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☞ The leaves of the cork oak were a shiny green. Each leaf had an uneven edge. ☞ Two cork oak trees towered over people on the path. They were majestic trees that gave a sense of authority to the scene. ☞ The trunk of the cork oak tree displayed cracked bark with the red/brown color of cork peeking through. View all

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☞ A cluster of Gunnera tinctoria grew right up to the edge of the path. Notice that shade-loving native grass grew next to the Gunnera tinctoria. ☞ Two Gunnera tinctoria were planted in the northeastern corner of the roof garden. These were juvenile plants with modest sized leaves only a foot (25 cm) across. Two central seed pods were visible. ☞ A half dozen baby Gunnera tinctoria plants grew in pots buried in the soil at the northern end of the Roof Garden. ☞ Gunnera tinctoria grew around the base of a tree that also provided the Gunnera tinctoria with shade. View all

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☞ Yellow wildflowers bloomed in a tiny meadow surrounding the oak trees. ☞ The sign was attached to the fence bordering the roof garden. It described (in part): "Oaks are a resilient and varied genus that has colonized all corners of the globe. There are more then 25 native California oak species, which are found throughout the different regions of the state, from dry deserts to lush mountains and forests." ☞ A tall California Oak tree grew next to a path that connected the roof garden to an office building. View all

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☞ The floral heads of the Agapanthus were composed of many small purple and lavender flowers. They were strikingly lovely flowering plants with long green leaves. ☞ A sign described this plant as: "Many South African plants grow well in San Francisco and throughout California. They are so familiar in the landscape that many people think they are California natives." View all

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☞ The trunk of the Monkey Puzzle tree was not as spiked as its branches, but was still very spiky indeed. ☞ The Monkey Puzzle trees were tall and rose majestically in front of a high-rise office building. ☞ The Monkey Puzzle Tree and the origin of its name were described on a metal sign attached to the fence bordering the garden. ☞ The Monkey Puzzle Tree's branches were covered with thousands of spiked leaves. ☞ The garden had three Monkey Puzzle Trees on display. From a distance they looked like ordinary bare limbed trees. View all

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☞ A view of the back of one of the brick residences on the Presidio grounds. Steps led up to glassed in back porches. ☞ A vast lawn became the common front lawn for the brick buildings bordering it. The bay was crowded with sailboats all out there to watch the Fleet Week air show. View all

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☞ A yellow and pinkish fungus (Laetiporus Sulphureus ) and chalk graffiti decorated a log end alongside a path that ran along the north border of The Presidio. ☞ Metal frames, individually filled with dirt, became stairs which made traversing a steep portion of path easier. Note, however, that one could also take a side path (next to the stairs) to walk down this hill. View all

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☞ In 1963, contemporary cars (whereas now vintage cars) were parked diagonally on a hill facing a building on the Presidio grounds. A man (perhaps a workman) reached into the back of a parked pickup truck. View all

Related stories: Andy Goldsworthy • Brick Buildings • Cemeteries • Harmed Trees • Julius Kahn Playground • Letterman Digital Arts Center Recycled Water Pond • Paths • Signs • The Presidio In 1963

☞ A partly obscured view of the Golden Gate Bridge as seen through a forest of ivy covered trees. Sure there are better views of the Bridge, but there is something comforting about glimpsing the Bridge while walking along an amazingly long path through the Presidio. ☞ While traversing a path on a hill along the north side of the Presidio, a classic cityscape of downtown San Francisco appeared between two massive tree trunks. This view was a classic one, because it appeared to predate the Salesforce Tower, yet existed at the same time. View all

Related stories: Andy Goldsworthy • Brick Buildings • Cemeteries • Harmed Trees • Julius Kahn Playground • Letterman Digital Arts Center Recycled Water Pond • Paths • The Presidio In 1963 • Views From

☞ A sign alongside a trail bordering the Presidio warned of a Coyote presence in the park. The sign read in part: "Dog Walker Alert, Coyotes Active In This Area." ☞ A sign, on the pillar next to an entrance into the Presidio, read: "Presidio of San Francisco, Established 1776." ☞ A narrow sign indicated the way along the, "Bay Area Ridge Trail." ☞ A small metal sign was nailed to a tree near the path into Julius Kahn Playground. It read: "Please keep dogs on leash, Hlth code sec. 41.12A, Please clean up after your dog. Hlth code sec. 40A." View all

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☞ A view from above the Cemetery, where the bay was dotted with sailboats because of Fleet Week. Those moving white sails in the background echoed the immobile white grave stones in the foreground. ☞ The third sign too was etched in stone and bordered the trail. It read, "They say: Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say; It is you who must say this." ☞ The final sign that bordered the path, read: "They say: We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning. We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us." And was credited: Excerpt from "The Young Dead Soldiers." by Archibald Macleish. View all

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☞ The Julius Kahn Playground was a large grass area with a playground and club house at the far end. The clubhouse was available to rent for events such as birthday parties. ☞ A fence surrounded the Julius Kahn Playground. Many children enjoyed themselves beyond the fence. ☞ The club house at Julius Kahn Playground was very inviting with its round windows and plants bordered stairs. The club house was closed on this Saturday. ☞ A soccer (football internationally) game was underway on the grass of Julius Kahn Playground. The kids appeared to be taking a break. ☞ A sign listed the rules governing this park. View all

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☞ Further along the trail was an entire forest whose trees were ivy encased. The effect was startling, both in its beauty and its sense of violence. ☞ A hollowed out stump stood in the middle of an empty field. It almost looked like a human whose upper half was missing. ☞ A thrice cut log lay among dry grass. The pose looked like a disarticulated body. ☞ Ivy encased trees stood alongside the path. The foreground tree was a snag about to vanish under ivy. The tree to the left was still barely alive. ☞ Pale skinned logs lay on the forest floor. They appeared about to rise and wander the grounds as zombie trees. View all

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☞ Black metal arches decorated one end of the pond. Roses in pots were present to soften the look of the arches. ☞ A closer view of a mallard duck on a rock in the middle of the recycled water pond. ☞ Trees growing next to the pond created patches of shade. A person sat on a bench across the pond and listened to the quiet. ☞ A view of the recycled water pond taken from the other end. We look back at the metal arches and notice mallard ducks swimming in the pond and sunning on a rock. ☞ A grove of tall trees grew in a meadow next to the pond. They created a dramatic scene that made one feel small in comparison. View all