Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt

"Autumn is a season of desperate hopes. The leaves are souls begging to turn life on pause. Begging to stop, begging to take a break, hiding under smiles and childish words."

 

~Teodora Savu

Listen To The Leaves

 

So, this is what I woke up to today. It was really loud, really obnoxious and it was really scary, until I realized what it was, but thank GOD it wasn't an emergency message warning of incoming ICBM's, which I have been expecting since Donald Trump took office! I suppose it was a bad enough message, in that, as I mentioned earlier this week, San Joaquin County is now in an official lock-down, through Christmas. And if I don't miss my guess here, it will be until at least the first week in January.

 

 Once I was focused, and a little less annoyed, I couldn't help but think of American Horror Story, and how the season of Apocalypse began with one of my favorite characters, Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt, receiving a text similar to mine, which served as a warning of ICBMs incoming, and informing that most world capitols were already gone, destroyed in a tit for tat nuclear annihilation of the occupants of earth. I could identify with Coco, when her dad called to say it was all true, all she wanted in that moment was to be with her family and boyfriend. I guess we all would. My biggest fear is that I won't be able to say goodbye to Alan. That I will not be able to hear his voice one last time. Also scary... I survive the initial blast, but I am just close enough to the action that I drown in radiation and become a walking puss ball. No thanks, I'd rather go quickly. 

 

Hopefully, I will never have to face that, and I know I am going to feel better about things after January 20th, when Joe Biden takes office. But until then I have to make yard photography work, which is fine, because there is still a lot I am in the emotional weeds over, so I might as well learn to love my predicament. Honestly, if Ryan Murphy doesn't create a season of American Horror Story, devoted to the events of 2020, then he's not the master storyteller I know him to be! By the way, if you haven't seen American Horror Story: Apcalypse, go, scoot... watch it. The end of the world has never been more fun! Mutt and Jeff are priceless!

 ~Carly

Stockton, California

December 9th 2020

 

 

Swainson's Thrush (Russet-Backed) And Ginko

 

 

"Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with hum how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells."

 

~John Keats

Complete Poems And Selected Letters

 

I have to keep reminding myself that we are in December! Honestly, it feels much more like November, than any December I can remember. Most days have been in the mid-60's and overnight hours about the low to mid-50's. As a consequence of that, there is some fire danger here in California. I spoke a little about how the fire season has been extended in recent years, by several months, but I was hoping at the time it would be declared over, long before now. Sadly, it looks like it will, in fact, remain in the red zone until the end of this month. There is a small chance of rain, but I don't think it will be enough to change the forecast as far as fire season goes.

 

It's very sad. I am praying for rain after the first of the year, to get a possible running start on the fire season of 2021, which will begin in March. Who knows what the temperatures will be by then. It kinda feels like California may not see another normal seasonal year. According to the Los Angeles Times, August, September and October, of 2020, were the hottest on record. That was easy to believe, judging by the lack of moisture in most of the leaves I collected, regardless of species. It's apparent, Climate Change will only continue to progress, and I can see the possibility that California could become unliveable within my lifetime. It's heartbreaking. Hopefully, the incoming Biden administration will be able to finally put some science, and of course, federal funds, into fighting the effects of Climate Change in not just California, but the other western states facing as much tragedy as we have.  

Autumn comes to an end in just a couple weeks, and it has me thinking about what it will be like next year. The ecosystem is changing so much, I wonder how things have already changed when it comes to the migratory path of the beautiful birds I am just beginning to get to know. What about the creepy crawlies? 5 or 10 years from now, will we be overrun with different bugs we haven't had in California, or at least not in this part of California? I'd rather not have that, particular if the birds begin a different migratory pattern. I am trying to not put too much thought into the possibilities and the what-ifs, but I am continuing to do my part. In fact, Alan suggested the other day, that we start taking a garbage bag with us, when we go to the wetland's to bird watch, because there always seems to be some amount of discarded items, ranging from aluminum cans, to masks, and we need to do more than our part if folks are going to be that damn careless, selfish and ignorant. 

Ginko 

 

 

 ~Carly

December 8th 2020

Stockton, California

 

Spiced Apple Cider Days

 

"Autumn side to our favorite, drinking spiced apple cider between caramel kisses. Flannels and new love flickering in candlelight. So, I hoped for a change in us in the fading summer. That we might remember the smells of the cider and the sweet sticky kisses. That warmth of our love, so vibrant and new. But as the seasons changed, I saw a change in us. And, I watched our love wither as the last leaves fell."

~Liz Newman

 

This is the first autumn, in a long time, that I didn't spend at least a little time in the Sierra, even if it was just a quick jaunt up to South Lake Tahoe. I missed seeing all the autumn colors in Tahoe and Nevada City, but I missed Carson City, Nevada most of all, but my energy just wasn't having any part of it. But it wasn't just about me, Alan needed some rest too, so we had fun close to home. It was all good, because this was an absolutely lovely season, and I have found a lot of new horizons to photograph, even in the last week or so. The Central Valley actually has a lot to offer in the way of autumn scenery, you just have to know where to find it. Next year I will be able to do a lot more autumn themed photography, a lot closer to home. That feels good. There is a lot of positive things to look forward to in 2021, and I have never been so happy to see a year turn in my whole life. If autumn has to end in a couple weeks, can it take 2020 with it? Please?

 

 

I just realized that his post is about all the beauty I have found in the Central Valley, and the pictures I chose to showcase are from Cull Canyon Park, in the East Bay! LOL. I have a lot of beauty to share this week, so you will get to see what I have been talking about. For now, I hope you enjoy these photos. I had a great time visiting my favorite park, Cull Canyon, this last Saturday! and there was a lot to appreciate and photograph in the natural world on that warm, late autumn day, in December.The season is growing old, and soon it will say goodnight, but there will be a lot of memories of how gentle this autumn was, at least it was to me. It was days of spiced apple cider.

~Carly

Stockton, California

December 7th 2020

As Sudden As Winter

 

"Grief is always sudden as winter, 

no matter how long the autumn."

 

J. Aleksandr Wooton

Forgetting: Impressions From The Millennial Borderland

 

Autumn is slipping away. I have more feelings, or I should say, more complex feelings, about autumn 2020 than any other autumn I can remember, including the autumn Alan and I spent apart. But don't get me wrong, it's not all bad, it's just been a very strange year, that has left me over-feeling everything. It will straighten itself out. And I am happy. I am okay. Life is good. And hey, here comes winter. New things to photograph. New doors open, and soon, in just 10 months, autumn will be back, and who knows what adventures will happen between now and then! Plus, my dear Twitter pal, Joe, has agreed to continue our weekend autumn image sharing. It is great to have a friend who enjoys autumn as much as I do, and it really did help to make 2020 a lot easier to deal with! A LOT EASIER!

 

~Carly

December 6th 2020

Stockton, California

Use Of Color

 

"The music of the far-away summer flutters

 around the autumn seeking it's former nest."

 

Rabindranath Tagore

 

I love my autumn colors, especially as part of the design of one of my new favorite subjects, Mid-Century signage. That combination of orange and turquoise never gets old. Yet another subject I keep promising to do a lot more research into... the use of certain specific colors in Mid-Century modernist decor. I find it absolutely fascinating, which is funny, because I usually hated some of it's use on TV shows, when I was growing up. The Brady Bunch, for example. The Brady family had the colors of red and gold in their kitchen. I always found it hideous, but now, I see it with a completely different perspective. It feels good to still be growing and evolving in my thinking at my old age, but I do enjoy learning new things, so perhaps I will look into some classes online in decorating. I want to know more.

 

 

~Carly

Stockton, California

December 5th 2020

Flames Of Autumn Orange

 

"The Sussex lanes were very lovely in the autumn. Spendthrift gold and glory of the year-end. Earth scents and the sky winds and all the magic of the countryside which is ordained for the healing of the soul."

 

~Monica Baldwin 

 

I don't know what these trees are, but I will definitely be tracking it down before next autumn, because they are gorgeous. Small orange leaves. Stunning. Especially when passing by a full orchard of them. The Central Valley is known for certain crops. Nut trees. Almonds and Walnuts. Fruit. Apricots in particular. I will figure it out. All I know is, I am going to have plenty to research this year, to keep my mind off all the things that would ordinarily worry me. The Audubon Guide to Trees, Western Edition, will definitely be on my list for Santa Claus. 

 

 

 

~Carly

Stockton, California

December 4th 2020

Things To Come

 

"I knew by the signs it would be a hard winter. The hollies bore a heavy crop of berries and birds stripped them bare. Crows quarreled in reaped fields and owls cried in the mountains, mournful as widows. Fur and moss grew thicker than usual. Cold rains came, driven sideways through the trees by north winds, and snows followed."

 

~Sarah Micklem

Firethorn

 

 

Why do they do it? Why can't they, the Covid-19 deniers, understand it's a matter of life and death? Why don't they understand it's not the flu? And, at times, one will encounter the truly jaw dropping, and the question must be asked... what is with the Covidiot that has enough brain power to put a mask to their face, but not enough to position it properly? It's the couple in the photo, and others like them, that makes me wonder... are they trying to provoke a response, or are they just clueless? Could it both? I want to understand.

 

 I wanted to approach them and ask... why? Why don't you believe it's a dangerous pandemic? Why are you taking your life into your own hands? Why do you care so little about your neighbors and your community, that you can't even be bothered to try? Why can't you just listen to the science? Why can't you listen to experts who have been studying infectious diseases for over half a century? Are you truly that selfish? Do you really trust the "expert" advice of Donald Trump? A man so corrupt that he is considering issuing himself, Rudy Guiliani and his children blanket pardons. What makes you believe he has your best interests at heart? What has he done, for you to invest so much faith in him?

 

I spotted this couple on my last official shopping trip, just before Thanksgiving. I wanted to approach them, but decided to not do it. I thought about making an example of them on Twitter, but it could lead to something I find just as repugnant... the ever popular death threat. It seems some folks can't express their feelings without mentioning violence, and threatening to kill the offending party. It seems every infraction no matter how big or how small, must end in the offending party being hung at dawn, but that is life in America in 2020. Folks, so afraid of dying that they are willing to kill others, and others who are so afraid of listening to more than one voice, they are willing to take their life, and the lives of others, in their hands. I don't understand all the time folks waste, when life is so short anyway.

 

I'm back inside now. And it's a good thing I made the decision to self quarantine again, because its becoming more apparent that Governor Newsom is getting ready to shut the state down again. He has to, because in the last couple weeks the Covid-19 stats for the state have exploded. I support it 100%, and at the same time, my heart is breaking for all the small businesses that have had to shutter, and all the folks out of work because this virus was born in the year 2020. Autumn was my first real time out of the house since the original shelter in place order was issued last spring, and it did wonders for my mood and sleeping. Autumn is usually a time of healing for me, but this year it was like no other time in my life. Beautiful leaves and new animals and birds I spotted with my camera. New places to explore. The golden autumn sun. And finally, the national election and win for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. All that in the three months of autumn, with a few weeks left to go.

 

But winter is coming, and it's promising to be the coldest winter of my life. There is a possibility Alan or I, or both of us, could contract Covid-19, even after doing our part, even after following the directives, and educating ourselves. It will be hard to not wonder if it was because of someone else's carelessness. Why can't everyone just be a little less selfish? Why would someone ruin a beautiful place like the Woodbridge Ecological Preserve, by discarding a mask and a cotton swab, that could be infected with a deadly virus? Why would someone do that? I don't get littering anyway, but that is taking lack of self-respect to a new level. Who does that?

 

 

 

~Carly

Stockton, California

December 3rd 2020

Reflections Of Autumn

"I am made for autumn. Summer and I have a fickle relationship, but everything about autumn is perfect to me. Wooly jumpers, Wellington boot, scarves, then first, then thick, socks. The low slanting light, the crisp mornings, the chill in my fingers, those last warm sunny days before the rain and the wind. Her moody hues and subdued palate punctuated every now and again by a brilliant orange, scarlet or copper goodbye. She is my true love."

 

~Alys Fowler

 

Well, the post for December 2nd, somehow disappeared, so this is the replacement. It was a good one I think, but the evil spirits of blogging got hungry, and my post was their midnight snack. I have decided to blame it on monsters. The Mothman perhaps. Anyway, it was about reflections in autumn. Hence the title. I wish Blogger would not have forced this new format on us. I am not really enjoying it much!

 

Enjoy

 

~Carly 

Stockton, California

December 2nd 2020

Two Sounds Of Autumn

"Two sounds of autumn are unmistabable... the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown along the street... by a gusty wind... and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese."

 

~Hal Borland

 

Okay, I am hooked, photographing the birds the last couple weeks has really brought me out of my funk. I have been needing to practice my action photography, and I can't think of a better way to do that, then being at the mercy of birds. All shapes. All sizes. All lighting conditions. I'm ready for all of it! I have visited both the Woodbridge Preserve and the Cosumnes River and was pleased to find new birds with each visit. This past weekend it was the Canadian Geese that I photographed the most, because the Sandhill Cranes were nowhere to be found. It was warmer than on my first visit, and it was a lot clearer, so I am sure they were off enjoying the weather somewhere up the delta. My guess would be either across the Rio Linda bridge, or perhaps all the way up in Sacramento. I don't want to know which, I am not wanting to be tempted to try to find them. I am enjoying being surprised and delighted by the variety of birds at the both places, at any given time. In due time will be adding new spots as we move into 2021, but I am in no hurry, if worse comes to worse, I can always do bird watching in my yard. Hey, we ended up with a full sized male Pheasant in the yard a couple years ago, that was a game changer to be sure! Now, wouldn't it be nice if a Snowy Egret found it's way to the yard?

 

Today's Leaf Of The Day

 ~Carly

Stockton, California

December 1st 2020

Ghosts

 

Winter's Ghost

Autumn moon

incautious in the dark river

Winter's ghost walks

with a covered face

and silver bones wait in all animals

to be bone cloth upon her shoulder

wait for her happiness in that they are silver

 

~Tamara Rendell

Mystical Tides

 

~Carly

Stockton, California

November 30th 2020

 

 

Number 69

"The tints of autumn... a mighty flower garden

 blossoming under the spell of the enchanter, frost."

 

~John Greenleaf Whittier

 

 

~Carly

November 29th 2020

Stockton, California