Yesterday, in Monterey, it was as about as beautiful a day as it gets. It was clear, and the water blue and beautiful, as opposed to times when the it is almost gray and full of kelp and frankly... stinky. Don't get me wrong, I love Monterey any time of the year, and any time of day, and no matter how the water looks, but yesterday it was particularly beautiful, and dreamlike. It was hours not moments of Zen. It was cool outside, but not really cold, at least not until much later in the day. We spent the day bopping from spot to spot through Pacific Grove, and then along the 17 Mile Drive, which paid off, because we came home with 13 birds for the 2024 file. It was a very good day by the numbers, but we only saw one new species, the Black Turnstone. We smiled a lot too, especially while watching the Sanderling running toward the water to catch their lunch in the surf, and then darting back to the dry sand as the waves came in. It was a silly little dance, and I wouldn't have miss it for the world. This was dear hubby's birthday trip, and I am so glad he got to spend his day, in the sunshine, in one of the most amazing places in California!
"The whole of life is just like watching a film. Only it's as though you always get in ten minutes after the big picture has started, and no-one will tell you the plot, so you have to work it out all by yourself from the clues."
~Terry Pratchett
Moving Pictures
I love movies! Who doesn't want a few minutes away from the muck of every day life, by escaping into a world completely different than the ones we live in? A world with it's own problems perhaps, and while imperfect, hey, at least it's a world completely devoid of Trump! A world that doesn't contain cell phones, but does contain phone booths. A world that still has interesting, local easy listening music, rather than 24 hour cable news cycles! Yep, the early 1970's America was a lot different than today's America, but what hasn't changed is, the crazy!
Clint Eastwood really should have gotten more credit for this film than he did! Everyone acted like Fatal Attraction was some big deal, because it dealt with OCD behavior that ended up in the stalking of a married man. Well, sorry, as well done as that movie was, Clint Eastwood did it first in, Play Misty For Me. But okay, for the sake of argument, there were some differences. We won't split hairs, or boil bunnies, lets just leave it at, Clint Eastwood made his directorial debut with, Play Misty For Me, and the subject of his film was quite progressive for the time.
And, to his credit, he didn't try to give the main character, Dave Garver any breaks. Dave wasn't interested in any long term relationships, and while he made that clear to his stalker, Evelyn Draper, he kept jumping back in bed with her, every time she showed up. I was also impressed with the fact that Eastwood did not make Garver out to be some unwitting victim, he knew the score, and even directed some genuine compassion toward Evelyn and her obvious need of psychological help. It was never intimated that Evelyn should have just been thrown away, or mocked because of her illness.
Alan and I have had many a debate about this film, and it remains one of our favorite movies to discuss on long road trips, especially if we are heading down the Monterey Peninsula. I always think about it when we are in the area, because another thing I have to give Clint Eastwood credit for, is that he knew how to make the natural beauty of where he is filming, become a featured character of his movies. He did right by Monterey, Carmel, and my lovely, Bixby Creek Bridge. He used each of those places, to counter the crazy tense moments of the film, by just immersing you in the quiet, beautiful escape, that is the Monterey Peninsula. And it's definitely one of my favorite characters in the movie.
One of the reasons we chose Monterey and Carmel to visit on our vacation last October, was to see how much the town and landmarks in the film had changed since 1971. I love doing the visual comparisons, between then and now, and it adds to the excitement of actually stepping sideways into a moment of great movie making. It's as close as I will probably ever get, to stepping into an alternate universe! I used to visit movie locations all the time, when we lived in the East Bay, San Francisco is full of them, but now it is a bit more difficult... but... it's not impossible! So, look for more posts like this one, because of all the subjects I enjoy posting about, and photographing, movie magic is among my favorites!
The Sardine Factory played a major role in the film...
*The address rock is still there! :)
As did The Cannery and Prescott Avenue
1971
2018
I had a lot of fun with Alan, that day. We made some awesome memories! He enjoys exploring movie magic and TV magic as much as I do! He gets into the area, by checking out little coffee shops, while I work the camera. He makes me so happy! I was so lucky to have found him in this big world! It's his turn to choose which movie or TV show to step into next. Maybe it will be a movie filmed or set in San Francisco, like the Maltese Falcon, or perhaps it will be a TV show, filmed in and near Stockton, like Sons Of Anarchy. We'll see what comes next!
Note: At the end of Play Misty For Me, when Evelyn is lying in the water, that isn't a stunt person that's floating, that actually is Jessica Walter! How excellent is that?
"No other time (than Autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste,
and more honey sweet where you feel it touching the first sounds.
Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost."
~Rainer Maria Rilke
Letter On Cezanne
Autumn Happens In California
It Is All About Shadows... And Light
Autumn In Monterey, Ca
Especially At Twilight
Autumn Leaves Fall From The Trees
The Flowers Are Happy To Be Yellow
The Leaves Begin To Turn In The Sierra
Placerville
And On The Road To South Lake Tahoe
And Twilight Along The San Francisco Embarcadero
It's Easy To Believe In Ghosts On A Day Like This In Autumn!
"The two girls grew up at the edge of the ocean and knew it was paradise,
and better than Eden, which was only a garden."
~~Eve Babitz,
Sex And Rage: Advice To Young Ladies Eager For A Good Time: A Novel
It's been a couple years since Alan and I drove down the lovely 17 Mile Drive that borders Pacific Grove/Monterey/Carmel. I know I go on and on about how much I love the San Francisco Bay, and I do, but the beauty of the Monterey Bay is not to be taken lightly. It is amazingly beautiful, in fact... it stuns me! No wonder so many have found great creative inspiration here. I know I do!
17 Mile Drive Gallery
2014
A lovely golden sunset to end a perfect Monterey Day!
"Home is not where you live, but where thy understand you."
~Christian Morganstern
Bird Rock, located on the 17 Mile drive on the Monterey Peninsula, is one of the most striking stops along the route, which eventually winds down to Pebble Beach, is always one of my favorite stops along the route. It is a lovely place to stop and take in not just the beauty Pacific ocean at your feet, but also get in a little bird watching as well. No matter how many visits I make to this stunning vista, I am always amazed at just how many birds cover the rock.
On this particular day, back in October of 2007, there seemed to be mostly cormorants, but on other visits I have seen pelicans, pigeons, and I believe an odd sandpiper or two. But it's not just birds that sun themselves on the rock, as you can see here, harbor seals apparently enjoy lazing there as well. And why not? The 17 Mile drive is among the most beautiful stretches of California coastline, and to them its home. Lucky ducks... and cormorants... and pigeons... and pelicans. LOL.
"Home is where you can say anything you please, because nobody pays any attention to you anyway:"
~Joe Moore
~Me :)
This is day 38 of my personal challenge of posting A Photo A Day For 6 Months. If you would like to join me, please feel free to join in! There is no theme, no worries about what you post. Just upload your photo, and come back here with a direct link back to it. I will include your link with my post for tomorrow. Its that easy! See, like my pal JR...
