September: Full Corn Moon

"The moon will guide you through the night with her brightness, but she will always dwell in the darkness, in order to be seen."

~Shannon L. Adler

Isn't that a pretty moon? When I stepped outside tonight, to photograph the, Full Corn Moon, I was surprised to find that it had a light orange appearance to it. I had completely forgotten that there is still just just enough smoke in the air, from the Northern California wildfires, to change the moon from it's usual bright white color, to a shade that is almost pumpkin color. Strange how a situation so scary and so sad, can produce something so beautiful. I am hoping that when all the fire is finally extinguished, we in California, will be done with "fire season" at least unofficially.

Of course officially it will be well into November. It used to be from May thru October, but with Climate Change, that has all changed. Scientists believe that "fire season" is now year round. I remember as a child there being maybe one or two good sized fires in California, mostly over the summer months, but I also remember my teachers saying that if we don't start taking care of the Earth, we would end up with unprecedented weather and climate events. And here we are!

Here is a look back at how the moon appeared

 in the night sky during the Camp Fire,

 in the town of Paradise, California.

 

Our vacation begins in about 6 weeks. Hopefully, all the fires will be extinguished. I am looking forward to some long car rides, and a lot of autumn leaf peeping!

~Carly

September 2nd 2020

Stockton, California

 

Maybe Late Afternoon Is Autumn

"Maybe late afternoon is autumn; summer's retreat not being archived, but suspended, as the feathered vane of the bird wings it's way across the avenue."

~Michelle Cahill

The Accidental Cage 

It makes me sad to have to dig though my October files, to be able to post a little autumn, but it's what has to be done, until the rain comes in late next week, and clears the air of the heavy toxins lingering from the fire up north. I used to enjoy it when the air turned cold, and I could smell the wood burning fireplaces in the neighborhood, but at the moment it just makes me terribly sad. My goodness, a roaring fireplace is as a part of all the wonderful memories of late autumn, as leaves pumpkin pie and hot apple cider are. There air is so thick with smoke, my eyes are burning, and as nightfall comes, it only gets worse. I am devastated for the victims of the fire in Paradise, it's a complete HELL space there. A lot of natural beauty was lost, and it will be years before it's restored, if it ever is! So, I expect, for the remainder of my autumn journey, I will be posting my Leaf Of The Day photos, but perhaps not very many landscapes. Not this year. Maybe I can learn to find autumn elsewhere for a little while.

 #57 Leaf Of The Day

November 17th 2018

Photographed October 11th, 2018

Samsung

~Mood: Tired

~Me

At The Haggin: The History Of The Stockton Fire Department

"History, Stephen said,

 is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake."

~James Joyce

 ~Ulysses

My heart continues to go out to the town of Paradise, California, as they continue to battle the raging inferno consuming the community. Almost, if not all, has been lost. It is a distinct possibility that the town of Paradise will never recover. Just cease to be a destination in Butte County, California, and that thought truly breaks my heart, because that area has a special place in my heart, especially this time of year! It is simply breathtaking in autumn, and I have been at the edge of the county many times, while traveling into Plumas, County, where I have done most of my autumn landscapes in recent years.

I don't think about fire much. It just happens to be one of my top three phobias, so avoid it as much as possible. Spiders are phobias number one and two, but fire, well, ever since I was about three years old, has been the thing I fear most. It all started one night in the middle of the summer, in 1965, when my three year old self, watched my father, and his carpool friends, save our neighbors two doors down. When he and his coworkers turned the corner onto our street, the house was already fully engulfed. Dad was the first one to run into the house. 

My sister, who was a good bit older than me, held me in her arms as we watched our dad, save a whole house full of people, a whole family, one by one. I was terrified that he wouldn't come out. Or worse, would my father come out on fire? Thankfully, I never had to see that, and there was no loss of life, but I can imagine all those children who lived in the town of Paradise, and how hard this experience was and will be for them, the rest of their lives. I am praying that the community can heal, and rebuild.

 I wish life didn't have to include times like this, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I am so glad that I can visit museums, like the Haggin, here in Stockton, and begin to learn not just about my new hometown, but it's rich history, and especially about it's early disaster response. Alan and I had a fascinating look, during our recent visit to the Haggin, and I will be sharing the amazing bits of other historical interests we learned about, but where else could I start this series, but with a little bit about the Stockton Fire Department's early history!

Can you believe that was the way fires were telegraphed in Stockton until 1979?! 

That was the one piece of history I could have lived without seeing, but it seems the town of Stockton, did pretty good with keeping the town and surrounding rural area safe! 

 #55 Leaf Of The Day

November 15th, 2018

Photographed October 14th, 2018

Sacramento, California

~Mood: Okay

~Me

 

Fire In The Sky

Fire wants to burn

Water wants to flow

Air wants to rise

Earth wants to bind

Chaos want to devour

Cal wants to live.

~Cassandra Clare

 The Iron Trial

The light you see, is the reflection of the sun, bouncing off the tower of Preston Castle, in Ione, California. The sun has changed into an eerie red color, that I have photographed only a handful of times, mostly when there have been out of control wildfires, like we are experiencing right now in California, but honestly, this is the absolute worst I have ever seen it!

Alan and I live in Stockton, which is about 180 miles from the biggest fire, the Camp Fire, in Paradise, California. It has already been determined that this fire is the deadliest fire in California history! And the smoke has turned the air quality in the state into an unhealthy mess. But that isn't what hurts me. The loss of life does.  The lost of dreams. And all that's coming from is disparagement from out JACKASS of a president. 

History will record his words.

 I won't darken my blog quoting him!

Gallery

November 11th 2018

Communities of Galt

Ione

Lodi

Stockton

The Moon, turned blood red, by the smoke!

From 180 miles away!

Stockton, California

Ione, California

Ione, California

 Stockton, California

 #52 Leaf Of The Day

November 12th 2018

Photographed October 14th 2018

Cull Canyon, California

Samsung

~Mood: Sad

~Me