Mockingbirds, Ghosts, Winter Storms And Dracula

"Listen to the night sky; the mockingbird

 always sings you my lullaby."

 

~Jmemo

 

The Northern Mockingbird is one of those birds that seem to be increasing in numbers, as the winter migration continues. They are such pretty birds, but they are difficult to photograph, they move really fast. I photographed this one at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve in Lodi, California. I haven't seen one at my other haunt in Galt. And I haven't seen one in my neighborhood either, but one reason that might because we have some Scrub Jays, which seem a bit hostile and territorial, so I suppose that could be a reason. 

 

There is a big wind storm going on right now. I am in my office and it sounds like ghosts banging on the walls, and crying as they float through the house. It's not ghosts, but it's easy to imagine it could be. We have lived in our house going on six years, and I have never seen, or heard, a storm like the one that's happening right now. While it's kind of fun, I can only imagine the damage Stockton, and our yard in particular, will wake up to later today.

 

The night sky might have the sound of beautiful Mockingbirds, but tonight it carries the sounds of the an angry, powerful wind. Haunting and destructive. I hope all my bird friends are okay! The wind sounds like it would carry them away. It's spooky, which makes me very happy. It's almost like having autumn back! Maybe I will go watch a scary movie movie. I'm in the mood for Rosemary's Baby or perhaps, Halloween.

 

~Carly

 

The Orinda Theater Needs You

 

"No season appeals to the eyes as much as autumn; no season touches the souls as powerfully as autumn and no season invites us to the world of mournful thoughts as intensely as autumn!"

~Mehmet Murat ildan

The Orinda theater, in Orinda, has been an October tradition in our house for several years now. I first learned about this lovely theater through, Johnny Funcheap. That's the website where you can find free, or at very low cost, things to purchase, or events you can attend. Festivals, free days at parks and museums, and sometimes theaters, like this one. Every second Thursday's are Free Movie day. The first time we went, we saw Rosemary's Baby. We had an amazing time, seeing this horror classic on the big screen! It was great for people watching too. It seems on this visit, that most of the millennial's in the audience, not only came with their parents, but these kids had never seen the film before, a fact that still puzzles me to this day. How can anyone not know about Rosemary's Baby?

Anyway, before each film the management give a few details about the move, and then they hold a trivia contest, with gourmet cupcakes as the prize. That night there we 12 cupcakes arranged in a box which formed a baby buggy, something like the one on the official movie poster. From that very first night we were hooked. We have seen some really great films there. North By Northwest. Halloween. When Harry Met Sally. Eventually it became the official first outing of our vacations. Last year we suffered quite a disappointment when  PG&E cut their power because of worry over high winds and fire dangers. The film was Back To The Future, another film that I have never seen on a big screen. It was a bummer, but we thought there would always be 2020 to get things back on track.

And we all know how well that turned out, right? Covid-19 came along, and with it, a lot of heartache for everyone. Not all families have lost a loved one to the virus, thank goodness, but a lot of folks have lost their livelihoods. This little theater has suffered greatly. It's been closed since March, and is getting by on donations to their GoFundMe page. What's worse is, Trump is going around acting like he has single handedly saved all of us, while the pandemic rages on.

 The election is a little over 30 days from now, and I am genuinely hoping that he will be thrown out of office, at the very least, but to see him prosecuted for his many crimes would be even better. But its a harsh fact that even if both things happen, neither will safe the theater. I don't know how much longer folks, like the owners of this theater will be able to hang on. Every day that goes it becomes more likely that they won't be there anymore. It's really sad. I really love this place, there just isn't many theaters like this anymore.

If you can help save the Orinda Theater, please consider giving whatever possible to this amazing place. I know they would appreciate it, and so would the community! Just click the link below

Orinda Theater GoFundMe

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #10

~Carly

Stockton, California

October 1st 2020

Art About Town: Orinda "Mutha Hen"

"Any fool can be happy. It tales a man with real heart

 to make beauty out of the stuff that makes us weep."

~Clive Barker

Days of Magic, Nights of War

Yesterday was our anniversary, and we had a great time. A nice steak lunch, and then it was off to the movies in Orinda, for the free movie of the month, which just happened to be one of our favorites as a kid, the now cult favorite, John Carpenter's, Halloween.

It was fun to finally see it on the big screen! It really does make a difference, as I found out a few years ago, when we went to the same theater, also in October, to see Roman Polanski's, Rosemary's Baby. Both movies managed to scare me at times, which considering how many times I have seen both movies, I didn't even think possible!

So yeah, we had a great time, and it was a happy, welcome relief to shed the toxic specks of day to day life, and pretend the boogeyman only exists in the town of Haddenfield, Illinois and not on the American political stage as a candidate for president of the United States! You all know who I mean, but I will say it anyway, for clarity, Donald J. Trump.

But that's not really the point of this post, so lets move on. While I was in Orinda last night, I spotted this amazing piece of public art called, Mutha Hen, by artist Eileen Fitz-Faulkner. I really kinda fell in love with this sculpture, and I felt good photographing it. I don't know exactly why, but it made me happy! Now public art usually does make me smile, but I think I am need to emerse myself in art right now more than ever! At least as I move through the next 30 days or so. There was just something comforting about a mother hen.

As I get through my upcoming cancer tests. This human cockfight of a national election, and all the other miscellaneous cares and woes, I plan to gravitate toward the comforting things in life. Art of all kinds. But then that's the idea behind art... right? Sometimes to document life, sometimes to make a statement on life, but to always inspire us in our lives. Art is not just important and relevant, art heals. Be it music, or sculpture, or paintings, or photography, it's an absolute truth that art heals.

And for the next 30 days I am going to seek it out!

Anywhere I can find it!

 Leaf Of The Day

October 14th 2016

Mood: Happy But Quiet

 

~Me 

 

Rosemary's Baby Carriage

"The Shortest Horror Story...

The Last Man On Earth Sat Alone In A Room. There Was A Knock At The Door."

~Frederic Brown

Rosemary's Baby, By Ira Levin

Directed By Roman Polanski

Alan and I went on a date last night. There was a free showing of the 1968 classic, Rosemary's Baby.

I have seen this movie about 30 times, and Alan has seen it with me about 20 of those 30 times, and yet there is something about seeing it in an old fashioned theater, with old fashioned seats, and art deco designed molding and wall features, that makes it seem like one is seeing it for the first time!

 I got chills... I really did!

The lovely old Orinda theater has free movie night the second Thursday of each month. Next month, November 13th, the theater will be featuring "To Catch A Thief" by Alfred Hitchcock. I am not sure if we will be able to make it, but I know we are going to try to. And hey, if we do, we might do as well at their trivia game as we did tonight. We won two free cupcakes, for correctly answering the question... "What was the name of the name of the popular 1970's horror movie, adapted from another book by Ira Levin?" The Stepford Wives, of course! Yum... the cupcakes were delicious, if maybe a little sinister! Well, because, you see, they we the two cupcakes, of the twelve offered, that made up the wheels of

 Rosemary's baby carriage!

Ooooooh... CREEPY!

Leaf Of The Day...

 

:)

Mood: Happy


~Me :)