We The Observers

"Autumn writes her own poetry, we are merely observers."

~Terri Guillemets

Autumn is suddenly bursting with color! Every color imaginable. And that slight chill of just a week ago, has transitioned to sweater weather! I love sweater weather! I got out all my favorite winter clothes this week, and filled the pantry with apple cider and mulling spices, and all the things that make this time of year spicy and delicious! I am ready for long car rides to the north, and western Sierra. And maybe Yosemite and June Lake. And, of course, to Monterey and Pacific Grove to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary! That is a lot of traveling, but we have so much fun, and just look at that sky! Breathtaking! 

I am happy to be an autumn observer! I pack a picnic lunch for Alan and I, grab the tripod, a blanket, and my favorite sweater, and off we go! Happiness and the natural beauty of autumn! If there is a Heaven, there will cats, and autumn!

 #21 The Leaf Of The Day

October 21st 2017

Camino, California

 Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Acorn Woodpecker

"In order to see birds it is necessary

 to become a part of the silence."

~Robert Lynd

That pretty bird, is a female Acorn Woodpecker. It is a new bird for my album of birds, and I spotted it on a trip through Ione, on our way to Placerville, last Wednesday afternoon. It's one of the smallest woodpeckers I photographed, but it might just be one of  the most colorful ones! I was very happy to see such a lovely creature, and I am hoping to do a little more bird hunting while we are on vacation. I have always wanted to photograph an owl in the wild, but haven't had the chance, maybe this vacation I will get lucky and spot one! Fingers crossed!

And speaking of colorful... isn't this color amazing? This is a vineyard in Camino, California, in the Apple Hill region! I absolutely love this beautiful burst of autumn colors! While there are only a few trees in Apple Hill that actually produce autumn colors, the vineyards more than make up for it with beautiful rolling hills that look like this! Oh my, I could look at it forever! 

#20 Leaf Of The Day

October 20th 2017

Camino, California

Mood: Happy

~Me :) 

A Feast For The Soul

"****A Small Theory****

"People observe the colors of a day only at it's beginnings and at its ends, but to me it's quite clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations with each passing moment. 

A single hour can consist of thousands of different colors. Waxy yellows, cloud-spat blues. Murky darknesses. In my line of work, I make it a point to notice them."

~Markus Zusak

The Book Thief

This week has definitely been all about the color! Great big glorious color! Autumn is shining bright and beautiful from the Central Valley, all the way up to Placerville! It's so beautiful! Yesterday we went to Apple Hill, for our annual trip to Rainbow Orchards, for Apple Cider doughnuts, and in addition to the tasty treats, we found a lot of beautiful color! The whole trip was a feast for the soul! Doughnuts filled with the taste of cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, and of course, fresh apple juice! And the trees with every single color possible, and to make the whole thing complete, tasty fruit and veggies from right here in the valley!

 

Delicious. Spicy. Gorgeous. Tasty. Autumn!

#19 Leaf Of The Day

October 19th 2017

Camino, California

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

The Tree Within The Tree

"When your heart jumps

 every time your camera locks focus...

 you've become a photographer!"

~Mark Denman

The other day, while Alan and I were bouncing from fruit stand to fruit stand, throughout the Central Valley, we happened by one stand that was selling firewood, and I spotted this piece of wood. It was really dry, and covered with spider webs, dust and dry bark, but the pattern on the inside made me smile. I see in that pattern, an almost snapshot of a once beautiful tree, with many beautiful branches, standing tall an proud, maybe even covered with beautiful autumn leaves. I bet in it's day it filled the heart of those who viewed it, or relied on it for income, as so many do in the valley!

Walnuts, apricots, apples... we got almost everything out here. And now, it will be sold to provide warmth for someone! It's a wonderful end to it's life I think. I know seeing it inspired me and I really enjoyed the chance to see the tree within the tree! It was kinda like seeing it's soul! When I have my camera in my hand, I always try to see beyond the obvious, or the seemingly trivial, and it's brought me some amazing epiphanies and observations, and I have my camera to thank for that!

#18 Leaf Of The Day

October 18th 2017

Stockton, California

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

 

In The Midnight Hour

"The house smelled musty and damp, and a little sweet, as if it were haunted by the ghosts of long-dead cookies."

~Neil Gaiman

American Gods

I love a dark spooky ghoul! I love driving late at night, and looking a holiday decorations around the neighborhood! I have seen some pretty great Halloween decorations, but this one got by me. This one was spotted by Alan, a few nights ago, while on his way home. It changes colors from purple to black and white. I photographed both versions, but I think it looked best in black/white! It certainly seems more spooky to me this way!

I grew up watching spooky old black & white movies, like The Innocents, Psycho, and the original Village Of The Damned! Although, I have to admit, I loved the Christopher Reeve color version too! But there is just nothing like those great old Hollywood thrillers and chillers. Vincent Price, John Carradine, and Lon Chaney really brought the chills! Those old movies may not be sophisticated by today's standards, but they will always be a big part of Halloween at our house! 

#17 Leaf Of The Day

October 17th, 2017

Stockton, California

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

The Magic Of Pumpkins

"Why not imagine a talk with a pumpkin? Why not imagine going off for a drive with a friendly pumpkin,

 a companion who would not, after all, answer back;

 who would agree with everything you said,

 and would at the end of the day appear on your plate as a final gesture of friendship?"

~Alexander McCall Smith

The Woman Who Walked In Sunshine 

One of the best things about living in the Central Valley is all the summer and autumn fruits and vegetables. Everything is local, delicious, and very photogenic, especially the pumpkins! I have seen some of the most beautiful, and uniquely colored pumpkins this season, than I have seen in many years! They are amazing!

Don't get me wrong, nothing can replace the pumpkins from our favorite pumpkin patches in Half Moon Bay, and we wouldn't give up that tradition for the world! There is just nothing like choosing a pumpkin, on a misty coastal day, but there is something to be said for hunting for just the right pumpkin on a warm Central Valley day! But Half Moon Bay has a really special place in my heart! We will be going down there in a week or so, but I am impressed with these pumpkins too!

Oh well, whether it's here in the valley, or along the coast, it always makes for a really nice day, just hanging out with Alan and searching for just the right pumpkin! And since I was a little girl, I just knew when I had found the right pumpkin for me. Somehow... the right pumpkin speaks to you... like a friend you just haven't met yet! It's downright magical to me. Autumn is full of magic, isn't it?

#16 Leaf Of The Day

October 16th, 2017

Manteca, California

Mood: Happy

Me :)  

An Autumnal Afternoon

"A moral character is attached to autumnal scenes; the leaves falling like our years, the flowers fading like our hours,

 the clouds fleeting like our illusions,

 the light diminishing like our intelligence,

 the sun frowning colder like our affections,

 the rivers becoming frozen like our lives...

 all bear secret relations to our destinies."

~Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand

Memoires d' Outre-Tombe

 

Alan and I took a drive yesterday, to enjoy the beautiful late autumn sun, and we enjoyed the journey very much! Saturday was the third day of vacation, and while we still have most of a month to go, things haven't gotten off to the best start! For one, on his last day of work, 2 hours before he was due to leave for the day, he was told he had to work over, for the men that had been chose to man the road closures at the North Bay fires! Frustrating, but more than understandable! Then on Friday, my back was killing me because I had gotten very little sleep, due to Dylan's meowing all morning... LOUDLY! That kitty does not suffer in silence. If things aren't just perfect... he will let you know about it!

So, that meant Saturday was our first chance to get out, and enjoy the beauty of a late afternoon drive in autumn. We chose as our destination, the small town of Ione, California, which is at the farthest end of the Central Valley, in Amador County. The town is known as the "Gateway To The Motherlode." I find Ione fascinating, because not only is it a rustic old west town, but it has a rich history, and it just so happens it has one of the most haunted landmarks not just in California, but indeed, America!

The spooky, Gothic Preston Castle, which was at one time, a boys reformatory! The castle has been featured on many television shows about the paranormal, most recently The Low Files, on A&E! I first visited the area last year, but I have planned a longer post about that later in the month, and what sparked my interest in going back for a visit this year. It's kind of a funny story, and I will share it in the coming weeks, right now it's all about the first real autumn photos for this year, and of course, the leaves! But stay tuned, there is a lot more to come!

#15 Leaf Of The Day

Ione, California

October 15th 2017

Mood: Happy

~Me :)