Here Comes The Rain... And The Wind... And The Flooding... And...

"We live in a world that is beyond our control, and life is in a constant flux of change. So we have a decision to make... keep trying to control a storm that is not going to go away

 or start learning how to live within the rain."

~Glenn Pemberton

Hurting With God

Well, it seems the Bay Area is a mere hours away from the Storm Of The Century. LOL. No, not the Stephen King one, the good old fashioned one, with hard rain, lots and lots of wind and hopefully a good lightning bolt or two! I love lightning! The more thunder the better! It's wonderful, life affirming stuff, well, all except for the damage. Damage isn't fun. And big storms aren't much fun when they spoil your previously planned fun. Take for example the plans Alan and I had for today. We were going to the Orinda Theatre's free showing of the classic holiday movie of "A Christmas Story." It was going to be an amazing amount of fun, especially since there are two special guests coming, Zack Ward and Scott Schwartz. You know... Scut Farcus and Flick. 

And the best part? I could win a major award, by playing the live trivia game that the hosts play with the crowd prior to the film. Like when I won back in October, two gourmet cupcakes, which were decorated as the wheels, on Rosemary Woodhouse's baby buggy. You know Rosemary as in Rosemary's Baby! LOL. Who knows, this months might be in the shape of a seductive leg with a lampshade on it. LOL. Which do you eat first? The lampshade or the foot? OMG... I want to go so bad. Please storm... be windy, be rainy, be thundery, fill the sky with lightning, but please don't keep me from seeing one of my favorite movies of all time on the big screen, like it was meant to be seen.

Fa La La La La... La La La La

Leaf Of The Day

"Be Sure To Drink Your Ovaltine."

Mood: Excited

~Me :)

The Dry Rain...

"The autumn leaves blew over the moonlit pavement in such a way as to make the girl who was moving there seem fixed to a sliding walk, letting the motion of the wind and the leaves carry her forward. The trees overhead made a great sound of letting down their dry rain."

~Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451

Not a lot of words for this post, just leaves. I can see that we are coming to the end of autumn, as the few leaves left here and there are taking on the earthier tones of brown and deep purple. But my eye still searches for the life amongst the dying. At the same time, I am happy with the changing hues, as it is the only way to get to next Autumn, and I am already planning my leaf project for next year!

Is this all it takes to make me happy?

Um.. Yeah... it is!

And now... 

The Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Tranquil

~Me :)

Hands Up Don't Shoot

"Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world would do this, it would change the world."

~William Faulkner

If you enjoy ice cream as much as I do, and want to also support a small business, I highly recommend Cream on Telegraph in Berkeley. And especially now, more than ever, I think I am feeling like picking up some of the delicious ice cream and fabulous warm cookies they sell. You see, they had their windows broke out on Sunday night, by some trouble making opportunists using the tragic decisions made by two different grand juries in New York and Missouri in the deaths of two unarmed men, Michael Brown and Eric Garner to not march for justice, but rather to serve their own selfish interests, and cause the act of peaceful civil disobedience to become an almost hopeless action.

How exactly breaking the windows of businesses and looting helps the cause, is beyond me, but that is the point of this post. I love Berkeley, I love the shops, I love the people. I love the energy the college students bring to the town. I love the Cal Bears. I love the trees. I love Tilden Park like  like it was a member of my family... because in a way... it is! I love the view of San Francisco from Grizzly Peak Boulevard and I love Berkeley for it's ability to take a stand against injustice. I not only love Berkeley for that last one, I admire it for that! We, as Americans, MUST stand up against the oppression of others! As Americans we MUST not look away when any group of people is at risk or have lost their civil rights, let alone any one man. WE MUST LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD... but not with our fists, not with clubs, and not by destroying the very home we live in!

I am doubting that it was the the protesters with the actual messages of "Hands Up Don't Shoot"  and "Justice For Mike Brown and Eric Garner" that took it upon themselves to break the windows of a small ice cream shop or a Trader Joe's, no, that insanity wanted to distract from the message of change, and the message of honor of those two fallen men. That, my friends, is selfishness at it's most devastating. It's devastating for the one inflicting the damage as much as it is for the community at large! Selfishness usually turns to regret with time. A harshness and pain that is difficult to repair. I feel bad for the business hit the other night, but I feel worse for the ones inflicting the damage because I believe at some point in their lives they must have felt helpless, or bullied, and had now way of healing from it. 

But that's just my two cents on the subject.

Monday night saw more of the same marching against injustice, but with a lot less vandalism. So far two Amtrak commuter trains have been held up on the tracks since early evening, and there are reports of HWY 80 in Emeryville being shut down by peaceful protestors. As much as I feel for the commuters, I appreciate the protest being handled correctly. Voices are being heard. That makes me want to go an join them in their stand. If only I could, but alas I am not able. But I do hold them in my heart and I applaud their courage! Enough is ENOUGH! There should not be one more death at the hands of a racist, incompetent or derelict police officer! 

NOT ONE MORE!

But there should also not be not ONE MORE ACT OF VIOLENCE!

NOT ONE MORE!

When will the healing come? It comes when you get involved for POSITIVE change!

It's the Christmas season. A season of hope. Let's hope that positive change happens.

Now more than ever!

Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Quiet/Reflective

~Me :)

An Old Tradition With A New Life

"As long as we know in our hearts what Christmas ought to be, Christmas is."

~Eric Sevareid 

Tilden Park Christmas Carousel 2012

I found that pretty ornament at the top of the post the other day, at the Tilden Park Christmas Carousel. It's under new management this year, and it's smaller than in previous years, but it is making a great effort to bring some Christmas cheer to those of us who attend every year. While it may be a little sparse this year, I think it will find it's footing and grow into something new, but something really happy and jolly. I like some of the new features, like the extended hours of operations, and the menu at their little restaurant is revamped, another plus being benches to watch the carousel.  But I do miss the many different Christmas trees that lined the windows. 

I really enjoyed the trees with the traditional ornaments for sale, as well as the off beat ones for those who like the lights and fun of the holiday, but who don't have a particular religious belief. I always thought it was a nice way of including the entire community. Several years ago I bought a sparkly brown butterfly ornament that I keep on my desk. It was one of those years when I just didn't want to acknowledge the cold harsh winter that was coming. It was my autumn butterfly! I also bought more traditional ornaments that year, in fact Alan and I always buy each other a new ornament from there every year. It's our little tradition. 

Here are some examples of my favorite ornaments...

Aren't they fun?

Another feature gone is my favorite little band...

He is such a jolly fellow, and his two friends are as cute as can be! But I imagine he has bigger gigs to play, and he is right now entertaining his owners!

I will miss him!

But lets face it... things change. Sometimes great things come along when you open your heart. I am just thankful that the Tilden Park Christmas Carousel is still operating. And I know it will take a while to build it back to it's full potential. I will keep looking forward to it, and I will come back to support it. It has become as big a part of Christmas for Alan and I as decorating the tree, or caroling. It's a new spin on an old tradition. How exciting is that?                                          

                                                  :)

( From 2013 )

If you live in the Bay Area, drop by Tilden Park and enjoy that natural beauty, but stay for the Carousel rides. Just $2 each!

Herschell Spillman Merry-Go-Round

And Now...

The Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Art About Town: San Francisco... "La Chiffonniere" By Jean DuBuffet

"Every night I cuddle with a blob of unbaked clay

 I fashioned in the shape of a woman.

 But that's what being in love is all about."

~Jarod Kintz

This Is The Best Book I've Ever Written, And It Still Sucks

I can't seem to get the perfect photo of this particular sculpture. I have tried different times of day, and different cameras, but for some reason I am never happy with the outcome. It is such an interesting piece. Sometimes I look at it, and I think it's imposing, other times I see a gentle giant. Sometimes I smile, sometimes I don't like to go near it. Is it an alien? Is it a warrior? All I do know is, it inspires me, and it always captures my imagination. It makes me think about what interesting adventures that could happen in it's universe... and I wonder... when the Embarcadero Center is dark and quiet in the middle of the night, does La Chiffonniere leave her place and move about San Francisco saving sleeping citizens from all kinds of terror or turmoil? The artist saw her simply as a woman dressed in rags, but I see something different. I see a woman who might be dressed in rags, but who carries great empowerment! Look, her head is held high, and she stands straight!

She is WOMAN!

Maybe I am never happy with my photos of her, because photographs simply don't do her justice!

So tell me, what do you think of when you look at La Chiffonniere?

Public Art Fund NYC: La Chiffonniere (Temporary Installation)

Art And Architecture San Francisco

Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Muscovy Duck

Muscovy Duck

"Be like a duck, paddling and working very hard inside the water, 

but what everyone sees is a smiling and calm face."

~Manoj Arora

From The Rat Race To Financial Freedom

I first spotted this duck a couple weeks ago. Isn't it gorgeous? I love learning about new birds. Hopefully I will be able to do some bird watching this winter. 

The San Francisco shoreline has some great places to do some bird watching from!

And what's so amazing about this duck... it seems to love the leaves as much as I do!

Quack

Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Mosaic Of Them All

"Winter is an etching, Spring a watercolor, Summer an oil painting, Autumn is a mosaic of them all."

~Stanley Horowitz

I have been in love with autumn since I was a small child. I always loved seeing the beautiful crimson, gold and deep purples of the season. I love the ripe pears and spicy pies. Cinnamon has always been my favorite scent, and Alan and I fell in love in autumn, and we were married in October. Autumn is a special time of year for me! I know it's strange, and I can't really explain it, but I have always felt healthier and more invigorated in autumn, like I have been renewed! And there is just something about a sight like this one, that fills me up with joy and happiness! It's magical!

Life Is Good

And, if FEDEX manages to stay on course today, my new camera will be here sometime this afternoon. It's a replacement for the Nikon Cool-Pix s3600 that went missing last month! I ordered the new one in a lovely shade of purple... autumn purple of course... and I can't wait to take it for a spin around the autumn world. Leaves, trees, Christmas lights, clouds, raindrops, wild geese, maybe even snow... who knows what the last of autumn may have in store? All I know is, I want to see every last leafy bit of it!

If I could, I would photograph every single leaf of autumn!

Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Autumn Light Autumn Darkness

Autumn Daytime

"Autumn... The cheerful sundial; it falls in the shadow of they leaves.

 There, where your branches brace themselves against the gate of heaven."

~Kristian Goldmund Aumann

It's been raining in the Bay Area the last few days. Changing the light, changes the color of things, and I have been having an amazing time photographing the leaves. Cloudy days are my favorite days to experiment with the camera, but cloudy days are not without their challenges, but all in all I had a pretty good time! The same group of leaves photographed from different angles, a few hours apart. Their vibrancy changing with the light.

Autumn Nighttime

 

Autumn Shooting Star...

Dwell on the beauty of life. 

Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them."

~Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

I smiled when I saw that leaf floating in the water, it reminded me of a shooting star!

Leaf Of The Day

 

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Late In The Day On A Late Autumn Day...

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

~Percy Bysshe Shelley

Sigh. That's all... just... SIGH.

:)

Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Relaxed

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: The Thanksgiving Edition

"Question for your life: If your face looked like your ass, and I'm not saying it doesn't, would you consider invading Russia in the middle of winter wearing only shorts?"

~Jarod Kintz

$3.33

I think I had been taking photos for well over a decade before I began to see faces. Oh don't get me wrong, I can recognize a face in the sense that I know what two eyes, a nose and a month creates one, no what I mean is, I began to see faces in objects and clouds or at least patterns that looked like faces. It's called Pareidolia. The most common example of which, might be when we see the Man In The Moon. To date, I haven't seen Jesus, or the Virgin Mary, which I hope isn't a bad sign, but I have seen some pretty interesting anonymous faces here and there! Take this one for example... do you see it? Look at the picture above. Do you see a cute little Golden Retriever looking back at you? Alan and I thought we did, so I thought it would make a fun addition to my collection!

 Tell me what you think... do you see it?

Thanksgiving Dinner

 (Before Picture)

The Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Cray-Cray For The Holiday

"Don't spoil Christmas Day by anticipating how it will be. 

Let it unfold as it does and be grateful for whatever comes."

~Toni Sorenson

Have you heard the drums yet? Oh I don't mean the little drummer boy playing his drum for the baby Jesus, I mean the war cry alerting us to the WAR ON CHRISTMAS! Be careful... if you aren't keeping up on these things,  you should know you will suddenly be crept up on, not by the Krampas, but by the invisible specter of consumerism, and good tidings expressed, that rob us of the true meaning of Christmas! Sarah Palin knows of this danger, as does the grandfather of jitters Bill O'Reilly. 

They both wrote the book on it dontcha-know? These are scary ass times people... be scared... be very scared... should a stranger wish you a fond HAPPY HOLIDAYS, because, Oh-GOOD-LORD-DONTCHA-KNOW, it will certainly one of those Heathen-Socialist-Communist-Liberal-PC-Considerate-Left Wing-Democratic-Tree Hugging- (And I don't mean an O'Christmas tree) -Weed Smoking-Obamaites trying to diminish Christmas by acknowledging your existence in a pseudo pleasant manner! WINK!

Don't BE FOOLED! Christmas is in DANGER of being destroyed by all the Happy Holiday's banners, and the subtle messages of that HOPE thing that can be found on the prettiest of wrapping paper and greeting cards. It's diabolical I Tells ya! Just stop into the Hallmark section of ANY Walmart store and you will see it right there! You know, I would like to see Sister Sarah and Brother Bill picket a Walmart and expose them for their hypocrisy!  I should encourage that! Everyone needs a little encouragement... right? You GO BILL AND SARAH!

 Don't Be Fooled! 

The WAR ON CHRISTMAS IS HELL!

There, I have done my part for the war effort!

Now, if we are all done with the cray-cray... 

I have a shitload of shopping to do!

Oh and well wishing to express!

Happy Holidays!

;)

And now, this tree hugger presents...

 The Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)