Monday Mural: Warriors mural

A new mural which faces the 880 freeway alludes to the electric performance of Steph Curry and his Warrior teammates.  Fittingly, Illuminaries has painted this one on a wall of an indooor basketball court.  Not surprisingly, Under Armor, a major client in Steph's endorsement empire, helped pay for the mural.  As of this week the Warriors have again won the Western division and the first seed position in the Conference playoffs.  Third year in a row.  Now starts the long march to the championship finals.  All of us in Dub Nation are rooting for the another NBA championship.  Waarrriors!!

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you; just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.

“ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Rev. John Watson

waiting for fish

Has fishing season started yet?

Theme day: shadow and highlight

This month's theme is shadow and light.  Here is a late afternoon scene on the estuary near Jack London Square.  Linked to City Daily Photo where you will find world wide submissions on this theme.

Q is for quay

Another small marina near Jack London Square with a small quay leading to the boats.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: whose a good boy?

The Wag Hotel boards your canine friend when you're out of town.  They've wrapped their building in great photographic portraits that are charming to view.  A great way to advertise, especially when you face a freeway as this building does.

Welcome to Monday Mural: if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters. Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.

"Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Rev. John Watson

when it's too cold to row

When it gets too cold to go out on the water, the stacked boats make an interesting sculpture.

Monday Mural: Fields of Dreams

It took me a while to grok this image and then it came to me.  It's an aerial view of the eastern estuary! The circle in the upper right corner is the A's ballpark minus the Oracle arena next door.  The upper left represents the island city of Alameda.  The peninsula in the lower portion is the airport.  All the bright yellow lines represent the freeway, bridges, and main streets in the area.  The blue water is the estuary which runs in from the Bay.  The mural, done this year by Alan Leon, is formally named Fields of Dreams: the fabric of the city.  His work graces the freeway support piers in the Temescal District and was featured here.

Welcome to Monday Mural: if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters. Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.

"Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Rev. John Watson

picnic table at the shore

There are lots of picnic tables along the estuary shore.  This one offers shade but no shelter from the rain.  It looks like the El Niño has arrived.

along the estuary inner harbor

Near the Jack London Aquatic Park on the Inner Harbor.  The Alameda marina can be spied across the estuary.  Alameda is an island city in the middle of the estuary.

cranes aloft

Sometimes it surprises me how close you can get to those container cranes.  Tell me these don't look like something out of Star Wars.  Taken just north of Jack London Square.

why the drawbridge went up

I'm usually amused when I see why a drawbridge has gone up.  Small sailboats like this, with their not so tall masts, have a lot of power while tootling along the estuary.  This is the Fruitvale Bridge which also has a railroad track section that can be be lowered when a train wants to cross the estuary.  (Visible at the top of the photo).  Versatile bridge, no?

Skywatch Friday: another clear day

Another clear day without rain.  Sometimes there are clouds in the morning but they tend to dissipate by noon.  December's rain seemed to say the drought is over; January seems to say "not yet."  Linked to Skywatch Friday.

canine companion

It was a nice day and I think they were taking each other for a walk.  Linking to ABC Wednesday.

vertical bicycles

For some reason, bicycles are mounted on several poles around Jack London Square.  Don't know why.  Biking culture is big in Oakland and every year bike lanes are added to our roadways.  JLS also hosts the annual Pedalfest.  So, I'm assuming a connection.

walking at Jack London Square

After a rainy December, we're in a period of cold, clear weather.  (Assuming you think 59 degrees is cold).  Even though we're freezing, it doesn't stop us from walking out in the sunshine.

Arrowhead Marsh

Arrowhead Marsh is so named due to the shape made by the marsh grasses.  It's always soothing to walk the shoreline of ML King Shoreline Park.

low tide

Low tide reveals more than shore birds.  Usually in celebration of Earth Day, the tires and other junk get plucked out of the estuary.

Fruitvale Railroad Bridge

The Fruitvale Railroad Bridge spans the Estuary from Oakland to the island town of Alameda (on the right).  To my eye it looks like a 1930s construction but it was actually built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1951.  It's a vertical lift bridge with railroad tracks on it that is lowered into position when trains need to cross the estuary.  The Miller-Sweeney Bridge it the drawbridge next to it that carries car traffic.  It was designed to raise to full height it only 66 seconds.  The truth is that locals  call them both the Fruitvale Bridge.  Bridge fans will be happy to know there is a website for the bridges!  For a picture of the bridge drawn up, go here.

Theme Day: triangle

It's the first of the month, which means Theme Day in the City Daily Photo world.   Triangles a-go-go in this shot.  Taken along the estuary where multiple small marinas can be found.  For more takes on the triangle, visit CDP.

blue skies again

We've had some much needed rain but there will be fair skies for the weekend.  This ship-like observation deck is at Arrowhead Marsh in the MLK Jr. Shoreline Park.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.