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The City of Palo Alto has created Bixby Park, atop many years’ collection of garbage, near the wetlands of San Francisco Bay. Spring rains have stimulated the grass cover on the pole and concrete sculpture gardens.

On this sunny Presidents’ Day afternoon, hikers, birdwatchers, dogwalkers and bikers enjoyed the bay breezes in this very accessible new park.

Pole sculpture garden.

Tides ebb and flow through these wetlands that are populated by ground squirrels, burrowing owls and many varieties of birds.

Biking through Bixby, with Palo Alto and the Pacific Coastal Range in the background.

Ending the afternoon walk on a path through the concrete sculpture garden.

Despite the threat of rain, our hiking group headed for the San Antonio Open Space and a walk up Coyote Trail. On the trail we passed other hikers and a trio of deer, undisturbed by our presence, walking calmly in single file. At lunchtime we sought shelter from a light rain, in the barn at Deer Hollow Farm.

The garden and barn at Deer Hollow Farm.

The trail past Deer Hollow Farm.

Our group nears the end of the hike as a much needed rain is falling.

A giant Bay tree near a meadow full of browsing deer.

This week’s group hike took us to Miramar Beach, home of the Bach Dynamite and Dance Society, which was a great place for weekend jazz in the 70’s. Formerly isolated, the area has now been developed, with more homes, restaurants and galleries.

We followed a path along the sea, through Venice Beach, almost back to Half Moon Bay. After eating lunch in a grove of native cedars, we returned to Miramar for a look at the galleries.

Our hiking group begins their excursion in the hamlet of Miramar Beach.

Venice Beach was closed to hikers due to contamination by this huge bird convention.

Back in Miramar Beach, after lunch, we find this relaxing place for alternative health care, massage and yoga. The garden is shown below.

Next door to the Sun Center is this unique building which houses artists’ studios. The stone over the entry gate is foreboding, but there is a reassuring angel posed on the roof - see below.

Angel of the sea.