A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 93: RRC: HOT HOT HOT

"Put your hand on a HOT stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it all seems like a minute. THAT's relativity."

~Albert Einstein

RRC: HOT HOT HOT

It's summer, and so I thought I would find some inspiration in the weather for this RRC, but I live in the Bay Area, and that means you can't guarantee anything about the weather. Today alone, saw mincroclimates varying as much as 50 degrees. If you were on the coast, in Half Moon Bay, or Pacifica, temperatures barely made it out of the 50's, but if you were in Brentwood or perhaps a little south like Gilroy, then it was a sweltering 100 or so. I guess that is one of the things I love most about living here. Variety is the spice of life. One of the best times I had with the camera, took place a few years ago when Alan and I went to Half Moon Bay, on a Tuesday, to watch the Mavericks Surf Contest and enjoy some clear 85 degree weather, and the next day we drove to the southern Sierra to play in some freshly fallen snow at a snow park. February in California is awesome!

Unfortunately, this time around, the weather didn't really cooperate as an inspiration, and I had the added intrusion of having to replace my desktop computer, after my last one's untimely death. May it RIP. So, please forgive me, I am posting one or two new photos, but the rest are ones previously posted on my blog for different projects. The majority were posted several years ago, so I hope they will be enjoyable to view a second time around. I promise by the time Karen's next RRC comes around, I will have some brand new photos to participate with. I have a lot of photo jaunts on deck for the next couple weeks... with fate's permission of course.Okay... here we go...

HOT HOT HOT Gallery

"Never kick a fresh turd on a HOT day" ~ Harry S. Truman

The sun, early in the morning, as wild fires raged throughout Northern California.



The newest rose added to my rose garden.It's called HOT Cocoa. I love how the colors range from deep red to a deep purple. This photo doesn't do it justice, it is truly one of the loveliest most unusual colored roses I have ever seen. It is my favorite.



"I can't think of any sorrow in the world, that a HOT bath wouldn't help just a little bit."

~Susan Glasee

One autumn day, a few years back, Alan and I decided to take a drive up the coast from Half Moon Bay, to Santa Cruz. Along the way, just outside of Pescadero, we saw a lot of smoke coming from a controlled burn that was taking place. As we drove past, I noticed that the scene was producing some interesting shadows, so we decided to stop and do some shots. When I got home, I was quite happy with what I had captured. I dunno... I kind of like it. It has a spooky surreal feeling to it. 

Thoughts?





"Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you got to say, and say it HOT."

~David Herbert Lawrence

This was an experiment in candlelight. What do you think?



"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned."

 ~Buddha

I thought it only fair to also show the tools for putting the HOT out. :)

 




"The cat, having sat upon a HOT stove lid, will not sit upon a hot stove lid again. But he won't sit upon a cold stove lid, either."

~Mark Twain

Okay, you knew I had to add something of autumn... right? But don't the colors remind you of cinnamon and nutmeg? Both HOT spices. Both delicious. Both healthy. YUM. :) One thing is true about HOT weather, without it, autumn tends to be a lot less vivid.



Do not wait to strike while the iron is hot; buy make it hot by striking."

~William Butler Yeats

I just had to show off the view from up here in the East Bay hills. That is the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, as a very hot sun sets on the horizon. Just looking at this photo makes me happier than I can say. :)




Okay, that's my round up of all things HOT. Time for you to go see what the other Round Robin participants have posted for this challenge. Just click the link at the beginning to be redirected back to the official Round Robin blog, where you will find the list.

Now, go see what my friend JR has been up to...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/08/apadf6-89.html (Wednesday)

http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/08/apadf6-90.html (Thursday)

http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/08/apadf6-91.html (Friday)

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 92~ Garden Update

"The greatest gift of the garden, is the restoration of the five senses."

~Hanna Rion

It's time to update the happenings in the garden. The roses are probably at their most lovely right now. They have been doing exceptionally well this year in general, but as the summer moves on, the colors seem to only get more vivid and the plants themselves are much stronger. I have full faith, that as the winter months come upon us, the rose garden will not only survive, but might even bloom a little. That's one of the best parts about living in Northern California... the tease of perhaps having fresh roses from one's own garden on Christmas morning! :)

The Zucchini and the tomatoes are also doing fantastic. It's taking the Heirloom tomatoes a long time to reach full maturity, but they are going to be delicious when they do. A couple have reached an amazing shade of red, and it's all I can do to resist cutting it from the vine and eating it right there. But, alas, it is a Black Krim, and it has a way to go before reaching it's height of flavor. It's okay, Alan's Mama Mia tomatoes are red, ripe and ready for picking. I am going to be one busy lady over the next week or two trying out various recipes.

Tomato Bisque
Tomato Crustini
Stuffed Tomatoes
Zucchini Gems
Tomato and Zucchini Gratin

I will be posting some photos, over the next few days, of the recipes I am trying. I love to get the basic recipe for something delicious, and then tweak it to make it my own. Lunch later today will be a Toasted Cheese Tomato and Sandwich, on sourdough bread, toasted with a bit of cheese and fresh herbs on the outside, and a small amount of my special aioli on the inside, to make it crunchy and tasty. Yum. And won't the roses look lovely on the table, for my rustic lunch? There is nothing like vegetables straight out of the garden.

:) Happiness.


Garden Gallery August 9, 2012













"It is good to alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all it's shy presences may haunt you and possess you in the reverie of suspended thought."

~Me :)

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 91~ Plan B Is A B

"Plans are an invitation to disappointment."

~Steve Maraboli

I know what you're thinking. The picture above doesn't look like a picture of Woody Allen. And you are right! It really doesn't does it? Well, there is a good reason... you see... Alan and I had one of our unplanned adventures today, and it took place about a million miles away from anywhere Woody Allen was today. Well, okay, that might be a tiny bit of an exaggeration, but sometimes, a miss is as good as a million miles... right?

Funny Story...

Last night, I finished up my blog post. Turned off the computer. And set about packing all the things one would need for a day of stalking a brilliant artist named Woody Allen. You would think it wouldn't take that much to end up with a successful day of stalking, but you see, I have been told, by more than one man in my lifetime, that I am the type of woman that is... well... you know... HIGH MAINTENANCE. I have always denied that that characterization of me had ANY merit. After all, I live with me, and I do so quite successfully, and mind you, I am never late for an appointment. Now how many "HIGH MAINTENANCE" women can say that?

Anyway, last night I set about my camera bags. In went a new package of SD cards. A Ziploc with a ton of AA batteries. Assorted scrunchies, fabric hair bands,  and hair clips, because it is VERY important to keep one's hair out of one's eyes when stalking an artistic GOD. Also added to the camera bag was three packages of snacks. Gummie Bears. Pizza flavored Pepperidge Goldfish, and 2 mint Milanos. As a diabetic I have to carry a few different snacks, just in case my blood decides to drop like a wayward cannonball in an unsuspecting neighborhood.

I had a close call with my blood suddenly dropping last Monday. It scared the heck out of Alan and didn't do much for my nerves either. So, Alan made a point to insist upon reminding me to pack the snack bag. 

And yep... CHECK. Snack bag was packed.

Next on the list was to make sure all 3 cameras were cleaned top to bottom, back to front.

And yep... CHECK. Cameras were clean.

Next came the binoculars. Why binoculars? In case we didn't find Woody Allen, but did find birds. We like bird hunting. :)

Okay. Good Job. The camera bag was all packed and ready.

Now my purse.

LOL. Don't worry, I wont list the entire contents of my purse, but I will say I had everything I needed. 

It's a GO! ROAD TRIP!

When I got up this morning, I found that Alan had gone out and brought us back some delicious Starbucks nutrition. YUM. My Wednesday was getting off to a great start! Just before it was time to leave, I decided to check my emails on the computer, rather than on my phone as I usually do. I didn't want to go, if there was something I could take care of now, rather than later. Why did I tempt fate? Sigh. 

CRAP.

To my profound sadness, I found that my computer was dead. And not just any kind of dead. DEAD AS A DOORNAIL DEAD. Marley's ghost kind of DEAD. Pushing up daisies kind of DEAD. Sigh. Special kind of DEAD. DEAD with raisins on top. DEAD.

So, long story short. No stalking Woody Allen. No trip to San Francisco. No trip to Marin County. No lunch in Corte Madera. No Nothing. Sorry, I know I used a double negative just then, but sometimes, they have their place. 

POUT.

But on the bright side, I am writing this blog post from the keyboard of my brand new computer. It is an awesome machine, and I will take it's portrait soon and share it with you. It's a cutie. Not as cute as Woody Allen, but cute all the same. And hey, while I know I probably won't get another chance to photograph him from afar again in my lifetime, at least I am not sitting here, sharing about how I either scared the HELL out of Woody Allen, or how I had the chance to shake his hand, but couldn't because I fell down in a heap of a embarrassing celebrity mishap.

Life happens the way it's supposed to.

:)

It just does. And knowing that means that the disappointment hurts a little less. And Plan Bs really do have their place. But hey, there's always hope. Right?

Someday... Woody Allen... Someday!

"Announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh."

~David Milch

~Me :)

Today's Link...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/08/apadf6-88.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 90~ A Day Late And A Lighthouse Short

"Anythin' for a quiet life, as the man said when he took the situation at the lighthouse."

-Charles Dickens

Yesterday, Tuesday, was National Lighthouse Day. I completely forgot in all the WoodyAllenNess, but just because it slipped my mind, doesn't mean I shouldn't pay it proper tribute. Right? And besides, several of the Bay Area lighthouses were named among the prettiest. And for good reason! Below is a nice gallery of some of my favorite shots, it's far from a complete gallery, I need to replace my lighthouse file with updated pictures, but that's just one more thing to keep me busy this next fall and winter. I am hoping to add a couple that are especially difficult to reach, when we take the plane trip in October. That would be a wonderful vantage point. I am looking forward to that!

First up... Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pescadero, California





Point Montara Lighthouse, Montara, California





Alcatraz Lighthouse



Point Reyes Lighthouse, Point Reyes Station, California



Half Moon Bay Harbor Light



Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California



Surfer Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California



Point Arena Lighthouse, Point Arena, California

From For Ellipsis

Lightship Relief, Jack London Square, Oakland, Ca





Point Pinos Lighthouse, Pacific Grove, Ca



Okay, that's all the lighthouses I have for tonight. On my big photo jaunt to San Francisco, and Marin County tomorrow, I have a couple brief stops planned to photograph a couple more. Well, anyway, that's the plan right now. Cross your fingers for me... it all depends on the level of sleep I reach tonight. It's amazing how much of my life centers around how well I sleep. 

It just is what it is.

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 89~ 62 And Falling

"The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It's not only their unbelievable stature, nor their color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time."

~John Steinbeck

 

John Steinbeck loved California. Can you tell? I believe he was as much in love with it as I am. Oh, I talk a good game about winning the lottery and jumping head first into New York City, but I know deep down that it wouldn't take very long before I would be hurting from head to foot, not with Fibromyalgia pain, but rather deep homesickness for my beautiful Bay Area, and points along the California coast.



I love every single inch of it. It's people in general I can't stand. It's humans that mucks things up. But that's hardly a new story, humans have been ruining it for everyone, since the invention of humans. Still, knowing that doesn't help a lot. Sometimes I think I could be very happy in my own little cottage, high on a hillside, kinda like Hearst Castle, just me, Alan and the boys. But like everything, it has it's downside too. From what I understand Hearst Castle is invaded by tarantulas, lots of them, every year about this time. 

Even the pool.

Blech.

The only thing that could make me glad to be overrun with humans, is the prospect of being overrun by tarantulas. 

Blech.

For now, when I need to feel like I need a bit of a getaway, I will stick with Tilden Park, and the small redwoods in the Botanic Garden. But I will keep the Giant Redwoods up north on my Photography Bucket List.



~Me :)

Today, Tuesday, I plan to be in San Francisco stalking Woody Allen. Hopefully I will get to go to the city as planned, but yesterday I had a problem with my blood glucose levels. My body was trying to send me into hypoglycemic territory. I wasn't feeling well when I got up, and after checking my blood I saw that had registered 62, and it continued to fall. But, 1 bottle of apple juice, and 1 large drink of OJ and I recovered nicely. So, if all goes well I will have some new photos tomorrow night, if not, then I will probably go in Wednesday instead. So... wish me luck. Because, how often will I have the opportunity to stalk Woody Allen... right?

~ Me Again :)

And Now, Today's Link...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/08/apadf6-87.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 88 ~ Humor And Then Some + Dancing With Woody Allen

The story so far...

In the beginning, the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of the people very angry, and been widely regarded as a bad move.

~Douglas Adams, The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe

WOOOO FUCKING HOOOO WOOT WOOT!

Sorry, as I write this, the Mars rover, Curiosity, has just landed. Now, do you think it will capture any little green men? Or will it be little grey men? I wonder if Marvin is home? Wouldn't it be a trip if he was? Speculate on that for a while. LOL.

Enough Already...

Okay, I suppose I should say upfront, my focus is all over the place at the moment. I am saddened, that once again, someone decided to kill people for attention but I am not going to dwell in the heartbreak right now. There is still a lot about what has happened we don't know. The details will reveal themselves soon enough, and when they do, we will be told we can't even try for a better world, because the rights of the NRA are more important than my right to not have to worry that the person beside me has an assault rifle.

Enough. Already!

A New York Moment... San Francisco Style.




Alan and I have a dream. We would like to hit Mega Millions Lottery, and move to New York City. LOL. Who doesn't, right? But understand, it's not the money, well maybe it is  a little, but it's also it's because we would love to live our lives, with the financial freedom to just enjoy each others company, without fear of state mandated furloughs, or having to save in case one or both of us should suffer a catastrophic illness one day. We both daydream about visiting every Starbucks in Manhattan. Buying season passes to all the Broadway shows. Going to the Carnegie Deli for a giant corned beef sandwich, followed by a little leaf peeping in Central Park. Oh, and one more thing, the thrill of possibly of looking up from our Carnegie Deli Cheesecake, to see Woody Allen, enjoying a sandwich of his own, just across the room.

That is my dream New York minute.

It's not super likely that will ever happen. Let's face it, the odds of actually hitting the lottery is pretty darn slim, although we came pretty close a couple weeks ago when we hit 4 out of six numbers, and were awarded the sum of $193.00. Ooh... so close and yet so far. LOL. But something amazingly awesome has happened recently in the City By The Bay, which could have been a close answer to my New York prayers,. Woody Allen decided to film his next movie right here. Right here in San Francisco. Awesome! I looked into perhaps being an extra in his film, I do have an extensive uncredited resume of acting rolls that could make me a great candidate. I have appeared in not just one, but two films about Major League Baseball. I starred alongside Danny Glover and Tony Danza in Angels In The Outfield, and Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in MoneyBall.

But, alas, when I visited the "Extras Wanted" page for Woody's film, the casting call was for a... Clean Cut, Upscale, Conservative, Well Dressed... . A man? Man! Sigh. I would play anything Woody asked me to play, but I don't think I could carry off Upscale Conservative... from Marin? A conservative from Marin? Does Woody know that there aren't any conservatives in Marin? LOL. Oh I kid the filmmaker... but seriously... CONSERVATIVES IN MARIN? I can't wait to see how THAT plays out on the big screen. LOL. Sigh. Shoot... when will I get the chance to be in a Woody Allen movie again?

Maybe after I hit the Mega Millions Lottery... and move to Manhattan. 

LOL.

Typical.

LOL.

5'9 Beautiful Tall

Now, about the picture at the top of the post. Funny story... Alan and I had been in the car ALL DAY. We got up at the crack of 3 AM and drove to Reno, Nevada, which is about a 4 hour drive, if you obey all the laws. We had reservations at the Atlantis, and check in time was 4 PM. While we waited, and waited and finally decided to kill some time in Virginia City, which is about a 30 minute car ride up the hill. We got there, walked around, played some slot machines, but it was still 3 hours before check in. We started to get a bit fussy with each other, as familiarity and a 5 hour car ride will do to people, and we started nit-picking at each other. Pretty soon, we found ourselves in a ridiculous argument about whether or not, Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress was performed by the Hollies.

It was.

Finally, we just stopped talking all together. It was more fun to seeeeeth.

And then, there it was! That sign with the double meaning. LOL. We didn't have to say a word, with both LAUGHED OUT LOUD at the same time. Suddenly, NO MORE FUSSING. In that moment, the humor was much more important that any stupid argument. Our humor, is what keeps our marriage young and fresh, and I thank GOD for it every day.

:) I am still smiling. 

And by the way, I am going to San Francisco on Tuesday to stalk... I mean... hope to see Woody Allen. He is going to be in the Marina district. It will be a New York Minute when his eyes meet mine, just with a bit of San Francisco flavor. Like Rice A Roni, our meeting will be a San Francisco treat. LOL. 

Uh huh.

"Ever notice 'WHAT THE HELL?' is always the right answer?"

~Marilyn Monroe

~Me :) 

(Please switch to Firefox to view videos)

And Now, The Hollies, Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress...



Woody Allen... The Moose

 


Today's Links...

Jr
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/08/apadf6-85-86.html

Jama
Sweet Memories

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 87~ Getting Ready For Autumn

"The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly changes from the summer of cotton into it;s winter woods."


~ Henry Beston


 


"Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits."

~Samuel Butler



Finally, we are in august. August is necessary only in the sense that it is the last full month of summer. I am not a big fan of August, for many reasons, not the least of which is that my father passed away on a late August afternoon. I don't think about the day he passed very often, and of course I am not blaming August for his passing, but still there is an association however slight it might be. Strange how we humans make those kinds of useless associations. I miss my father sometimes. Most of the time I think about how happy he probably is, and how spiritually at peace he was when he died. He lived his life full. He did what he wanted. Said what he wanted. Acted and acted out the way he wanted. He was complicated and had an outlandish sense of humor. He was a character.




Changing the subject...






August on it's own is fine. Perhaps my favorite of the summer months. There seems to be more dragonflies, and the mornings are sometimes full of wonderfully spooky fog. I enjoy looking out my office window, as the fog moves through the yard, slowly... distinctively. But my favorite part of the month of August, is that along toward the end of the month, the color of the sun will begin to change to a beautiful shade of lovely. It's not easy to explain, but when I see that new shade of sun... apparent most often in the early morning... my heart warms. because it's a sign that Autumn will soon be here. The summer can be left behind, and with it, everything that keeps me from thinking straight.


 


"There is something incredibly nostalgic and significant about the annual cascade of autumn leaves."


~Joe L. Wheeler




~Me :)