Wednesday, February 25, 2009

San Francisco in the Rain


Not heeding the mild warnings of friends resident to Northern California, I visited San Francisco in the midst of their rainy season. And rain it did, for 4 of the 5 days I was there. However, the break from snowy, icy New York and the attitude of the locals even enjoying the marked change in weather lead me to embrace the season and make what I could of exploring the city. It was interesting to see some pacific dwelling plants in funky hibernation modes which I never experienced on my previous summer visits.

This being my third time in San Francisco, I sought to gain further insight on the city's relationship to nature. Surrounded by water and topographically shaped by strong geological forces, no amount of pavement, concrete, and building mass can deny the natural substrate the city was founded on.



As I have noted before, the long growing season and climate makes lush green spaces possible on every scale. It's great to see how residents individually embrace vegetation allowing both manicured landscapes and wild unmaintained plants to thrive.