Saturday, June 07, 2008

Weekend Assignment #219: Preferred Transportation

"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking."

-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Weekend Assignment #219: What is your favorite form of transportation, and why? You can choose any means of traveling by land, sea or air, with just one catch: it has to currently exist in the real world, or have existed in the past. No TARDIS, no Star Trek transporter, no flying DeLoreans, all right?

Extra Credit: What's the most unusual form of transportation you've ever taken?

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

I smiled when I saw this week's Weekend Assignment, because just this past week, Alan and I finally bought ourselves the bikes we have been looking at, and now I get to show them off! It was a good week. There is a lot to share, and I will over the next few days, so stay tuned for that. I want to keep on topic here.

Last week, George Bush sent us some stimulation, lol, so Alan and I sat down and decided where it should go. Elvis came first, and he is now taken care of. We don't have too many other needs, except for the same ones everyone does. When all was said and done, there was more then enough left over for this investment in recreation, health and just plain fun. :)

It was a hoot getting up on a bike, after having not ridden one for almost 25 years! I have a slight case of saddle sore, lol, but the legs feel great and the soul feels like dancing! I had forgotten how much fun it was to peddle along, just letting my thoughts run wild. And of course there is the added bonus of how exercise lowers my blood glucose levels. We have gone riding here in the hills, everyday this past week, and we will be going again today. I am looking forward to it. :)

An old flame told me about a year ago, that when I was a youngin' of about 22 or so, I looked really good on my bike. I didn't learn to drive until I was 23, so up until then, the bike, and walking, was how I made my way around. :) I was surprised that my old flame still had that thought in his mind. I know darned well that driving a car has made me a somewhat lazy girl, and as a result, things simply aren't where they used to be.

I love driving. I love going to far off places and seeing new things, but because there is a trade-off, driving has done very little for my legs and rear end. LOL. Thankfully, over the years, I haven't gone too far down hill too fast. :) I am ok for almost 46, but with the bike, I think I will soon be DARN GREAT for 46! The bike will be good for me, but I do have to say, I still love my car, Lilith, and she will always be my favorite way to see my world, so above you see my two great loves for traveling adventures near, and far. Lilith and Lil Lilith.

Gas prices are what they are, but it doesn't mean I have to give up having photo adventures, I just had to allow myself to try a new way of looking at things. And besides, the bike makes much more sense for doing errands around town. There is never enough parking in downtown Berkeley. In that it is a college town, you see bicycles everywhere. It just makes a lot more sense in this economy. I imagine a lot of folks will be considering a bike for at least some of their transportation.

Extra Credit: I once flew from Washington D.C. to Lynchburg, Virginia, in a Piedmont commuter plane, that had 4 propellers and made a lot of noise as it flew up and down between the 6 stops in-between! I know traveling by airplane isn't exactly new, but the propeller thing was definitely new to me! Loud and slightly scary. LOL. Sometime I will write about that whole adventure. Stay Tuned!

-OndineMonet
"My Two Rides"
Berkeley, California
June 6th, 2008
Late Afternoon

Friday, June 06, 2008

Yes, Please!

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

-Lucy Van Pelt ( Peanuts ) By Charles Schulz

I had a really good time this past week with the camera. Yesterday was nothing short of perfect! I will be sharing more about things over the next few days, but for now, this was my favorite shot from my time with the camera on Thursday. It was a good day for a lot of reasons, but starting the day off with a hot chocolate, made just the way I like it, with a shot of raspberry syrup, was more then just pleasant... it was almost sinful. :)

It was nice to sit outside, at my favorite cafe here in Berkeley, and just enjoy the cool, clear air, the sweet, hot chocolate, and then find out 2 hours later that my blood glucose level was just 108 mg/dl! I am so glad I invested a little time in myself, after my diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, to educate myself and bring things in my life under control. How else would I have found out that a little dark chocolate once a day, has so many health benefits! :)

I like this photo. I like the colors and the lighting. There is just something about how it all comes together that seems pleasing to me somehow. I was really fascinated by the shadows cast by the sun, coming through the trees on the patio of the cafe, and I spent a lot of time just snapping at as many shadows as I could find. Overall I think I am happy with what I found through the lens. It was a good day!

-OndineMonet
"Delicious"
Caffe Strada
Berkeley, California
June 5th, 2007
Late Morning

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Martha's A-Z Photo Challenge: "F" is for Fromage

"Worry is today's mice, nibbling on tomorrow's cheese."

-Unknown

I hope I'm not cheating here, by using the French word for cheese, Fromage. ;) But you see, I love cheese for not only it's wonderful flavor, but I also find it darned photogenic as well. Gouda, Cotswold, Cheddar, Swiss, Havarti, French Feta, it's all good! Parlez-vous Fromage?

Be sure to go see all the participants in the challenge for the letter "F.". Martha has the list posted and ready for jogging. It can be found here.

If you would like to play along, I bet Martha would love to have you. You can visit Martha's entry for the letter "E" by clicking the link to her journal, Perception.


-OndineMonet
"Cheeseheads"
Berkeley, California
January, 2005
Afternoon

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Gone Fishing

"Oh, why can't we break away from all this, just you and I, and lodge with my fleas in the hills? I mean, flee to my lodge in the hills."

- S. J. Perelman, Will B. Johnstone, and Arthur Sheekman, Monkey Business


Time for a little time away from the computer and the Internet. Today is June 1st! Where has the year gone? Pretty soon it will be time to put up the Christmas tree again. Where did I put that thing? (Insert crossed eyes here). I'll be back in a few days with an Elvis update, new photos, and who knows what else. Look for me around Thursday.

-Carly

"Gone Fishing"
Livermore, California
May 28th, 2007
Morning