Pre-Autumn Leaf #2

"In every change, in every falling leaf there is some pain, some beauty. And that's the way new leaves grow."

~Amit Ray

Another pre-autumn leaf. I really like this one. I haven't photographed many large leaves, but I think that might change this season, we'll see. I found it at a really cute fruit stand in Manteca, California, which already had some really beautiful, and impressive pumpkins for sale. It was a good outing, and a necessary one. I have become a bit of a recluse in the last couple years, or maybe agoraphobic, I am not really sure which, or if it's both. I think I touched a bit on that in a previous post. Shrug. It's just been a difficult time, but Alan is encouraging, patient and loving, so I am on the mend I think. He supports me in my photography, and he knows my creativity, and love for autumn in general, tends to get me thinking straight again. Yesterday was a good day. I think tomorrow will be too. I am hopeful anyway.

Mood: Hopeful

~Me :)

Also Coming To A Tree Near You!

"If lightening is the anger of the gods,

 then the gods are concerned mostly about the trees."

~Lao Tzu

Well, last night was fun. Thunder. Lightening. And I had an amazing viewing spot for the whole thing... the comfort of my bed! Yep. I didn't have to get dressed, at 2:40 AM, and grab my camera, and head outdoors to get some pretty good shots of the light show, all I had to do was turn off I Love Lucy, pull the curtains aside, and hang my head upside down from the headboard!

Why upside down? Well, Alan was sleeping next to me, and wasn't hearing the thunder, as it was fairly quiet, for thunder, so I didn't want to get up, turn around and stand on the bed, when all I had to do, was position the camera a bit over my slightly upside down head. It was awkward, but more than worth it, and I am a happy camper because I haven't used my cameras much this year.

I am fighting the depression since Hillary lost. I was sad after that day in November, but the real depression and fear took hold in January when Trump took office. That's when the whole thing began to really hit me hard. REALLY HIT ME HARD. Since that time I have been vocal on Twitter, but my creativity has come and gone. My will to leave the house has bordered on agoraphobia. My life changed in ways I didn't think possible, but I am adjusting.

I have a lot of pictures of different home projects and our fur babies, but I am venturing out a little more, and I am hoping to do my leaf gallery this year. I drove for the first time in almost a year the other day, and that felt good. Baby steps. Leaves. Pumpkins. Cats. Lightening, Baby Steps and repeat. Autumn is coming. That's a good thing!

Central Valley Lightening Storm

Wednesday, September 13th 2017

2:40 AM

Stockton, California

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Coming To A Tree Near You

"Beware of missing chances; 

otherwise it might be altogether too late one day."

~Franz Liszt

Here it is... the first pre-autumn leaf of the 2017 season, and it's from my own yard! We don't have a tree in our yard, the lovely one we planted, just after moving in sadly died. I will be replacing it next spring, but we do get plenty of leaves from our neighbors. Not so much as to be a nuisance, but enough to make me smile. I kind of like the brittle ones. They are fully ages and they had fully matured and transformed from dark green, to lemon yellow, and then finally that lovely brown shade. It's a life lived. Each unique. Each never given up despite it's ultimate outcome. I know, leaves do have much choice on what they give up on, but somehow, they still give me hope, because, after all, I an in the autumn of life now and it's kind of beautiful, in spite of the dark days and approaching cold. 

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

For David, Lynn And Marisa (A Post About 9/11)

"If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, 

we learn life is short and there is no time for hate."

~Sandy Dahl

Wife of Flight 93 pilot, Jason Dahl

I never thought about it until yesterday. September 11th, is a mere 10 days, before the world turns from late summer to early autumn! For most folks that really doesn't matter, it's just the turn of a season, but for me, autumn has always felt like the season that saved me. It wraps it's arms around me with the scents of baked goods, and holidays, and of course, leaves that I chase through two states, and long to, one day, make it three states! But summer... I have never liked summer, with it's hot, and humid long days, that never seem to end and that sometimes feels like the most mean-spirited of all the seasons put together, if a season can be mean!?

Anyway, today is yet another anniversary of that dreadful day in 2001. The day that completely changed America. I don't want to talk about the state of today's current political climate, I will save that for a different post, but politics right now, makes me feel like there is an endless summer happening, only the deep restlessness, and cloudy thinking won't be turning to cooler thoughts anytime soon. How about I leave it there. 

You get what I mean.

Right now, without delving any further into the cruelty or the pain that makes this a permanent day of remembrance, I just want to sit quietly and think about those taken that day, and be thankful for the time, we on Earth, were given with them, and how each touched my life personally.

I will never forget you...

David & Lynn Angell

And this year, I am adding someone who I, haven't spoken about before, but who want to remember each year, from now on. I never got a chance to meet her on earth, but I have read about her, and if I am very lucky, perhaps one day, we will me in Heaven. And what an amazing gift and honor that would be!

Marisa DiNardo Schorpp

She seemed like an amazingly beautiful and caring soul! She was loved very much, and somehow, as I have read about her life over the years, like with the Angells, I feel like I have come to know her. I think I would have been very lucky to have had her for a friend. We are the same age, she and I seemed to have some things in common. Her life was so full and so happy, and it's easy to imagine her sharing the happiness with others! The tragedy of her death, reminds me of how precious life is, and how moments and the beauty of the turning leaves should never be taken for granted! She has touched my life... from Heaven!

Rest In Peace

David

Lynn

&

Marisa 

Mood: Quiet

~Me