The Sounds Of Bittersweet November...

 

Autumn Days
Yellow, mellow, ripened days,
Sheltered in a golden coating;
O'er the dreamy, listless haze,
White and dainty cloudlets floating;
Winking at the blushing trees,
And the sombre, furrowed fallow;
Smiling at the airy ease,
Of the southward flying swallow.
Sweet and smiling are thy ways,
Beauteous, golden Autumn

~Will Carleton 

 

The tumbleweeds, and the other dry vegetation, is so pretty right now. I know that sounds strange, but I find beauty in the last hints of autumn. In the wild weeds and small homes built by the ballooning spiders. I have a wonderful new obsession, and I can't believe I never saw it's crazy beautiful artistry before now.Tiny newborn spiders making a home for themselves. Imagine! With a little luck they will grow up to be big spiders, like my friend Boris did. What a happy thought. I mean, they have their place, hopefully outside in nature where they are needed. I try my best to not be needy about the tings a spider could help me with. And I have a great hope I will see Boris again one day.

 

Tiny nitnat bugs were flying over my head yesterday afternoon, as I made my way around the Clifton Court Forebay. I rolled the sunroof back, and snapped away. Critters. They looked like little faeries, or maybe little angels. While most folks would call them pests, I find them, well, enchanting. shrug. I guess it's Autumn, and I love every inch of it. From the amazing migration of geese to the ballooning spiders, to the last of the thistles, to the tiny nitnats that will be gone come winter. There is too much to see, and so little time left!

 

Autumn is a love song, and it is sung with so many happy voices. Can you hear them? I love it when I wake up, and hear the sound of Canada Geese, and Sandhill Crane flying over the house. Soon it will be a couple thousand Snow Geese, and Greater White-fronted geese. After that the Bufflehead ducks and Swallows. It's music. Autumn definitively has a marching band! And the tiny spiders and old forgotten weeds have a voice in it too. I promise. Go and listen to the sounds of November. Breathe in it's scent. It's intoxicating!

 

 

Diamonds On The Weeds

 

"Sometimes I am the winter tree,

 and most of these times, a gathering of autumn leaves."

 

~Goitsemang Mvula

 

It looks like tiny diamonds, but what it actually is, is a small weed, with dew from yesterday's fog, glistening on it's fine thread branches. It was a beautiful, no actually, stunning, autumn day. It had just enough clouds, light rain, and fog to make my photographs really nice. I was a very happy person, but it wasn't lost on me that soon I will be doing a lot more photos like this one, as the autumn season officially slips into it's own demise. Seasons come and go, and I only have a little over a month left in this one. I don't hate winter, it has it's place, the only thing that I don't like about it is that the leaves aren't there anymore lift my spirits and warm me inside, but this coming winter already has a bone chilling veil to it, that is intruding on this autumn, as if it carries a grudge for the hope the autumn provided this year. It feels jealous to me. Maybe it's that Trump is refusing to concede the race, and every day he wakes for the sole desire of making life as painful for everyone, but his sycophants and cultists, delivered in his usual wintry posture. 

 

The inauguration is January 20th, will winter make our bare bones ache, or will it be a warm winter sun easing our minds, as the chilly winds blow past us? It's hard not knowing which it will be. There were protesters outside Secretary Of State Clinton's house last night, shouting their usual childish refrain, "lock her up." An old cry, but I fear everlasting. It all makes me so sad. This isn't politics anymore, it's something else, something dark and scary. Something tragic. It makes me depressed for what could come next. I am really brave on Twitter though, counseling others to ignore Cheeto-Hitler, to not give him the attention he seeks.

 

I'm a hypocrite telling them what to do, because I'm terrified too. It just hurts to hear how much pain they are in. The Cult of Trump won't be going away any time soon, but neither will the will of the 78,781,258 who just want to wake up to something other than a school yard bully who pitches mean tweets like spitballs. Maybe ignoring it is unrealistic at this point, but wallowing in it is unhealthy. It's a kind opioid, and the withdrawal will be painful. It's hard to make the decision to let go. It get it. As I have said, I am going to attempt my recovery, from casual political observation, by taking more photographs at ground level, lets see how long that lasts before the vomiting, chills and shakes, force me back into giving a shit.

This Matters.

 

 ~Carly

Stockton, California

November 16th 2020

Purple Weeds

 

"It was one of those days you sometimes get latish in the autumn when the sun beams, the birds toot, and there is a bracing tang in the air that sends the blood beetling briskly through the veins."

 

~PG Wodehouse

 Jeeves And The Old School Chum 

 

Vacation is officially over. I wonder what this next year will bring? I imagine that the next 72 days or so will be as irritating as any other day of the last 4 years, but they have all the potential to be more terrifying as anything we have seen so far from you know who. And by that I mean, Trump. It also has the potential to be absolutely funny beyond belief. That's the problem, there is no way to really anticipate exactly what will happen, all one can do is guess, and play the odds. For instance, what are the odds he will concede the election? Right now... not good! But now what are the odds I am going to keep my focus on my photography, and not be afraid anymore? Ask me the night before the inauguration, Tuesday, January 19th 2021. Circle it on your calendars. That also just happens to be the date of the next mini-break Alan and I are taking. We will have a really nice breakfast, watch the inauguration, grab a nap, and then enjoy the rest of our five days, taking a long deep sigh of relief, and toasting to the return to normal.

 

We will get there, no matter what that big baby Trump says or does.

 

~Carly

Stockton California

November 9th 2020

Here We Go Again...

"You live and learn. At any rate, you live."

~Douglas Adams

Okay, well, it was inevitable. Today I am officially posting from the new computer. It is an HP Envy. It's too soon to tell you that you should be... envious that is... but I will get back to you on it! LOL. It's going to take me a few days to get everything back where it belongs, you know, websites and such, but I do have a few things in place. Blogger and Twitter, and, of course, I have my celebrity crush, Dylan McDermott, all nice and tucked into my favorites tab! I have my priorities after all! :) The one downside to getting this new computer is having to deal with Windows 8.1!

 I will not mince words, I was happy... HELL... thrilled after the disaster that was Windows Vista. What a walk through hell that was! 7 was everything Vista promised to be. Well, you know, you were there! Anyway, I liked Windows 7 very much, and I feel like they could have just continued with that program, but no, they created Windows 8, and then later, 8.1, so get over it and get with the program, right? Learn it and stop bitching, right? It's not like I hadn't used it before, I have it installed on my laptop, and it was fine there. So really, get over it!

Okay. I will. 

Sigh.

I don't like change, unless it's summer changing into autumn. I am completely on-board with that!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #58: Bridges And Walkways

"The only bad thing about burning your BRIDGES behind you is that the world is round."

-Unknown






**Folks, before we begin I want to let you know about a few things. Sometimes I get busy and can't visit your individual entries during the week. This past week was an extremely busy one for Alan and me, and therefore, I spent very little time on the Internet. Yesterday, was a Round Robin Challenge, and I try to do all my commenting for that project on the day of the challenge. I am on a very old, very slow computer as my usual one died a week ago, and on top of all of it, I have the flu, complete with runny nose, coughing and general malaise. PLEASE DON'T FEEL IGNORED IF I CAN'T GET BY TO COMMENT ON YOUR ENTRY DURING THE WEEK, I WILL COMMENT ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE LATEST. I am sorry but responsibilities in my REAL LIFE have to come first. I have never intentionally ignored anyone. OK? Now, on with the challenge...

EMPS #58: Bridges and Walkways. NOW CLOSED!
Let's go for a walk... shall we? Ok photographers, you know what to do, go out and find me some BRIDGES and WALKWAYS. Autumn, for most of us, is in full swing, so show me something like that, or feel free to dip into your archives and wow me with something you haven't displayed before. Lets cross the BRIDGE together... shall we?

Extra Credit: Show me a picture of YOU on that BRIDGE or WALKWAY!

**PLEASE READ**
This photo shoot closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. So, you have until that time to get your photo, upload it to your blog, journal or website and come back here with the direct link back to it. Please remember, it must be a link which goes back to an entry which is specific to this Monday Photo Shoot assignment. No HYPERLINKS ACCEPTED! Also, please include a link back here so other folks can play along with us.

Linking List for EMPS #57: Weeds o9/28/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Suzanne

2. Jama

3. Liz

4. Greg

5. Karen

6. Mike


Thanks for playing everyone. See you next week with an all new photography assignment!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #57: Weeds.

"A WEED is but an unloved flower."

-Ella Wilcox












EMPS# 57: WEEDS.
One of my favorite Round Robin topics ever was "WEEDS." Let's revisit that idea and make this week all about WEEDS. You know what to do, grab your cameras and show me the softer side of this misunderstood flower.

Extra Credit: Show me a WEED that would look nice in a flower arrangement!

**PLEASE READ**
You have until next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET to get your photo, and come back here with the direct link back to it. Please remember, it must be a link which goes back to an entry specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. A general link to your blog, journal or website won't do. NO HYPERLINKS ACCEPTED!

Linking List for EMPS #56: Welcome To Autumn (Leaves Or Flowers) 09/21/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Vicki

2. Hip Chick

3. Suzanne

4. Jama

5. Greg

6. Liz

7. Mike

8. Karen


Thanks for playing everyone, and for your continued support of this project! See you next week with an all new photography assignment.

:)

-Carly

A Weed... Up Close (EMPS)

From For Ellipsis

"A weed is but an unloved flower."

-Ellen Wheeler Wilcox

One of the most interesting Round Robin topics of 2008 was "Weeds Can Be Beautiful Too." I had a wonderful time finding weeds, identifying them, and appreciating their beauty. I always learn so much from these challenges, so I think it is good thing if I participate every now and again with folks taking on my Monday Photo Shoot assignments. :) I found this weed in my yard just yesterday. It is a tiny little thing, smaller then a dime, but just kinda lovely and soft. :) It wasn't easy to photograph, because the wind has been outrageous this week, but the effort I put in was enjoyable. :)

-Carly

Round Robin Challenge: Weeds Can Be Beautiful Too!

"We have a choice: to plow new ground, or let the weeds grow."

-Jonathan Westover

If all weeds could be this beautiful, I think I just might be tempted to let the grow! LOL. This edition of the RRC comes to us from Kim, who authors the blog, "Nekked Lizard Adventures." Her idea was for us to showcase the softer side of weeds, by showing off their unusual beauty. For some reason, weeds have been catching my photographer's eye the last couple of summers. The way they look so soft against the backdrop of the ocean, and also the way they can appear when they grow among wildflowers. Like somehow they are saying, "Hey, we have our place you know, we have an earthly beauty that stands out, if you just take a moment to really see us." One day I took that moment, and now I am fascinated by them. I love photographing them. Great idea for the challenge Kim!

Be sure to visit Kim and all the other participants of this challenge, by following the links below...

Linking List

1. Kim... Nekked Lizard Adventures

POSTED!

2. Carly... Ellipsis

POSTED!

3. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures


4. Karen... Outpost Mavarin

POSTED!

5. Wammy... The Ellis Family

POSTED!

6. Jennifer Robin... Robin's Woods

POSTED!

7. Jema Hameed... Sweet Memories

POSTED!

8. Robinella... Robinella's

POSTED!

9. Olive... Ur Olive

POSTED!

10. Gina... Gina's Space

POSTED!

11. Kiva... The Eclectic Granny

POSTED!

12. Mary... Answers To The Questions

POSTED!

13. Monica... A Family Affair Photography

POSTED!

14. Vicki... Maraca

POSTED!

15. Julie... Julie's Web Journal

POSTED!

16. Molly... Return Of The White Robin

POSTED!

17. Teena... It's all about me!

POSTED!

18. Steven...(sometimes) photoblog

POSTED!

See... I saved some open places. They are just waiting for you to play along too. There is still time! Just hop on over to the official Round Robin blog and leave your information to play along with this challenge! Come on... you know you want to!

NOTE: Tomorrow is my birthday, but I am having my birthday dinner tonight. I will be updating and visiting your blogs until 4:00 PM today, and then I am will be gone. If you post after that time I will be by either late tonight or sometime tomorrow! See ya soon!