Damn Those Vampires

 

"Alone. Yes, that's the key word, the most awful word in the English tongue. Murder doesn't hold a candle to it and hell is only a poor synonym."

 

~Stephen King

 

He's just a lonely vampire. Flying around northern Nevada. I spotted him one bright, beautiful October morning, while on vacation in 2005. Life had been difficult for a while. Five or six years of pain and deep uncertainties, but one day the veil lifted and life became worth living for, and I found myself on a car ride with Alan, and a camera in my hand, off on a car ride. Sometimes it happens that way. Life can throw some awful curve balls your way, then over time a person does a reset, and life is back on some track. You don't feel the same, but you are okay with where you are. That's how I feel right now. I hope to get out soon and see some Halloween decorations here and there, maybe even in northern Nevada. We will have to see where the gas prices go. Back in 2005 gas prices were $2.89 a gallon, today it's   I suspect the prices will go down after the mid-terms. If only I could just climb out of my coffin, put on my cape, and soar into the sky, like gas prices are right now. Sigh. Maybe later in November at least some of life's vampires will be back in their coffins.

 

Damn vampires.

 

 

Mid-Century Center Pine

 

"Times was passing like a hand waving from a train I wanted to be one.

 I hope you never have to think about anything as much as I think about you."

 

~Jonathin Safran Foer 

 

Again with the rick mid-century elegance of Reno, Nevada. I love it there! Like San Francisco, there is something to see and photograph, no matter which way you happen to be gazing. I will do more photography there soon, I hope, it's a feast for the eyes and the creativity. Lets just hope we have a mild winter.

 

Center Pine (Shopping Center)

Reno, Nevada

September 5th, 2021

Nikon

 

 

And Then There Are Mannequins

 

"Do we not each dream of dreams? Do we not dance on the notes of lost memories? Then are we not each dreamers of tomorrow and yesterday, since dreams play when time is askew? Are we not all adrift in a constant sea of trial and when all is done, do we not all yearn for ships to carry us home?"

 

~Nathan Reese Maher

 

I love mannequins. I especially love the happy ones. The ones in wedding gowns, and the ones that have smiles on their face, or the ones that have that silly laugh on their faces, as the ones in Berkeley did when I began photographing them all those years ago, but the ones I enjoy photographing the most, are the ones like this. The relatively stoic. The ones that seem to be looking to a far place beyond the window. Where are they looking? Am I supposed to look for the same view they see? Can I? And if I see what she's looking at, how will it change my view of things? Perhaps her view is worse than anything happening to me right now. But maybe her view is the answer to all unanswered questions. Sigh, or maybe she is just a mannequin... a really cool subject that inspires me.

Mannequin

Reno, Nevada

September 5th 2021

Nikon

~Me

Stockton, California

September 8th 2021

 

 

Mid-Century... Vacation Motor Lodge

 "You were born to do so much more than to pay bills and die."

~Unknown

If photography has taught me anything, it's that there is life beyond the moments of despair that tend to creep into our lives. I can get lost for a little while. I love that a single moment in time, can live in so many different existences around me. In that moment, I can be in my own world photographing a gorgeous Anna's hummingbird, while a few hundred miles away someone could be checking into the Vacation Motor Lodge, in Reno Nevada. Photography is allowing me to step out of this overwhelming pain I am in right now. I need that. I need to see what might be happening today, or even a few days from now, while I am depressed, so I can see beyond it. Time is an issue, as is money to do so. There is yard photography, but I hurt my foot, so there's that. Things are tough right now, but when I can, I can lose myself in a simpler time. I just wish I could do it more often.

 

There will be leaves soon.

 

Right?

 

 

 

 ~Me

Stockton, Ca

September 6th, 2021

 

 

 

 

Lake Tahoe On A November Afternoon

"The river this November afternoon

Rests in an equipoise of sun and cloud:

A glooming light, a gleaming darkness shroud

It's passage. All seems tranquil, all the time."

~Cecil Day-Lewis

The Complete Poems Of C. Day Lewis

As I write this post, I am absolutely exhausted! Alan and I took a long drive to Lake Tahoe, and Carson City, Nevada on Monday, and I didn't have my pain medication with me, so I had to work extra hard to get some decent photographs, but I think I did okay. I was happy, for the most part! I will be sharing them as the week goes by. 

Most of the leaves are gone now, at least in the Sierra and Nevada, but Sacramento seems to be making a beautiful mess, so I will also be spending some time there, and perhaps even some time in Napa and Marin, and Sonoma Counties, where you can find touches of autumn, late into the year. It's all up to Mother Nature, but I feel good about the possibilities!

We'll See! 

#7 Leaf Of The Day

November 7th, 2017

Carson City, Nevada

 Mood: Tired/Happy

~Me :)

 

Art About Town... Carson City, Nevada "Kit Carson" By Buckeye Blake

"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see."

~Winston Churchill

Back in October, in my search for as much autumn as I could document, I did a lot of photography around northern Nevada. Carson City is absolutely stunning in autumn, where there is every possible shade of autumn, everywhere you look, but no place is as impressive as the grounds around the State Legislature building, and the capitol. The government buildings take up about 3 blocks or so, and in-between is a gorgeous park with several statues dedicated to police, firefighters, and, of course, Kit Carson!

The statue is impressively tall, and fascinating in it's detail.

  And the plaque beneath reads...

"It was in the winter of 1843 - 1844 when Kit Carson, along with the John C. Fremont expedition worked his way south from Pyramid Lake looking for an easy route across the Sierra Nevada. Carson, depicted here, tracking his way through the mountains east of this location, was considered one of the best mountain men of the day. His name is still synonymous with the wide open spaces and lore of the American west, an image we still cherish as part of our freedom and heritage. It is the spirit and love of the West that we honor with this statue."

Carson City takes it name from the Carson River,

 that John C. Fremont named to honor Kit Carson.

If you find yourself in Carson City, Nevada, especially in autumn, be sure to stop by and see the statues on the grounds of the capitol. You'll never forget the beauty of the trees or the fascinating bits of history of the statues! It's a really nice way to spend an afternoon in autumn!

Mood: Quiet

~Me

Orange Crush

"When you are open to living and trust the process of life and ready to face all your fears, and not afraid to go astray with life, life definitely comes and talks to you, in its own language."

~Roshan Sharma

I spotted this sign while on vacation. I decided to photograph it because when I looked up and saw it, I realized to summed up exactly how I was feeling in that moment. Alan and I were on our way to Reno, when we decided to take a side trip up to Virginia City, Nevada. It's a cute little old west town, with lots of legends and even a purported haunted cemetery, so it sounded like fun to pay a visit. I had been there before, years ago, and we had a wonderful time just wandering the old wooden streets, and visiting the small shops. 

This visit was much different. The last time we were up there we were greeted with kindness and nods from store keepers and other folks just milling around, but this time there was a vibe that made me feel completely unwelcome, and uncomfortable. It wasn't just the almost wallpapering of Trump/Pence signs everywhere you looked, but it was the homemade signs, here and there, that made it clear if you weren't in favor of blatant HATE toward certain groups, then its best you move on!

It was heartbreaking. I love visiting interesting little towns and going on new adventures, and since it had been at least a decade since I had been there, I thought it would be fun to see what might be new. Unfortunately what I found that was new was an attitude of anger and US verses THEM. All I wanted to do was purchase some fudge from that cute little shop, take a few photos, and then leave, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't spend money in a town that was so hateful. I know you can't always know what folks personal politics are, but when it is this apparent I have NO intention of supporting it in any way.

On our way out of town, we pulled over to discuss what we might want to do next. Whether it had put such a dark cloud on the day that perhaps we were better off just driving back to California, or if we wanted to continue on to Reno anyway, when I looked up and spotted that sign. It hit me just how metaphoric it was for the sad and heavy feeling we were experiencing. For the last 18 months it has felt like a big orange crush on each and every day, since Donald Trump threw his hat/hair into the ring of politics. Every day, in some way, he has insinuated himself into life. 

He was no longer content to be an icon of pop culture reality star or subject of seedy New York gossip, instead he wanted to carve himself a place in political history. He took the chance of being laughed at, as long as he got at least as big a mention as Ross Perot. Instead as he jumped from one absurd statement to another he grew in popularity because to the casual observer he represented a new kind of politics Americans had never seen before "reality politics." Suddenly not only was democracy cool, it was understandable. He promised to shake up Washington. And that he did.

He won the American Idol vote.

And America will be crushed under the weight of the hate that is rising from this new democracy, unless America steps in line behind the hatred. Unless you are for "Us" and not "Them." I have NO plans to cave to hatred, but that doesn't mean that this will be easy. He hasn't even taken office, and I feel crushed by the cruelty, lies, and misogyny. I can't believe my fellow citizens handed the power of the world over to a man who can't stop flicking metaphorical rubber bands and his critics on Twitter! So, how will history remember this time? How will it remember Donald Trump?It can only be one of two outcomes I think. He will be known as the Great Orange Tyrant, so corrupt he was impeached under the weight of his misdeeds or the Great Orange Savior, applauded for his ability to bring us together in national unity. 

Opinions are always welcome! Feel free to leave me your thoughts. All I ask is that you are respectful.

Leaf Of The Day

November 22nd 2016

Mood: Quiet

~Me

 

Delicious Autumn Turns To Winter Bitterness

"To move from here to there, sometimes there is a need to suspend the present realties; they can be a distraction."

~Bidemi Mark -Mordi

I am exhausted from the last several days. Spent. I don't want to talk about the election. I just want to pretend it didn't happen. But it did! It did! And I feel foolish, because I saw it coming from the very day Trump rode that escalator down in Trump Tower, to greet the adoring, enthusiastic, paid actor supporters, and announced his candidacy for president! But I tried to believe it wasn't real. It couldn't happen. Rather than listen to that voice deep down inside me that told me, not only was it all real, but it's going to happen. Donald J. Trump will be president, I chose to ignore it, because after all, America wouldn't let it happen.

God, I am so stupid. 

It's over and done now. So what comes next? How will that world look now that we have crossed over into this strange new existence? Well, it feels a lot like autumn, transitioning into winter, or contentment and happiness turning into depression. Something I know a little bit about.

Autumn Turns To Winter... 

 

I didn't post a leaf of the day yesterday, so I owe the project two.

Leaf Of The Day (A) And (B)

October 10th 2016

Mood: Quiet

~Me 

Autumnal Sunshine

"I cannot endure to waste anything so precious

 as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

The American Notebooks

Notebook: October 10th, 1842

Alan and I went for a ride for the first day of November. This autumn is only at the half way point, so I am prepared to chase it for as long as I can, and my darling husband supports me in my creativity, so off we went for Cisco Grove park. The rain and snow from the day before had unfortunately did some early damage to the usually lovely Aspen trees.

There wasn't much to be photographed, although I did get a few shots there, but after we realized that there was little to do there, we decided to continue on to Donner Lake, and then into Reno! We had a blast, and I will share more about our adventure as the week progresses on! But for now, let me show you some of the most beautiful of the sights we were treated to along the way! Most of them along HWY 80 around Donner Summit, and just west of Reno, Nevada. My cameras got quite a workout!

Stay Tuned. There's More To Come!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Orange You Glad You Read My Blog?

"Orange strengthens your emotional body, encouraging a general feeling of joy, well-being, and cheerfulness. Orange vibration foods are: oranges, tangerines, apricots, mangoes, peaches and carrots."
~Tae Yum Kim, The First Element: Secrets to Maximizing Your Energy

I didn't have a chance to get out and do new photography yesterday, so I tip-toed through the archives looking for something that I hadn't previously posted on Ellipsis, and as I searched for new images a general theme began to emerge... the color Orange. So, here are some of my favorite orange things! Each on never fails to make me smile, I hope you smile to.

 Enjoy!

 

About that last one. Self portraits do not make me smile, but I have to confess I did enjoy doing that one. If memory serves me, it was for one of John Scalzi's Monday Photo Shoot assignments. When I first heard the topic I considered sitting the challenge out, but somehow that just made me feel like a bit quitter! Hey, what's the definition of a challenge? Something that challenges us to rise to the occasion... right? Anyway, at the end of the day, I met the challenge, and I did it by showing what I consider my best feature, my eyes. My one eye in particular. MY CREATIVE EYE.

:)

Mood: Happy

~ Me :)