High Above San Jose by Day

I attended a meeting on the 17th floor of San Jose City Hall the other night and was struck by how beautiful the city looked from that vantage point.  I was disappointed I didn't have my camera with me. Then today while I was out walking the dog I ran into one of the Communiversity leaders (Communiversity is a community building partnership between San Jose State University and the downtown residents) who invited me to their meeting on the 14th floor of City Hall.  This time I had my camera with me and San Jose was looking quite dramatic with the sun just peeking through all the clouds. I still want to get back to the 17th floor at night for some pictures but here is San Jose by day.

Fabulous Saucer Magnolias

Besides the ocean of unwanted oxalis blooming in my yard, there are plenty of signs around town that winter is ending.  On a short bike ride around the neighborhood I discovered these beautiful magnolia trees.  I figured I better capture them today before the rains move in on Friday and beat the blossoms down.

The Farm Stand is Now Open

Today and every Saturday until the end of the growing season, the Veggielution Farm Stand will be open from 2:30 to 5:30.  Right now they are selling  green garlic, beets, cilantro, rosemary, green onions, lettuce, choi sum, collards, kale, broccoli, arugula, chard, and pak choi. They sell on a sliding scale with 3 levels: 1. I can't afford to pay anything right now. 2. I can pay about what I'd pay in a supermarket and 3. I can afford to pay a little extra to support Veggielution.  I bought some fine looking arugula which I plan to use in a grilled Swiss and arugula panini. The stand is set up right in front of the Emma Prusch farm house.  

Here is some calendula growing right in front of the farm stand.  Calendula's greatest virtue is that it blooms in every month of the year. 

Keeping San Jose Beautiful

As part of the "Keep San Jose Beautiful" program, the city of San Jose has been distributing bulbs to community groups to plant every fall for the last fourteen years. Our neighborhood association requested and received bulbs this fall and they are beginning to bloom.  Here are are some my neighbor planted.

Here are some daffodils  in another neighbors yard.

And here are some paperwhites that have been blooming for weeks now.

Even with all the gloomy gray skies and rain, I can't help but feel lucky when I see my neighborhood blooming like this and read about the mid-Atlantic being pounded by snow storms.