"Such days of autumnal decline hold a strange mystery
which adds to the gravity of all our moods."
~Charles Nodler
Smarra and Trilby
For this time around of #PhotoByRequest Karen chose the subject of "Black and White Moods." I love this one, because vacation was anything but a non stop joy-fest, in fact, I couldn't be happier it's over! A lot went wrong. The burglar that tried to break in just three days before it was to begin! The burglar came back two more times after it began. PG&E prevented us from attending our annual free movie screening in Orinda, and the following week when it finally showed, I was experiencing a full blown Fibromyalgia fit. Three times we tried to visit our favorite federal parks, and found that they had closed that day, due to EXTREME FIRE DANGER, including Mt. Diablo and Mt. Tamalpias! Next came our anniversary dinner. I picked lunch at Sizzler.
That was a really bad idea, due to the fact that they were 45 minutes late with bringing us something to drink, and then finally our meal. I was trying to save some money, and I got what I paid for. Next came the near fatal car accident on highway 99, that we were kinda/sorta in. I say that because the car slammed into the car in the lane beside us doing 65, and how it didn't fishtail into us is a miracle! Alan and I didn't realize until the next day, that our car was damaged, not badly, just a few scratches, but considering what could have happened, we were very lucky!
In that it was autumn, the time of year that we always take, for the absolute beauty of it, we began to depend on the leaves changing to make up for a lot of the disappointments, but it's heartbreaking this year, because it's almost as if autumn itself is depressed! The trees have not put on their bright colors. Most are dull and some are just dead! I found some beauty here and there, but I am having to really hunt for it. It's sad. But one day, while we were still on vacation, we drove through a, Jack In The Box, to grab a couple sodas, and I spotted this photo of Jack Box in the window. His photo made me laugh, because it seemed to nail exactly how I was feeling. I identified with him, and felt less alone, even if the kinship was with a fictional character.
We are both happy vacation is over, and we are grateful to be back on a schedule that makes sense. We have been happy, and less fussy with each other. That is a good thing. Maybe we will do some little jaunts while it's still autumn, and continue to search for the colors. I don't want to give up on all the incredible beauty. I need it. I love it. We both enjoy the annual cascade of falling leaves, so there is some joy still out there, but I have never been so happy to share a black and white feeling in photographs so much. It was a sad time, but that photo left me hopeful and unwilling to give up, just because I was tired! So, the search for autumn continues, and I am ready for what I might discover along the way!
Here are more Black and White Moods...
Quiet/Reflective
Being disabled leaves me with a strange kind of gratefulness. I am grateful that there is a little help, so I can pursue things that make my life so much better.
Grateful
#46 Leaf Of The Day
November 7th 2019
Nevada City, California
Nikon
~Me :)
