SPRING HAS SPRUNG IN THE HEADLANDS

My daughter-in-law insist that I keep spelling her name wrong. Her name is Stacey, with an EY.
I keep spelling it Stacy with a CY. Frankly I think my daughter-in-law is confused, but just to make sure, I think if you read this blog, you should have a say as to how she should spell her name. So if you would click on the comment link at the bottom of this post. Let me know what you think. You see my daughter-in-law is always doing several things at once and her time is very valuable. Just think how much time she would save if she didn't have to put that extra E every time she signs her name. Please help me to help her.

Since my last post, not much is new in my daily routine of giving tours at the Bonita Point Lighthouse and working at the Marin Headlands Visitor Center. Not much is new, but it is still just as much fun and just as exciting as the day I started.

At the visitor center I work with some great people, one of them Mark Brown author of the book "Capone" has been trying to get me to become a Park Ranger.This will open the door to any park in the country and I would get paid. So maybe I'll give it a try (After all, I am, Gary Burnett Sr.).

Well, it finally stopped raining and the spring flowers have bloomed and I have been seeing a lot of California wildlife, you know I keep my camera by my side at all times. Even though don't know the names of most of the wild flowers, I have the advantage of living with a lot of young people who do.

Some of the plants you see here are native and a lot of them were brought here to provide ground cover, but some are just put here by people who go around the park planting flowers from other parts of the country and sometimes from other parts of the world. Some of these plants become invasive and have to be removed. See all the neat stuff you learn when you work at a National Park. But what I have not learned, is the name of the wildflower I am about to show you. If the expert Molly (one of my dorm mates) comes home I'll ask her to give the names of some the following flowers.

These are called Chinese Houses

Franciscan Paintbrush

Lupine

California Poppy (state flower)

Gee... I wonder why these are call, Red Hot Pokers.

Cobweb Thistle

Morning Glory

I just liked this shot.

Morning Glory

Another one of those shots I liked.

Calla Lilies

Calla Lily

As you can see, there are a wide variety of wildflower here Northern California and I must say, "they are stunning to see".

There are still some images of wildflowers I would like to show you, but I know there are only so many flowers one can look at before falling to sleep. So before I show you more flowers, Let me throw in a little of the wildlife around here.

Oh!! I almost forgot, for those of you who have been worried about Bob, he want you to know that he has had surgery on his left front fender, and his is back to his old self.

After I got Bob out of the Car Hospital I decided to treat my dorm mate to the famous Gary Burnett Sr. Klondike Float.

Well, I think this will be a good place to stop for now. But I will start my next post right away.
No, I didn't forget about the wildlife. I will include it in my next post. So stand by. This was only
part 1 of this post.







Bob and Me

POOR BOB!!!

OK STACY, I KNOW I SAID I WOULD TRY TO MAKE THESE UP DATES MORE OFTEN, BUT I'M A WORKIN MAN NOW......

Bob got in a little bit of a fight in the parking lot of Rodeo Beach, at Ft Cronkhite, one of our favorite places to just sit, watch the ocean and smoke my pipe.
Oh, bye the way, don't worry about Bob, he's going to the car hospital
for a little surgery and he'll be just fine. The Honda that backed into Bob learned his lesson, cause Bob kicked some Honda Butt.

I started my internship over a month ago ( Feb 6th ), and it took me awhile to get use to working 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. I still take a nap when I get home.
I live in a dorm with several young people ( all in their 20,s ) and it took me awhile to get use to that also, since I have never lived in a dorm before, but after a week or two I got settled in and I am having a ball.
These are just a few for my dorm mats playing a wild game of Dominoes. These are the party animals of the place. Out of 23 or 24 people living here only 4 are guys and only 3 of the guys are in their 20s.

My two day off are Wed and Thur., witch I like because when I go out to take photos there are not a lot of people to deal with.
I took my first little road trip last Wednesday. Just a short distances south on route 1, is Muir Woods National Monument. Muir Woods is one of the last stands of old growth redwood forest on the planet. The Coastal Redwoods also known as Sequoia Trees are absolutely magnificent and a must see if you get to this part of the country.



HERE ARE SOME OF THE IMAGES I TOOK ON MY TRIP TO MUIR WOODS.

From the very very tall...


to the very very small.


If you visit Muir Woods make sure you bring your camera and if possible a tripod.
these giants are magnificent.

And so are all of the other sites you will see while you walk the the trails of Muir Woods.



I know your thinking that there has to be a down side to this wonderful place. Well there is.
DON'T HAVE LUNCH AT THE CONCESSION , IT COST TOO MUCH. I spent $20.55 for lunch.
A Grilled Cheese Sandwich, a cup of soup, a small bag of chips and a drink. The Grilled Cheese witch they call a Marin Melt was $9.95, yes it was good, but it was still just a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Before I start on a rant about California Living, I think I'll just say goodnight. It's late and I have to do my lighthouse tours tomorrow.

Thanks for being so patient and stay tune for more.







BOB AND ME...

RETIREMENT, I THINK I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT.

Wow!!! where does the time go. It's been almost three week since I left my family in San Jose,CA
to take a position hear in the Marin Headlands at The Golden Gate National Parks as an intern volunteer. Over the past few week I had to reflect back on my retirement and then decide how to
spend the rest of it.

I retired from TV about 10 years ago and the first thing I had to learn, was how to live on a lot less money, and to tell you the truth, that was the easy part.
I thought going to bed at 2 and 3 AM, getting up when ever I felt like it and taking a 2 mile walk
4 or 5 days a week was all there was to it. It has taken me this long to realize that in order for retirement to work for me, I have to keep my body and my mind active. Over the past few years I told myself that I was being very active. And all the while I was just fooling myself. There is a little more to it than that. That is why I took this full time intern position. That right, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 8 months.

A lot of my friends have asked me if I will be able to get back into the routine of getting up early,
going to bed at a normal time and being on the job (God, I hate calling it a job) 8 hours a day. Well I think what we need in retirement, Is to do something we really, really love to do, and give it as much or more than we gave to the job. My passion is photography and to be able to join up with the National Parks is a blessing.

Before I moved to the dorm here at the Headlands, I was staying with my niece Celest, my nephew Andrew., my three great nieces, Sevannah, Mya and Jaida and my Mean sister, Ethel.

my three great nieces, Savanah, Mya and Jada
and my mean sister Ethel.

Ok, we can't end the family photos with mean Ethel so take on more look at me three nieces.
Aint they cute, just like their uncle.

FEBRUARY 6TH
Was my first day as an intern for he National Parks here in the bay area. I spend a lot of time at the Bonita Point Lighthouse helping to give tours and answering questions. For those of you that know me, you know I love talking to people. Well this is the perfect place for that. I have talked to hundreds of folks from all over the world.

I have not been taking a lot of photos, but as soon as I get a little more settled I will. So for now you just have to put up with my family photos. Speaking of family, I spent the Thursday the 10th with my son.

He had a lay over in San Francisco, so I picked him up at his hotel and we hooked up with my other son Franky, and went for BBQ at Carmans. Great little BBQ place in Oakland.

OK gang, It's getting late, and I have to get up early. But I will be back to tell you about Bobs fight in the parking lot.

Bob and Me

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BELIEVE...

Its been a while since I have posted to my blog and my favorite daughter-in-law (Stacey) just reminded me of that when she called to wish me Happy Birthday. That's right I'm a year older and having the time of my life. By the way, I'm 66, just incase you wanted to know.

I am still in San Jose,CA and to be honest, when I got here I knew what I wanted to do, I just did not know how to do it, or where to start. But I BELIEVED it would happen. And sure enough it did.
On February 4th I start a volunteer internship at the Golden Gate National Park and I could not be more pleased. They will give me a place to live and pay me $500.00 a month for food.(don't tell them but I would have done it for free). For the last 4 weekends I have been volunteering at the Marin Headlands and learning to give tours at the Point Bonita Lighthouse. Last week they gave me an interview for the intern position, and I got it. I think the only person on the planet who is happier than I am is my sister Ethel (she gets her bathroom back).

My commitment is for 8 month, but the best part is when it is completed I will be able to apply at any National Park in the country. So look out Yogi Bear, there's a new Brown Bear in Town.

This is the Bonita Point Lighthouse where I will be spending a lot of time over the next 8 months
and if the last 4 weekend are any indication, I'm going to have a ball.

Just let me take a moment and say to you retired folks out there, if you're tired of sitting on the couch in the winter months, watching reruns of Walker Texas Ranger and Matlock, go on the internet and google National Parks/Volunteer, you might be surprised to find there are some great adventures out there to be had. Now don't get me wrong, you don't have to be old or retired, volunteers come in all ages,sizes and colors. So think about it.


The little church in the foreground is now the visitor center for the Marin Headlands and another place where I will be spending a lot of my time. The building in the background is much like the housing where I'll be living for the next 8 months.

Ever weekend when I go to the park, I take my camera, and I say to myself, "SELF" don't take anymore photos of the Golden Gate Bridge, you have enough.

I'm sorry, every time I drive over the hills at the Headlands the bridge takes on a totally different
mood and I just can't help myself.

I love this bridge, and me and a million others are in these hills and much as possible taking photos. Below are a few more photos I've taken while at the Lighthouse or just driving in the hills of Marin Headlands.

The coastline just west of the Golden Gate.

When I spotted this group of Pelicans from the the lighthouse, it reminded me of the Blue Angles
I shot at the Cleveland Air Show.

I don't know why, but every day I have been at the Bonita Point Lighthouse at about 2:30pm
a formation of pelicans do a flyover.

Ok, just a one more shot and I'll sign off.

Sorry, I just had to do it.

Over the years, I have had some great jobs, but this is a great adventure and what I have dreamed about doing for many years. It's great to be able to live your dream.

Oh by the way, Bob got his first wash and wax job since we've been on the road and he lovin it

Bob's very happy to have a few month off the road, and maybe if he's lucky, he'll get to take that thing off his head.

Take care gang, and I'll do better with my postings. I promise.

Bob and Me

THE PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE DID IT GO.

Please forgive me for taking such a long time between post , but I really do have other things going on. Like trying to get a volunteer position at The Golden Gate National Parks as my first volunteer spot which will enable me to volunteer in other parks around the country.

The reason I want to start with the The Golden Gate National Parks is that it use to be an army

base. And I spent a lot of time there...

Back in the late 60' after doing a year in Vietnam I was stationed at Walter Reed General Hospital on the Presidio Army Base right in the middle of one of the most beautiful city's in the world, San Francisco, CA..

After working in surgery, as a surgical scrub technician for about 6 months, I transferred to Letterman Army Institute of Research (L.A.I.R.), where I became a Surgical Research Photographer in Dental Research (pretty impressive huh).

Because I had a family (my wife Cheryl and my son Gary Jr.) the army supplied me with housing
at Fort Barry on the North side of the Golden Gate Bridge.


Above are a few views from the Fort Barry Hills and I have to say it was a wonder place
to be stationed.
Yes, this is the house where we lived and is now housing Park employees.
Back in the 70's the developers very much wanted to get their hands on this property, but the people fought to give it to the National Parks and to the people.
Hard to believe, they actually did the RIGHT THING.
I will let you know how I do with the volunteering. So stay tuned.



Bob and Me





PS...To my brother Jim, get off your butte and go play some golf in some warm weather.