golden gate park

we are well into the rainy season here in san francisco. for the past week, it's been clear during the day, only beginning to rain in the late evening and continuing through the night. this works out quite nicely, as you can imagine. i was in golden gate park on one such clear day earlier in the week. it was actually the first really clear, warmish day of the stretch, so there were lots of people out enjoying it. 

on the lawn in front of the conservatory of flowers, my friend and i happened upon an impromptu band. there were at least 10 folks there jamming, with everything from an electric guitar to a clarinet to an alpenhorn. one of the drummers had even thought to bring some maracas and tambourines for the kids. 

the other shot is from the japanese tea garden. i wanted to get a shot with the tea house in the background, or at least a pagoda, but it was midday and the light just wasn't cooperating. i like this one, though. the blue of the teapot stands out against the brown of the table and greens of trees in the background. i missed snagging a shot of the cheeky squirrel that leapt on the table just as i clicked the shutter. before i could fire again, he was gone.