The Colors Of Summer

 

"Keep your face to the sun and you cannot see the shadows. That's what sunflowers do."

~Helen Keller

Summer is almost gone, but there are still some sunflowers lining Woodbridge road. Funny thing, it's sights like this that have made me come to mourn summer parting, maybe just a little bit.

The seasons all have their own unique gifts.

Summer Sun, Somethings Begun

 

"Bees do have a scent you know, and if they don't they should,

 for their feet are dusted with the spice from a million flowers."

~Ray Bradbury

Dandelion Wine

Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer, but reality says we have about three weeks until the season really begins. Either way, there are signs everywhere that cheer me up in a summer way, and one of them is roadside sunflowers, and little bees enjoying them. It's a pretty happy turn of events, and quite welcome. Especially when it's May 27th, and it's cold.

 Mother nature certainly has a strange sense of humor.

😂

Pardon My Sunflower

 

“Everything takes time. Bees have to move very fast to stay still.”

 

     ~David Foster Wallace,

   Brief Interviews with Hideous Men

 

Pardon me for yet another sunflower photo, but I am off on a little photo adventure today, which means I need to get in bed soon. So, just another little sunflower, in the late summer sun, making friends with a bee.

 

And all is right with the world.

 

 

A Blossom And A Bee

 

"Or maybe spring is the season of love and fall the season of mad lust. Spring for flirting but fall for the untamed delicious wild thing."

 

~Elizabeth Cohen

The Hypothetical Girl 

 

I love this quote. Honestly, I have never really enjoyed spring, but I am beginning to climb out of my depression, so I am actually looking at spring a lot differently, from more of a creative standpoint. I wish I was in the Bay Area, almost all the time, but I am settled in the valley now. It's just that the Bay Area has so many wonderful places to photograph, no matter what season you are in. The tulips should be in full bloom now at Queen Wilhemina windmill garden, in Golden Gate Park. The Japanese Tea Garden is probably filled with cherry blossoms now too. Oh my, I miss San Francisco so much. I am okay though, I have my birding now, and I am absolutely certain that if I had to move from here suddenly, I would miss it the way I do my home in the East Bay. When I finally put down roots, they go deep. I think I might finally be happy, or at least content. And hey, look what I found in Lodi! And get this... it was in the parking lot of a gas station! It's reminding me that it's way past time for me to be searching with a purpose, because around every corner, there is something waiting to be noticed. Stuff folks are so used to, that it's never really seen. My camera helps me to see things, I think I would miss entirely, if I didn't have the perspective of life through a lens. It makes the little things matter to me. Like the beauty of a bee on a blossom. I am hoping to do a lot more spring photography this year. There is a lot of beauty to be seen.

 

 Spring makes the same amount of noise that autumn does,

it just does it in pastel colors! Spring is the promise of an autumn to come. That thought makes me happy. It's life.

 

~Carly

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 :)

The Colors Of A Single Autumn Day...

"Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don't they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers."

~Ray Bradbury

 Dandelion Wine

Leaves, bees, flowers, sunsets, sunrises, everything seems so much more vibrant in autumn! It made me happy to study that tiny little creature, as it hopped from mum to mum. It even paused for a brief moment among some leaves, as if he appreciated them as much as I did, but then it was right back to the flowers! He was an active guy, almost as happy as I was think! I hope all this beautiful color lasts long into winter, as it does in some years, but we are almost at the half point of the this season. Can you believe how fast this autumn has gone by? Hopefully that is a good sign for continued color!

The Colors Of A Single Autumn Day... 

Leaf Of The Day

October 28th 2016

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

 

Hey, At Least There's That!

"I want to grow a flower for every time someone tells me "FUCK YOU." Then I'll go back to that person and pin the flower on their lapel in a gesture of friendship. And while they are looking down on it in astonishment, I'll bunch up my knuckles and punch them in the face."

~Jarod Kintz

I Want Two Apply For A Job At Our Country's Largest Funeral Home,

 And Then Wear A Suite And Noose To The Job Interview.

My crappy, sarcastic mood continues. Our living situation is such a mess, and we still haven't any idea where we are going to move to. We are spending our days panicking, packing, and preparing to head for parts unknown. Will don't know if we will have to get rid of the cats, also known as my babies, and yes, we have hired a lawyer in an attempt to try and get back some of the money that has been defrauded out us. We are hoping to get enough back from the taxes to have key money, and if all this depressing stuff isn't enough, I take my car in Tuesday for repairs on the fender that was smashed last week. They auto body guys say it will look okay, but probably not perfect. Sheesh. Did I mention my car's 1 year anniversary was this past Thursday, April 2nd? Smashed in less than one year. Sheesh. 

But hey, at least it's going to rain this week. 

No, that's not inconvenient. Thanks for asking!

Mood: Okay, But Sarcastic

~Me :)

February Quince

"Groundhog found fog. New snows and blue toes. Fine and dandy for Valentine candy

Snow spittin; if you're not mitten-smitten, you'll be frostbitten! By jing-y feels spring-y."

~Old Farmer's Almanac 

This is one of the first photos taken with my new phone!

16 megapixels

5212 x 2988

Phase Detection Autofocus LED Flash

So far... I am IN LOVE!

Stay Tuned

I love my new phone. 

I love it so much, I am taking it out for Valentine's Day.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

November...

November, n. The eleventh twelfth of a weariness."

~Ambrose Bierce

November

No sun... no moon!

No morn... no noon...

No dawn...

No sky... no earthly view

No distance looking blue

No road... no street... no t'other side way...

No end to any Row...

No indications where the Crescents go...

No top any steeple...

No recognitions of familiar people...

No courtesies for showing 'em...

No knowing 'em!

No traveling at all... no locomotion,

No inkling of the way... no notion...

No Go... by land or ocean...

No mail... no post...

No news from any foreign coast...

No park... no ring... afternoon gentility...

No company... no nobility...

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, 

No comfortable feel in any member...

No shade, no shine, butterflies, no bees,

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,

November!

~Thomas Hood

It's early November, and the Bay Area is really just getting started on it's Autumn lights. But the trees should be absolutely stunning the next few weeks with Gold, Crimson, Green, Purple and Brown.

In other words... November!

:)

Leaf Of The Day

 

Mood: Happy

Me :)

An Apple Hill Bee And A Placerville Leaf

"An apple tree is just like a person. In order to thrive, it needs companionship that's similar to it

 in some ways, but quite different than others."

~Jeffery Stepakoff

Here are the first photos from our trip to Apple Hill. We had an amazing time, but I was a little sad there wasn't more autumn color. The whole area felt... well... a bit sad. I suppose it's understandable, given the situation with the drought and wild fires California has been experiencing. Oh but one thing hasn't changed... the amazing Apple Cider donuts from Rainbow Orchards.

Life affirming delicious!

But I will tell you all about them tomorrow!

Stay Tuned!

The Leaf Of The Day

Placerville, California

October 14th 2014

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

More Days To Come

"Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don't they should, 

for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers."

~Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine

Alan and I had an amazing time at Pier 39 yesterday, and I took a lot of pictures of our adventure, but because I took so many, I will have to post the photos next week. In the meantime here is just one of the pictures I took in the garden in front of Dock 4 where the Rocket Ship was docked. It was an amazing day... and there is more days like this to come!

Stay Tuned

The Leaf Of The Day

October 5th 2014

 

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Round Robin Challenge: Spring Time! + A Week Of Yellow Day Six: Soft Yellow

Soft Yellow California Poppy
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Spring, 2012

"It's spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart."

~Rainer Maria Rilke

RRC: Spring Time

I think I should probably begin this post with a heartfelt I am Sorry Karen, because I know that flowers are not at the top of her list of favorite subjects, both to look at or to photograph. But here's the thing, I found myself absolutely drawn to them this year, probably because of my illness last Spring which kept me housebound for most of the season! I didn't get out to do much photography from late February thru early June, and by then, most of the first young lovely flowers of spring, were moving over for the more hardy plants and flowers of summer! 

The summer flowers are beautiful, and you know I would give up all the flowers of both seasons, in favor of the leaves of autumn, but when you can't photograph them, you learn to not take them for granted. So, this post is quite flower heavy, with flowers from springs past, and a couple from spring of this year! But hey, it's not a total loss, there is also a furry wild creature or two to break up the flower monotony! :)

My Spring Gallery...

Happy Squirrel
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Spring 2010


Purple Flowers
Tilden Park, Berkeley, California
Spring 2006
 

Yellow Flower With Bee
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Spring 2005


Spring Bouquet
Berkeley, California
Spring 2014


Spring Balloons 
My Favorite Color Combination
Spring, 2011


Japanese Tea Garden
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Spring, 2005


Purple Ice Plant
Pacific Grove/Monterey Bay, California
Spring, 2010


Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Spring, 2005


Spring Blossoms With Bee
Berkeley, California
Spring, 2006


Pink Blossoms
Pleasanton, California
Spring, 2014


Tree Blossoms
Golden Gate Park
Spring, 2013
 

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want... oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

~Mark Twain

Okay, now that you have seen my post for the Round Robin Challenges, how about joining in? I know Karen would be thrilled to have a new player joining us. Just click the link at the top of this post to be redirected to the official Round Robin blog, where you can find all the information you need to play along, plus the links to the other participants for this challenge. Please consider joining us!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Pretty Dancing Flames

"October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around dancing flames and into a good book."

~Unknown

 

The leaves are turning, but slowly. The summer flowers are still showing off their summer pride! As far as my photography goes, I couldn't be happier! I like spending days at the beach and the gardens around San Francisco, and still be able to get excited by the leaves, as they turn from green to a kaleidoscope of autumn color! It's the best of all possible worlds! When the reddest of leaves move about in the wind, they kind of look like dancing flames. It's beautiful!

Bees Love Autumn...



Mood: Happy

~Me :)