Beauty Everywhere

"Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in, and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give you strength to body & soul alike."

-John Muir

Yesterday, (Wednesday) was my last visit to the Butterfly Exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers. The exhibit closes next week, and I won't have a chance to go back before it closes. Sigh. It makes me a little sad to see it go, but at the same time, it has been such a great source of inspiration for me. I have learned a lot about photographing butterflies from that exhibit, and other winged creatures as well. :) I am not as afraid as I once was, to jump right in and photograph the flowers and all the beauty that surrounds them... even the bees! :)

I am completely tired tonight, it was really warm in San Francisco today, so I am afraid I was tempted to push myself a bit. It was beach weather really, and I considered going down to the beach and letting the sand tickle my toes, but instead I decided to go home early when I began to feel tired. It's a good kind of tired that I feel, the kind where all I can think about is how good life is. :) I was supposed to go on a trip down the coast today, to photograph the Monarch mirgration to Pacific Grove, but I am too tired, so we are going on Friday instead. That's ok, it's just one of those plan B's I mentioned. :)

Scenes from Wednesday...

Orchid

Amazing Hibiscus

Polydamas Swallowtail

An unusual, hairy, orchid! Weird!

Blue Bananas growing on the ceiling of the conservatory.

Pink Amazon Water Lily

Golden Gate Bridge, as seen from Twin Peaks. The hills behind the bridge are in Marin County, (the Headlands) and if you look very closely, you can see the Waldo Tunnel.

-OndineMonet
"Beauty"
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
October 18, 2006
Afternoon

Round Robin Challenge: Very Scary

From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-legged beasties
And things that go bump in the night
Good Lord, deliver us.

-Scottish Saying

We are upon my favorite time of year, autumn, and in this season sits my favorite holiday, Halloween! When I was a little girl, holidays were not really embraced in our home, in fact most holidays became of the time for family squabbles, rather then the joy of spending time together, but for some reason, Halloween was the one holiday when my parents didn't fight, and my siblings ignored. That left a good amount of time for my father and I to just relax and just enjoy the fun of the day. The costumes, the pumpkin carving, the ghost stories on TV...we were ready for all of it. Halloween is still my favorite holiday, it is the bestest time of the year!

I am a big fan of ghost stories, as most of you know, so it probably doesn't come as a big surprise to you that I watch my favorite movie, "What Lies Beneath," several times a month. LOL. There is a scene that was deleted from the movie in which, Claire Spencer, is looking at a photo she had taken of the roses in her garden, and finds something rather sinister instead. In the window of her home, directly behind the rose she is photographing, is the ghostly face of a young woman! How spooky would that be? To think you are photographing something as lovely as a rose, only to find something much different in the photo?

I had a Claire Spencer moment earlier this year, after a visit to the Haight/Ashbury section of San Francisco. Alan was driving down Haight street, and I was snapping photo after photo. Haight/Ashbury is a very photogenic part of town, there is all kinds of colorful businesses and people. Lots of style and art to be seen. When I got home from our jaunt across the bay, I began to have a look at the photos I had taken. When I got to the above photo, at first I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but the second time I looked at it, I saw the blue face in the window. I have to admit... I felt a pang of fear, and I sat up with a start! Funny how something like that can catch you so off guard. :) It was cool to have a silly little scare, in April. No waiting for Halloweeen this year! :)

Here are a couple more close-up's of the face in the window, and a few more things that could be scary, under the right conditions...

"Where there is no imagination, there is no horror."

-Arthur Conan Doyal, Sr.

A dark, lonely, isolated road at night...

"There are few monsters, who warrant the fear we have of them."

-Andre Gide

An approaching thunder storm...

"Tis now the very witching time of night, when churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world."

- William Shakespeare

Marriage... Beatlejuice, Beatlejuice, Beatlejuice...

"Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile... initally scared me to death." - Ruth Gendler

Spiders...

"There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them."

-Andre Gide

A full moon, on Halloween or Friday 13th...

"How like a queen comes forth the lonely Moon, from the slow opening curtains of the clouds. Walking in beauty to her midnight throne!"

-George Croly

Thanks goes this time to our friend, and fellow Robin, Julie. She is the author of the fabulous journal, "Stately Barrett Manor." Thank you Julie, this was a lot of fun to do. Be sure to visit all the members of the Round Robin Challenges, by clicking the links below. Don't forget to stop by the official Round Robin Blog on Thursday of this week, to find out what our next challenge will be!

Linking List

Julie... Julie's Web Journal POSTED!
Steven... (sometimes) photoblog POSTED!
Carly... Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly POSTED!
Dorn... Through The Eyes Of The Beholder POSTED!
Karen... Outpost Mavarin POSTED!
DesLily... Here, There and Everywhere 2nd Edition POSTED!
DesLily... Here, There and Everywhere POSTED!
Suzanne R... New Suzanne R's Life POSTED!
Danella... Deep Red Style POSTED!
Linda (Lou) ... Blah Blah Blog POSTED!
Robin... R's Musings ***Welcome New Member*** POSTED!
John... Personal Effects POSTED!
rRose... WAIT-NOTYET-/ POSTED!
Janet... Fond of Photography POSTED!



-OndineMonet
"Wanna See Something Really Scary?"
Haight/Ashbury
San Francisco, California
April, 2006
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Off-Color Photos

"Artists can color the sky red, because they know it's blue. Those of us who aren't artists must color things the way they really are or people might think we're stupid."

-Jules Feiffer

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Turn something an unexpected color. Most photo editing software will let you fiddle with the hue of your photos. Use that feature to make your photos subject a color it would be impossible (or at least unlikely, very unlikely_ for it to be in real life.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I put several photos into the color adjuster in my Photo Explosion workshop, and this is what I came up with. I thought it would be fun to include the original photos, so that you can see the before and after of each one. Enjoy!

Pink Amazon Water Lily

Green Sunset In San Simeon

San Simeon Sunset as it actually appeared.

Blue Tiger

Isn't he amazing? :)

-OndineMonet
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco, California
San Simeon, California
San Francisco Zoo
2006

Tick... Tock... Meme Monday

"What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter... a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue."

-Henri Matisse

Glenda, sent me a cute little meme yesterday, it is one of the memes that gives us a closer look at our pals in the land, so I thought it would be a fun entry for a Monday. :) Thanks Glenda! Also, about the art in the above photo. I will probably feature it in one of my upcoming, Art About Town, entries. It is a stunning sculpture which sits on the Embarcadero, just outside Pier 14. It was dedicated this past June, but I haven't had the opportunity to drop by and get a really good photo of the sculpture in the sunlight. It is made from a dark bronze, and tends to show up in silhouette when it is cloudy like it was yesterday. Still, not bad for a photo taken out the window of a moving car! LOL. Now on with the meme.

Tick... Tock... Test

1. What is the most important expression that you need to really feel loved?

A. I guess the complete attention of another. Not constantly, I am a little more self-assured then that, but when I am sad or feeling lost.

2. After work, on the average day, the thing that would mean the most to you is?

A. Well I am not working right now, but when I did, it meant a lot to me to have 30 minutes all to myself to shake the day off.

3. When you come home to a messy house, it makes you feel?

A. Tired, because I knew I should have cleaned before I went out.

4. When you come home to a clean house it makes you feel?

A. Relaxed. :)

5. A great night out is?

A. A really good meal, and really good company.

6. A great weekend is?

A. Time out with the camera. Any season. :)

7. Your top five favorite things to do are?

A. Camera time, spooky movies, Listen to music, create new recipes, play with Elvis.

8. One place that you just can't get enough of?

A. Golden Gate Park.

9. Name five places you have never been to before that you would like to visit.

A. London, Seattle, Juno, Paris, Tuscany.

10. The one thing in your life that you would never want to change?

A. How quiet my life is. :)

11. The one thing in your life you would most like to change?

A. My Fibromyalgia. It is holding me back from things I wanted to do. Oh well.

12. The chore you most enjoy?

A. Cooking. I like feeling creative, and putting together recipes is very enjoyable to me.

13. The chore you most dislike?

A. Cleaning the bathroom.

14. If money were no object what kind of house would you have and where would it be located?

A. I would love to live in a house, next to a lighthouse. Anywhere along the Pacific/Northwest.

15. If money were no object, what kind of vehicle would you drive?

A. I like Jaguar's, but to be truthful, I have been really happy with my Saturn, so I would probably still own my Saturn ION. :)

16. What is the most important thing you would like other people to know about you?

A. That I have a serious side. I let my sense of humor run freely, but there are some things that I feel quite passionate about. The issues that are most serious to me, I am rigid about, because of the level of care I put toward them.

17. What do you like to do in your free time?

A. Sketch, read, listen to music.

18. What is your favorite food?

A. Italian food... or cheesecake. :)

19. When you get angry should people try to calm you or get out of your way?

A. I have learned the difference between MAD and ANGRY. If I am ANGRY, they should leave me alone. I usually get over it much quicker if I am allowed to process it without interruption.

20. What are your favorite TV shows?

A. Biography, Ghost Hunters, Men in Trees, Lost, 2 1/2 Men, Desperate Housewives.

21. Define one good thing about the person who sent this to you.

A. She has a great sense of humor, and makes me smile with her comments. Whoooooooops...that was two. ;)

22. If you could be anywhere on the planet right now, where would that be and why?

A. I am right where I want to be... home.

23. Where have you traveled?

A. Arizona, Nevada, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, West Virginia, Ohio, Virginia, Arkansas.

24. What is your favorite color?

A. That changes all the time. At the moment green, but that could change with my mood.

25. What is the one character trait you most desire in another person?

A. Sense of humor. Without it... no one could ever stand being around me. :)

So, there you have it! Me, Me, Me. LOL. If you would like to do this meme... go for it! Just copy this list and put your answers in your blog or journal, then come back here and leave me a comment with a link in the comment thread for this entry! Come on... you know you want to! ;)

-OndineMonet
"Passages"
Embarcadero Pier 14
San Francisco, California
October 15, 2006
Afternoon

Wanderings Through Other Worlds

"A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment it's glory and beauty belong to our world,
And though it flies on again,
We feel so lucky to have seen it."

-Unknown

I am tired from all the recent day trips, but they have been so much fun. My camera has been getting an awesome workout, with more fun coming up this next week. :) Since it is Sunday, I thought it would be nice to share some of the lovely butterflies from last week, when I visited the conservatory. Next week, I will be taking several more day trips so there will be lots of new photos, but until then we have these... ENJOY! :)

Woodland Skipper

Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor (Female)

Palamedes Swallowtail

Great Northern White

Queen Butterfly, Palamedes Swallowtail, Buckeye

"Northern Europeans thought that dreams were the result of the soul-butterfly's wanderings through other worlds."

-Butterfly Lore

What a nice thought. :)

-OndineMonet
Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
October 11th, 2006
Late Morning/Early Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment # 133: Heroes Of Free Speech

"If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter."

-George Washington

Weekend Assignment # 133: Share with us a person or persons who you think is a model for free speech in the United States. It can be one of the Founding Fathers, another historical personage, or someone who is living right now. Yes, this is slightly more work than the usual Weekend Assignment, but you know. Free speech is worth it. For those of you in the UK or Canada, you can nominate someone who represents free speech in your own country, or pick someone from the US.

Extra Credit: A favorite controversial book (it doesn't have to be from an American).

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I put a great deal of thought into this weeks assignment, considering all the folks I feel truly champion freedom of speech. From newspersons, to artists, to folks who encourage literacy. I even considered and admire many different bloggers who share their thoughts on all kinds of tough issues, and ask their readers to share openly of their opinions. But there are many ways to speak your mind in this country, so I went with one of the most affective ways freedom of speech has been used, music.

I think it really came into it's own, as a celebration of free speech, during the Vietnam war, when the popularity of anti-war songs came into social prominence. One of the most effective songs of the time was probably, Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction."

The eastern world, it is exploding
Violence flarin', bullets loadin'
You're old enough to kill, but not for votin'
You don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're totin'
And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin'

But you tell me over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believe your on the eve of destruction

Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say
Can't you feel the fears I'm feelin' today?
If the button is pushed, there's no runnin' away
There'll be no one to save, with the world in a grave

And you tell me over, and over again my friend
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction

-From Eve of Destruction

There were other songs, that reminded us of what we had lost, such as Dion's, "Abraham, Martin & John," as if we could forget. Music fills our lives with messages to remind us of memories, or to jar us into political consciousness or to simply make our days seem a lot less stressful. It encourages us to share our feelings and perceptions of life. Music is one of the most powerful mediums of free speech, and like all forms of communcation, it comes with responsibilites. It was those early artists, who paved the way for groups such as the Dixie Chicks to share their political thoughts with their audience, through their words and their music. So, I think I will go with musical artistry in general, and the artists who try to make a difference with their music, as an example of the perpetuation of freedom of speech. Be it through hymns, war songs, anti-war songs, childrens songs, or love songs, music encourages us to speak what is on our minds.

Extra Credit: "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings," by Maya Angelou. Based on the early years of her life, it is part of her personal collection of 5 autobiographical volumns. "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings," is about her early life, to about age 13. She wrote the series, in part, to remind others to not give up during difficult times. I will never understand the wisdom in book banning, or the attempt to quell the personal vision or truths of another. Sigh.

-OndineMonet
"In The City"
San Francisco, California
October 11th, 2006
Afternoon

Changing Times: Goodbye Tower Records

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change.
If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change."

-John A. Simone Sr.

Sigh. I suppose everything eventually changes, but does it always have to be the really niftiest parts of my childhood? Gone are most of the walk-in music stores, and now one more giant, perhaps one of the last great music store giants, Tower Records, is closing it's shop on Jones/Bay/Columbus, after 38 years. What a great location, right at the edge of North Beach, and what an awesome bit of San Francisco history it was a part of. This store in the record shop's chain, opened in 1968, just one year after the "summer of love," and was around during the counter-culture movement of the time. Close your eyes for a moment, can't you just hear the music of that era in your head...

People Got To Be Free
By The Rascals

All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just want to be free
Listen, please listen, that's the way it should be
Deep in the valley, people got to be free...

The music of the late 60's meant something to me. When my brother left for Viet Nam, he asked me to care for his record collection. The Beatles, The Rascals, Lovin' Spoonful, The Irish Rovers, I loved them all. Sometimes, I would play them on my brother's record player, and for a little while it seemed like he wasn't so far away. When he came home from Viet Nam in 1970, he and I went to San Francisco in his new car. It was a gorgeous summer day, somewhere around my birthday. We drove all over the city, listening to music on the radio, and enjoying the sights. The last thing we did that day, was to stop and shop for some music at this very Tower Records store. I don't remember everything from that day, as clearly as I remember stopping in for there to grab some new music.



Ok, I know, CD's sound a whole lot better then the old vinyl. Ordering and downloading music from iTunes is a lot more affordable then buying entire albums, and it's also true that purchasing music from big box stores such as Wal-Mart makes financial sense, but I wish that there was a way that we could have it all, and that having more choices for things didn't mean the end to doing some things the old fashioned way. Too bad the time machine hasn't been invented yet, which would allow us to visit those perfect days we file away in our memories, where everything just seemed to be working right, and the pursuit of a better way wasn't a part of our thoughts. simply because we were happy in the moment.

Oh well, I visited the shop the other day, and purchased a Paul McCartney CD from his years with Wings. "Wingspan." I will probably be dropping in there every so often, until it closes for good. I have a list of music I want to pick up, including some of the great music my brother shared with me. Music plays really loud to my soul, sometimes to the point a certain tune will haunt me. Remember when "Take The Long Way Home," played in my head for about 26 weeks or so? LOL.

I was wondering to myself the other day, had Janis Joplin ever stopped in this particular shop to purchase some music? Maybe, so just imagine how cool it would have been to maybe have been the customer standing in line directly behind her. :) LOL. So tell me, do you have a favorite era of music? How about a great memory you have, centered around a favorite song? Please tell me about it in the comment thread for this entry. Go ahead...sing it...you know you want to! :)

Click here to read more about the closing of Tower Records.

-OndineMonet
"Tower Records"
San Francisco, California
October 11th, 2006
Afternoon

16

"Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet. A happy marriage, has the tranquility of a lovely sunset."

-Ann Landers

Alan and I have been married 16 years today! As long as I live, I will never understand what a man such as Alan sees in me. He is strong, loving, funny, hard working, talented, handsome, and he can do math. LOL. What could he possibly see in me?

Yesterday, as we left one of our favorite restaurants, we overheard an older couple of about 75, as they got into their car. The wife was impatiently yelling all kinds of disparaging things to her husband. Mean things. The older gentleman simply took his wife's abuse, as she yelled at him even louder. Finally, the two got into their expensive, well-made foreign car, and drove away. The wife, however, could still be heard, yelling at the man, who sat with his head in his hands.

As the couple drove away, Alan stopped walking to the car, and turned to me. "Carly, give me a hug." I looked up into his eyes, and saw love looking back at me. "Thank you, for never treating me that way, and for letting me know over the last 16 years that you never will." Sigh. "It's easy to not treat you that way," I said. "I love you too much to ever behave that way toward you." And then we kissed.

We have sensual pleasures that burn like a comet, and we have the tranquility of a marriage enjoyed, but I will never, as long as I live, understand what he sees in me. But as I stood on the cliffs at San Simeon, and gazing at this sunset, I realized while taking this photo, that maybe I don't have to understand what he feels for me, I only have to enjoy it, and watch it burn bright.

Happy Anniversary Alan
-OndineMonet
"Passionate Night"
The Cliffs Below Hearst Castle
San Simeon, California
October 12th, 2006
Evening

A Wednesday In Autumn

"Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun."

To some, yesterday was just another Wednesday in autumn, to me, it was the beginning of our vacation. For the next couple weeks, Alan and I will finally have the chance to just stop all the clutter of every day life, and enjoy each other's company. We have tons of things planned, more then we will probably do, which is just how we like it. We have a ton of day trips to some special places around California, so the cameras will be busy, but if for whatever delicious reason we don't actually leave the house... it's ok. Some of the best days of my life, started out as Plan "B" days. ;) We'll see what becomes of our time together.

But first, I have to share with you about yesterday. I woke up to the sound of George Bush's voice, as he gave a news conference from the White House. Did anyone else think that news conference seemed a little bizarre? Anyway, I hadn't even gotten out of bed yet, and my mood was on it's way to the dumpster. LOL. Alan turned off the TV, gave me a big hug, and said, "Carly, grab your camera and tripod... we are going to see the butterflies in San Francisco." And off we went. It was a fabulous day at the conservatory, there were at least four new varieties butterflies to enjoy photographing, and enjoy them I did.

I took over 200 photos inside the conservatory. The autumn sun shining through the window cast all kinds of beautiful light on the walls, and on the butterflies themselves. It made them look like little panels of stained glass. The type of butterfly in the above photo is a Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis Sennae). I have seen this particular type of butterfly at the conservatory before, but yesterday I had my best luck with photographing it. It is a busy little lady, and she doesn't like to sit down for long. It takes a lot of patience, with both myself, and the butterfly, to capture a really good photo. She was kind to me, and we made friends. There is nothing like talking to a butterfly, they are great little listeners. :)



After I finished in the conservatory, we went out to the Dahlia garden which sits to the side of the conservatory. There is probably 500 different dahlias. I was loving the colors of the flowers and the sun...well...the sun was amazing. I swear, the sun in autumn is all I need sometimes, to make me feel as if I will live forever. It truly effects me in all kinds of good ways, and it is something I look forward to all year. More then anything else, I look for that specific light. Never been able to figure out why it affects me the way it does, but maybe some things aren't supposed to be understood. You know? :)

So, that was my first day. I will be sharing the photos I took yesterday, but I think I will save some back for those cold, dark, days of winter, when I won't be able to go out with my camera. Nothing like bringing some sunshine to a rainy day. :) Today, I will be on a long car trip down to HWY 101. I am planning on taking around 700 photos on my journey. :) Next week, there are three special day trips planned, then during the last week of the month, we will be heading out of state, to Nevada. Can you believe it? The Sierra got 11 inches of snow the other day! That will make for some gorgeous photos if all goes well. But if it doesn't, there is always Plan "B". ;) Lots, and lots of plan "B's." ;)

-OndineMonet
"Cloudless Sulphur"
Conservatory Of Flowers
San Francisco, California
October 11th, 2006
Morning

Baby You Can Drive My Car... A New Quiz & A New Sidebar Poll

"It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road."

-Unknown

Tee Hee. Is there anything better than a drive in the country, in your new car, and the Ramones blasting on the stereo? :) I love making my own CD of music to listen to in my car, of course what I enjoy listening to, and what Alan enjoys listening to are usually two different sounds. LOL. He listens to Jazz and Blues while driving, while I usually go for what I call car diving music. The Ramones, The Smiths, etc. I guess that might be one more way men and women are different in their driving styles. So, I have a brand new sidebar quiz for you to take. "Songs We Love To Hear In Our Car."

The choices for the quiz consist of music I recently put onto a personal CD, so tell me, of the songs listed, which one do you enjoy the most while driving? Don't be afraid to leave me the title of any song you enjoy, but that I haven't included on the list. And please share with us, in the comment thread, what you feel is the biggest difference between men and women drivers. :) Ok, so take the quiz below, just click the link to be redirected, and don't forget to choose a song from the list on the sidebar!


Click here for the results of our previous quiz, "What's Your Favorite Campbell's Soup Flavor?"

Do You Drive Like A Guy Or A Girl?



-OndineMonet
"Along Ashby"
Berkeley, California
October 3, 2006
Late Afternoon

Unspecified Personal Issues or What's Up With This Chick?

"In Hollywood, brides keep the bouquets and throw away the groom."

-Groucho Marx

Oh my, she's back... Jennifer Wilbanks, the "Runaway Bride." Will this gal ever go away? LOL. So what's out little girl up to now? Well, it seems she is suing the former love of her life for $500,000. Yep, Jennifer feels she is entitled to $250,000, as her share of a home purchased by her then fiance, John Mason, from proceeds of the sale of their story to a media agent, and $250,000 in punitive damages, for what she claims were abuses by Mr. Mason, of the power of attorney rights she gave him to handle their affairs. The saga continues. Sigh. Jennifer Wilbanks has certainly lead a colorful life. While researching this lady earlier today, I came across an interesting in-depth interview between the "runaway bride" and Katie Couric on MSNBC. The interview was conducted in June of 2005. Here are some of my favorite moments...

"Ironically, you know, when I told John I was going to run, that's what I was doing. Because that's what I have always done."

-Jennifer Wilbanks

Then didn't she know, at least somewhere deep down, before she caused all the drama?

"First of all, that night, my running had absolutely nothing to do with this wonderful man sitting right here beside me."

-Jennifer Wilbanks

As crazy as my wedding day was, and the days leading up to it for that matter, it never once occurred to me to ditch Alan. So, couldn't she have gone to her fiance and told him she wanted to run away?

"I don't want to give myself to John, until I feel I am the right person for him. And right now I don't."

-Jennifer Wilbanks

What do you suppose was her first clue? LOL. Do you suppose she felt she was like Julia Roberts in "Runaway Bride," and Richard Gere would be just a jilted groom away?

Sigh. It seems like our heroine has a little further to go on her journey to strong mental health. Of course, as you know, the course of true sanity never did flow smoothly... or was that the road of true love? LOL. Ok, here's a question for my male readers. Knowing what you know about this lady, and her story, would you consider her a great catch? And the question for everyone is, "Is this really a news story? Share your thoughts with me in the comment thread of this entry. Come on... don't be shy... GO FOR IT!

You already know what I think about the whole thing...

Jennifer...HONEY...GO AWAY

Katie Couric Interviews Runaway Bride

Runaway Bride Sues Former Fiance

-OndineMonet

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Foliage 2006

"Autumn, the year's last loveliest smile."

-William Cullen Bryant

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Leaves are changing all over the US - show us the foliage in your neck of the woods. Normally I would say that a picture from your archives are fine and dandy, but for this assignment try to get fresh photos of the change of the season. Remember also that even though this is called the Monday Photo Shoot, you can still submit pictures, Tuesday, Wednesday, or even Thursday morning - so you have some time to find that perfect fall photo.

-John Scalzi (By The Way...)

Autumn may arrive on the same date all over the U.S., but you wouldn't really know it is autumn in the Bay Area, well at least not yet. :) I don't mind, I just go looking for it, and usually I am able to find it here and there. Especially in downtown Berkeley around the campus and in the hills above where I live. I will probably have a ton of autumn foliage photos in a couple weeks, but for now I have a few examples of early autumn to share. :) Enjoy!

Orange Hibiscus

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in it's sky, which through the summer is not heard or even seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!"

-Percy Bysshe Shelley


-OndineMonet
"Early Autumn Friend"
San Francisco, California
Autumn, 2006

Edible Flowers & Aphrodisiac Cooking

"Great food is like great sex. The more you have, the more you want."

-Gael Greene

Recently, I read an interesting article on AOL, by way of Slashfood.com, about how eating a more healthy diet, can lead to a more healthy sexual drive. I never really thought about diet having an affect on one's sexual drive, but then again, I do know that aphrodisiac cooking is as old as time. I have had to make more then a few adjustments this year to my diet, thanks to being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, so while I am trying out new recipes for my general well-being, it could be a lot of fun to also try new things that will affect my more amorous side.

The list of foods and spices, considered to be an aphrodisiac, was interesting to be sure, and there were items on it that I always suspected had a positive influence on mood and drive, such as Chocolate, Nutmeg, avocado, and Ginger, but the surprising items included, Arugula, Asparagus, Deer Antler, Patchouli and Basil. I suppose Basil makes sense...look at how amorous Italian men are. LOL. Fabio...WOW! ;)

Vanilla Orchids

Old Tutonic lore says that the scent, and flavor, of vanilla, increases lust. It seems that Xanat, who was the daughter of a spanish fertility goddess, loved a young Tutonic man. When she couldn't marry him, because of her role as a goddess, she had herself turned into a plant that would bring him pleasure and happiness. She became a Vanilla Orchid. The Aztecs and Mayans used the tiny seeds from the orchid plant as a favored ingredient in many of their recipes. According to The Vanilla Company, there are over 150 varieties of vanilla orchid, and only two that are actually used as flavoring for cooking. They also offer some good advice on choosing the right vanilla for your culinary needs.

So ok...vanilla it is! LOL. Last week, while I was at the Conservatory of Flowers, I walked into the Low-Land tropics room to photograph the Amazon water lilies. I barely got the door open, when I saw the most gorgeous orchids I remember seeing, hanging in a small pot just about the water lily tank. It was the vanilla orchid. What a magnificent scent it had. It wasn't an overpowering aroma, but it wasn't what I would call subtle either. I pulled the tiny branch toward me to take in it's aroma, and I could just feel myself go... "mmmmmmmmmm." LOL. Who says vanilla is bland? LOL. I have been looking for just the right recipe to try out this theory of food and libido, and I came across just such a recipe by way of the, FoodNetwork, for, "Vanilla-Almond French Toast with Fancy Fruit Topping & Sweet-n-Smoky Bacon." Sounds perfect for breakfast in bed. :)

I want to do a lot more research into cooking with flowers, and I want to be careful, because not all flowers are digestive friendly. In fact, some are downright dangerous, but when careful, I think they could bring a certain something to a meal with a loved one. I always put a garnish on the plates I serve. Food pleasing to the eye isn't just for holidays you know, and it really isn't any more difficult. It certainly makes dieting, or trying to eat more healthy a lot more interesting. I have all kinds of items such as silk flowers, that I sometimes place next to something simple, like a slice of cake or torte. Frosted citrus fruit can be fun to use as well, but edible flowers sound like they would be a lot more fun. Maybe when I go to Half Moon Bay, later in the week, I will stop in at the orchid nursery, and do a little shopping. :)

Gourmet Sleuth.com

WebMD

-OndineMonet
"Vanilla Orchid"
Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
October 4th, 2006
Afternoon

Under The Harvest Moon

"There is something haunting in the light of the moon; it has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of it's inconceivable mystery."

- Joseph Conrad

The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon, or Hunter's Moon. It's gift to the farmers of the northern hemisphere, is to provide extra light for them to bring in the harvest from the fields. Most years, the Harvest Moon occurs in September, but some years, like 2006, it happens in early October. I love photographing the moon, especially when it is as beautiful as it was tonight. I am going to try to photograph it again just before sunrise, if I do, I will post a follow-up to this entry. :) But for now, here are a few scenes from under the Harvest Moon in Berkeley...

-OndineMonet
"Harvest Moon Over Berkeley"
Berkeley, California
October 7th, 2006