in answer to the emails and to kevin's inquiry whether we took nicholas to see delta and dawn during their forary in the valley, the long answer is no. i've great respect for wildlife and ecosystems and such, and figure the best way to show that respect is to leave it alone, without human interference. not that i'm unawed by the majestic presence of those two large mammals. but i don't think it's my right to have a religious experience by witnessing whales frolic in the port of sacramento. and i'm told thousands of the several thousands who made the pilgrimage had just that.

no one knows why delta and dawn swam so far inland as to be only a few miles from my house. i think they were on vacation, spending their holiday exploring agua that must've been as exotic to them as the thin atmosphere of mt everest is to us homo sapien sapiens. i've not been paying much attention to them as it was broadcast on the news and printed in the paper. last i heard they were swimming toward the golden gate. i can just imagine the stories they will tell to their pod.

something like, shit, those monkeys were everywhere, and some were floating above the water shooting water at us to shoo us from our vacation. we thought we made it clear to them that we'd go when we were done good and ready. the place? murky and the air was thin. fun to visit. hate to live there.

above is a photo of nicholas at the nimbus fish hatchery taken last thanksgiving day. i took the picture. anna complains usually about my lack of talent when it comes to photography. but uploading these images over the weekend she fell in love with the composition, how the lines create this symmetry. and yes, the fish were jumping.