook them, sounded as if they contained coconut milk. (She hauled them home then was a bit put off by Sergei's comment that they were potential health hazards; they remain in the garbage bag liner that carried them home.)
Talking with Bob today added a further touch of realism to Marge's fantasy that "her" coconuts may have originated on a Pacific island.
When she shared this idea with him, Bob, trained as a marine biologist, asked, "Are you sure it's coconut milk?"
"Sounds like coconut milk sounds...."
"Weeeelllll, depending on how where they're from and how long they've been floating, the coconuts have probably taken in a lot of salt water. I doubt that's coconut milk you hear slushing around inside."
Doh!
Such a reasonable possibility. And one that set Marge pondering about how easily her imagination avoids reasonable possibilities and select those that may be less likely but are a whole lot more...well, romantic.

Ramble 11: A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts

Crab Cove is a favorite Marge and Sergei ramble. There's a public walkway from the Cove to Central Ave. that winds along the inside bay - formerly known as Sunny Cove - that we've walked dozens of times to watch terns, pelicans, all sorts of ducks and shorebirds, egrets, night herons, gray cranes, even seals.

On our most recent walk - a warm, sunny day that made us feel like spring is on the way - Marge took a closer look at the fence that encloses the play yard behind Paden School. What she'd always assumed was a fence right against the edge of the inlet actually seemed to have a walkway.
And it does.
The walkway entrance is on Central Ave. Access it by heading left of the school's main entrance and between the apartment block and the school there's an open gate leading to a concrete walkway.
This presents a different view of Sunny Cove and, despite Marge carrying home unwelcome prizes from this particular foray, we're both looking forward to excellent photographs of sunsets from this spot.
What unwelcome prizes?
The walkway ends at a secluded spot behind the school and in front of condo/townhomes. Debris washes up here and Marge found a pair of coconuts!
She pulled them out of the drying mud and reeds - they were balding but intact - and she shook one then the other: the slushing sound implies each contains coconut milk! What a find.
Where did they come from? Far as we know, Alameda, with all its palm trees, does not produce this sort of coconut. Did the tide carry them from some Pacific island, through the Golden Gate, and wash them up on this tiny beach? Did a local grocer toss them into the garbage? Or something else?

While Sergei generally finds Marge's passion for collecting discarded items "an artistic expression" (she's currently she's collecting blue, green, and brown plastic bottles) this time, he cautioned her.
"Marge, why do you need to drag home shit-covered coconuts and plastic bottles? Think: coliform, e-coli and god-knows-what-else...."
"Sergei, whenever I remember, I dumpster dive for colored plastic bottles and lately, with everyone getting in on recycling, it's been slim pickin's for collectors like me. Sorry to disgust you, but these are coming home. Just look at the worn quality of the plastic after floating in seawater and sewage: it is unique."
Luckily Sergei was carrying a couple of large, new garbage can liners. (Yes, the man is patient and prescient!)

Marge bleached and scrubbed the bottles and, voila, they are unique.
As for the coconuts, well, Sergei may be right; they are stinky. Right now they still repose in the clean garbage-can liner that carried them home.
Marge circles them each day waiting for inspiration to strike.

Meanwhile, important facts about the song, "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts":

• a novelty song composed in 1944 (as "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Cocoanuts") by English songwriter Fred Heatherton
• in 1949, the song was a top-ten hit in the U.S. for Freddy Martin And His Orchestra with vocalist Merv Griffin (it sold over three million copies)
• in 1950, it was a number-25 hit for Danny Kaye
• the song celebrates the coconut shy (coconut toss) at funfairs.

Ramble 10: Inspiration!

Today, a variation in the Marge and Sergei's Ramble pattern.
Instead of photos and Ramble news of Alameda, this post celebrates kids making something out of nothing:
Watch the 3:28 min You Tube video:  Landfill Harmonic

(and learn more at the project at www.facebook.com/landfillharmonicmovie)