A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 136~ 6 Mondays Till Halloween

"Thin clouds form, and the shadows lengthen out. They have no breadth, as summer shadows have, there are no leaves on the trees or fat clouds in the sky to make the thick. They are gaunt, mean shadows that bite the ground like teeth. As the sun nears the horizon, its benevolent yellow begins to deepen, to become infected, until it glare an angry inflamed orange. It throws a variegated glow over the horizon."

-Stephen King, Salem's Lot

There's more to autumn than earth tones and falling leaves. There is my favorite holiday... Halloween. Including today, we have 6 Mondays to get through before the veil between this world and the next thins to a silky gossamer shadow, like the ghostly cobweb that you sometimes see floating on an invisible autumn breeze. October is a magical month. The light begins to dim, which can make one see things that may or may not be there. What better time to start a new photography project? So, this October, I thought I would finally do something I have always wanted to do... start a photo essay of Bay Area cemeteries.

I have written in stone, pun intended, my plan to do just that. I know some would find that a bit creepy but I have found cemeteries to be places of great comfort. Not that I want to move in or anything, but there is a lot of history to be learned there. I definitely don't fear cemeteries because more often then not, I have felt a different, personal kind of comfort I am thankful for.

The town of Colma, which is just south of San Francisco, is known as the "City of Souls. There is a  resident count of approximately 1600 above ground residents but a count of 1.5 million "souls" occupying the 16 cemeteries. I don't think I would enjoy being there in the event of a zombie apocalypse. LOL. Hey, it could be a thing, apparently the Office of Homeland Security is preparing for the possibility. LOL. So I can keep and open mind.

But Zombie Apocalypse aside, for a history buff like me, Colma, California, is a great source of inspiration. Among the permanent guests of the town are, Wyatt Earp. William Randolph Hearst. Joe DiMaggio. Levi Strauss and Emperor Norton. Emperor Norton... now there is a fascinating historical "soul." If you haven't heard of him, take a moment to read about him here. What a character!

Does it sound morbid that I am looking forward to just visiting as many cemeteries as I can on vacation? Perhaps. But at least I won't have to do too much waiting in line. Well, other than the line we are all waiting in anyway. So that will be one of my top projects in October, but I probably won't be in the cemetery on October 31st, well, if I can possibly help it, you know... just in case that whole Zombie Apocalypse is an actual thing. LOL.

What? It could happen!

;)

~Me :)

Today's Link...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-131.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 135~ The First Full Day Of Autumn

"Autumn that year painted the countryside in vivid shades of scarlet, saffron and russet, and the days were clear and crisp under harvest skies."

~Sharon Kay Penman, Time And Chance

Okay, now I can post a new autumn photo every day, and no one can accuse me of trying to rush the year along! LOL. Truth is, I know I begin to miss autumn the day after Christmas each year. It's that week, between Christmas and New Years, that I begin to see the colors of autumn fading away. I don't mind winter, it holds some wonderful opportunities for a photo bug like me, but the smell of fireplaces, and the taste of apple cider and the delicious seasonal feasts of Pear and Havarti sandwiches, with a mug of freshly made French Onion soup, makes those short beautiful 90 or so days feel like a big warm hug. No other season comes close to giving me a sense of well being quite like autumn does.



"Squeeze your eyes closed, as tight as you can, and think of all your favorite autumns, crisp and perfect, all bound up together like a stack of cards. That is what it is like, the awful, wonderful brightness of fairy colors. Try to smell the hard, pale wood sending up sharp, green smoke into the afternoon. To feel the mellow, golden sun on your skin, more gentle and cozier and more golden than ever the light of your favorite reading nook at the close of the day."

~Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making

And now the beautiful "Amas Veritas" from the movie Practical Magic...




If autumn had a theme song, I believe it would be Amas Veritas.

:)

Now, pop over to my friend JR's blog and say Hi. He is awesome, he always makes me smile. :)

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-130.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 134~ RRC: Hair

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."

~Kahlil Gibran

Round Robin Challenge: Big Hairy Deal

Yep, that is indeed Harry Hamlin. I don't think I could find a better choice for the main photograph in a photo post about HAIR that to show you HARRY HAMLIN! I had a wonderful time meeting the actor, a couple years ago, when Alan and I sat in the studio audience of the now cancelled Bay Area afternoon talk show, 7 Live. I will save the details for another post of how and when I was able to capture this particular photo, trust me it's an interesting story. Stay tuned to my blog, I will post about meeting Harry Hamlin sometime in October. But for now, let me show you some of my very favorite "HAIR" subjects...

Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair, shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there, momma, everywhere, daddy, daddy

Hair, flow it, show it
Long as God can grow, my hair

~ Lyrics From "Hair"

#1. Beautiful Rodeo Horse... Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade May 2012
 

#2. The Friendly Neighborhood Opossum Agatha Pendragon. I love opossums.


#3. The Common Hairstreak.


#4. Elvira Mistress of the Dark (Another of my celebrity photos_


#5. Heads On A Shelf. Don't you just love getting your hair done? :)


#6 A Beautiful Autumn Vanessa


#7. Brown Skipper


#8. A Furry or Hairy Aquatic Creature The Otter. When I first saw him sleeping on the water, I thought it was a disgarded rug. LOL.


#9. And Finally... Me. 2012. Not too bad for 50... right?


Okie Doke. That is my contribution to the current challenge. Now that you have seen mine, how about playing along with the challenge. I know Karen would love to have you come by. Simply click the link at the top of this post to be redirected to the RRC official blog where you will find all the information you need to play along. That is also where you will also find the links to the other participants. We have some awesome photographers in the community!

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 133~ A Hubcap Diamond Star Halo?

"Money may not buy happiness, but I would rather cry in a Jaguar than on a bus."

~Francoise Sagan

I wouldn't mind owning a Jaguar. That being said, I also don't mind driving a car that is actually within my means. That being said, my beloved Lilith, a 2007 Saturn ION is sending me scary, mean, nasty, little codes once again. As you might remember, earlier this year Alan and I spent close to $4,000 fixing her various boo-boos. It sucked, but I figured that now that all her peculiarities had been addressed, I would have several years of joyful, blissful driving.

(Insert personal cuss word of choice here) Personally, I prefer FUCK!

Okay, the writing is on the wall, it's time to give up the ghost. So. Hmmm. What to do? Where to go? What to price? Hmmmm again. Well, at least it's very nearly the autumn, and that means all car dealerships are beginning to hold "All Cars Must Go" sales, and "First Look" sales, so I decided to see what my options are. Here is what I found that out...

Meet The 2013 Chevy Spark (


Okay, here is the lowdown...

 

2013 Chevy Spark

Starting at $12,245
10 Airbags
85 HP
31.2 Cubic Feet Cargo Volume
38 MPG HWY
28 City
And it actually comes in some pretty nice colors. I like Pink Techno and Denim, but Jalapeno is fun to. But lets face it, the color has very little to do with anything. God I hate it when a car salesman comes out to greet Alan and I and the first question they ask me is, what color I like the best? Just once it would be amazing to have them ask me what kind of gas mileage I am shooting for. I guess that's just the hazard of being a drop dead gorgeous female! LOL. I look dumb. LOL. Actually, I am pretty sure only Alan and maybe an ex-boyfriend or two are the only ones who would describe me that way. LOL. But you get my drift.

I am already mourning my lovely Saturn ION Lilith. But the truth is we simply can't afford putting money into a car that was that poorly made. It has become a money pit. Alan works too hard for us to keep throwing our money away. I wish Saturn had remained the company they were when I bought my first Saturn back in the late 90's. Those cars preformed well, we got a lot out of them in terms of dependability and gas mileage, and Saturn had a good maintenance program that helped us keep them in good shape. Unfortunately, Saturn changed, seemingly overnight, when they stopped operating as an independent company from Pontiac.  When our late 90's Saturns came to their natural end, we didn't hesitate to hit the local Saturn dealership for the next generation. That will always be the worst automotive mistake in our marriage.

I can't and don't want to dwell on it. I just want to quietly move on. I love inanimate objects, it's one of my worst character traits. I get attached to things that have NO way of loving me back. Stuffed animals, paintings and art, movies, but its different when you have a car that you are sure loves you. I believe (don't laugh) my cars have genuinely loved me back, and in Lilith's case she didn't mean to be a pain in the ass... it wasn't her fault... she built with substandard materials. There are no bad cars, only CROOKED CAR MANUFACTURERS. There is a long list of complaints about the later Saturn IONs, including all the various problems we have had. Someone else should be picking up the bill for these lemons, but that is not how the world works.

Sigh.

I am ready to move on. It's going to be fun. Well, at least until the inevitable buyers remorse sets in. I really like the Chevy Spark, and so does Alan, and so does Car And Driver magazine. Okay, I am good to go, but one thing... with my fear of fire, I just wish it wasn't called a SPARK.

LOL.

Lemon Law Complaints About Saturns

GM Lemon Law

Barnabus Collins: How soon can the horses be ready?
Elizabeth Stoddard: We don't have horses... we have a Chevy.

~From the Tim Burton's Dark Shadows

Note: Here is a little music for you. I have had "Get It On" (Bang A Gong) in my head since I saw the movie Dark Shadows earlier this year. One thing... I get what the song is about, but, um... "a hubcap diamond star halo?" Odd... very odd methinks.

Get It On (Bang A Gong) By T Rex

~Me :)

Now, go and pay a visit to my pal JR. He has been a faithful participant of my APAD project, with perfect attendance. He is awesome. Both as a friend and an amazing photographer. Go check out his blog.

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/padf6-129.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 132~ Moonlighting

"The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it's a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections."

~Tehereh Mafi, Shatter Me

 

I love photographing the moon. During an eclipse. When it shines brightly in the early morning. When it's crystal clear. When it's partly cloudy. Any time I get the chance... I love photographing the moon. I like to read the Farmer's Almanac, and learn about lunar trivia and lore. I love spooky movies, some of my favorite being werewolf movies, especially the old black and white ones. The newer ones don't seem to have the same charm as that the old ones do. Shrug. I suppose it's because I grew up watching the black and white ones, but I find all the special effects in the new ones distracting and somehow it becomes about the effects, and not about the moon itself, or the way it plays with the humans, and the earth it watches over. I like that I can let my imagination run wild under a full moon, and yet I know it's nothing more than a million year old pattern of existence. And every day event. That's a comforting thought, but not very romantic. LOL. I don't dwell on it because  I am an easy girl to please. Just give me a camera, and I will find happiness.

:)

 

"The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps it's course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to it's nature and its power is never diminished."

~Deng Ming-Dao, Everyday Tao: Living With Balance And Harmony

~Me :)

And Now, Please Take A Few Minutes And Pay A Visit To My Friend JR's Blog, He Is An Awesome Photographer, And You Will Enjoy Your Visit There Very Much. :)

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-128.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 131~ Required Viewing For All Presidential Candidates

"A weird in which we are alive. We can travel anywhere we want, even to other planets. And for what? To sit day after day, declining in morale and hope."

~ Philip K. Dick, The Man In The High Castle

I tool this photo in the late summer of, I believe, 2005. I only had a moment to decide if I wanted to do the photo, as we sat at a red light in San Francisco. In the moment I couldn't decide if I was invading his privacy, or, if by doing so, would make him feel worse than he clearly already did. For whatever reason, he was alone, and clearly in despair. I heard myself think the word despair in my mind, and at that moment I snapped the picture. It left me with a lot of sadness afterwards. But at the same time, and in many ways, I knew I had photographed something profound, almost like I saw the lesson, or perhaps saw the meaning of the momentary play, that I had just seen.

It has not been lost on me that my camera has provided me many different ways off seeing the world. The good... following a film idol around as he makes cinema magic, the BAD... the mean spirited hatred of opposing opinions, and the UGLY...the protest signs on the Cal Berkeley Campus which had pictures of the atrocities Bust/Cheney war... and yes... the PROFOUND... the day to day life of the homeless. It's their pictures that I can't always bring myself to share here, but there are times that I feel that they need to be seen, and acknowledged.

Please take a look at the whole picture, if you feel comfortable doing so, and tell me what you see. Tell me how you feel. Tell me your impression. Every time I look at it, I see something different that moves my impression of it along like a kind of evolution. He is dressed in fairly new clothing, despite the rip in the jacket. He is wearing nice polished shoes... and socks... you don't see that often on the homeless. He has a large cart that belongs to him, and holds what is probably his only world positions. He is sitting on the bench, with a bottle of alcohol next to him... and a glass with a dark beverage inside it. Also something you rarely see, a homeless drinking from a glass, as if he couldn't forget his manners.

It seems that he was very new to his circumstance... and it had devastated him. I state the obvious. I know what I feel about it, and I will never forget him. Just a couple years later, Alan and I would go through one of our worst times in our marriage, financially speaking, and here we are, a few years later back to something resembling a more normal life. We are among the lucky ones. I thank God almost every day that we made the decision to not have children. I have seen the devastation this economy has had on families. Friends. Losing houses. Not having enough to eat, even with 2 paychecks. Sigh.

I could say a lot about the events of the last week or so. But I won't. I will just say...

I believe this photo should be required viewing for all presidential candidates.

I believe this image is the point. The point of everything.

~Me

Today's Link is from our friend JR...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-127.html

A Photo A Day For 6 months: Day 130~ The Last Moments Of Summer

"Summer, after all, is a time when wonderful things can happen to quiet people. For those few months, you're not required to be who everyone things you are, and that cut grass smell in the air and the chance to dive into the deep end of a pool give you a courage you have the rest of the. You can be grateful and easy, with no eyes on you, and no past. Summer just opens the door and lets you out."

~Deb Caletti, Honey, Baby Sweetheart

Is there anything sadder than an empty carnival? When I pass scenes like this, I sometimes wonder if maybe there are ghosts riding on the Farris wheel, and perhaps tossing rings in the pursuit of stuffed poodles. LOL. Yes, I am ghost obsessed, but you have to understand, there is cinnamon brooms everywhere, and there are pumpkins beginning to turn orange in the fields in Half Moon Bay and Marin County. And YUM... isn't hot spiced apple cider amazing on a cool autumn morning?

Shoot... lookie there... I am all but ignoring my point. Summer's End. Summer has grown on me in recent years, in fact I have to admit I kinda love it. Or maybe it's the older I get the more I take less for granted. Summer has it's charm, and now that I have given it a chance, I do find it's ending sad. Like no other season, including autumn, you can feel a distinct mourning about it in the air. Fitting I suppose that the very next season gives us one last amazing burst of color and flavor.

When I think about the things I have taken for granted, I want to spend every day making up for lost time. If only my energy level were as enthusiastic as my creativity! LOL.

:)

~Me

Today's Link Comes From My Pal JR. He's AWESOME!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-126.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 129~ The Lighthouse Window

"I discovered windows one afternoon, and after that, nothing was ever the same."

~Anne Spollen

The day I discovered the window, it felt like I had discovered all windows. It is very special. It is a window in the parlor of the Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove, California. Of all the lighthouses I have visited in my travels, this one is my very favorite, well at least it is in the 3 anyway. A little secret, I think I say that about every lighthouse I visit, but the history of this particular one is so amazing, I couldn't help but fall in love with it.

On the day we visited, in 2005, we were able to take a self-guided tour of the inside. There were rooms we were allowed to walk around in an explore, and there were ones cordoned off, like the parlor, which is where this window is located. The parlor is a beautiful room, filled with lovely antiques, but for me it was all about the window. I fell in love with how the light came through it, autumn never lets me down. (Smile).

I wasn't having the best time that week, I was a bit sad, so Alan decided a short day trip to Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel might just be what the doctor ordered. He was so right. It is amazing there, there is so much natural beauty, it is impossible for a bad mood, or any kind of sadness to last long,. He and I are both history buffs, so visiting here was a natural choice.

The lighthouse has been shining a light on the Monterey coast since 1855, and it has had a number of keepers, but the two keepers that really made an impression on me were Allen Luce, who Robert Louise Stevens wrote about in regards to the wonderful hospitality he received there, and the second being Mrs. Emily Fish, known as the (Socialite Keeper) because of her love of entertaining, who took over in 1893, and served until 1914. She was the keeper the day the great San Francisco earthquake hit, and had to manage the damage to the lens of the lighthouse and structural damage to the tower.

When I saw the window, with that gorgeous late autumn afternoon light coming through it, I could almost see Robert Louis Stevenson standing at it, gazing out on the blue Pacific Ocean. It's always surprising me, how different each lighthouse is in terms of it's history and impact on the weary traveler.

Some lighthouses have a dark feel to them. Definately uninviting to be sure. Some seem lonely. Some seem unloved and forgotten about, but not this one. It has a fun, welcoming vibe to it. I adore it. I really need to go back soon, hopefully next month and pay it a visit. Perhaps I will bring a book along, and just pause for a little bit on one of the benches, and just enjoy how lovely it is there. I feel really good just thinking about it. It's so much fun to contemplate who might have stood right there, making plans, or maybe just enjoying the warmth of the sunlight coming through the window.

Dear Point Pinos Lighthouse, I will be back soon!

"Everyone, at some time or another, sits down to a banquet of consequences."

~Robert Louise Stevenson

:)

~Me

Today's Link...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-125.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 128~ Enter And Sign In Please

"A certain man once lost a diamond cuff-link in the wide blue sea, and twenty years later, on the exact day, a Friday apparently, he was eating a large fish... but there was no diamond inside. That's what I like about coincidence."

~Vladimir Nabokov

 

"Why are our days numbered and not, say, lettered?"

~Woody Allen

Well, it's official, Woody is back in New York City. He was spotted last Tuesday, the 11th, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Sigh. I had a ball last month, but I am mourning it a bit now because I know it will probably never happen again. I know, I know, be thankful for the fun I had, and don't be selfish, but... sigh... it was the thrill of a lifetime and I would like to stalk... I mean watch... him make movie magic again one day. Hello Mega Millions Lottery Gods? LOL Until then, Woody and I will always have the corner of Claremont Boulevard and Ulloa Street in San Francisco.

:)

 Additional photos of the Manhattan filming here.

What's My Line...



Woody Allen Sings, "I'm Through With Love" from "Everyone Says I Love You."



:)

~Me

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 127~ Fog And Twilight

"At night the fog was thick and full of light, and sometimes voices."

~Erin Bow, Plain Kate

I am tired. It's been a long week. When I found this photo in my archives, I couldn't help but smile because it fits my mood exactly. Quiet. Foggy. And misty. It was a sad week for the world, and a sad week for the Bay Area. Lot's of sad news all rolled into 7 days. I am okay though. I did some photography and I worked on some projects around the house so I don't have to worry about anything when our vacation starts on October 1st. I am looking forward to that. At least I don't have to wait all that long for autumn, while it might be still 6 days off, according the the calendar, the days are already golden sunny, and the evenings cool enough to sit on the garden swing with a mug of spiced apple cider and a cozy throw wrapped around Alan and I. And oh yeah, the sunsets say it all...



~Me

A Photo A Day For 6 Months:Day 126~ Whoopsie Wheres My Hope??

"Where you are right now, doesn't have to determine where you'll end up."

~Barack Obama

Time flies when your having fun. Well, let's face it, time flies period when you hit a certain age. No asking for my approval. No asking if I would like yet another grey hair. No asking me if I want to ask the 20 something kid at the store to take my groceries out to my car. No asking me at all. Time is just plain rude, but it unfortunately has a monopoly on my journey. I have tried distracting myself. I have tried ignoring time, in hopes it would just go away, but then I realized what that actually meant and stopped doing that immediately. LOL. There is no negotiation with time. Time is clearly in charge, unless you are Bruce Jenner. He has decided to fight time... lol... by injecting Botulinum toxin into his face so no one will know he is 62. Good idea I suppose, because it's not like we can just Google him or reference his Wikipedia page or anything.

Sheesh! That guy is spooky looking, and it's not even time's fault! Go figure.

I am 50 now. My goodness, when did that happen? Wasn't it just the other day I was out partying with my best girlfriends, drinking screwdrivers, dancing with cute guys, and rocking out to Madonna, and our personal theme song from Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want To Have Fun? If you are under 50, you are not allowed to laugh at the memories of my days as a single girl on the town. Your reflective days will come soon enough, and what I am saying will make perfect sense. Believe me. And while it might sound like I am mourning that time in my life, I am really not. I did it all just the way I wanted to, and finally settled down when I was 28. I wouldn't change a thing. Oh don't get me wrong, I made some mistakes in dating, like that time I became a republican, briefly, all for a guy no less, but it all happened as it should, and today I can say, I love my age, grey hair, ability to finally say what I want to in the moment, and say the most lovely word in the English language... NO. I am just not sure when it all came into perspective.

What is all askew is that as hard as Alan and I have tried, we both thought that there would be more opportunities when we got to this age. I don't know, it has seemed that things in the last 15 or so years has began to slide as prices have soared. Gas prices... forget about it. Clothing... what the hell? Food... really, $5 for a decent loaf of bread? Movies... $12.50 for a matinee? Ice Cream... $4.50 a quart? Prescriptions, with health care... $35.00 a month, without... $300.00? It's scary! And it's getting scarier! And as much as I want to buy into the whole HOPE & CHANGE idea, I can't. Not again. Not like 4 years ago.

For the first time, in a very long time, I have been seriously considering sitting the whole national election out. I don't think President Obama comes close to representing my ideals, and values as a progressive liberal. However, when I think of a Romney/Ryan administration, cold chills run up my spine. Especially after the events this week. We are still held in somewhat contempt by the rest of the world because of the actions of the Bush administration, if Mitt Romney is elected to office, we will continue to slide farther and farther down in terms of world wide view. And what he, and the GOP as a whole seems to miss, is that we do indeed need to be apologizing to the world for our actions, in fact it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask for forgiveness.

Sigh.

I don't have much HOPE anymore, because I don't feel Obama has kept his promise for change. Washington is still Washington. And politics is definitely still politics. End of story. I had hope that after 8 years of division in AMERICA, folks on both sides would try to put it behind us. What was I thinking? I don't blame Obama so much for the lack of change, no Rush Limbaugh and Fox News said up front that they wanted nothing more than to see Obama fail, even if it means America fails as well. I put the responsibility for my frustration on myself, for buying into something that seemed a little too good to be true. I can't say that Obama lead me down a primrose path or anything, no, I believe he had all kinds of good intentions, but you know that old adage... The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions.

Unfortunately, we are all right there on the road with him.

I am not 100 percent sure what I will do in November. I know if Mitt Romney is elected we will be in another full on war, and I don't know how much more war we can all take to be honest. It might just be the beginning of the end, if we aren't there already. Mitt Romney, politicizing the death of the Ambassador to Libya this week did nothing to make the world better, or to keep us safe, or improve our credibility in the eyes of the world. Sigh. At least Obama has that going for him. I think. We'll see. I know I am not taking reaching my 51st birthday for granted, assuming we all survive December 21st. The day the Mayan calendar seems to end on. For the most part, I don't believe the world will end that day, but just in case I am eating all the fucking ice cream I want. At least that's my HOPE. And I don't plan to worry that it is almost $5 a quart.

~Me

And Now For A Little Humor. SNL's Kardashian Wedding/Divorce. It ALWAYS makes me laugh!

 

Today's link comes from our friend JR. He's awesome!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-123-and-124.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 125~ I See You

"Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others."

~Jonathan Swift

Here we have a coin operated binocular doohickey machine. I find this machine... well... creepy. Every time I see one, I can't help but wonder if the last user might have walked up to it, put their shiney new coin in it, and immediately sneezed.

Dumb, I know.

But sometimes I also wonder what I would see if I got up the courage to actually look into it's creepy eyes. In this case, if all went well, I would see Marin County and the Golden Gate Bridge. But what if I looked inside and instead saw... A GHOST?

Well, as nifty as that would be, I would rather see a ghost when I am looking for a ghost. Not when I am all happy and not creeped out and just interested in seeing Marin.

Another not fun sight would be... oh... say... the mother of the ex-boyfriend of mine that gave me food poisoning on purpose! Why she would be standing on the side of a cliff in Marin is beyond me, but can you imagine wasting your shiney new coin on the person who gave you food poisoning on purpose?

Other stupid sights could include... A GOP hootenanny, a giant squid, a sumo wrestler losing his diaper bottom, a giant octopus attacking the Golden Gate Bridge, hey... it was in a movie and everything! It Came From Beneath The Sea.

Dumb, I know.

Maybe it's silly to feel this way, but for whatever reason, I can't bring myself to look through that gadget, but I love photographing them. I really like looking at them, but not up close. I wonder if there is such a thing as BinocularPHOBIA. Hmmm... . Is that a thing?


~Me :)

And now here is our link for today. Enjoy!

JR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talladega_National_Forest

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 124~ Hello, It's Me!

"I am an artist you know... it is my right to be odd."

~E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes Of A Gadfly

I once asked my friend Steven, why he liked my photography so much? And he said, simply, because you see stuff. LOL. At first I thought it was a pretty simplistic reason why. Not that I was a whiz with lighting, or an expert at perspective and depth, but rather, because I saw stuff. What do I do with that? But after I thought it over, I knew what a great compliment it really was.

I do see things. I don't look for specific things. I see what's out there. Color will catch my eye, or sometimes shapes. Alan shakes his head when I photograph the ordinary, but I sometimes see such beauty in the ordinary, that I will be thinking about it an hour after I snap the photo. I like windows, and doors. Fire escapes are always shaped wonderfully and sometimes contain the most artistic arrangements of laundry or flower pots.

The ordinary is just life happening.

Yesterday, while out for a ride, I saw this telephone booth sitting at the side of a road on the edge of property. It's shiny and pretty and it's red color lights up the gray area it sits in. And oh yeah... it made me smile. BIG. It makes me want to step inside and see who I might be able to reach on the phone. If I popped a coin in the phone, could I call maybe... oh I don't know... the Queen? Or... ohh... how about James Bond? Could I only call England, or could I might even reach Heaven? If I could reach... oh... say... a fictional character? I know some say James Bond is a fictional character, but I refuse to believe it! But perhaps I could reach a genuine fictional character like maybe... Bridget Jones?

There is a lot girlfriend and I could talk about. :)

I love the ORDINARY, and I love the ODD. And I love it when the ORDINARY and the ODD come together.

Okay... yeah... I see stuff. And all I can say to that is... THANK GOD!

:)

And Now Todd Rundgren "Hello It's Me"

 

~Me :)

Today's Link...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-121.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 123~ Remembering David And Lynn Angel

"It's so curious: one can resist tears and behave very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slops from a drawer... and everything collapses."

~ Colette

 

It's 9/11... isn't it? How could it already have been a year? Sigh. Oh my, time goes by so fast, but here we are again. As with all the September 11ths since that one all those years ago, I have David and Lynn Angell in my heart, prayers and memories. I got to know this couple through the years, by reading articles and testimonies from their friends and loved ones, participating in some online projects honoring those lost that horrific day. The more I learned about them, the more it saddened me that not only are they gone to us, the world, but I will never have the chance to meet them and be able to say... Thank You... for making my life better... Thank You for making me smile and laugh... Thank You... just Thank You.

I have written about the Angells many times since September 11, 2001. But this year, rather than researching into yet another article about them, I would take a step back and just say that it is my hope one day, when I go skipping off into that all important next step of eternity, that I will to be able to sit with them, maybe at some cosmic comedy club, and hear their laughs, and the sound of their voices... and... just be able to say... Thank You.

I will remember you.



~Me

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 122~ A Nice Memory

"Not all those who wander are lost."

~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship Of The Ring

I am a bit tired, so instead of a new photo tonight, I am listening to my body and taking life slowly. I have some plans for new photos this week, so I promise you will see some brand new images, but if it's all good, I will simply share a fond memory with you. I may have displayed this particular photo series before, if so, I don't think it was recently. At least I hope it wasn't.

Anyway, tonight I bring you a nice memory of a day on the beach, adjacent to the Golden Gate Bridge. If you can believe it, this wasn't taken in the summer time, no, it was taken on February 5th, 2007! It was a lovely, warm winter day, and I could have stayed right there the rest of my life! LOL. But, alas, I knew that time, and temperature, and the day wouldn't last forever, and besides, it wouldn't be very long before I got the urge to wander with the camera. So I got the photos I came fore, and went home a happy girl!

Some of my best days with my cameras are when I have no idea where I am going, and what I want to see and photograph. It seems like those days always produce the best photos.



Queen Mary 2
The largest ship, at the time, to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.



The ship came in a little later than scheduled, but it was well worth the wait. You could hear the cheers of the cruise ships passengers, as it sailed under the Golden Gate with just inches to spare. How fun is that?

:)

Queen Mary 2 Narrowly Clears Golden Gate Bridge (USA Today)

~ Me

Today's link, comes by way of my friend JR...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-120.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 121~ From Angry Pickles To Purple Garlic

"All stories are true. But some of them never happened."

~James A. Owen, The Search For The Red Dragon

Still a bit stressed, but not feeling like sharing. It's a stupid situation anyway. It's not like there isn't any humor in the mess to remind me that all dramas tend to have a little comedy to them as well. But I don't feel especially good about the whole stupid situation with or without humor. So, I have some questions if you care to share your thoughts, all opinions welcome here!

Question: Why do people have to make life so much more difficult than it has to be?

Question: Why is it so difficult to get my first name right?

Question: Is it a good idea to address someone by their email address name, rather than getting their first name right?

My came isn't Gordon Carly isn't? No, my name is Carly Gordon, but AOL has a sense of humor.

Question:  So, if you saw my email address at the top of an email, and you have been told, many, many, many, many, many times... "My name isn't Gordon, it's Carly" why would you continue to call me Gordon?

Question: How many girls do you know with the first name Gordon?

Question: Is it too much to ask that people, who want to believe they are professionals in their chosen field, do their FUCKING JOBS?

Queston: What is the appropriate amount of times one should have to correct another, before one or both people are considered OBNOXIOUS?

"I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck."

~Bill Hicks


No, the whole DRAMADY isn't made up of someone who can't get my name right, there is a lot more to it, but it's the name thing that makes dealing with this particular person a final straw every time I have to deal with them. They share NO relationship with common sense. They are condescending. They are argumentative. They are dismissive. They seem to be whoa-fully uninformed. It's not easy to be all those things in one sentence, but I'll be damned if they can't pull it off every time!

I am relatively sure I won the last round. But I wish it doesn't always, ALWAYS come to that.

Sigh.

I feel like this person takes me from the reasonable me, to the unreasonable me.

Sigh.

I can handle myself. I am not a pushover. I don't start conflicts, but I don't back down either. But I hate confrontation. I hate finding myself on the defensive over things that shouldn't happen anyway.

Sigh.

I guess I am just processing it all.

Shrug.

I suppose it's a good sign that I am less Angry Pickles tonight, and more Purple Garlic.

Shrug.

"The most fatal illusion is the settled point of view. Since life is a growth and motion, a fixed point of view kills anybody who has one."

~Brooks Atkinson

~Me :(

Today's Links...

Welcome Back JR!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-111-114.html
 And
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-115-119.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 120~ RRC...The Right Angle

"Colors answer feeling in man; shapes answer thought, and motion answers will."

~John Sterling

Round Robin Challenge: The Right Angle
Brought to you by Karen, author of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

It wasn't easy to find quotes to go with this week's RR subject, I finally had to settle for a generalized quote about shapes, but I think it suits the theme pretty well. Right Angles you say? Well, I did a looking through the archives for photographs that would accurately illustrate Right Angles, and I did a little snapping away while I was in San Francisco recently. So, here are my Right Angles...

The photo above was taken in Santa Cruz, in 2005. The pyramid you see is called Guardian I, and sits at Natural Bridges state beach. It is a kind of place marker of the small cove below the cliff that is the nudist side of the beach. It's an interesting art piece, and a lovely seaside area. The nude beach is well hidden, and out of the sight of the family friendly side. Hey, nothing like a little sunbathing... right?

Photo #2: Not Worth It (It's pretty self explanatory) 8/31/12


Photo #3: Rainbow Flag From The Castro, San Francisco, Ca 8/31/12


Photo #4: Enjoy CocaCola San Francisco, Ca 8/31/12


Photo #5: Another Brick In The Wall, San Francisco, Ca 8/31/12


Okay, that's my contribution for this round. If you would like to join in the fun, grab your camera and snap a Right Angle. You can find out all the details, and well as the links to other participants, at the official Round Robin blog. Just click the link at the top of this entry to be redirected!

:)

~Me

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 120~ Angry Pickles

"Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it."

~Jane Wagner

A Mostly True Tale...

He: That's a strange Smile you have on your face...stressed?

Me:  Yes, I am stressed. Why do you ask?

He: Well... you are picking pears off the tree and throwing them at the back fence.

Me: Oh am I? I hadn't noticed. Well... lookie there... (BANG) I AM PICKING PEARS OFF THE TREE AND THROWING THEM AT THE BACK FENCE. WHEN DID I START DOING THAT?

He: Did I do it?

Me: No, no it wasn't you.

He: Do I know who it was?

Me: Yes.

He: Oh... well... um... do I need to start burying the body?

Me: ALAN... that's a silly question... I took care of the body. It's not like I would be irresponsible or anything. I wouldn't leave it for you to do. I always finish my projects.

He: Does that mean you actually took care of the body, or does that mean you at least have a sense of humor about the situation that stressed you out?

Me: Well... if you don't know the answer to that... well... then I don't know what to say.

He: Are you going to be okay?

Me: Sure. I will be fine.

He: Good.

Me: Can I have a hug?

He: Of course, just put the pear down first.

Me: (Laughter) Damn you Alan, you always make me lose my mad.

He: Good. Then my work here is done.

Me: Alan?

He: Yes?

Me: Will you rub my back while I watch General Hospital? I just have to find out if Jerry Jacks kills the whole town of Port Charles.

He: Sure. Sheesh. The things I do for love.

Me: I love you to Alan.

He: (Pointing toward the house) Come on. ( As we walk away, he puts his arm around me, and we walk into the house, leaving the stress behind in the yard.)

The End...

Of...

A Mostly True Tale.

:)

"Stress level" extreme. It's like she was a jar with the lid screwed on too tight, and inside the jar were pickles, angry pickles, and they were fermenting, and about it explode."

~Fiona Wood, Six Impossible Things

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 119~ The Light In The Afternoon

"But now in September the garden has cooled, and with it my possessiveness. The Sun warms my back instead of beating on my head... The harvest has dwindled and I grown apart from the intense midsummer relationship that brought it on."

~Robert Finch




Ordinarily I wouldn't complain about summer coming to an end, but I enjoyed this past three months of warm weather, because it helped to produce the most beautiful roses I have ever grown, and the yummiest tomatoes and zucchini. It wasn't one of those oppressive summers, when it is so hot outside you can't think straight, but it was a consistent summer and it was good, not just for growing things, but for stretching my creativity as well.

Later today, Alan and I will be cooking up some tomatoes from the garden, in some wonderful all purpose tomato sauce, that will eventually become pasta sauce, pizza sauce, and assorted different bases for dinner dishes. I will post the photos along with the recipes as they are developed. I am still considering what wines I may want to add to the sauce. A nice Cabernet for sure I think. We'll see. :)

 

 For the most part, we had an amazingly bug free garden. The roses have been strong and producing new growth at a better than expected rate, so it softened the blow a good bit when I found some aphids munching down on some of my Pink Promise roses. (YIKES). I caught the infestation early, and cut the rose bush back to eliminate the infected new growth, then did a deep sprinkling of cinnamon at the base of the bush. Next I did some preventive maintenance by cutting the new growth from the rest of the roses in the garden.

 

It's been a couple days, and I haven't seen any new instances of aphids, but I will have to watch things closely for the rest of the season. If all else fails, I have some homemade organic remedy all mixed up and ready to go. It worked wonders in years past, so I am confident that if I need to use it, it will do the trick! In late October, I will prune all of the rose bushes back by a third to promote new growth next spring. Aphids like to overwinter in dry leaves, so while I adore autumn and look forward to the big mess the leaves make, this year I will have to be diligent about the raking and disposal of them. FUN! :) It's a good thing I love autumn leaves so much... lol... it will make dealing with them a lot more fun. At least that's what I am hoping! LOL.

The autumn light is beginning to whisper our way, especially in the late afternoon. When that gorgeous late day sun hits the roses, it's nothing short of magical. The roses in this posting all are showing off that light, with only a tiny amount of editing on my part. This pretty much how everything looks right now, and we are getting little bits of color all around. The leaves are gorgeous this year, and I can't wait to get out with my camera a document it all.

Autumn... HERE I COME!




Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 118~ 24 Hours Of Blue

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

~Dr. Seuss
 

Several years ago, in either 2004 or 2005, we had an unbelievable February in California. We had amazing warm weather here on the coast, and a huge snowfall in the Sierra. So, within the span of 5 hours you could be surfing in Half Moon Bay, or Pacifica or even Santa Cruz, and then later in the same day, swooshing down the slopes in Tahoe. I couldn't resist the urge to grab the camera and showcase what I love the most about living here. The awesome beauty of California weather. It's amazing at times. Take today for example. We are on storm lookout for lightning and thunder. Despite what Hollywood likes to say, we rarely have lightning and thunder, so when we do, I enjoy the hell out of it! With a little luck, I will get some pictures of lightning. Hmmm... now where did I put my lightning rod? Where is that thing? Oh well, I guess all I really need is a key and a kite! Now, if can just remember where I put my kite! Have you seen it? It's shaped like a black and white cow. Which is utterly ridiculous! LOL. Just think of it... and electric cow, flying in the air. How cool is that?





Photo One: Half Moon Bay, California February 21st 12:30 PM

Photo Two: Snow Park Placerville, California February 22nd 8:30 AM

Photo Three: South Lake Tahoe, California,  February 22nd 12:30 PM
 
~Me 

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 117~ Happy Birthday Hendrix And Dylan

"I would like to see anyone, prophet, king, or GOD, convince a thousand cats to do the same thing at the same time."

~Neil Gaiman

Has it really been 4 years? My little boys are now my big little boys. According to the Cat Years Conversion Chart they are both 35 years old. If that's true, they are the most youthful 35 year old I know. I love my boys, they make me smile every single day. I just wish I could get them to sit still for pictures... maybe the 12 catnip mice was too much? LOL. They are good boys, and I couldn't be happier that we found each other. They make me happy. And make me crazy. And make me proud. And make me tired. And make me homesick... Alan says I can't get to the end of the driveway without missing the heck out of them. But to be honest, I felt that way about Elvis to. What can I say? They are my kids! And I got to be their mama! :)

:)




~Me