The Test Of A Man's Character

 

"Nearly all men can stand adversity,

 but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

 

~Abraham Lincoln 

 

Right?

Donald Trump has now lost Arizona. The only states left to call are North Carolina and Georgia. This is only the second time that the state of Arizona has gone for a Democrat, the first being Bill Clinton, in 1996. Before that, you'd have to go all the way back to 1948! And to think, all it took was an out of control pandemic to unseat the worst president, Donald Trump, this nation has ever seen! He's still refusing to concede, although the Republican party does seem to be losing it's patience with his immature insistence that he won the election by "lots." Yes, he said he won by "lots."

 

 Sigh. 

 

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 13th 2020

Art About Town: Sacramento... Mural "At Folsom Prison"

 

"The one red leaf, the last of its clan,

That dances as often as dance it can,

Hanging so light, and hanging so high,

On the topmost twig that looks up at the sky."

 

~Samuel Taylor Coleridge 

 

I have been wanting to photograph this amazing mural, since it was first done in 2018, as part of the Wide Open Walls Mural Festival. Sacramento has a lot of marvelous murals, only a few of which I have posted to this blog, but this one has been a favorite of mine to just enjoy viewing, when I visit. Sometimes the photographer must put the camera down, and enjoy the art. You see, it is located the side of the Marriott's Residence Inn, on L Street, and can be seen for blocks because of it's size. It takes up the entire side of the 15 story hotel! The mural is in honor of the 50th anniversary of the performer's concert at Folsom prison, and the release of Cash's album, At Folsom Prison.

 

 If the artist's style looks familiar, it's because Fairey is also the artist who created the iconic poster, "Hope" for President Barack Obama, for his 2008 presidential campaign. This mural image was based on the original photograph created for the album by photographer, Jim Marshall, in 1968. One of the most fascinating aspects of the mural, is that Fairey has Johnny Cash gazing toward the site of Folsom Prison, which is located about 20 miles northeast of Sacramento. I visited the grounds of Folsom Prison last month, and hoped to be able to visit the Johnny Cash museum, which sits just outside the gates, but it was unfortunately closed for renovations. I will visit there again sometime, I'd like to learn more about the musician's concert at the prison.

 

Sacramento: Mid-Century Beauty... Wesslers, Body And Paint

"Sadness in autumn is an autumn within autumn."

~Mehmet Murat ildan

My search for Mid-Century signage is one of my favorite subjects, because I don't really plan for it, I simply visit older areas of towns, and keep my eyes open. It works in most cities in Northern California, like Stockton and Sacramento, which also tends to be dotted with "old west" architecture, which will never be a style I will be interested in. But I guess, never say never, right? San Francisco has a lot of different architecture styles, which allows my creativity to wander, and I hope to be visiting the city soon, but Oakland is also on my list for 2021 and I'm planning to stop in there much more often than in previous years. There is so much to see in the world, and exploring places I love anyway, with my camera in my hand, is when I am at my happiest.

 

Completely off topic, but I spotted this cool leaf situation the other day, and I thought it would be kinda cool in this post because of the cool lines. Anyway, my first thought was that the tiny branch was lovingly holding the group of leaves, so that the wind wouldn't carry them away. I really like that thought.

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 11th 2020

Sunday's In Sacramento In Autumn

 

"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 Fairly colors. Try to smell the hard, pale wood sending up sharp, green smile into the afternoon. To feel the mellow, golden sun on your skin, more gentle and cozier and more golden than even 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 

 

Sacramento, formerly known as the, City Of Trees, is about as beautiful place in Autumn as it gets. I haven't devoted much time to doing my photography there, since moving to Stockton, but this season that might be all different. I can't afford to do the trips into the Sierra like I did on past years, but that's okay, it gives me a chance to get to know Sacramento as well as I had gotten to know San Francisco. It's home now, and I am feeling really good, despite 2020's cruelty. As I have mentioned before it's time to fight back. Do what I need to, to take care of Alan and myself, and resume living. Sacramento is a beautiful place! We were just there a couple days ago, on Sunday, and were delighted to find that it has finally put on it's pallet of the colors of autumn. It's almost impossible to not be happy. I'm pretty sure I will be spending a lot of Sunday's there from now, through winter. 

 

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 8th 2020

 

Purple Weeds

 

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

 

~PG Wodehouse

 Jeeves And The Old School Chum 

 

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

 

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

 

~Carly

Stockton California

November 9th 2020

270 - 214 Marching Toward January

 

"I was drinking in the surroundings: Air so crisp you could snap it with our fingers and greens in ever lush shade unimaginable offset by autumnal flashes of red and yellow."

 

~Wendy Desol

Stork 

 

America has a president, his name is Donald John Trump, but in 72 days, America will have a brand new president, and his name is Joseph R. Biden, and I couldn't be happier! At a little after 9:30 am, Saturday morning, Alan woke me with the good news that Pennsylvania had been called, and so had the election. It was that state that finally put him over the 270 figure, and a little later, Nevada came through with 6 more electoral college votes! As things stand now, Biden is at 290 and Donald Trump is at 214, but Georgia is looking really good! It could all come in before midnight Pacific time, but it's a fingers crossed kinda thing. Biden and Harris gave their first speeches Saturday night, as President and Madam Vice President elect, and of course I sat in front of the screen, hanging on every single word, wishing I could find a place to purchase a Biden Harris rally sign, as I have already put my yard sign on the wall of my newly painted office. Shrug. I'll find one somewhere, and then I will have it for the inauguration next January... and for the wall in my office eventually. I am/was such a politics nerd.

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 8th 2020

 

 

The Death Of Amateur Politics, Pandemics And Punditry

 

"On a withered branch 

A crow has alighted: Nightfall in autumn."

 

~Matsu Basho 

I didn't do as much photography as I wanted to on this vacation. So much was working against me. Two days of furlough money being deducted from Alan's paycheck, meant we had less money to spend. Covid-19 meant that we couldn't go to restaurants, not even Denny's, without making reservations way in advance, due to restrictions on how many can be served, and who knows if we would have felt like it when the time arrived. Covid-19 also derailed a lot of small traditions, like walking into somewhere like Old Navy or Ross and purchasing a t-shirt for the upcoming season. No movie theaters open. No comedy clubs. Nothing fun was open downtown, like ghost and zombie haunts. Life just didn't exist this vacation, and now it's almost over, and my life feels like it is being eaten alive, waiting for the results of the election. I pray that a year from now we will all be back to living. I swear, as soon as Joe Biden is sworn in, I am officially retired from amateur political punditry. With any luck, so will other people!

 

Make. It. Stop.

Just someone, please, call the fucking election already. 

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 7th 2020

Letting The Leaves Fall Where They Will

 

"I love autumn despite the drench weather. I think it symbolizes the end of misery and the beginning of glee. It gives hopes that sooner or later, flowers will bloom again, green buds will sprout from trees, and that which is dead will come back alive."

~Aishah Madadiy

Bits Of Heaven 

 

Well, there still isn't an apparent winner of the American presidency, as of 8:00 pm, Thursday, November 5th, 2020. If truth be told, however, I think before the sun comes up tomorrow morning, the race will be called for Joe Biden, by way of Pennsylvania. Shrug. There are a couple other paths as well, but who really knows? There are 5 battleground states remaining, but the Associated Press and Fox News have both called Arizona for Biden. Trump has filed... and lost... several lawsuits across the country. He gave a press conference that was belligerent, filled with lies, and a dog whistle to his cultist to interfere any way they could. Stop the vote in one place, demand the votes be counted in others. A situation that, like so many others, I plan to leave to history to document. I am too tired. We are almost at the end of the most terrifying time of my life, and I can see the finish line, but I am so tired that I can barely function. I am grateful that it's autumn though, because the leaves are falling in their own time, and no matter how I, or anyone else, feels about it, they fall where they will, just the way God, Mother Nature, and American politics intended. 

 

Falling Leaves In A Time Of American Politics

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 6th 2020

Western Bluebird And The Slant Of Light In Autumn

 

"Leaves doesn't wait for autumn to shed,

 they shed when they are ready,

 bad experiences doesn't wait,

 they leave when you are ready."

~Pushpa Rana

Just The Way I Feel

 

Monday was a beautiful day, filled with a lot of light, but also the shadows that are so unique during winter and autumn. I found a beautiful combination of lighting opportunities, but late in the day was my favorite time. I was visiting the East Bay, Castro Valley, specifically, and decided to visit the park at the Community Center. It has a beautiful slant of cool, filtered light in the afternoon, due to the natural filter of the trees, and the slopes of the terrain of the park. I took the photo above at about the same time I photographed the Western Bluebird at the top. It was lucky that I just happened to be in the parking lot, which sits in the center of the park, which allowed me to photograph both lighting opportunities at once. I was happy with the time I spent there. It was a good day.

 

 

Note: Current Results Of The 2020 Election As Of 4:50 PM PT

 

 

 

 

~Carly

Stockton California

November 5th 2020