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charlie chaplin in golden gate park
Charlie Chaplin filmed several movies in Golden Gate Park, including “A Jitney Elopement” (1915) pictured above. In this romance Chaplin plays the true love of Edna, whose father wants her to marry the wealthy Count He-Ha instead. What place could … Continue reading
the machine in the garden?
When Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux designed Central Park in New York in the mid-nineteenth century, they depressed the four cross-town roads below the grade of the park, to prevent the hustle and bustle of city traffic from interfering … Continue reading
Posted in events in Golden Gate Park, history
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guerilla gardening with native plants
A hand-lettered sign at the entrance to the recycling yard behind Kezar Stadium on Lincoln Ave. reads “Native Plants from the San Francisco Peninsula.” Intrigued, I did some research and then visited. As I walked into the yard, a man … Continue reading
Posted in guerilla gardeners, people
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musing in the tea garden
The Japanese Tea Garden is now a study in fall color. Like the first layer of watercolor wash applied with a brush to paper, the saturation is variable throughout the garden now, with a spot or two of brilliant red, … Continue reading
Posted in fall foliage, trees/urban forest, wildlife
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is golden gate park an urban forest?!
Here’s an interesting puzzle! Friends of the Urban Forest is creating an urban forest map of San Francisco that omits Golden Gate Park (the project also omits the other parks in the city, including the Presidio). http://www.urbanforestmap.org/map/ I understand the … Continue reading
Posted in trees/urban forest
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roof-top environmental science
Last Sunday, braving the steady drizzle and chilly temperature, six citizen scientists took part in an on-going science project on the roof of the Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. Academy Naturalist Alana Hysert oversees monthly monitoring of plants, … Continue reading
Posted in california academy of sciences, wildlife
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why sparrows change their tunes
Wild Neighbors: The Baptista Tapes: Why Sparrows Change Their Tunes. Category: Columns from The Berkeley Daily Planet.
Posted in california academy of sciences, people, wildlife
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bison and sparrows
Along the fence of the bison paddock in Golden Gate Park a group of volunteers has been installing new planting designed to attract white crowned sparrows. Now that’s a contrast for you; what could link these huge beasts to these … Continue reading
Posted in wildlife
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golden gate park fall foliage tour
The first signs of fall are here! Here’s a picture of cherry trees at the entrance to North Lake (intersection of Chain of lakes Drive East an JFK Drive). And the grasses in front of the De Young Museum. Another … Continue reading
Posted in fall foliage
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golden gate park: views from the thicket 