Dreams Can Randomly Vanish

"Autumn is the greatest reminder: It reminds us how dreamlike beauties our earth has and it reminds us how all these beautiful dreams can randomly vanish!"

~Mehmet Murat ildan 

I'm feeling quiet. Alan and I were nearly in a car accident last night. We were coming back from Nevada City, on highway 99, when we came upon a car accident that had just occurred. It was three cars, in the center lane, and it looked bad. As we slowed down to pass, the car in the lane next to us, hit one of the cars that had just been hit! It hit the car at about 50mph without any brakes that we could see or hear. Parts of both cars flew everywhere, it spun and nearly hit us. It was on my side of the car, and I thought it was going to kill me.

 It was that close to my door. As it was, we ended up running over part of the fender that came off of the vehicle that hit the other cars. I am lucky and grateful to be alive. Seriously, I am not a fan of our vacation this year, and yet at the same time, if looked at through the lens of a slightly different perspective, it could be looked at as autumn is protecting me. After all, I can say this was the year I didn't die in a car accident on hwy 99, on October 25th, 2019. So with that perspective in mind, I am going to enjoy that beautiful sunset from a couple days ago, and just be grateful for every day!

#34 Leaf Of The Day

October 26th, 2019

Stockton, California

Nikon

~Mood: Rattled

~Me 

 

The Lady On The Beach In Autumn

"Autumn serenades the breeze into dancing a cha cha cha; the mountains echo in the background. October sky never looked more charming nor the sublime leaves of the trees so graceful."

~Avijeet Das

 #33 Leaf Of The Day

October 25th 2019

Sacramento, Ca

Nikon

~Mood: Quiet

~Me 

Thoughts On A Zombie Apocalypse

"Do what you love and the zombies will follow."

~Jesse Petersen

Flip This Zombie

Look closely at this photograph. It's very late in the day, the sun is setting, and their appears to be a lot of people walking about on the beach. Ocean Beach to be exact. But what's the story? Are they just live human people, enjoying a really warm evening at the beach, after a day of watching the Blue Angels? Or are they zombies wandering aimlessly about the beach, in search of brains? Well, I think we all know it's the first scenario, but in my silly, sarcastic imagination, I see the victims of the impending zombie apocalypse, caused by the Donald Trump presidency!

I don't like feeling this way... well... not really! But sometimes I wonder how anyone could possibly support a man who spouts lie, after lie. Admit on a hot mic... to anyone that would give him attention... that he engages in sexual assault of women. Admit that children are a nuisance, align with brutal dictators, cheat hard working contractors out of money for services rendered. Admit cheating on his current wife. Call women PIGS, DOGS, and SLOBS. Cheat students by taking their money in a fraudulent university scheme. Engage in housing discrimination. And threaten to use the office of the presidency to carry out his own personal vendettas!

Have folks brains already seized up? Or has the zombie apocalypse already begun, and we just don't know it yet, because the news has been filled daily with yet another stupid story involving the man-child known as Donald Trump? I was looking at that amazing sunset last night, as we drove along the coast, and instead of focusing on how beautiful that sunset was, I couldn't help but wonder what exactly it was I was looking at, because lately, I can't tell. Maybe I am just politically weary. Maybe after we vote in November, my brain will see things clearer. 

I sure hope so!

How about you? 

Do you feel like you see things clearly right now?

 Leaf Of The Day

October 10th, 2016

Mood: Amused/Terrified

~Me :)

 

I Can Has Cheeseburger Slider To Go?

"Be the cheeseburger you've always dreamed you could be.

 That's the advice I'd give to any hamburger running for political office."

~Jarod Kintz

This Book Has No Title

There is something unusual in that crow's mouth, I only had a moment to get this shot, but after I did I was so glad I had made the effort. I was at Ocean Beach, it was cold out, and lunch time, so there were lots of people bundled up, while enjoying their picnic lunches. Not and unusual sight,  when this bird had a swooped down and grabbed a cheeseburger slider out of the box lunch being enjoyed by a particularly amorous couple, it caused a bit of a stir. Curious... isn't it? Imagine making off with someone elses slider, but leaving the french fries behind. 

Who eats a slider without fries?

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Lion's Mane Jellyfish

 

"I am longing to be with you, and by the sea, 

where we can talk freely and build our castles by the sea."

~Bram Stoker, Dracula

These beauties are called Lion's Mane jellyfish. I love their wild color! I could have stood all day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, just watching them dance around in their little blue world, all day! I think on that day there were maybe 10 different displays of different kinds and colors of jellyfish, but I kept coming back to these! Somewhere, buried deep in the archives, there is a short video I did on that day, I will post it sometime if I can find it! Anyway, I am thinking about jellyfish because we have been experiencing an unusual amount of jellyfish washing ashore all along the California coastline. Most recently, Ocean Beach in San Francisco, saw thousands of Velella velella jellyfish finding their way onto the beach. They are a gorgeous blue, which almost looks like glass, rather than a sea creature! I am wanting to try to get over to the coast early next week to maybe photograph them. You see, unlike most other jellyfish, the Velella velella don't have stingers! 

Wish me luck on my journey, it seems like my mind is going in so many directions lately, and we are getting to the point of the year when I feel at my most restless, so my focus could completely change by then. Plus, there are several other possible photo ops in the city next week, any one of that would make my inner photographer happy! The is some filming being done at Union Square on Monday and Tuesday for the new Paul Rudd film, Ant Man, and I have a list of some public art that I have been meaning to track down for the longest time. When I am feeling emotional, like I have this past week, I find that climbing into art makes it all seem easier to take. I sure need that about now... a coping mechanism. I just want to float about like an orange jellyfish, happy and content in my own little world, riding on a soft blue wave.

Trying to keep from beaching myself.

Mood: Quiet

~Me

Camera Obscura

"To photograph is to hold one's breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It's at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy."

~Henri Cartier-Bresson, The Mind's Eye: Writings on Photography And Photographers

Camera Obscura is one of those places in San Francisco, like seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, that I always recommend to out of town visitors. It sits on a small cliff, just below the Cliff House restaurant, and gives the visitor to the attraction a 360 degree view of the entire Seal Rock area. It's an awesome, and unique part of San Francisco both for the camera itself, and because of the history of the general area where it sits. The view of Ocean Beach from the street above is breathtaking, as is the view of the old Sutro Bath ruins just below the cliff. I plan on doing a lot more photography in this area as the weather warms up. It is a wonderful part of San Francisco to get lost in one's thoughts.

 

There is more to come! Stay Tuned!

Mood: Relaxed/Happy

~Me :)

One City, Two Different Views

"It's never the differences between people that surprise us. It's the things that, against all odds, we have in common."

~Jodi Picoult, House Rules

The picture above is of one of the prettiest areas of San Francisco... Ocean Beach. I love taking lunch down to the beach sometimes, and just watching the surfers or the families playing on the beach. It's also kind of fun to watch ships coming into the bay, through the Golden Gate, which is right around the corner. You can't see the bridge from here, but it's okay, this area is right off Golden Gate park, and it's got it's own charms! If you look very closely at the far right of the photo you will see a white building with a white line, which is actually a suspension bridge that leads to the Point Bonita Lighthouse, which sits on the cliff in Marin County. I have been to Ocean Beach a million or so times over the years, and believe it or not, this is the first time I realized you can see that lighthouse from there! I didn't even notice it the day I took the photo, I noticed it when I was editing! So much for my powers of observation! LOL. Now that I know where to look, I am going to do some additional photography in Ocean Beach, just to see what else I have missed all these years!

 
Point Bonita Lighthouse
Marin County
November 1st, 2012

:)

 

Now, way over on the other side of San Francisco someone saw a need a filled it! I ask you, why didn't someone think of a Donut shop and Bar before? How cool is that? Yes, I know there is also a restaurant attached, that apparently never closes, but it's the thought of getting a Gin & Cruller at 4:00 A.M. that really appeals to me! That's brilliant! As long as I wasn't driving of course! And can you imagine a Maple Bar Martini? Oooh... how about a Fuzzy Navel Scone? A Scotch and Jelly? The mind reels with the possibilities! It's brilliant I tells ya!

 
Silver Crest Donut Shop, Restaurant And Bar
San Francisco, California
August 2nd 2013

:)

"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those difference."

"Andre Lorde

San Francisco... You gotta love this city!

"Our similarities bring us to a common ground; Our differences allow us to be fascinated by each other."

~Tom Robbins

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Skyward

"The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be? It is the same the angels breathe."

~Mark Twain, Roughing It

I spotted these pretty clouds over Ocean Beach, in San Francisco, yesterday. Oh my, as cold as it was at the beach, I could have stayed there all day, just admiring the clouds, but, alas, there was more public art to be photographed, and the drive home was going to be a long one!

Oh, if only I could though... what a day it would have been!

:)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Everyone Knows It's Wendy

"I fully appreciate the ability of trees to attract kites. They have special powers that way."

~Charlie Dunton

Everyone knows it's Wendy! LOL. I decided to have a little fun with my photo editing program by making a GIF of my beloved kite Wendy. I have owned her since January of 2007, and I adore her, but I haven't had many opportunities to fly her. I am hoping to take her to Ocean Beach next week, now that the weather is beginning to get really warm. Ocean Beach is a great place for kites! On any given day you can see all kinds of sizes and styles of kites! Now that Alan has that gorgeous dragon kite, I should be able to do a lot of photography while I am there! Okay, I will admit it, the summer does have it's charms!

The Association... "Windy"


"Who's tripping down the streets of the city
Smilin' at everybody she sees
Who's reachin' out to capture a moment
Everyone knows it's Windy"


Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Your Monday Photo Shoot: In Flight

"When you get to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly."

~Edward Teller

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Capture something in flight. Birds, insects, planes,bats, whatever - if it's getting around in the skies, it's fair game for this shoot.

~John Scalzi (By The Way)

Birdies. I chose three of my favorite seagull photos from my archive of winged creatures to share with you. :) The large photo above was taken in Monterey, along the 17 Mile drive. The second photo in this entry, of the brown seagull, was taken in San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, just outside the Golden Gate. It is also one of the first few photos I took with my digital camera. It was a beautiful, clear and unusually warm January morning in 2005. I know I have shown that particular photo before, but it really is one of my better photographs of a creature in flight. :) And the last photo, the one of the group of seagulls in flight, was taken here in Berkeley, at the marina. It is the view looking toward Richmond, California. I took that photo just a few months back. I like photographing seagulls, they make very agreeable subjects. :)

~OndineMonet
Monterey, Ocean Beach, Berkeley
2006 2005 2007