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* For residents of the San Francisco Peninsula who like to run and hike the choices are abundant. A short drive -- for some lucky few, a short walk -- allow us to reach preserves where it is easy to spend a few hours or a full day exploring the trails and the woods. There are preserves that offer shady trails and picnic spots for hot summer days and there are trails with breathtaking views of the ocean and the coastal mountain range.It is the time for wild flowers. This year, low rainfall has prevented great displays. They will be gone soon but there are still some to be found.Coast Sun Cups at Edgewood Park©MusafirMule Ears at Arasradero Preserve©MusafirThe Picnic Table at Arastradero Preserve. Sort of hidden in a secluded area. JHL and I have enjoyed many hours at the table and seen very few people go past. ©MusafirWe stopped at Stanford Campus on our way to Arastradero Preserve.The Quad©MusafirA Screech Owl nesting at Rancho San Antonio©MusafirQuail in the bush, Rancho San Antonio©MusafirWild Turkey at Rancho San Antonio©MusafirTrail to the Lower Parking Lot©MusafirRest stop, Wild Cat Canyon Trail©MusafirEntrance to Russian Ridge©MusafirRed Paintbrush©MusafirTidy Tips©MusafirCalifornia Poppies and Miniature Lupine©MusafirChecker Mallows©MusafirCalifornia Poppies and American Vetch©MusafirLooking east, Stanford Campus and beyond©MusafirLooking west at Rapley Ranch©MusafirThe pond at Rapley Ranch©Musafir"I celebrate myselfAnd what I assume you shall assume,For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you."-- Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

* After being dormant the past 7 months, my hibiscus plant is full of buds and one has bloomed.I grew up in Jamshedpur. Now a part of Jharkhand, at that time it was in Bihar province. It was the memory of the santal (aboriginal) women coming to town on sundays to sell vegetables that made me go out and get a hibiscus plant for my yard a few years ago. Many santal women wore red hibiscus in their hair. The combination -- dark skin, jet black hair and the red flower -- was striking. I can close my eyes and visualize groups of them, carrying baskets and chattering away. In the evening they returned to their village across the river with empty baskets.I spent a lot of time on the world wide web to find images of women wearing hibiscus. No luck. Found a few but they were not of santal women. The closest I came to was in Timesonline, image of a young boy wearing a red hibiscus. But my search lead me to a treasure -- R.L. Kamat's wonderful website http://www.kamat.com. I have used two images from Kamat's Potpourri. Just imagine the women wearing red hibiscus in their hair and you'll get the picture of what I see when I think of market days in Jamshedpur.© Kamat's Potpourri http://www.kamat.com© Kamat's Potpourri http://www.kamat.com ©Richard Parry 2-26-07 http://timesonline.typepad.com/times_tokyo_weblog/images/piul_urchin_with_hibiscus_1.jpgFinally, the hibiscus in my garden. ©Musafir 5-10-07 Comments Anonymous — 2007-05-10 Lovely, even before I saw the pictures. I may have asked you this, but Alzheimerly forgot the answer: why is it that the some of the greatest writers (at least in translation) are Indian. There is a cinematic quality about their language which is unique. I'm thinking of A. Roy, R. Narayan, B. Mukherjee in particular, and then of course we have the twin deities Rushdie and Naipaul. They have all managed to verbalize vision. So can you. f

Nicholas Sarkozy is the winner in French presidential election. The result was expected. Madame Royal lost her cool in the debate on May 2nd with Sarkozy which, to some degree, sealed her fate. But even before the debate there were signs that French voters were losing their enthusiasm for her. Her attempts to gain centrist candidate Francois Bayrou's support fell flat. Many considered that as unprincipled.Politicians often resort to expediency.Our own presidential hopefuls lining up for 2008 appear to be wiggling to find positions that will appeal to their base. Rudy Giuliani is ready to surrender support for women's right to choose, and Hillary Clinton is staying away from a clear position on Iraq war.Washington Post"I want to give French people back the pride of being French -- to finish with repentance, which is a form of self-hate," he said, renouncing a pervasive national malaise fed by economic decline at home and sinking influence abroad.An unabashed admirer of America, Sarkozy, 52, had a special message for the United States, which has had troubled relations with France under President Jacques Chirac, who led international opposition to the U.S. war in Iraq."I'd like to appeal to our American friends to say that they can count on our friendship," he said. "But I would also like to say that friendship means accepting that your friends don't necessarily see eye to eye with you."In particular, he said, "a great nation like the United States has the duty not to oppose the fight against global warming, but to lead that battle, because what is at stake is the destiny of mankind." Sarkozy said he would make the issue a top international priority as president.For Sarkozy it is not going to be a bed of roses. Those who elected him will expect results. Backlash against immigrants was a factor in his victory. The growing immigrant population is restive. It could turn out to be an ugly summer.Democracy in action. Whether or not one admires the French and their culture, 84% of French citizens voted in the election. That is something they can be proud of. For those who are unaware, in the 2004 presidential election only 55% of eligible voters in America participated! Think of what we got!

"The Commander Guy"Louix XIV, known as the Sun King, ruled France for 72 years. He was said to be a "great monarch" and responsible for enlarging a former hunting lodge into world-famous Versailles.Reading the column by Eugene Robinson in the Post about the current occupant of the White House made me wonder how did we ever elect such a person to be the head of this great nation. But the damage is done; he will be there until 2008 when he will ride into the sunset uttering some claptrap. "On Wednesday, speaking to the Associated General Contractors of America, Bush gave himself a new nickname. Responding to a question from the audience, he asked rhetorically whether "the Congress or the commanders" should decide how many U.S. troops are needed in Iraq. "And as you know," he went on, "my position is clear -- I'm the Commander Guy." It would be funny if it were not for the high costs of his actions.Washington PostMaybe there were further clues to the president's decision-making style in the rambling talk he gave a couple of weeks ago at Tippecanoe High School in Tipp City, Ohio. He recalled that just before his inauguration in 2001, the head usher at the White House called and asked what color rug he wanted in the Oval Office. He delegated the task of designing a new presidential rug to his wife, Laura."But I said, I want it to say something -- the president has got to be a strategic thinker and I said to her, make sure the rug says 'optimistic person comes to work.' Because you can't make decisions unless you're optimistic that the decisions you make will lead to a better tomorrow." The result, he said, is "this fantastic rug that looks like the sun. And it just sets the tone for the Oval Office."While discussing the situation in Iraq, Bush told the Tipp City audience that "I happen to think there will be an additional dividend when we succeed -- remember the rug?" Comments Anonymous — 2007-05-04 "Let them eat McDonalds." Plus ca change, plus ca reste la meme. 3 bows, f

"Sorrowing Lies My Land"Coffins keep arriving from Iraq. The warrior goes to Tampa,FL. This time he will not be wearing a flight suit for photo op. "BAGHDAD, April 30 -- The deaths of more than 100 American troops in April made it the deadliest month so far this year for U.S. forces in Iraq, underscoring the growing exposure of Americans as thousands of reinforcements arrive for an 11-week-old offensive to tame sectarian violence."FactsAs of April 30th the total for dead American soldiers stands at: 3351 of which 104 died this month.Since President Bush's "Mission Accomplished" appearance, May 1, 2003: 3211Since President Bush said "Bring them on" July 2, 2003: 3144Source: Iraq Coalition Casualties

Uneasy Nights for the Hypocrites in Washington, DCIf you believed Bill Clinton -- who "smoked but didn't inhale" -- then you gotta give this guy the benefit of the doubt. Glenn Kessler in the Post: "Randall L. Tobias, the deputy secretary of state responsible for U.S. foreign aid, abruptly resigned yesterday after he was asked about an upscale escort service allegedly involved in prostitution, U.S. government sources said."Mr. Tobias told ABC News that "he had used the service to provide massages, not sex". Why didn't he use a licensed massage therapist ? Mr. Tobias is 65....and married.Mr. Tobias took a leading role in promoting Bush Administration's abstinence only program overseas. It figures. There must be quite a few prominent men....and women in Washington who are spending uneasy nights.This story, described as Hookergate by some, could have legs. There were earlier reports about Kyle "Dusty" Foggo who held a high position at the CIA. The sudden resignation of Porter Goss, who took over the helm of the CIA after George Tenet, was also alluded to involvement with high-priced call girls provided by defense contractor Brent R. Wilkes. Former Republican Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham is serving a prison sentence for taking bribes. Wilkes is under investigation.Washington PostPalfrey piqued fascination -- and anxiety -- by first threatening to sell phone records that could unveil thousands of clients, and then handing them over, apparently for free, to ABC News. She is scheduled to appear tomorrow in U.S. District Court in the District. * And the nights cannot be too restful for Paul Dundes Wolfowitz. The former Deputy Secretary of Defense and champion of the invasion of Iraq, is scrambling to save his job as president of the World Bank after giving his squeeze, Shaha Ali Riza (a high-level employee at the bank) a huge pay raise. Mr. Wolfowitz was engaged in fighting corruption among nations that receive funding from the bank. Currently, the program is said to be in a state of flux because of what Mr. Wolfowitz did for Ms. Riza. He is scheduled to appear before the bank's directors tomorrow (April 30th) to plead his case.

Other Voices, Other CountriesNot just another woman.....the woman who has become a blogger of note, writing under the name Riverbend. Baghdad Burning, her blog has received wide attention in world press. Lately her posts had become infrequent. She wrote on Feb.20th about the Sabrine Al Janabi case. Sabrine, a Sunni, was reported to be raped by members of Shia police force and Prime Minister al-Maliki quickly began a cover up.It was with a feeling of sadness I read her most recent post (see below) about the wall going up around the A'adhamiya area of Baghdad and her family's plans to leave Iraq.Baghdad Burning... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend...Thursday, April 26, 2007The Great Wall of Segregation...…Which is the wall the current Iraqi government is building (with the support and guidance of the Americans). It's a wall that is intended to separate and isolate what is now considered the largest 'Sunni' area in Baghdad- let no one say the Americans are not building anything. According to plans the Iraqi puppets and Americans cooked up, it will 'protect' A'adhamiya, a residential/mercantile area that the current Iraqi government and their death squads couldn't empty of Sunnis.The wall, of course, will protect no one. I sometimes wonder if this is how the concentration camps began in Europe. The Nazi government probably said, "Oh look- we're just going to protect the Jews with this little wall here- it will be difficult for people to get into their special area to hurt them!" And yet, it will also be difficult to get out.The Wall is the latest effort to further break Iraqi society apart. Promoting and supporting civil war isn't enough, apparently- Iraqis have generally proven to be more tenacious and tolerant than their mullahs, ayatollahs, and Vichy leaders. It's time for America to physically divide and conquer- like Berlin before the wall came down or Palestine today. This way, they can continue chasing Sunnis out of "Shia areas" and Shia out of "Sunni areas".I always hear the Iraqi pro-war crowd interviewed on television from foreign capitals (they can only appear on television from the safety of foreign capitals because I defy anyone to be publicly pro-war in Iraq). They refuse to believe that their religiously inclined, sectarian political parties fueled this whole Sunni/Shia conflict. They refuse to acknowledge that this situation is a direct result of the war and occupation. They go on and on about Iraq's history and how Sunnis and Shia were always in conflict and I hate that. I hate that a handful of expats who haven't been to the country in decades pretend to know more about it than people actually living there.I remember Baghdad before the war- one could live anywhere. We didn't know what our neighbors were- we didn't care. No one asked about religion or sect. No one bothered with what was considered a trivial topic: are you Sunni or Shia? You only asked something like that if you were uncouth and backward. Our lives revolve around it now. Our existence depends on hiding it or highlighting it- depending on the group of masked men who stop you or raid your home in the middle of the night.On a personal note, we've finally decided to leave. I guess I've known we would be leaving for a while now. We discussed it as a family dozens of times. At first, someone would suggest it tentatively because, it was just a preposterous idea- leaving ones home and extended family- leaving ones country- and to what? To where?Since last summer, we had been discussing it more and more. It was only a matter of time before what began as a suggestion- a last case scenario- soon took on solidity and developed into a plan. For the last couple of months, it has only been a matter of logistics. Plane or car? Jordan or Syria? Will we all leave together as a family? Or will it be only my brother and I at first?After Jordan or Syria- where then? Obviously, either of those countries is going to be a transit to something else. They are both overflowing with Iraqi refugees, and every single Iraqi living in either country is complaining of the fact that work is difficult to come by, and getting a residency is even more difficult. There is also the little problem of being turned back at the border. Thousands of Iraqis aren't being let into Syria or Jordan- and there are no definite criteria for entry, the decision is based on the whim of the border patrol guard checking your passport.An airplane isn't necessarily safer, as the trip to Baghdad International Airport is in itself risky and travelers are just as likely to be refused permission to enter the country (Syria and Jordan) if they arrive by airplane. And if you're wondering why Syria or Jordan, because they are the only two countries that will let Iraqis in without a visa. Following up visa issues with the few functioning embassies or consulates in Baghdad is next to impossible.So we've been busy. Busy trying to decide what part of our lives to leave behind. Which memories are dispensable? We, like many Iraqis, are not the classic refugees- the ones with only the clothes on their backs and no choice. We are choosing to leave because the other option is simply a continuation of what has been one long nightmare- stay and wait and try to survive.On the one hand, I know that leaving the country and starting a new life somewhere else- as yet unknown- is such a huge thing that it should dwarf every trivial concern. The funny thing is that it’s the trivial that seems to occupy our lives. We discuss whether to take photo albums or leave them behind. Can I bring along a stuffed animal I've had since the age of four? Is there room for E.'s guitar? What clothes do we take? Summer clothes? The winter clothes too? What about my books? What about the CDs, the baby pictures?The problem is that we don't even know if we'll ever see this stuff again. We don't know if whatever we leave, including the house, will be available when and if we come back. There are moments when the injustice of having to leave your country, simply because an imbecile got it into his head to invade it, is overwhelming. It is unfair that in order to survive and live normally, we have to leave our home and what remains of family and friends… And to what?It's difficult to decide which is more frightening- car bombs and militias, or having to leave everything you know and love, to some unspecified place for a future where nothing is certain. Comments Maritza — 2007-04-30 A long time ago you came to visit my blog on Bhaskar's recommendation. I'm finally paying a return visit. Thanks for introducing me to the blogger from Iraq. It is very difficult to leave one's country. I live surrounded by many people who have done so, and some days I feel a bit distant from my own country as a result of living in a sort of exile.

Deaf, blind, arrogant, hypocrite. All the adjectives fit President Bush -- the man who thought that AG Alberto Gonzales did a great job during his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee. And our soldiers are dying and suffering injuries for this man! Baffling. Why do the military families remain mute ? Of course, there are families that believe in the president's war and feel that their loved ones died in a just cause. It is not known whether they constitute the majority. The ones who have had enough of the lies and utter disregard of facts in Iraq need to speak out and send a message to the president. He is likely to tune them out as he does all critics, but it would strengthen the efforts of those who are trying to bring an end to the mess. There is nothing shameful about admitting a mistake.Troop Surge, Death Toll Surge86 soldiers, including nine from the 82nd Airbone Division,Fort Bragg,NC,have lost their lives in this cruel month of April.Jason R. Arnette, 24, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007William G. Bowling, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 01, 2007Robert M. McDowell, 30, Army Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007David A. Mejias, 26, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007Eric R. Vick, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 01, 2007Miguel A. Marcial III, 19, Marine Private 1st Class, Apr 01, 2007Brian E. Ritzberg, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007Curtis R. Spivey, 25, Army Specialist, Apr 02, 2007Bradley D. King, 28, Army National Guard Sergeant, Apr 02, 2007Daniel R. Olsen, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 02, 2007Shane R. Becker, 35, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 03, 2007Gabriel J. Figueroa, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 03, 2007Jerry C. Burge, 39, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 04, 2007Joseph H. Cantrell IV, 23, Army Corporal, Apr 04, 2007James J. Coon, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007Walter Freeman Jr., 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007Derek A. Gibson, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 04, 2007Forrest D. Cauthorn, 22, Army Sergeant, Apr 05, 2007Jason A. Shaffer, 28, Army Specialist, Apr 05, 2007Jay S. Cajimat, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007Ryan S. Dallam, 24, Army Specialist, Apr 06, 2007Daniel A. Fuentes, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007Anthony Palermo Jr., 27, Army Captain, Apr 06, 2007Damian Lopez Rodriguez, 0, Army Private, Apr 06, 2007Gregory J. Billiter, 36, Navy Chief Petty Officer, Apr 06, 2007Curtis R. Hall, 24, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007Joseph A. McSween, 26, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, Apr 06, 2007Joseph C. Schwedler, 27, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, Apr 06, 2007Ebe F. Emolo, 33, Army Specialist, Apr 07, 2007Jonathan D. Grassbaugh, 25, Army Captain, Apr 07, 2007Levi K. Hoover, 23, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 07, 2007Rodney L. McCandless, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 07, 2007Philip A. Murphy-Sweet, 42, Navy Commander, Apr 07, 2007Harrison Brown, 31, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Adam P. Kennedy, 25, Army Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Phillip I. Neel, 27, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 08, 2007David N. Simmons, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 08, 2007Todd A. Singleton, 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Jesse L. Williams, 25, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 08, 2007Brian Lee Holden, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2007Ismael Solorio, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2007, Clifford A. Spohn III, 21, Army Specialist, Apr 09, 2007Brett Andre Walton, 37, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 09, 2007Kyle G. Bohrnsen, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 10, 2007Raymond S. Sevaaetasi, 29, Army Sergeant, Apr 11, 2007Jason J. Beadles, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 12, 2007John G. Borbonus, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 12, 2007James T. Lindsey, 20, Army Specialist, Apr 12, 2007Gwilym J. Newman, 24, Army 1st Lieutenant, Apr 12, 2007Cody A. Putnam, 22, Army Corporal, Apr 12, 2007Larry R. Bowman, 29, Army Sergeant, Apr 13, 2007Ryan A. Bishop, 32, Army Specialist, Apr 14, 2007Joshua A. Schmit, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007Brandon L. Wallace, 27, Army Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007Robert J. Basham, 22, Army National Guard Staff Sergeant, Apr 14, 2007Daniel J. Santee, 21, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 14, 2007Steven J. Walberg, 18, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 15, 2007Mario K. De Leon, 26, Army Sergeant, Apr 16, 2007Aaron M. Genevie, 22, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 16, 2007Lucas V. Starcevich, 25, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 16, 2007Shaun M. Blue, 25, Marine 1st Lieutenant, Apr 16, 2007Jesse D. Delatorre, 29, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 16, 2007Daniel R. Scherry, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 16, 2007Richard P. Langenbrunner, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 17, 2007Jason M. Morales, 20, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 18, 2007Wade J. Oglesby, 27, Army Corporal, Apr 18, 2007Michael M. Rojas, 21, Army Corporal, Apr 18, 2007Dwayne L. Moore, 31, Army Chief Warrant Officer, Apr 19, 2007Jeffery A. Bishop, 23, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 20, 2007William W. Bushnell, 24, Army Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007Marlon B. Harper, 34, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007Christopher M. North, 21, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 21, 2007Michael J. Slater, 19, Army Private, Apr 21, 2007Steven R. Tudor, 36, Army Staff Sergeant, Apr 21, 2007Jeffrey A. Avery, 19, Army Private 1st Class, Apr 23, 2007Kevin Gaspers, 26, Army Lieutenant, Apr 23, 2007Garrett Knoll, 23, Army Not reported yet, Apr 23, 2007Dale Peterson, 20, Marine Lance Corporal, Apr 23, 2007 © iCasualties.orgPat Tillman, Jessica Lynch - Pentagon's Lies ExposedWashington Post"An Army Ranger who was with Pat Tillman when the former football star was cut down by friendly fire in Afghanistan said Tuesday a commanding officer had ordered him to keep quiet about what happened." *Timesonline"Jessica Lynch, the US army private who became the heroic American face of the Iraq war when her convoy was ambushed soon after the invasion, lambasted the Bush Administration yesterday for lying about the incident.She was testifying to Congress, along with the brother of Pat Tillman, the US Army Ranger who gave up a lucrative career as an American football star only to be killed by his own platoon in Afghanistan, and the two decried the Pentagon’s “deceit” in turning their disastrous experiences into false tales of heroism. "

Gerry Mulligan meets Ben WebsterListening to the great recording orginally released in 1959 by Verve Records, reissued March 1990 under PolyGram label. Mulligan on baritone sax and Webster playing tenor sax. Cool.......YES.© PolyGram (now part of UMG)With Jimmy Rowles, piano ; Leroy Vinnegar, bass ; Mel Lewis, drums.The playlist.Chelsea BridgeThe Cat WalkSundayWho's Got RhythmTell Me WhenGo HomeIn A MellotoneWhat Is This Thing Called LoveBessieFajistaBlues In B Flat

Bob Stahl's Labor of Love Every spring the tulips in front of Fremont High School,Sunnyvale, California, become a source of visual pleasure. Passers by stop to admire them and walk around the flower beds. Motorists waiting for change of light at Fremont Ave and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road take advantage of the stop to feast their eyes. Recently, an article by Erin Hussey in the Cupertino Courier caught my attention and I learnt about Bob Stahl, the man who started planting the tulips when he worked as facilities manager at Fremont High. Photographs of the tulips follow. If you have time, spend a few minutes to read what Erin Hussey wrote about Bob Stahl. It is a story of a man, his labor of love and how it turned his life around. Heart warming piece of writing. © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07 © Musafir 4-20-07