by Gary Belk | Apr 7, 2014 | Musings, Potrero Hill/Dogpatch |
Pier 70 Partners, invite you to join us at the Bayview Underground Community Pop-up Market in historic Building 12 at Pier 70. The market will take place every Thursday from 5:30-8:00pm starting April 10th through June 26th. The Bayview Underground Community Pop-up Market, which has been operating for the past year, moves every quarter to a different SF neighborhood venue to reach a broader audience and increase exposure for local businesses. Read...
by Gary Belk | Oct 31, 2013 | Blog, Musings |
by Gary Belk On Sunday evening we had the first windstorm of the season and it reminded me that winter is on the way. The Rain is coming! I moved this summer and I’ve not been in my current home during high wind. When the wind started I was having dinner with friends. We all looked at each other and wondered what was going on! I was amazed at the noise. My house needs new windows (on order) and I discovered the skylights need repairing or replacing. The gusty wind blew through cracks in my rotted windows and this forced the operable skylight to blow open and then slam shut. The garage door rattled with each gust and there were some old fiberglass panels in the garden (the garden also still in desperate shape) that rattled and knocked against the house. Needless to say it was a long night! I was glad when the wind calmed and I was finally able to sleep. After having lived for the past 4 years in big buildings; this windstorm reminded me that when you live in a small building or single family home you need to prepare for the rainy season. Here are a few tips to follow to help you prepare your home: Take a look at your gutters to make sure that they drain well and don’t cause water to back up. Make sure that there are not a lot of little granules from the roofing or leaves and other debris collecting in there (granules in your gutter are a sign that your roof’s coating needs to be resealed). Make...
by Gary Belk | Feb 13, 2013 | Musings |
Doomsday? Like it or not, winter officially arrives on December 21. The date, known as “winter solstice” or “midwinter” is the shortest day and longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is at the most southern point in the sky during the solstice. While the date is still recognized, it doesn’t hold the same significance as it did centuries ago. Then, people weren’t certain they would live through the winter, when crops couldn’t be harvested and food was scarce. Both then and now, events have been held coinciding with the winter solstice. In many, the focus has been on light to break up the coming darkness. In the Festival of the Sun, observed in ancient times by the Incas, priests symbolically tied the sun to a stone structure (one of which can still be seen at Machu Picchu in Peru) to prevent it from escaping. The annual sunrise observance at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, occurs on the winter solstice, while some see significance in the lights of Hanukkah (such as the lighting of the menorah around solstice time) and, of course, the light-covered Christmas tree. This year’s winter solstice carries some significance for Doomsday believers, who fear the world will end on December 21, 2012. The Mayan calendar shows a set of zeros on this day, leading some to believe it predicts a world-ending catastrophe. Most experts debunk this theory. While I’m not an expert on Doomsday prophecy I think we’ll all wake up on December 22! Happy Winter Solstice, Gary To download a PDF version of this newsletter click here: Winter Solstice...
