Rest In Gentle Peace Notorious RBG

"Fight for the things that you care about.

 But do it in a way that will lead others to follow you."

~Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Rest In Gentle Peace.

Thank you, so much!

~Carly

Stockton, California 

September 18th 2020

20 Minute Parking

"There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn the sound of it. Otherwise you'll never understand what it's saying."

~Sarah Dessen, 

Just Listen

I have been enjoying my curbside photography this year. I kind of started doing this kind of thing several years ago, in San Francisco.  These medallions are all over the streets marking the Barbary coast trail. The particular one below was photographed right in front of the Mariners Museum, in North Beach, but I have seen some in Union Square as well. Sometime, maybe this year, I will look up all the locations in the city and seek them out. One great thing about San Francisco, you can go there to photograph one thing, but leave with so much more than thought possible. If you go to San Francisco, and can't find something to photograph, you just aren't paying attention. Well, I suppose that's true of most major cities too, because I found the "20 Minute Parking" inspiration right here in Stockton. I am always in search of new subjects but revisiting old ones can be fun too, which with so much up in the air regarding Covid-19, my photography will have to evolve with this strange new world we find ourselves in. All I can say is, Save Me San Francisco. Lordy I love that song!

~Carly
September 18th, 2020
Stockton, California

Find The Spider 2020 Edition

"the spider's web: She finds an innocuous corner in which to spin her web. The longer the web takes, the more fabulous it's construction. She has no need to chase. She sits quietly, her patience a consummate force; she waits for her prey to come to rendering them unable to escape. Spiders... so needed and yet so misunderstood."

~Donna Lynn Hope 

 I think it might become a new element of my autumn posts, to include a "Find The Spider" post. Do you see the pretty little spider in the picture above? I didn't when I took this photo, but sure enough, there it was when I went to do the editing. The lighting outside is mostly orange, because of the wildfires, so I could have missed it because of that, or maybe it was just that tiny, but this makes the third year in a row I have spotted a spider lurking in one of my leaf photos. Maybe it's a cosmic sign that I need to be more careful while doing photos, which makes sense, because in all the years I have been doing photography seriously, I don't remember enountering as many spiders as I have in the last three years.

I don't like spiders... at all... which is why I haven't done ANY research into why I seem to see more of them during this time of year, but I do know that in some places in California, and some parks, it's strongly discouraged to interfere with tarantulas during October, when they mate. Ugh. Mating spiders. What might that romance be like? Can you imagine a boy spider, looking at a female spider and thinking, "My, my, look at the legs on that lady!" I suppose most boy spiders are leg men. Oh well, who am I to knock romance? Maybe, someday, when Hollywood runs out of love stories for humans, they will take on the spider world. "... And I looked across a crowded web, and there she was, a lady with multiple beautiful legs, she's the lady spider for me!" Ugh. But hey, at least they add a little interesting extra to my photographs, and they are a hell of a challenge!

~Carly
September 16th 2020
Stockton, California
 

Canada Goose

"I've always marveled that geese can feel a call stirring, rise on hardy wings to engage it, and without contemplation, compass or map complete the feat. And could it be that they achieve this astounding accomplishment because far too often contemplation, compass or map rob the call by sterile analysis when we should liberate the call through expectant obedience."

~Craig D. Lounsbrough

Victory Park, here in Stockton, is easily one of the most beautiful parks I have ever visited. It's not surprising, as the Haggin Museum sits right in the middle, as does a fairly large rose garden. I visited there for the first time in a couple years ago, just to sit for a while, get some air, and shake off the day. It was really nice, and not even the smokey air could spoil it. I got in some photography time, and there were plenty of birds to inspire me. I didn't see any Muscovy ducks this time, like I did in 2018, but there were plenty of ducks, swans and Canadian geese! The only thing that disappoints me is the orange color on most if not all of my photos. The wildfires have turned everything slightly orange. It feels like we won't have clean air until winter when the rain comes, but I know its just me wishing things were different. As Ommy used to say...

"... and this too shall pass."

New Leaves...

And the leaves continue to turn beautiful colors and fall,

 and if I have that, all may not be perfect in the world,

 but it's damn close.

More About Canada Geese

 

~Carly

September 16th 2020

Stockton, California

 

 

No Parking Fire Lane

"Aprils have never meant that much to me,

 autumns seem that season of beginning, spring."

~Truman Capote

Breakfast At Tiffany's And Three Stories

This past week, I was treated to one of the happiest sights I have seen in a long time, a decent dusting of autumn leaves under one of my favorite Stockton trees! I have been here for 5 autumns now, and in all that time I have not seen autumn kick in as early as this one, but that's okay, I'll take it with a grateful heart. And actually it's not just Stockton, my favorite tree in Cull Canyon is also in full autumn leaf bloom this past weekend too. I am pretty happy, they are going to help my mood as we move closer to the election. I am hoping it's a good omen about how things will go. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I keep thinking about last year, when I couldn't find autumn, no matter how hard I looked for it. I figure Mother Nature owes us one!And it seems yellow is winning the race so far, and I am loving it!

So far I have mostly photographed leaves from a Liquid Amber tree, but I am planning a visit to Ione, California next weekend, where my favorite Judas tree is. I absolutely love their shape. Kinda like a fan, and kinda like a butterfly, in peaches, pinks, greens and yellows. In other words... the colors of autumn!

 Stay Tuned!

~Carly

September 14th 2020

Stockton, California

Gladys And Friends On Ashby

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.

 It is the fundamental emotion that stands

 at the cradle of true are and true science."

~Albert Einstein

The World As I See It

Remember Gladys? Gladys and I go way back. We made friends back in 2014, while I was stopped in traffic on Ashby avenue, in Berkeley, California. I had just finished with a therapy appointment, and was on my way to do errands in the East Bay, when I looked over, and there she was! As I explained in the original post, I had probably passed her a thousand times, without ever realizing she was there! I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time to notice that tucked back from the road, ever so slightly, was this beautiful lady and some of her friends. Not doing much of anything, just waiting for a slightly sad, perhaps a bit lonely neurotic lady to stop in traffic long enough to notice her.

I don't think her name is actually Gladys, that's just what I call her. While I was studying her that day, that name just came to me, and we have been friends ever since. Eventually I took up politely waving when I passed her coming into or leaving town. I enjoyed doing that. It was a landmark in town that made me feel safe, and comfortable, even downright happy sometimes. She is a cool piece of art, watching over the road, and she is all the beauty and mystery that art should be.

There is some paper attached to the little building that she shares with her friends, but I have deliberately chosen to avoid reading it to see if her real name and story is there. I kind of like things as they are. She's a cool pal, and I like thinking of her that way. I miss Berkeley so much that it makes my heart hurt sometimes, but I look forward to seeing Gladys wherever I visit, and I know she will be right there when I come home. She continually inspires me to look a little deeper at all the places I photograph. What if there are more out there like her, and I simply missed them over the years? Nah... she's clearly an original, but I still find myself looking deeper into the big picture, and for that I am grateful to Gladys and her friends on Ashby, in Berkeley, California.

See you again soon, Gladys!

~Carly

September 14th, 2020

Stockton, California

 

Nuttall's Woodpecker

"Say the truth again and again so that the tedious can grip it.

 Say the truth again and again in the speed of drilling

 in the tree trunks by woodpeckers beak."

~Unknown

Vacation begins in just a little less than a month, so it is time to get in some practice with the camera, and Friday was my first day to get on it. Because of the thick smoke, I couldn't be out as long as I wanted to be, unfortunately, but while I was out I made the most of it. I found some new leaves by Humphrey's College, and this great, Nuttall's Woodpecker, hugging a tree in Victory Park. Well, actually Alan spotted him first, and then shared with me. I wouldn't have seen him at all, if it had just been me, he blended with the tree really well, and his red crown was not as bright as I have seen on other birds. This was also the smallest woodpecker I have ever seen, but it sure is a beauty. It's just under 7 inches long, and has a slender body. I only managed a couple shots of him, before he was on his way across the park. He's an interesting little creature, see the link below if you would like to learn about him. I usually wait until it's officially autumn before I do posts about birds, but in that I found a new one, I suppose it's close enough. I'm happy. So far things are off to a good start for this year.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 

All About Birds 

~Carly

September 14th 2020

Stockton, California