A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 147~ Fruits Of The Harvest

"Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle."

~Paulo Coelho, Brida



Yesterday Alan and I went to Apple Hill. I found out about the amazing area quite by accident one day when searching online for recipes for apple pie. Situated in the Sierra foothills, just above Placerville, Apple Hill is a favorite autumn harvest destination for any apple and autumn fruits enthusiast in Northern California. At first glance, one would think the region is all about the apples, but indeed there are many delicious reasons to long for autumn. My favorite thing is the amazing apple cider donuts, from Rainbow Orchard in Apple Hill. Cooked to order, and served warm with sugar sprinkled on top, they simply melt with spicy goodness in your mouth. Wineries are quite plentiful also, and lots and lots of colorful grapes still on the vine dot the landscape. It is an amazing sight to see the small hills of the area completely covered in deep purple, ripe grapes.

 

Everything about Apple Hill is photogenic, from the pumpkins to the many varieties of apples... the whole area is absolutely beautiful! I will be posting more photos of our trip to Apple Hill on Sunday. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the next we play another round of the Round Robin Challenges. This time out the subject is "Tell Me A Story." I know Karen would love to have you join in the fun. Click the link below to be redirected to the official Round Robin blog.

Round Robin Challenge: Tell Me A Story



Stay Tuned...
There's More Apple Hill To Come

~Me :)

Now, be sure to stop by and say hello to my pal JR. He's an awesome photographer!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/apadf6-145.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 146~ Motion Sickness

"The true measure of a man is not what he dreams, but what he aspires to be; a dream is nothing without action. Whether one fails or succeeds is irrelevant; all that matters is that there was motion in his life. That alone affects the world."

~Mike Norton, White Mountain

Did you see the presidential debate tonight?

Personally, I found it breathtaking. It was like some kind of a weird nightmare after eating too much chili and ice cream. Obama was like something out of a 50's Science Fiction movie. You know something like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Or maybe he just showed us the closest look at his true self that we have ever seen. All I know is... at 5:45 pm Big Bird's job was safe, but by the time it was all over, Big Bird is applying for unemployment. Was he the 47% Romney was talking about?

Wait, what's that?

Oh... lookie there...

I think I have the tred marks from a bus on my back.

Damn, I always liked that sweater.

SHIT!

Don't know what to say.

But I know one thing, I am not looking forward to the next month or so.

Damn scary world... and getting more so all the time.

Thank GOD for my camera.

Because I just can't look anymore.

"Never mistake motion for action."

~Ernest Hemingway

~Me :(

Today's Link From My Pal JR...

JR
 http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/apadf6-144.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 145~ Friendship In Autumn

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

~ Anais Nin, The Diary of Anais Nin, Vol. 1: 1931 - 1934

 

I have a lot on my mind this week. I am happy about vacation, I have really needed it this year, but as happy as I am about this time of rest and relaxation, I am also very sad, remembering my friend Steven and my cat Elvis, both having passed from life, and my life, way too soon.

Elvis passed away on October 8 2008. He was 11 1/2 years old, and the kitty love of my life. Smart. Funny. Determined. Understanding. Loving. Giving. Considerate. Charming. Quirky. Chauvinistic.Commanding. Confident. Compassionate. Loyal. Gentle. Womanizer. And there are many more single words that could describe him, but I will leave it here. These were his main traits. I miss him so much, sometimes I can barely breathe, but at the same time I know he is on the other side of life and fate, and he is happy, and he is cancer free. For that I am grateful, but at the same time not a day in 4 years has gone by that I don't think about him... and miss his silly ways.

 

 Steven and I met when we both had our blogs on AOL Journals. We became good friends. We both shared a big love of photography, and often shared our latest photos with each other. We had a twice yearly challenge between us. On Memorial Day weekend it was "Hamburger Day." A fun little challenge to see who could produce the most photogenic, and of course, best tasting hamburger in the land.

It was fun.

Every October 30th, Steven and I played a very different challenge... Haunted Refrigerator Night. I looked it up, and yep it is a genuine Wacky Holiday. And again, we had tons of fun with it. Sometimes I went for ultra spooky, sometimes silly and spooky, sometimes a little of both. :) I miss those times with Steven... I miss his friendship. His counseling. His suggestions about my photos. His understanding. He is willingness to be a friend when I needed one, and his ability to step back when I just needed to be quiet. When Alan tried his hand at photo blogging, Steven was the first AOL Journals friend to welcome him. That meant a lot to me, and it was fun to watch he and Alan become pals.

 

Steven had a cat named Pickle. Pickle and my cat Elvis became Internet friends. LOL. The two would cross post photos of themselves when the opportunity arose. During the 2008 primary season, Pickle and Elvis debated on who would make the better democratic candidate for the office of President. As we get closer to the election time, I might rerun Elvis's stance. It was a humorous post, with some serious undertones. Anyway, Pickle also had his say... it was a great way to open a dialog about the future. I wish I would have saved Pickles response, as Steven's blog has been closed and I will never get to read it again. That picture above was a gift from Steven, he emailed it to me that summer, I am so glad I saved it to a special drive on the computer.

On the day I wrote my post about Elvis's diagnosis with cancer, Steven confided that Pickle was also sick. Not with cancer, but rather because of his age... kidney failure. Pickle was 17 and he had lived a long life. So, between the the spring of 2008 and the early autumn of that year, Steven and I shared our heartbreak, and it made it all a little easier to take. Both of us lost our pets that year, and I think something in both of us died a little with our kitties. Alan and I adopted Hendrix and Dylan fairly soon after Elvis passed away, and while it didn't make the grieving hurt less, it did open this other bright sunny window that I think helped me cope a little better.

Today would have been my friend Steven's birthday. It feels strange to not be able to send him a card. He passed away a few days after his birthday in 2009. One's birthday and death should never come in the same week methinks.

I miss my friend.

But I can also hear him say... "Go find the photo." :) Like he is still here. I guess in a lot of ways... he still is.

Happy Birthday Steven.

"Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are to find."

~William Shakespeare

~Carly

Today's Link Is From My Pal JR. If You Haven't Had A Chance To See His Marvelous Photography... Go... Shoo... Go See It! :)

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/apadf6-142.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 144~ Let The Baking Begin!

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap."

~Barbara Jordan

Cookies anyone? These are Lemon Tea Cookies. They go great with milk, and even better with white wine. Go ahead... take one. LOL.

Yesterday was a good day. There were one or two irritating elements to it. Grrr. Nothing a good cookie couldn't fix! :) That's all I needed. 30 minutes of quiet. A homemade lemon cookie and the company of a certain orange tabby cat. I am a simple girl with simple needs.

Life Is Good!

"A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand."

~Unknown

~Me :)

And now... today's link to an awesome photo blog authored by my pal JR!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/apadf6-141.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 143~ Just Yesterday It Was September

"Outside the leaves on the trees constricted slightly; they were the deep done green of the beginning of autumn. It was a Sunday in September. There would only be four. The clouds were high and the swallows would be here for another month or so before they left for the south, before they returned again next summer."

~Ali Smith, The Whole Story and Other Stories

Where did it go? I know September is around here somewhere! Oh well, another September come and gone, way too fast. I wish time would have moved this fast when I was a kid. There were days back then that seemed like they were 100 hours long. 100 hour long days pretty much transitioned into year long months. LOL. Eventually I hit my 21st birthday, and it's all been a blink since. Even years that I thought would kill me, seem like it was done in a weird kind of slow motion warp drive.
Someday, I must have a talk with GOD about time. This girl has some questions. Oh well, on to October...

See the photo composite above, that is something new I am thinking about doing on the first day of each month. Like the one above, I will post a picture featuring my favorite photos from the previous month. It's just my way of looking back on what I was seeing. The moments that I found some sort of inspiration in. I hate looking into my archive from previous years, and not know the exact reason I was drawn to a particular scene. Recently, I found a wonderful, free, photo editing software on the net called Photoscape. For a free program, it has a lot of cool features, one of them being the ability to put different photos together in a set, with little effort. If you are looking for a new photo editing program, its definitely worth checking out.

Let me know what you think about the monthly look backs. If you would like to join me on the first of each month, I would love to see your photo sets, and hear about why you chose the photos you did.

October, and the early part of November, will be a busy time with the cameras. In that the trees have already begun to show their Autumn colors, I predict that there will be a lot to see and photograph in the next 40 days or so. I feel all kinds of happy inside, and I am excited to see what's waiting for me. :) And now, a preview. I took these photos just last night.

Signs of Things To Come...

I love the color purple in Autumn.

 

I see Autumn everywhere, or does Autumn see me? Do you see the EYE of Autumn?



~Me :)

Today's Link...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-140.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 142~ Vacation... All I Ever Wanted

"A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked... "

~Anais Nin

Tomorrow, at exactly 6:00 AM, Alan and I will officially begin our 5 weeks of vacation. We have an amazingly full schedule this year, which is fantastic, because it feels like forever since we have been able to take a big bite out of autumn. Our 22nd wedding anniversary is on October 13th. 22 years? How could it have already been 22 years? Like any other marriage, we have had the same ups and downs as most people I think. We have had some lows that I didn't think we could possibly pull out of, well I actually mean I wouldn't be able to pull out of, but sure enough if you can find a way to ignore the people and things that work to cause you pain, it makes it all the more sweeter to get to the other side of pain. Of course it helps to know that love is waiting... and keeping faith in you... and encouraging you. Yeah, I know I am lucky... believe me... I thank GOD for my guy, and wonder, what did I do to be so blessed?

So, on with the Itinerary...

Apple Hill (If you live in Northern California, it's a MUST!).
A sightseeing trip of San Francisco Bay from a small plane.
A day pass to a gorgeous Quarryhill botanical garden in Glen Ellen (autumn leaves and vineyards).
A sightseeing tour of the landmarks of San Francisco and the bay on the Ride The Ducks amphibious tour.
A trip to Pacific Grove AKA Butterfly Town USA. And the 17 Mile Drive.
And last but not least... Celebrating the turning of the leaves in Plumas County.

All that plus...

Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch in Half Moon Bay on Family Day (Our own made up holiday)
Halloween
And our plans are always subject to sudden changes, so there might be more events and outings added.
And let's not forget all the fun of a National Election! LOL.

***Spoiler Alert***

As I write this blog post, President Obama pretty much has it cinched! LOL. But you never know!

I think I am already tired. LOL. So, sshhhh... don't tell my Fibromyalgia.

YIKES! Wish me luck... okay?

~Me :)

If you haven't visited my friend JR's blog yet, go do so now. His photography is awesome!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-138.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 141~ Bzzzzzz

"The only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you're a bee. The only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey. And the only reason for making hones is so I can eat it."

~A.A. Milne, Winnie The Pooh, The House At Pooh Corner

Bzzzzzz. I love photographing busy, buzzy things flying about in my rose garden. And I marvel at that because there was a day when just the thought of being in close proximity to bees or any other creature with a stinger would have terrified me. Well, I had good reason, you see my mother was highly allergic to bees, and apparently somewhat suicidal, because she planted in her garden every bee enticing flower she could find. On especially hot summer days, she would put on her garden hat, and her gloves, and head out to tend her flowers, or as it seemed to me and everyone else in the family, to dare the bees to sting her.

My mother did things like that.

 

One day, after my father went to work, and my sister went to school, mom set about on her daily walk on the wild side, because the "plants needed tending." I didn't go with her as I usually did. I was happy to sit inside with my dog, but I did watch from the window. It was the usual drill, she visited each plant, checking for aphids or some loathsome creature, but in the middle of all the usual, she suddenly stood up straight, grabbed her arm and promptly fell backwards.

My pup and I went running to her, to see what had happened, but deep down I already knew... she had been stung. I could hear her laboring to breathe, and without reacting I screamed for the next door neighbor to come help, as I ran inside for the small brown kit the doctor had prescribed for her. By the time I got back to the yard, my neighbor was there and talking to her. The neighbor took the syringe from the kit, and injected her with the Epinephrine.

I only saw that happen one time, but believe me, once was enough.



I am not allergic to bees. I always knew this, but just the thought of them being around me made my skin crawl. It took many, many years to learn to appreciate their magnificent beauty. I love Bumble Bees, and Honey Bees, and I have had definitely made my peace with them. I could live without Killer Bees, and Wasps. Hornets just plain give me the creeps, but not as much as they once did. Mud Daubers are dreadful little creatures. One day, Alan and I found a nest over the door on the inside of our storage unit. Blech.

I think I am mostly happy about being able to get past my aversion to flying creatures. I have learned that if you have aphids in your garden, and Home Depot doesn't have a supply of Lady Bugs for sale, you can instead purchase Praying Mantis (The State Bird Of Texas By The Way) and they will eat all the aphids in your garden in a relatively short amount of time. They are good guys, but I will always ask for the Lady Bugs first. It's hard to be put off by anything called "Lady." LOL.

Sometime I will share about why and how I know that the Praying Mantis is the state bird of Texas. I will have to save that for another time. But as a teaser... it involved a bus, 3:00 AM, a roadside diner, in Where-The-Hell-Am-I-Texas and (and I kid you not) a waitress named Flo. LOL. Ahh yes, summertime, summertime... good times, good times. LOL.

Okay, so tell me, do you mind small flying creatures? Which ones do you kinda dislike? Are you allergic to bees?

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."

~Marilyn Monroe

Trivia Bonus: LOL. The actual State Bird Of Texas is the Mockingbird. But I can make make a good case with the Praying Mantis. ;)



~Me :)



 

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 140~ A Face In The Crowd

"Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic."

~Frank Herbert

 

Do you see what I see? Do you see that little woman with the red curly hair? When I looked at this lifeless little dahlia, I saw a little old grandma with reddish/brown hair. When I first showed this photo to Alan, he said he saw a Raggedy Ann doll. Alan gets the creeps from any kind of Raggedy Ann or Raggedy Andy dolls, so the dahlia really gave him the creeps.

I don't get the wiggins from Raggedy Ann or any random little grandmas with red hair, so I am not put off by it, but at the same time it's not like it's not weird that it so closely resembles a doll of some sort. Sometimes you can put such things down to the mind simply filling in details that your eyes can't focus on. And that can be good or bad.

When I was a little girl, a dear friend of my mother's showed up one afternoon with a surprise gift for me. It was a painting by Thomas Lawrence called, "Pinkie." It was a painting of young Sarah Goodin Barrett Moultin. She posed for the painting when she was about 11 years old, but unfortunately died a year or so later. Had she lived, she would have been the aunt of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

The painting, and the story behind it makes for interesting reading. But long before I had heard of the details of Sarah's life and demise, I had to admit... I HATED THAT PAINTING WITH A GREAT PASSION! In fact, it scared the SHIT out of me. I was pleasant to the lady who gave it to me, but I would have nothing of it actually hanging in my room. KICKING AND SCREAMING as I recall. My mother finally gave in and put it my parents bedroom, but it didn't work out there either.

 One night, about two weeks or so after my mother hung the painting in their bedroom, my dad got up in the middle of the night, took the painting off the wall, and hung it in the spare bedroom where my brother stayed when he was commuting between San Francisco and Sacramento. It didn't work out well in that room. A few nights later. my brother, again in the middle of the night, got up and took the painting off the wall, and set it next to the sofa in the living room. No questions were asked. We all knew it was a spooky painting.

Everyone except my mother, who insisted we were all full of beans, and had watched one too many Creature Features movies. She took it upon herself to hang Pinkie in the living room, coincidentally on the wall opposite the large brass mirror. The mirror my dad could see from the desk in his office.

Once again, in the middle of the night, my dad got up, this time from his desk where he had been working, walked to the living room, took the painting off the wall, and turned it around and hung it backwards toward the wall it was hanging on. I just happened to be passing through the room when he did it, and felt a good bit of satisfaction at seeing others feeling uneasy. There is safety in numbers... right?

"Well, it's just that the eyes kinda follow you around" said dad. "Yep." Said I.

The next day the picture was moved to Mom's plant room, where it hung for about 20 years or so. About a month later another coincidence took place... mom stopped watering her plants before bed, and started watering them first thing after breakfast each day. We never talked about it, but I am pretty sure Pinkie had finally gotten to her to, but being the good natured, respectful daughter that I was I never said... I TOLD YOU SO!

:)

Is creepy in the eye of the beholder? Is one man's creepy another man's beautiful? Is creepy subjective? Had we watched too many episodes of Creature Features? Were the eyes in the picture following us around the room? Was it all just our imaginations? Was it all just the power of suggestion? Was it a haunted painting?

I'm thinking... ummm... yes! And we will leave it at that.

Now, tell me, do you see the face in the dahlia? If so, do you find it cute or spooky/creepy?


 

"In dreams you don't need to make any distinctions between things. Not at all. Boundaries don't exist. So, in dreams there are hardly ever collisions. Even if there are, they don't hurt. Reality is different. Reality bites. Reality, reality."

~Haruki Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart

~Me :)

Today's link comes from JR.

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-137.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 139~ The Black Phoebe

"Summer makes me drowsy. Autumn makes me sing. Winter's pretty lousy, but I hate the spring."

~Dorothy Parker

 

Yesterday, Alan and I decided to take the new toy to San Francisco. Golden Gate Park is great this time of year, everyone is back at school, and the tourists are waning off. It's so much easier to find a place to park this time of year. The summer can be downright frustrating, so we didn't spend a lot of time there this year. Now it's time to make up for lost time!

The gardens within the park are absolutely gorgeous! One of our favorites is the garden at the Queen Wilhelmina Windmill. During the spring months, the landscape is usually covered with brightly colored tulips and California Poppies. But in the autumn the garden is transformed with flowers of crimson and rust colors. It's lovely. I got a nice surprise while visiting yesterday, when I spotted a Black Phoebe resting for a bit on one of the small rock walls. Happiness! I wish I could have gotten closer to the Phoebe, but I wasn't planning on doing birdwatching, so I am just happy I got this photo no worries!

:)

Vacation officially starts Monday, and I am planning on doing a lot of bird watching. I am hoping to post at least one new bird photograph per week. If you want to join me, we can designate one particular day to post our cross posts. Let me know what you think!

Only 40 more days left in my project, "A Photo A Day For 6 Months." If you haven't participated, and would still like to, you are more than welcome to do so. Jump in anytime. Just post your photo, of whatever subject catches your eye that day, and leave me a link to it in the comment thread. I will make sure your name is added the the participation list with the next post. Joining in couldn't be easier! At the end of the 40 days I will announce whether or not I will be relaunching the Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot (EMPS). Let me know how you feel about that project. If there is no interest, no worries, perhaps it was time to let it come to it's logical end, but if you really enjoyed it, I will be happy to host it.

Just know... NO worries either way. Okay?

:)

Okay, that it for me, now go visit my pal JR. He has been a great and loyal friend. Its those like him, that make me thankful that I took on the MPS, because I have enjoyed viewing his photography very much! If you haven't been by his blog... go... view... be happy!

JR
 http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-135.html

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 138~ Our Blue Heaven

"Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror."

~Colin Powell

It's a boy! Well, at least I think it's a boy. It's blue. Or is that sexist? I am not sure. What do you think? I mean when a baby is born, the hospital usually puts little boys in blue blankets, and girls in pink ones. At least they did the last time I saw a new human. When my nephew was born, about 28 years ago, he was wrapped in an cornflower blue blanket. It was a lovely color. That blanket came home with him. Every time I see that particular shade of blue, I can't help but think of the day I met my nephew.

The color of our new car is quite similar. So yeah... I think the car is a boy. :)

And now I have to think of an appropriate name.

What do you think of the name Corny? Too corny? LOL.

Oh well, there's time. I will figure it out. I will be out driving around and it will come to me.

Right now, I am exhausted. I was sad trading in my lovely Lilith. I wish Saturn/GMC would have stood by it's cars. I wish they wouldn't have been so damned underhanded. I wish there was more oversight to protect the consumer against lemons. But you know the old saying... "If wishes were horses... "

Goodbye Lilith...
 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."

~Soren Kierkegaard

~Me :)

Now, go see what my friend JR is seeing with his camera! He is awesome!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-134.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 137~ Hot Chocolate

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

~Charles M. Schulz

A truly well done Hot Chocolate is a thing of beauty. :) One of our favorite traditions in autumn, is to spend the day after Thanksgiving in San Francisco, watching the mad dash of holiday shoppers going here and there in Union Square. Alan and I consider that day, known in shopping circles as, Black Friday, one of our favorite holidays. We have our turkey feast the night before, pass out cold by 7:30 pm, and get up in the wee early hours of the day after Thanksgiving, to get a head start on watching the shopping crazies try to beat their fellow shoppers to Macy's or Bloomingdales or even Walmart, with the goal of getting one of the specialty priced... oh... say... left-handed monkey pliers for Great-Aunt Mauggie. You remember her... right? She is your aunt 17 times removed. LOL But she always remembers you during the holidays by sending you an over sized, musical Christmas card, with postage due.

Oh... I kid the strange aunt. LOL. Alan and I don't have anyone all that dramatic to deal with, in fact except for his parents, that's the only family we have. Otherwise we are just us in this world. Gosh, I miss his brother this time of year. Daryl passed away in 2008 at age 50. We talked a few times a year, especially during the holidays, so I think of him and miss him, but I also smile because of all the games of Monopoly we played on holidays when we were kids. I met Alan and Daryl on Memorial day in 1977, and after that when our families got together for Christmas breakfast, or New Year's celebration, the three of us, and whoever else was there, always played board games after dinner. But that was back when I was a kid, and could eat a heavy Thanksgiving dinner, without succumbing to a carbohydrate coma.

Daryl was a great guy, it doesn't hurt to think of him anymore. In fact, this might sound strange, but sometimes I swear I can hear him laughing. Especially during those times when I trip or some other self embarrassing moment. LOL. He and Alan were the only ones who could get away with teasing me about my stumbles. LOL. We were the best kind of family, family you wanted to have as opposed to the ones God, in his odd sense of humor, gives you. I have a lot to ask God about. LOL. Daryl was a gift to everyone who knew him. He knew Alan and I were in love long before we did, but he let us come to that realization on our own, and in our own time. The day we got engaged, we called to tell him, and in a voice soft with happiness he asked... "What took you guys so long?"

Daryl would have loved Black Friday as much as we do. I can almost see the three of us, sitting at the shiny silver outdoor table at Emporio Rulli Il Cafe in Union Square, laughing at all the shoppers fighting over the awesome bargains. LOL. Is there anything more relaxing than finding your zen in the middle of complete Chaos? LOL. But it's just Alan and I and our memories of all the holidays, and laughter, and wild debates about whether or not Alan and I make up our own words when playing Password. LOL. If I had a nickle for every time Daryl said... "THAT'S NOT A WORD!"

I hope Daryl knows that when we meet again one day, the Hot Chocolate is on me! LOL. And I can already hear my friend/brother laughing about it!

~Me :)

Now go check out what my pal JR is up to with his camera!

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/09/apadf6-132.html

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