San Francisco is full of beautiful scenes that seem to change from minute to minute. We drove down to the park under the Golden Gate and were lucky enough to get the ideal conditions I had hoped for - patchy fog on a bright, clear day. I took a bunch of shots. This was my favorite.

Then we drove up into the Presidio. June lived there in junior high school (Army brat) and enjoyed the nostalgia. I also wanted to visit the National Cemetery there. The Presidio really was a beautiful post, one of the Army's gems, especially compared to places like Fort Polk, Louisiana. Like most folks connected with the military, I was deeply disappointed when the post was turned over to San Francisco, not a city that has historically displayed much respect for the military. That being said, though, the National Cemetery was well-tended and beautifully kept. I half expected the sacred markers of these fallen veterans to be covered with obscene graffiti.

I had to get this shot, touristy icon though it may be, so we plugged Alamo Square into the GPS and headed off to see the Painted Ladies.

The Golden Gate Park's Flower Conservatory, which was closed the day before, was now open so we headed there. Beautiful place, and we lucked out being the first ones in the door just after the guy in charge of the hose, the hoser in chief, had watered everything.

You've heard of Wet Willy? Meet his sister, Wet Lily.

I think this wet blue thing is an orchid, but I could be wrong. It's happened before. I think it was back in the late fall of 1993... ;-)

They also had this wet green thing.