Art About Town: San Francisco... La Rose Des Vents, By Jean-Michel Othoniel

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."

~Twyla Tharp

We finally got back to Golden Gate Park a couple days ago. Since moving to Stockton, we haven't visited San Francisco with nearly the same frequency we did when we lived in the East Bay, and I have missed it so much that it's like a piece of me is missing! But the other day we made a whole day of it, crossing the San Mateo Bridge and driving up the coast!

We went to specifically see the Dahlia Garden, which sits next to the Conservatory of Flowers, and they didn't disappoint, they were gorgeous, and I will devote a whole post about them soon, but in addition to those lovely flowers, I found that there was a new addition of public art to brighten the park! It was so pleasant to see it there, and it's a gorgeous bright yellow color that can't help but make one smile, especially on a dark, rainy San Francisco day! It is a kinetic sculpture, by artist, Jean-Michel Othoniel. 

The weather may have made everything seem slightly blue, but the mood I felt wasn't blue at all! I loved the smell of the cold damp earth, and the smell of fireplaces and the mixture of different foods being prepared as we made our way around the city! Ahhh... I was home. I was in my San Francisco, and all was well!

 Leaf Of The Day

October 27th, 2016

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Reflection Of A Waterlily

"Sometimes a girl just has to dive under the duvet and regroup."

~Jody Gehrman, Confessions Of A Triple Shot Betty

I think the cloud is beginning to pass. I hope so anyway. I am not pushing things, so today's photo is from the archives. September, 2005. Alan and I were visiting the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. We walked the whole place then finally visited the last room, that is kept extremely HOT and HUMID because all the wonderful tropical plants are at their happiest when it is HOT and Humid. The amazon waterlilies were thriving, and couldn't have been more lovely. I couldn't put the camera down! I was so pleased to be able to capture this pink one, with just the right angle and lighting, to bring it's reflection in focus so finely. It was a good day with the camera!

I am focusing on good memories as I work through the negativity.

Mood: Content

~Me :)

Flutterby

"We are all butterflies. Earth is our chrysalis."

~LeeAnn Taylor

The Conservatory of Flowers, in Golden Gate Park, just wrapped up it's incredible Butterflies and Blooms exhibit, last Sunday, March 16th. I meant to do a post about how much I had enjoyed the exhibit long before now, but something always came up. I did write multiple blog posts, as I visited throughout the year of the exhibit, but somehow, now that's gone, it seems that the year went by way too fast! I enjoyed it very much, just as in past years! Hopefully it will come back soon. In the mean time the conservatory has a new exhibit opening in April... "Chomp! They Came From The Swamp." It will be all about carnivorous plants. Excellent! I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon, then in the company of man-eating plants! 

:)

My Butterfly Gallery
Conservatory Of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, 2013 & 2014

Waiting To Emerge...


Newly Emerged Great Southern White...


Great Southern White Enjoying Life...


Great Southern White On Daisy...


Beautiful Monarch...


Orange Alfalfa Sulphur...


Morning Cloak...


Anise Swallowtail...


Zebra Longwing...


Zebra Longwing In Motion...


Common Checkered Butterfly In Motion...


Such beauty! I have learned so much about photography, just from this one subject alone. Again it was a subject that Steven gave me a lot of encouragement with! We didn't know each other a lifetime, but in the short amount of time we were friends, I learned a lifetime of photography tips and it's still like his is just right here. :)

"Always be aware of the background, remember to look deeper into the shot." ~Steven

Mood: Grateful

~Me :)

Round Robin Challenge: In The Dark

"Life isn't just about darkness or light, rather it's about finding light within the darkness."

~Landon Parham, First Night Of Summer

RRC: In The Dark

Karen came up with a really challenging challenge this week... In The Dark. I love a good challenge. If it isn't challenging, then it isn't a challenge... right? LOL. But while I love a good challenge, this time it proved to be more of a challenge, then other challenges have! LOL. And that is a good thing! What I came up with is darkness at varying stages, for comparison. In most cases I tried to take the photos at the very last moment of available light, but in some photos you will see plenty of light on the horizon, but very little light where I am standing. Does that make sense? Anyway, here is my gallery for this challenge, hope you enjoy my take on it!

In The Dark...

"The Dot." San Mateo Bridge. I just love that little dot. I don't know why there is just one dot lit, but it is there constantly. When I have the chance to cross that bridge, from the San Francisco Peninsula to the East Bay, that little dot is always there to greet me. It's kinda like a friend of sorts. It's something that I count on seeing, and it makes me smile.



"Stormy Trees." About a week ago, a gully washer of a storm came through the Bay Area, and in the 24 hours leading up to it, there were some amazing clouds in the sky, that, at times, made everything dark. It was pretty and quite unique! I waited until very late in the day, grabbed my camera, and photographed this tree against the waxing and waning light in the sky. I thought it came out pretty nice. You can see the fine lines on the tree, but you can also tell that the light in the sky wouldn't last much longer. It was pretty much what I was going for.



"The End Of The Day." The title pretty much says it all. I actually took this photo back in January, well before this challenge was announced, because I was interested in working with low light situations. It seems I have an easier time when I create the environment, such as with candles, but I have a much more difficult time with low light in nature. So, practice makes perfect... right? I wasn't completely happy with this shot, but when I reviewed it for the challenge, I learned a little about angles I hadn't noticed before. It's good that I can take that from the experience.



"The Dark Sunset." I love taking sunset shots in winter, because the sun sets so early, I don't have to worry about being out so late. I took this shot from here in the Berkeley hills, on Grizzly Peak Boulevard. From this vantage point you can see all around the bay. Directly across is San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Marin Headlands, Mount Tamalpais, Angel Island, Alcatraz and Treasure Island. Also visible is Oakland and the long San Francisco Peninsula. The sunsets from up here are stunning, and this one was no exception. Again, I waited until the last possible moment, at least as far as my camera's capabilities, leaving just enough light to make the point of the coming darkness.



"Conservatory Of Flowers At Night." Okay, this one is from the archives. I took this photo several years ago, after attending a nighttime safari at the conservatory, in search of night moths. Among them was the gorgeous Luna Moth, which is a stunning green glow at night. It was so beautiful! When I got outside, and looked back at the gorgeous building, with all the colored glass lit up, I couldn't help but think of the beautiful butterflies and moths inside. Snap. :)



"Buckeye Butterfly By Flashlight And Uncooperative Luna Moth." Here is one of those butterflies that I photographed using only a flashlight, and beside it is the Luna Moth. The Luna Moth decided it didn't want to hide in the dark, as most moths don't, and so it insisted on sitting on a window sill, directly under a small light. I can't show you how it glows, but you get the idea. LOL.



Okay, that's my take on the subject of "In The Dark." Now, go see what the other Robin's have posted for the challenge! Simply click the link at the top of this post, to be redirected to the official Round Robin blog, where you will find the list of participants and all the information you need to play along!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)

Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae
Conservatory Of Flowers
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
October 8th 2013

 "We are all butterflies. Earth Is Our chrysalis."

~LeeAnn Taylor

It's so nice visiting the Conservatory Of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Just a couple hours away from the cares of the world, makes up for a lot of things that can leave one weary. I love butterflies, their beauty truly is unrivaled.

Mood: Happy/Content

~Me :)

Butterfly Lifestyles

Monarch Butterfly
Conservatory Of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
September 4th 2013

"Alice came to a fork in the road. 'Which road do I take?' she asked. 'Where do you want to go?' responded the Cheshire Cat. 'I don't know,' Alice answered. 'Then,' said the Cat, 'it doesn't matter."

~Lewis Carroll, Alice In Wonderland

 

I learned so much about photographing butterflies from my friend Steven. I remember him telling me to "remember that Monarchs will not behave like Zebra Longwings. Some types of butterflies will sit contently sipping from a milkweed plant, while others will bounce from flower to flower." He was right. I took his advice, and I was really grateful to have it, as I said, I learned a lot from him. I miss him very much, and wish that I could still continue to share my photographs with him. I miss my friend.

 

Monarch Butterflies

Zebra Longwing

Great Southern White

Pipevine Swallowtail

Sometimes its a sad feeling to know I can't just go home and email off to him some picture of an amazing butterfly I have taken, but sometimes when I am at the Conservatory, and a butterfly is really making me work hard to take it's picture, I can almost hear Steven saying to me... "patience." And I can't help but smile a little, and just be thankful to have known Steven at all.

Mood: Quiet

~Me

You've Got Butterflies

"I once read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake... as almost all hats are."

~Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron and Nikolaus Laszlo, You've Got Mail



Aren't they amazing? I have been enjoying our visits to the Conservatory Of Flowers in Golden Gate Park this summer, very much! They have a bigger variety of beautiful butterflies this time around, and each time we visit it is like we are visiting for the very first time! I can't help but smile when discovering a butterfly that I haven't seen before!

This summer has been a sad one. So many young people lost to the world for one reason or another. I will be so relieved when it is finally gone, and thankfully, there are signs here and there of autumn. It's only a heartbeat away, and I am looking toward it, rather than dwell too much in all the sadness. Life is too short to take up residence in the sadness... just ask the butterfly!

Mood: Content

~Me :)

Natural vs. Man-Made

"When I judge art, I take my painting and put it next to a God made object like a tree or a flower. If it clashes, it is not art."

~Paul Cezanne

I love Cezanne's work. Don't you?

:)

I have such a passion for photography, I don't know if I can choose between nature, or human created  artistic subjects. I have seen some sunsets that I couldn't look away from because of their intense colors. Sunsets that look like they had to have been painted by the hand of God, but then I have photographed certain architectural works of art that have captivated me just as much! The pyramid building in San Francisco is amazing, it always catches my eye. I look forward to seeing it when I am in the city. But then there are the faces I encounter at random, like the brides that are sometimes posing for pictures in Golden Gate Park. They never fail to make me feel good inside. I have yet to see a bride, that doesn't have the purest look of love on her face, as she poses with her one and only. I have never seen a bride that cares more about herself in the photos, then her husband. That's love! :) No! It's impossible! I can't decided between the natural world, and man-made. But when you think about it, we come by our imaginative, artistic nature... well... naturally.  So, isn't man-made and nature one in the same?

Thoughts?


"Melting Snow On Mt. Hamilton" February 20th, 2013
Inspired By Cezanne's "Melting Snow At Fountainbleau."



"Orchids" July 31st, 2013
Conservatory Of Flowers
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco



TransAmerica Pyramid
July 31st, 2013
San Francisco, California



Mood: Quiet

~Me :)

The Yellow And White Water Lily

"I would like to pain the way the bird sings."

~Claude Monet



Isn't it gorgeous? There was only one water lily in bloom when I visited the Conservatory Of Flowers last week, but one was all that was necessary to make me smile. It looked like a little bit of sunshine. Beautiful! With the golden Koi floating about and the reflection of the panes of glass in the water, it all came together nicely to make for a gentle, serene scene. Perfect!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

July 2013 Butterfly Gallery

Great Southern White (Ascia monuste)

"I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days... three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain."

~John Keats, Bright Star: Love Letters And Poems Of John Keats To Fanny Brawne

We visited the butterfly exhibit at the Conservatory Of Flowers on Wednesday, and I can't imagine a more perfect way to spend a summer day! There were a lot more butterflies flying about, then on our last visit, and a lot of new types that I haven't photographed before! The Conservatory has completely redesigned the exhibit, adding some new touches this year, such as a better variety of things with wings, and the addition of new age music to enjoy them by! It is a lovely place to stop and relax!

July's Butterfly Gallery...


Great Southern White (Ascia monuste)




Monarch (Danaus plexippus)




Monarch (Danaus plexippus) And Buckeye (Junonia coenia)


Julia (Dryas iulia)


Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)


Morning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)




Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon Lucas)

The Conservatory Of Flowers, in Golden Gate Park, is such a gorgeous place any time of year, but during the summer and autumn, it just comes alive with beauty! There is nothing quite like it!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)