Working Goats Back at Neary Lagoon

 Courtesy of Titangos Photography Studio

 Last Friday at noon, we paid an annual visit to our old friends, the goats, at Neary Lagoon. We spent an hour there, watching them grazing, resting and walking around. There were about 300 goats, male & female, kids & mothers, and with goatee or goatee-less. They were surprisingly peaceful and content.

Since we arrived at noon, I was a little concerned about the heat and that their drinking tubs were unreachable on the wood ramp. But there was ample shade along the long fence; before long an attendant came by with a hose and started to fill three empty tubs. Quite a few goats gathered as soon as a tub was filled.  Comforted at the thought that they were being well-taken care of, we left those lovely and hardworking goats with a quiet wish that we would meet again in 2018!

  Courtesy of Titangos Photography Studio

We never went back to see them after June 16. Maybe last year's melancholy of missing their presence, and seeing only well-grazed grass left, is still hovering in our thoughts.

The following shows more photos chosen from over 200 iPhone photos Paul took to show how happy and harmonious they are. The last photo here displays the grass before their work (on the right side of the walkway) and after (on the left). Enjoy!

 

Courtesy of Titangos Photography Studio

So long, ISS

The month of June is an ISS (International Space Station) month. Paul and I had three viewings since last Saturday with varied experience. The best advantageous viewing belonged to 10 June 2017. ISS appeared promptly below a building roof on East Cliff Drive, and climbed above our heads at an angle of about 85° and then disappeared into the sky according to the schedule.

We drove to the same location again on June 11, Monday night. As the sky was covered with patches of dusky clouds, with only a narrow blue opening over Moss Landing and Monterey, we missed ISS entirely, but kept up the good spirit and finished our evening walk.

Yesterday, we did not go anywhere after dinner, as I had to stay later at work to finish my self-appraisal and later workout. Unexpectedly we had an excellent viewing right in our neighborhood. As it was still very light at 8:57 pm, we did not see ISS until it was up in the sky. Seeing it proudly marching forward, we were simply happy to see our old friend again. We realized  that it might be the last viewing until the fall, but felt comforted at the thought that it could be viewed and shared by people in other parts of the world. So long, ISS, for the Summer!