Another pretty good day in KJ land (if we ignore the greater context of the world outside, sigh). I slept in despite the time change, and then it was a lovely sunny day (if not terribly warm), so T and I decided to go out. Fall is well upon us, which means taking advantage of the sunshine whenever we can get it.
First we went to the DeYoung Museum, where I'm a member, to see the new exhibit about Teotihuacan, the ancient Mesoamerican city. I had always associated Teotihuacan with the Aztec empire, but I learned today that the city is actually far older -- it was founded around 100 BCE, and reached its zenith in around 550 CE. The Aztecs came much later, probably in the 14th century, and by the time they discovered Teotihuacan, it was already a ruin. They incorporated the ancient city into their religion and cultural stories, but they didn't build any of it. It sounds like not much is known of the original inhabitants, but this exhibit featured many artifacts from that time period. It's a traveling exhibit, and if it comes near you, I recommend it.
After grabbing a quick lunch, we went to the nearby San Francisco Botanical Garden to look at the pretty plants. T took lots of pictures, and we spent some time in the small redwood grove. We also watched the critters, including geese, a turkey, and a number of fat squirrels getting ready for the winter. Then the shadows were starting to get long already (curse you, Standard Time) and got ourselves to the store, where we purchased food to make a yummy shrimp dinner.
Now I'm at my computer, kitty by my side, and ready to get my writing done for the day. So far, so good.
First we went to the DeYoung Museum, where I'm a member, to see the new exhibit about Teotihuacan, the ancient Mesoamerican city. I had always associated Teotihuacan with the Aztec empire, but I learned today that the city is actually far older -- it was founded around 100 BCE, and reached its zenith in around 550 CE. The Aztecs came much later, probably in the 14th century, and by the time they discovered Teotihuacan, it was already a ruin. They incorporated the ancient city into their religion and cultural stories, but they didn't build any of it. It sounds like not much is known of the original inhabitants, but this exhibit featured many artifacts from that time period. It's a traveling exhibit, and if it comes near you, I recommend it.
After grabbing a quick lunch, we went to the nearby San Francisco Botanical Garden to look at the pretty plants. T took lots of pictures, and we spent some time in the small redwood grove. We also watched the critters, including geese, a turkey, and a number of fat squirrels getting ready for the winter. Then the shadows were starting to get long already (curse you, Standard Time) and got ourselves to the store, where we purchased food to make a yummy shrimp dinner.
Now I'm at my computer, kitty by my side, and ready to get my writing done for the day. So far, so good.