Autumn Leaf Of The Day #25/Red Flag Warnings For All

 

"The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly changes

 from the summer cottons into its winter wools."

 

 ~Henry Beston

 

It has been hot. Really hot. Relentlessly hot, all summer, and now well into October, and it will be 78 degrees later today. Yes, that's hot for October! STOP IT ALREADY! There will be no appreciable rain or cool weather for at least the next month. Sigh. We, in the San Joaquin Valley, are under a fire watch for the next few days, with the possibility of rolling blackouts. Here's a question, that I guess history will have to answer, are either of the two candidates planning to address Climate Change in any serious way? One of them caves to big oil, the other hasn't said much. Are we all on our own as far as the change in the ecosystem goes? It feels like its late to help us. Is it everything almost over anyway? Why isn't the conversation taking place in any real way? Just look where Climate Change falls on the list of issues for voters this year...

Why are we still not having more meaningful conversations

 about this issue?

Goodnight, Dear Boris The Spider!

 

“There is so much beauty in autumn and so much wisdom;

 so much separation and so much sorrow!” 

 
~Mehmet Murat ildan 

 

I met, Boris The Spider, just a about a month ago and funny thing, I thought we would be old and dear friends for at least a few more weeks, if not until winter officially begins in December, but I am afraid he has moved on... or perhaps... died. I haven't seen him in a couple weeks. We have strayed into the cold part of autumn, as evidenced by the fresh blankets on my bed, and there is snow in the western Sierra, making it necessary for me to finally put on one of my favorite cardigans.

 

 The weather makes me think its perhaps too cold for dear Boris, or maybe he made a tasty appetizer for one of the new birds that has migrated in over the last couple weeks. Sigh. Either way, he is gone I fear. I am mourning his absence, which is a strange feeling for a girl with a lifelong fear of spiders. All that's left of his once great spider mansion, is a few silky strands that can only be seen when they catch  the warm autumn light just right. And that's not a very good sign either.

 

 So when I saw this silky spider balloon orb the other day, I had to wonder if Boris knew there was a new tenant, or tenants, about to hatch in his blackberry bush? Boris seemed like a good sort, so maybe he wouldn't be too upset that someone chose his blackberry bush to make a home. Hell, maybe he is keen for some company... some companionship. Maybe he ordered tiny spiders, so he could pass on his wisdom to a new generation of creepy crawlers. I sure hope so, Airbnb situations can be tricky things. There is nothing like taking a vacation, only to come home to squatters living in your web!

 

Goodnight, Boris The Spider, thanks for being so nifty!

 

Autumn Rose And Autumn Leaf Of The Day #33

 

"The tints of autumn... a mighty flower garden

 blossoming under the spell of the enchanter frost."

 

~John Greenleaf Whittier

 

 

A little beauty, for a coolish autumn day. I grew that rose, well, me and all that the natural world has endured this year. It has really been a metaphor for what I have been through. The Covid left me with deep depression, and an almost complete lack of creativity and the ability to concentrate. It's called Brain Fog, and it apparently affects those over 60 who suffered from the original Omicron variant. It has been a difficult time, but things seem to be getting better. I am beginning to handle stresses better, and I think I have a better outlook for the feature, and as you might have noticed, I am embracing joy again, not fearing it. I don't know how much credit I can take for my rose, they are such hardy plants, but I did know how to care for it. And I know how to care for myself, I just needed to remember what to do.

Hot Cocoa Rose

Berkeley, Ca Autumn 2012 

 

I really miss that garden in the Bay Area. It broke my heart to learn Sandy L. had tore it, and my Japanese Maple tree, out of the garden, out of nothing more then old fashioned spite. But that is her problem. I cared for my roses and that tree, but all she did was make her property worth less money. It's okay. I am not going to spend time thinking about it, because there is nothing I can do about it, but I have the knowledge that I know how to grow a beautiful, strong, spicy rose, and I will always have that happiness inside me. This yellow rose smells like a baked sweet potato with extra clove, cinnamon and honey. Next year, if we find ourselves extending our contract for the condo, I might consider adding another rose or two to the front porch rose garden. Maybe a brand new color I haven't tried before, like Pumpkin Patch or maybe Sterling, but I really loved the Hot Cocoa rose I grew when we lived in the studio. In any case, I want them to look pretty in autumn.

 

~Me

The Predicament Of The Anti-Autumn

 

"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 Minds Eye:Writings on Photography And Photographers

 

Desmond Road

Galt, California

May 6th 2022

Minolta

 

 It's spring... the anti-autumn. So, when I find myself in the predicament of spring, I naturally focus my entire attention on all things associated with autumn. I read, and watch, a lot of Stephen King movies and books, and crave pumpkin pie. I think about what's in the shade of the trees on a hillside, and try to consider what is really behind all the tiny noises one hears go bump in the night. I don't like spring, but it can be as delightfully unpredictable as autumn, especially with the weather. The Bay Area is about to experience a storm that is promising rain in the 9 counties, snow in the foothills, and temperatures in the 30's here in the San Joaquin valley. All things fairly similar to autumn. The next few days presents a wonderful chance to do some birding, practice some black and white photography and get to know the new camera better. We were cheated out of autumn last year, so this year I want to be ready with the camera to find as much beauty as possible, even on dark spooky October days. I didn't even finish my leaf gallery last year, which hurt me a lot, that won't be happening this year!

:)

Also Coming To A Tree Near You!

"If lightening is the anger of the gods,

 then the gods are concerned mostly about the trees."

~Lao Tzu

Well, last night was fun. Thunder. Lightening. And I had an amazing viewing spot for the whole thing... the comfort of my bed! Yep. I didn't have to get dressed, at 2:40 AM, and grab my camera, and head outdoors to get some pretty good shots of the light show, all I had to do was turn off I Love Lucy, pull the curtains aside, and hang my head upside down from the headboard!

Why upside down? Well, Alan was sleeping next to me, and wasn't hearing the thunder, as it was fairly quiet, for thunder, so I didn't want to get up, turn around and stand on the bed, when all I had to do, was position the camera a bit over my slightly upside down head. It was awkward, but more than worth it, and I am a happy camper because I haven't used my cameras much this year.

I am fighting the depression since Hillary lost. I was sad after that day in November, but the real depression and fear took hold in January when Trump took office. That's when the whole thing began to really hit me hard. REALLY HIT ME HARD. Since that time I have been vocal on Twitter, but my creativity has come and gone. My will to leave the house has bordered on agoraphobia. My life changed in ways I didn't think possible, but I am adjusting.

I have a lot of pictures of different home projects and our fur babies, but I am venturing out a little more, and I am hoping to do my leaf gallery this year. I drove for the first time in almost a year the other day, and that felt good. Baby steps. Leaves. Pumpkins. Cats. Lightening, Baby Steps and repeat. Autumn is coming. That's a good thing!

Central Valley Lightening Storm

Wednesday, September 13th 2017

2:40 AM

Stockton, California

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Insomnia

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, look to tomorrow, rest this afternoon."

~Charles M. Schulz

Charlie Brown's Little Book of Wisdom

Is there anything better than a late afternoon nap, on a hot summer afternoon? I like to turn up the air conditioning really high, then climb under a bunch of blankets. And I always have my little babies, Hendrix, Dylan and Joey, right next to me. It's wonderful. And I can always find sleep in the afternoon, but somehow, at bedtime, sleep is nowhere to be seen. I know, I know... don't nap in the afternoon, and I will probably be able to sleep when it's time for bed. But I have tried that, and it doesn't work. I guess I just love the night life or something.

Shrug.

Naps are good... naps have their place.

Mood: Sleepy

~Me :)

The Old And The New...

San Francisco
March 1st, 2014

"Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life."

~Mark Twain 

Mark Twain loved San Francisco... and so do I. But he loved the city in a different era, so I have often wondered what he would think of today's San Francisco. I would love to be able to sit down with him, and really find out what he thinks of today in general. Would he be a follower of reality TV, maybe, but I think if he did it would be to mock it. Would he enjoy a good ride on BART? I will have to consider that one longer! LOL. How about all the amazing street performers, especially the ones who dress like him, and tell tall tales? Someone impersonating you could either be the biggest compliment ever, or a total insult, so I am sure when it comes to that he would consider the issue from all angles.  What about one of the most famous quotes about San Francisco, most often attributed to him, not actually being by him?

"The coldest winter I ever spent, was a summer in San Francisco."

According to Snopes.com, it wasn't said by Twain! This opinion is based on some pretty extensive research into his writings. That quote is simply not something mused by him, however it's believable he could have uttered it. Have you ever been in San Francisco in the summertime? It can be cold... really cold... and layers of clothing are often required, but it's also true that we have micro-climates in and around the city, and we natives have just come to depend on the best bet of always leaving the house with a sweater, or jacket, no matter what the temperature says it is! LOL. It's just what we do! And I am sure that during his time in San Francisco, he learned to do the same thing! That's the one thing about San Francisco that he could probably still relate to the best, if he were to suddenly come back for a visit. The weather. Cities change. People sometimes change. Culture changes. The weather generally doesn't. Unless you consider Global Warming a thing. Gee, I wonder what he would think about that?

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics"

~Quoted by Mark Twain in his autobiography, he attributes the quote to Benjamin Disraeli.

"So I became a newspaperman. I hated to do it, but I couldn't find honest work."

~Mark Twain

:)

Mood: Quiet

~Me :)

Warming Trends

"The storm starts, when the drops start dropping
When the drops stop dropping then the storm stops stopping."

~Dr Seuss

It's been warm lately, but if you live in the San Francisco East Bay, you already know that! It's been called "unseasonable" and "above average" like it's smart or something. Sigh. If autumn had to leave, because it's the natural thing for it to do, then I would at least like to have a few dreary, dark rainy days to call my own. Instead, not only is autumn no where to be found, but winter seems to have completely given up and skedaddled as well! Not only are there signs of spring everywhere, like blossoms and the sneezing of neighbors, but the aphids have shown up earlier than usual, and they are making a snack of my lovely roses even as I type this post!

 This has been a devastatingly dry year, January 1st to January 1st. And we have been setting records for Spare The Air days as well. The air is cool, but certainly not cold, and the cool air has a brown tinge to it. Blech! It hasn't made me want to venture out to do any photography, but Alan made go with him to San Francisco on January 1st anyway! I had a good time, just like he said I would, but I have to admit, I was still in a soft Spare The Air day funk, wishing for rain. Still, look how beautiful the city was! And Union Square was as lovely as ever!

Union Square
San Francisco, California
January 1st 2014
Late Afternoon/Early Evening




The view of San Francisco from Yerba Buena Island is always gorgeous, especially with the buildings in the downtown and financial districts still wrapped up like pretty holiday packages!

San Francisco, California
January 1st 2014
Early Evening



Oh well. I understand that the northeastern part of the U.S. will be experiencing some heavy snow this weekend, so I guess I should be thanking my lucky stars that I don't have to endure that! But I would love it to be a little colder, and rainy, for the air's sake if nothing else. If things continue the way they are going, we will be in for a possibly devastating fire season in California in 2014! It makes me a bit jittery just thinking about it! But hey, I just checked the 10 outlook for Berkeley, and Intellecast  is predicting showers for January 11th, so, maybe there's hope after all!

But just in case, does anyone want to do a rain dance with me?

Anyone? 

;)

Mood: Hopeful

~Me :)

And Now... HEEERRRES NORMAL!

"A vacation is what you take, when you can no longer take what you have been taking."

~Earl Wilson

I remember lamenting to one of my *48 or so therapists, that I just wanted to feel normal. He replied that..."doing something normal, will make you feel normal."

Duh.

He was right.

My photo-blogging project A Photo A Day For 6 Months is finished. The national election is finished. My vacation is finished. My vegetable garden is finished. My rose garden isn't finished, but it is being put to bed for the rest of fall and winter, so in effect it's finished.

It's all finished.

But I am just getting started!

I had a good time with the cameras the last few months. I am beginning to understand what makes the Fuji camera tick, and I am always stunned by the photos the Kodak takes. There are a ton of events coming up soon, from the continuing burst of color the autumn leaves are displaying around here, to the preps being done for Thanksgiving, to Black Friday and all it's craziness, to the December holidays! I am looking forward to all of it. It seems that there isn't any interest in the APAD or the MPS, which is fine, I get it, but I think I am going to keep blogging for myself. It feels amazing to be like my old self again, too amazing to stop, so I am loading up the cameras into the new blue car, and I am going to see what happens. Life will happen I hope. We'll see. It's not like there isn't something in the Bay Area to find and discover.

I love it here.

And I will get right on that, just as soon as Alan comes back with my car! LOL. Leave it to his job to call him up to Sacramento, the very first day he is back to work! He will be in Sacramento for two days, and it only made sense that he took the new car that gets the better gas mileage. Sigh. But actually, it's all good. The weatherman says it's going to rain, rain and rain a little more, with strong possibilities of a nice thunderstorm or two, and snow on the lower peaks. Great. Snow. Why does it only snow when he works? That's some sense of humor Mother Nature has! LOL.

Well, with any luck it will snow here in the hills! If it does, me and the cats will go tobogganing in the back yard. That should make quite the picture, don't you think?

:)

*I didn't have 48 therapists at once, that was a lifetime total. The particular therapist I mentioned was around therapist number 43.

:)

Stay Tuned!

~Me :)

Coit Tower
October 23rd, 2012
San Francisco, Ca
Afternoon

Soak Up The Sun :)

"Truth is like the sun. You shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away."

-Elvis Presley

The sun came out the last couple days, and the warmth was awesome! Today, the cold weather is back, but there is another warm-up next week! I am focusing on that!

:)









-Carly

RRC: About The Weather

"Weather is a great metaphor for life... sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there is nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella."

-Terri Guillemets

RRC: About The Weather
Suggested by Steven and Julie

I wish I had something better for the challenge this time around, but alas I don't. The weather has been very strange in the Bay Area, as you might know from my occasional rantings about it. I don't remember a summer so cold! It makes me wonder what the winter has in store for us. Sigh. Every single day has had the same pattern, cold/foggy/drizzly in the morning, only to burn off to a fairly decent/sunny afternoon, only to return to fog and clouds just before night fall. Spooky cold for AUGUST!

Like I said, I don't really have much to show you, but I do think my sunflowers tell the tale pretty accurately. The "Before" photo was taken Thursday afternoon, and the "After" was taken Friday morning.

BEFORE...



AFTER...



Both photos were taken less then 24 hours apart, notice the new growth of the sunflower at the bottom. It grew at least 3 inches overnight. The sunflower to the left is much closer to opening. I love watching sunflowers grow, they are such interesting flowers!

Now that you have seen my entry, go take a jog around the land and visit the other participating Robins!

Round Robin Photo Blog (Links will be available on Saturday, sometime after midnight)

And don't forget to check back on Sunday, to learn the topic of our next challenge!

:)

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #72: Pairs.

"I do not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty."

-Imelda Marcos








EMPS #72: PAIRS. NOW CLOSED!
2's company this week! Grab your cameras and photograph the wonderful world of PAIRS! Pants, windows, sneakers, trees, eyes, twin humans, eye glasses... heck... just for fun I will even accept a photograph of a PAIR of PEARS! Use your imagination and have fun!

Extra Credit: Show me both a color and a black and white version of your subject!

**PLEASE READ**
As always, this Monday Photo Shoot assignment closes promptly at 9:00 PM ET next Sunday evening. PLEASE submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to your blog, journal or website, and then comeback here with the direct link back to it. PLEASE REMEMBER the link you leave, must go back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. A general link to your blog won't be accepted or added to the Linking List. Also, please include a link back to this assignment in your entry, so others can play along with us.

Linking List for EMPS # 71: Weather. 01/04/10

NOW CLOSED!

1. Sherrie

2. Fredamans

3. Suzanne

4. Jama

5. Liz

6. Greg

7. Rita

8. JR Cline

9. Mike

10. Karen

Excellent photos everyone! Thanks so much for playing this week, the turnout was awesome! See you next Monday, with an all new assignment!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #71: Weather

"Some people like snow, I find it the unnecessary freezing of water."

-Carl Reiner







EMPS #71: WEATHER. NOW CLOSED!
Your photography assignment this time around is an easy one , simply show me the weather in your neck of the woods as it looks this week! NO ARCHIVED photos for the main assignment, but you can use the archived ones for the Extra Credit part of the assignment. You see, I want to see what the rest of the country looks like as we begin 2010! So, show me the WEATHER!

Extra Credit: Show me an archived photo of your favorite weather conditions.

**PLEASE READ**
This photo shoot assignment closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. Please submit your entry by that day and time by getting your photo, uploading it to your blog, journal or website, and then comeback here with the direct link back to it. Please remember the link you leave must go back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. A general link to your site will not be added to the Linking List. Also, please include a link back here in your entry, so other folks can find the assignment and play along with us.

Linking List for EMPS#70: My 2009 Gallery 12/28/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. JRC

2. Sherrie

3. Fredamans

4. Jama

5. Suzanne

6. Duane

7. Carly (Yep, I played too!)

8. Greg

9. Mike

10 Karen (Here) and (Here)

I enjoyed all your photos very much! Thank you for your participation in 2009! Well done! See you next Monday with an all new assignment!

-Carly

A Late Autumn's Daydream

From For Ellipsis

"The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world, and wake up in another quite different, and id this is not enchantment, then where is it to be found?

-J.B. Priestley

It snowed last night. Come have a look...



South Park Drive at Grizzly Peak Boulevard

From For Ellipsis

Near The Steam Trains (Tilden Park)

From For Ellipsis

Water Fountains In Tilden

From For Ellipsis

There might be a few more snow showers later today, but tonight is supposed to be even colder! Perhaps as low as the high teens. I LOVE it! I am already missing my beautiful autumn leaves, but the snow is so lovely, and so much fun. Is there anything better then grabbing a Hot Chocolate, and watching it snow outside?



;) Carly

Update: My local ABC affiliate KGO 7 published one of my photos on their website slide show! Click here to view it!

My Babies Are Growing Up Too Fast

"If there is a spot of sun spilling onto the floor, a cat will soak it up."

-Joan Asper McIntosh


Can you believe how big Dylan as gotten? And Hendrix is even bigger! We took both boys for the weigh-in yesterday, and here is the result. Dylan is now 4 lbs 10 oz and Hendrix is, hold onto your hats, 6 lbs, 9 1/2 ounces! He is almost 2 pounds heavier then his brother! Goodness... where have my little fuzzy babies gone?

We don't know their exact age, but Dr. B guesses that they are within a week or so in age, and they were probably born very late in August, or maybe the first of September, so we decided to make September 3rd their official birthday. I haven't decided yet if we will do a party in the yard for them the way we did Elvis. They are their own people, although they were great fun during Christmas and Hanukkah, so we will probably do something special. Think a party at Chuck-E-Cheese might be a good idea?LOL. Wouldn't you love to see those party photos?

We let them out in the yard yesterday to let them run around and play for a while. The weather has been really warm for January, with temperatures reaching the low 70's. Glorious weather... really, really nice, so used the opportunity to get in some practice using Alan's camera. I am really hesitant to use it, if I lost the lens cap, or scratched the lens, I would feel so bad, but on the other hand, my boys are growing so fast that I want to save as many memories as I can. You know... they have both lost all their kitten fuzz! How can that be? ;)

Dylan is my boy. He cuddles with me and sits on my lap while I do my blogging or other online activities. Hendrix is Alan's cat. He follows him around and runs for the door when he hears him get home from work. Hendrix loves hugs, and will stretch upwards with his front feet stretched upwards so he can be picked up. Dylan prefers the snuggle to a hug, but both boys love to show affection and that is really nice. Dylan plays a game of fetch with me each night before bed, while Hendrix carries his favorite stuffed animal "Chip" around the house, biting and chewing on him, then saving him and grooming him when he is done. It's so much fun to watch him carry Chip around. By the way, "Chip" is a squirrel, and was named after the squirrel that used to be the logo for Blue Chip Stamps. Remember Blue Chip stamps?


What do you think? Is there a resemblance? LOL.



I love my fur babies! :)

Dylan, November 6th, 2008

Hendrix, October 28th, 2008

-Carly
"Dylan In The Sun"
Berkeley, California
January 13th 2009
Afternoon