New Monday Photo Shoot: #27: Strange And Silly Signs

"For business reasons, I must preserve the outward signs of sanity."

-Mark Twain

New Monday Photo Shoot #27: Show us a sign that's unusual in some way - even if you have to fake it!

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

"It was ordained at the beginning of the world that certain signs should prefigure certain events."

-Marcus Tullius Cicero

I have showed you all these photos before at some point, but I think they are interesting, and amusing enough to be seen again. :) The photographed the first sign here in the East Bay, many years ago. At first glance it might appear like just another sign, but if you really look at it, you see the obvious problem. I titled the photo, "No Way Out" because if you drive up the hill of that one way street, you can't legally drive back down! LOL. Hysterical! It still makes me laugh to this day!




How many times have you been given a choice as to whether you want to venture down the road to HELL?!




.99 Cents Stores, Open 8AM to 9PM, 9 Days A Week! 9 Days A Week? Where do they get the extra 2 Days? LOL.



-OndineMonet
"No Way Out"
Hayward, California
2002

Mall Futures

"If the terriers and bariffs are torn down, this economy will grow."

-George W. Bush

I think what President Bush was going for with that statement was, barriers and tariffs, but then again, who can be sure? Maybe he really does think terriers have some control over the economy. I am no economics expert by any stretch of the imagination, but even I am aware that America's economy has gone to the dogs. It's worrisome. So, rather then bury my head in the sand about things, I have been doing a good bit of research lately, so I can fully understand what's happening with the economy and how will eventually effect our family. With a national election coming up in just 19 weeks, I am more interested then ever about how our next president plans to dig us out of this hole we are currently in.

Over the weekend, I saw a report on ABC's World News Tonight, about how we are on the brink of a Bear Market. Well, what the fresh hell is that? I didn't know, so I Googled it, and found some basic information on Wikipedia. Yep, based on what the news said, we are indeed sitting on the edge of a Bear Market. A Bear Market is marked by an overall 20% decline. We are currently at 19.9 percent. Our last Bear Market was in 2002 and lasted about two years. Our current trend toward the Bear Market is in direct relation to the price of oil, which rose by $3 since the close of trading on Friday. There are other factors affecting the market such as unemployment rates, and the housing market, the figures for both will be released later this week, and then the true situation will be known.

I also heard this past weekend that gas prices will more then likely hit $7 a gallon sometime in 2010. That seems like a long time away, but in reality it is just a 1 1/2 yrs. What will that do to my future? Well, there is a good possibility Alan will have to ask for a transfer to an office a little closer to where we live, as opposed to across the bay. We have all but given up the recreation we engaged in last year, which was short day trips to photograph sights around the Bay Area. With gas at $7 a gallon, we might have to consider going to one car and relying on the bikes for everything else in and around town. We might even have to reconsider having another pet, after we lose Elvis. As harsh as those possibilities feel to me, I know that it comes nowhere near the sacrifices which have had to be made by other couples, especially couples with children.

Recently, I visited a local mall here in the Bay Area. It was an odd feeling just walking into the shopping area, because I rarely do mall shopping anymore. A strange departure from the girl I was in the 80's who almost lived at the Fashion Island, and Stoneridge Malls. Oh my, if you are in your 40's right now, then like me, you may have been a part of the 80's mall craze. It was the place to meet your friends and hang out. Not to mention how much fun shopping used to be. Good times, good times. It was a bit of shock to walk into the mall the other day, and see it nearly empty. Sigh. I have been reading for months about different chain stores facing closures due to bankruptcies, but seeing it first hand gave me a chill.

I can see a day when little independent run stores will no longer exist... period. Just last year a great little store, that I enjoyed shopping at, closed it's doors after 29 years of business. It was a personal blow to those who had come to love the personal service you received there, and it was an even bigger blow the the city's economy and the loss of business to the businesses nearby. Sigh. It's happening everywhere. Cody's Books, in Berkeley, just closed it's doors after a little over half a century in business. Business on the small level is affecting us, and business on a grand scale is affecting us. If you make a purchase off the Internet to help save a little money, you are more then likely directly hurting a wonderful small business in your hometown. It's a dreadful spiral.

The absolute kicker for me this week, came from a report about how a lot of small communities in California are canceling their Independence Day celebrations due to cost saving measures. No fireworks, no picnics, no parades, no festivals. It's a bit like being a kid, and having to hear from your folks that there is no longer any money for cable or satellite TV, because mom and dad need to put gas in the car. But then again, as a matter of fact, a lot of households are having to do that as well. This might just be one of those times when parents and children totally understand the pain the other one is in.

So tell me, do you believe the dire predictions for our economy? What is the latest cost saving measure you have taken? What is your biggest financial sacrifice to date? Have you seen any small shops or stores closing in your area? What industry do you think will take the biggest hit before the economy recovers? Are any of your favorite mall stores currently facing bankruptcy? Do you shop most often on the Internet, in a mall, or at small independent stores? Where do you put the economy on your list of priorities when considering our next president?

Interesting Reading...

Economy Can Wait; Stimulate Your Savings (New York Times; Your Money)

-OndineMonet
"Empty Inside"
Hillsdale Mall
San Mateo, California
June, 2008

Weekend Assignment #222: Phone Me

"If the phone doesn't ring... it's me."

-Song Title By Jimmy Buffet

Weekend Assignment #222: What do you use a phone for? Do you strictkly use it to make calls and pick up messages, or do you take advantage of other technology bundled with phones these days? Which features do you use all the time, which others would you use if they were available and cheap, and which would you not bother with even if they were free?

Extra Credit: Do you use your land line to make and receive calls from friends or family?

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

Well, yesterday, when I woke up, I found a pretty gold bag on my desk that said Godiva on the side, and had a little hand written card next to it that read, "Don't open until I get home." You see, it was my birthday, and Alan had a surprise in store for me. He bought me a brand spanking new cell phone. It is a Sony Ericsson Walkman, model #5801... in pink. And to go with it, he bought me a cute little purse and some cables for charging it in the car, and to play my music play list through my car stereo.

He knows I have been wanting a new phone for a while now, and with the new law regarding using only hands free devices in cars beginning on Tuesday, he thought it might be a good time for us to do some upgrading. He got a new phone, and a blue tooth device also. He and I LIVE on our phones. I text with my pal H.P. all the time, and I use the picture and video options often as well. Not to mention using the reminder feature and mobile email. This new model has a great fitness application in edition to the little built-in MP3 player, so I can keep track of my steps and calories burned as I walk or bike. It's just an awesome little phone! And did I mention it's pink? :)

So, to answer Karen's question... I use every feature on my phone, but most often I use the email, text messaging and the photo features. As for my land line, I would have it disconnected all together if I wasn't on dial-up. I tried to get AT&T High Speed about a year ago, but they told me, at that time, I was living on the wrong side of the street! Sheesh. I am always the girl from the wrong side of the tracks! LOL. Maybe someday they will run a line on my side of the street, and then I can make the big move to High Speed, until then, I am way back here on the, slow as molasses, elderly dinosaur dial-up. :(

Extra Credit: Nope, never use it for anything but dial-up. I haven't spoken on my home phone since 2002.

"I like my new telephone, my computer works just fine, my calculator is perfect, but Lord I miss my mind."

-Unknown

PS: Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there were also two candy bars in the bag. A Godiva Sugar-Free Milk Chocolate, and a Chocolate Raspberry Dark Chocolate bar. YUM!

-OndineMonet
"Elvis On The Phone"
Berkeley, California
June 29th, 2008
Late Afternoon

It's My Birthday Today :)

"Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year. The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again."

-Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Yep, it's my birthday. My 46th birthday to be exact. I love birthdays, even ones with scary numbers like 46! Tee Hee. I feel good this year, I am especially good inside which is a nice feeling in itself, but outside I am doing well too, although there are a few too many gray hairs on the top of my head for my liking! I might have to remedy that soon. Maybe I will go blond, maybe I will keep it red, you never know with me. I prefer not to plan such things, it's good to move about on a whim once in a while.

I am having a quiet day today. We actually celebrated my birthday last night. Alan took me out to dinner and a movie. We went to see the movie, Get Smart, then enjoyed a nice dinner at Red Robin. I signed up for their EClub, so every year during the week of my birthday, I get a certificate for a free birthday burger. They have lots of yummy burgers, but I always liked their no frills cheeseburger the best. What can I say, I am simple girl to please. It is delicious, and with the rare indulgence of the bottomless fries... well... yum! But before the burger, came a cup of the French Onion soup. As you might have guessed, I think they make the best ever! It's buttery and delicious. You should try it sometime.

Get Smart was wonderful. While neither Alan nor I are big fans of Steve Carell, we both really liked him in the role of Maxwell Smart. In fact, I couldn't think of anyone who would have done better. The movie was more then predictable, but that wasn't really their fault, the problem was I grew up watching the old series Get Smart, so I kinda new what to expect. Shrug. That was a good thing because they didn't let me down. It was good. One of my big hesitations about seeing movies that are based on TV, or movies from way back when, is that the powers that be tend to change them too much to fit into today's trends. Sometimes I just want to see a remake of the original brilliance, not a cheap updated copy. You know?

I was ready to sleep when I got home last night, and sleep I did, until Elvis woke me around 7 this morning with the usual kisses and patty pats. That is my favorite way to wake up, so my birthday couldn't have gotten off to a better start. On the nightstand was a birthday card my mother-in-law sent me, and inside was a check for $100.00! She loves me! :) We have a pretty solid relationship, and in that she had three boys, she enjoys treating me like the daughter she never had. It's a nice feeling, since my parents are both gone now.

When I came into my office, I saw a nice gold bag sitting on my desk. It says, GODIVA on the side, and it is taped shut. The little card next to it says, "Don't open until I get home later!" Alan gets home around 2:00 PM so I will have to be good until then. I wonder what it could be? I will just have to be strong until then, who knows, maybe I will take myself out for my free birthday scoop from Baskin Robbins while I ponder it. LOL. I love getting those free offers in my email. Don't worry, I will share with you tomorrow what came in the GODIVA bag. I promise.

So tell me, do you sign up for free burgers or other free offers on your birthday? If so, which ones are your favorites? Do you have a favorite place to go and celebrate? Do you like birthday cake or birthday pie? When is your birthday? Are you ok with turning the age you will be on your next birthday? Do you have a favorite birthday?

Round Robin Challenge: Weeds Can Be Beautiful Too!

"We have a choice: to plow new ground, or let the weeds grow."

-Jonathan Westover

If all weeds could be this beautiful, I think I just might be tempted to let the grow! LOL. This edition of the RRC comes to us from Kim, who authors the blog, "Nekked Lizard Adventures." Her idea was for us to showcase the softer side of weeds, by showing off their unusual beauty. For some reason, weeds have been catching my photographer's eye the last couple of summers. The way they look so soft against the backdrop of the ocean, and also the way they can appear when they grow among wildflowers. Like somehow they are saying, "Hey, we have our place you know, we have an earthly beauty that stands out, if you just take a moment to really see us." One day I took that moment, and now I am fascinated by them. I love photographing them. Great idea for the challenge Kim!

Be sure to visit Kim and all the other participants of this challenge, by following the links below...

Linking List

1. Kim... Nekked Lizard Adventures

POSTED!

2. Carly... Ellipsis

POSTED!

3. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures


4. Karen... Outpost Mavarin

POSTED!

5. Wammy... The Ellis Family

POSTED!

6. Jennifer Robin... Robin's Woods

POSTED!

7. Jema Hameed... Sweet Memories

POSTED!

8. Robinella... Robinella's

POSTED!

9. Olive... Ur Olive

POSTED!

10. Gina... Gina's Space

POSTED!

11. Kiva... The Eclectic Granny

POSTED!

12. Mary... Answers To The Questions

POSTED!

13. Monica... A Family Affair Photography

POSTED!

14. Vicki... Maraca

POSTED!

15. Julie... Julie's Web Journal

POSTED!

16. Molly... Return Of The White Robin

POSTED!

17. Teena... It's all about me!

POSTED!

18. Steven...(sometimes) photoblog

POSTED!

See... I saved some open places. They are just waiting for you to play along too. There is still time! Just hop on over to the official Round Robin blog and leave your information to play along with this challenge! Come on... you know you want to!

NOTE: Tomorrow is my birthday, but I am having my birthday dinner tonight. I will be updating and visiting your blogs until 4:00 PM today, and then I am will be gone. If you post after that time I will be by either late tonight or sometime tomorrow! See ya soon!

8 Non-Boring Things About Me (Meme)

"Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things."

-Ray Bradbury

Suzanne did a new cute little meme over at her blog, Living... New Suzanne R's Life. The idea is to list 8 non-boring things about yourself, and I enjoyed reading her answers so much, I thought it might be fun to do it on Ellipsis. When you get the chance, go get to know my friend Suzanne a little better by reading her entry. She is such a neat lady, and I will always be glad I got the chance to meet her. Cool meme Suzanne, thanks for sending it my way!

8 Non-Boring Things About Me

1. My birthday is this Sunday, and I share that birthday with the following celebrities...
Gary Busey, Fred Grandy, Slim Pickens, Ruth Warrick, Nelson Eddy, Little Eva Boyd, Richard Lewis, and Sharon Lawrence.

2. I am only 4' 11 tall. Yep... I am a shorty. LOL

3. I owned all kinds of animals as a child, including... Rabbits, cats, dogs, goldfish, a turtle, a roadrunner, a turkey, two geese, chickens, a hamster, a guinea pig, a parakeet and a mouse. I like animals. LOL.

4. I had Chicken Pox and a sunburn on my 6th birthday, and had my appendix out the following year just a week before my 7th birthday.

5. I flirted once with a U.S. Senator! (WINK) Thanks again Senator!

6. I love playing with Hoola-Hoops!

7. I have a small beauty mark over my left breast.

8. I have been moderately lucky with drawings and lotteries. I have won, among other things, a diamond necklace, a cake, $2500.00, a One-Touch Mini Meter in Pink Glow, a sterling silver key chain, a silver suede coat, and a $10.00 scrap booking gift certificate.

That was fun! :) I LOVE doing memes, if you have a good one, feel free to send it on to me. :)

Reminder: We are playing a Round Robin Challenge this weekend. "Weeds Can Be Beautiful Too." You're invited to play along! Come on, you know you want to!

-OndineMonet
"Morning Glory"
Berkeley, California
June 26th, 2008
Afternoon

Unhealthy To Breathe

"I don't know whose hand hung Hesperus in the sky, and fixed the Dog Star, and scattered the shining dust of Heaven, and fired the sun, and froze the darkness between the lonely worlds that spin in space."

-Gerald Kersh

As the California wildfires continue to burn, the air quality continues to drop. It has been difficult to breathe here lately, and there is a forecast for more dry lighting storms this weekend, which may spark even more fires. I don't remember a year as bad as this one is for fire. We are dealing with a drought, and that just makes it all ripe and ready for a long fire season. Not much good news, but doesn't all the smoke in the atmosphere make for a lovely photo?

-OndineMonet
"FireShy"
Grizzly Peak Boulevard
Berkeley, California
June 25th, 2008
Early Evening

Out Of The Ashes

"Each separate dying ember wrought it's ghost upon the floor."

-Edgar Allen Poe

It doesn't matter how many times we wash our cars here in the Bay Area, within a few hours they will once again be covered in tiny particles of fallen ash from the many wildfires currently burning in Northern California. It is of course not just the cars that tell the eerie tale, the sky is a thick smoky pink color, and there is nowhere to go to escape the smell of burning grass. Even Elvis seems particularly dusty, and just yesterday, as I was sitting in front of Lucky's, while waiting for Alan to finish picking up a few items for dinner, I saw this little bee land on the windshield of my car, and it too seemed to have a fine matted dusting of ash on it. And as it sat, clinging to the glass, it seemed to have trouble breathing.

I have mentioned before about a terrifying experience I had as a child with a house fire that happened in the neighborhood where I grew up. It haunts me to this day, but I admit that I have done very little over the years to deal with that fear. Lately, however, I have been paying pretty close attention to all the dry grass here in the hills, and wondering if I would be able to deal fire, if one should happen in my area. Would I freeze-up in fear? Would I run and keep running? Would I rise to the occasion? Would I hold up under the fear and memories?

I don't really know, but somehow I can't help but think that maybe I am getting a hint from above about learning to overcome my fear of fire. I am going to do some photographs of the affect the fires are having on my immediate environment, such as the ash which has settled on my roses, and that eerie glow in the sky that I mentioned earlier. Maybe do a little research to make sure the area around my cottage is as safe as possible. I can learn something from all this I think, at least I hope. We'll see. :( Isn't it strange that we learn our greatest lessons from the things that hurt and scare us the most? Just once I would like to laugh my ass off and learn something profound at the same time!

Lightening Sparks 800 plus California Fires (ABC Affiliate KGO)

-OndineMonet
"Out Of The Ashes"
Berkeley, California
June 24th, 2008
Afternoon

The Common Checkered Skipper

"Teaching a child not to step on a Caterpillar, is as valuable to the child as it is for the Caterpillar."

-Bradley Miller

Yesterday, was the first day this past week that wasn't way too hot to be outdoors here in the Bay Area. Well, at least it seemed that way to me! I am beginning to appreciate summer more and more, but learning to like hot weather will take a bit of doing. I can't think straight in warm weather, I tend to do a lot of idle daydreaming and memory visiting. That's not always a good thing, but sometimes it can be nice to visit those moments from way back when. Especially when I think about how brave I was as a little girl. I was a girly-girl, but I loved caterpillars and grasshoppers. I used to carry grasshoppers around, and show them off as my latest pet, as if I needed another, pets were the one thing I was never short of growing up.

Anyway, I would gently pick them up and carry them about, petting the back of their heads and naming them something weird like... Stuart. I have no idea why I found them so intriguing, but I did. Spiders were another story. I don't remember why I developed such a fear of spiders, but something certainly cemented that phobia in my psyche. LOL. AAACCCK! When it came to butterflies, I just let them float about, I never tried catching one. I don't think I ever quite believed that they actually came from caterpillars. LOL. Somehow it seemed to me that they must have been just a little bit angelic rather than something earthly.

One day, back in the mid 1990's I was in a toy shop, and found a butterfly kit. For a small price I could send away for the live caterpillars of Painted Lady butterflies. It took about a week to come by mail, and while I waited I put together the little habitat that came with the kit. I had so much fun with the first kit, that I bought several more after that. I haven't done that for a long time, but I think maybe I might start again. The company that makes the kits, Insect Lore, is on the Internet, which makes it all the more easier.

Anyway, back to yesterday. I went out in the backyard to look for Elvis, he had been out most of the afternoon, and I found him lying under the pear tree, watching something very tiny hopping and floating between the tree and the tip of his nose. As I got closer, I saw the teeny tiny butterfly, and it looked perfect. Like it was only a day old. I grabbed my camera, and waited patiently with my kitty for the butterfly to fully open it's wings. When it did, I was amazed. It was indeed perfect. It was a lot whiter then it appears in the photos, and it was probably the smallest butterfly I have ever seen. I didn't even realize at first that it was a skipper. It took a bit of research to find that out, although I should have known by the eyes that it was from the skipper family.

It has been a big year for Yellow/Black Swallowtails, which I haven't been lucky enough, so far, to be able capture with the camera, but I haven't seen very many Skippers at all, and I don't remember ever seeing a checkered one. It was a nice treat to be sure. I need to go and check on Elvis in a few minutes, but you can bet I will bring the camera along. You never know, maybe today will be the day I get a photo of a Swallowtail, but if not, I will be happy with whatever treasure I do find!


-OndineMonet
"Common Checkered Skipper" Pyrus communis
Berkeley, California
June 22, 2008
Late Afternoon

New Monday Photo Shoot# 24: Candles Or Something Like Them

"Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished."

-Michael Strassfeld

New Monday Photo Shoot #24: Nearly everyone has candles, for one purpose or another. Photograph one or more candles - real or otherwise.

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

I love this candle, it is my favorite. Alan gave it to me... oh... about... 25 years ago or so. Long before we were dating. It was a friendship gift for Valentine's Day. It is one of those little items I call a treasure. I have a fear of fire, but I ask Alan to light some from time to time around the house, you know, to set a mood. LOL. This candle, however, sits on my desk at all times. I love just looking at it. It provides a different kind of light for me. :)

-OndineMonet
Little Kitty Candle
Berkeley, California
June 21, 2008
Morning

UberAnts

"As a thinker, and planner, the ant is the equal of any savage race of men."

-Mark Twain

Meet the Uber-Ants! They first showed up in our little cottage, high in the Bay Area hills, in July of last year. Strange invader. We tried 14 different products in our attempts to eradicate them from our midst. No luck. It was an expensive project, I wish I had a dime for every ant stake we purchased, but in truth the dime spent last year, isn't worth a penny this year, but that's another story. Let's just talk about ANTS. Ok?

As I went from Home Depot to OSH to Longs, to Rite-Aid, looking for earth friendly poison, lol, I began to hold a dialog with the different helpful individuals working in those various stores. Each told me that last year was a big year for ANT spray, and traps. They even commiserated with me about their own negative adventures with the strange breed of ant, which also seems to be nocturnal! No one had any good ideas for what to do. Right about January, I was ready to give up and maybe concede that perhaps our little house was on a never before heard of Uber-ANT hill, proportions of which just might make either a great book for Stephen King, or nifty new movie for M.Night Shyamalan, when they suddenly got a big burst of winter, and went away. I was hoping it was to the afterlife, but I think it might have only been to a bear-like hibernation.

This new ant could be a product of Global Warming, or maybe a new type of Global Terrorism inflicted on us by our own government! LOL. I am not much for conspiracy theories, although I do have an open mind, and will listen for the case being made, but in this case, I think I believe that it could very well be a situation caused by, the lesser evil of, Global Warming. Stupid, weird stuff is happening everyday. Earthquakes in strange places, Iowa is under water, New Orleans was very nearly erased from the earth, we don't just have fires anymore, we have fire storms, new species are being discovered as the rain forest diminishes, and according to the back of my Haagen Dazs cup, the honey bees are disappearing and no one knows why!

So is it my fault I am being invaded with Uber-Ants? Was I a bad earthling and didn't recycle as much as I should have? Is this my payback for whatever shortcut or laziness I have taken or committed in the Global War on Global Warming?Is it maybe just a case of dumb luck? Who knows? Only the UberAnt knows for sure! Just in case, I think I will spend this weekend recycling some plastics and paper, and maybe sprinkle some cinnamon around, as it is a natural ant repellent. Ants... can't live with um' but somehow we must!

Ok, so tell me, what do you do about ANTS? Do you have ANTS now? What are some of your favorite earth friendly tips and tricks for doing away with unwanted household pests? Speak. Help a girl out.

;)

-OndineMonet

"UberAnt Morning"
Berkeley, California
June 21, 2008
Morning

Elvis Update: Beating The Heat And Enjoying A Treat

"I doubt whether the world holds for anyone, a more soul-stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice-cream."

-Heywood Broun

Summer begins today at 4:59 PM Pacific Time. Spending the day in Santa Cruz would be one of the best ways to welcome summer, but Elvis tells me there is a much better way! Today, mostly at his suggestion, we are BBQing and then sharing a little bit of cold dessert together afterwards. Elvis was put on a new medication this week, to fight the infections in his nose, and Dr. B suggested giving it to him hidden in a big scoop of Vanilla flavored soy ice-cream. I sampled a little taste last night, and to my surprise, it is very pleasant. :) That makes me happy for him, he has been through so much in his little life, especially lately, so to see him lap up the treat and know it will be something he will enjoy, makes everything so much easier. While Elvis enjoys his ice-cream, I will be enjoying a little Haagen Dazs Orchard Peach Sorbet, while Alan has his favorite, Haagen Dazs Chocolate ice cream. We are happy campers right now!

So tell me, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream? Do you prefer ice cream to sorbet or the other way around? Do you have an alternate favorite "beat the heat treat" in summer?

-OndineMonet
"He Mews For Ice-Cream"
Berkeley, California
June 20th, 2008
Afternoon

Martha's A-Z Photo Challenge: "G" Is For Garlic

"What garlic is to food, insanity is to art."

-Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Time for the letter "G" in Martha's A-Z- Challenge! I have always wanted to photograph a bulb of garlic on it's own, I find them very photogenic, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity! I had a good time playing with lighting and shadows, and I even considered photographing the bulb of garlic in black and white, but in the end I thought the color mode gave the photo a more realistic and softer touch. Tonight it will used in Spaghetti ALA Carly! :)

If you would like to play along with the A-Z challenge, just drop by Martha's journal on AOL for all the details!

-OndineMonet
"Garlic"
Berkeley, California
June 19th, 2008
Early Morning

This Week's Dragonfly

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."

-L. M. Montgomery

I was back walking along the shore of Lake Anza, in Tilden Park, yesterday. After finding so many different varieties of dragonflies on my visit last week, I knew it would be a big mistake not to bring my camera each time I plan to visit. I have set a goal for myself this summer, to photograph the tiny blue dragonfly, but yesterday, I noticed an even smaller thinner dragonfly which was almost a turquoise color. I am not sure if it is the same as the larger blue ones, but it seems like a bigger challenge to try for the tiniest ones as apposed to the easier large ones.

The dragonfly in the above photo is one of the largest ones I saw yesterday. It appears black and white in the picture, but the body of the dragonfly is actually a very pale blue color. I did a little investigation and found out from BugGuide that it is a Libellua pulchella, or the Twelve Spotted Skimmer. It is a fairly common dragonfly in the U.S., although I have never saw one before, so it was kind of fun to be able to see one. They are a summer dragonfly, so I suppose I will have lots of time to enjoy observing them. I like my summer dragonfly hunting.

:)

Note: Please click on the photo to see the picture in a larger version. The small size really doesn't do that beautiful creature justice.

-OndineMonet
"Twelve Spotted Skimmer"
Lake Anza
Tilden Park
Berkeley, California
June 17th, 2008
Afternoon

Weekend Assignment #220: Beautiful

"For every beauty, there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth, there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love, there is a heart somewhere to receive it.

-Ivan Panin

Weekend Assignment #220: Tell us about one person, place or thing you find particularly beautiful and why it affects you in this way. If you can demonstrate its beauty with photos, great but as always, the primary emphasis for the Weekend Assignment is words.

Extra Credit: Does something threaten to disturb or destroy that beauty?

-Karen Funk Blocher, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin

There is so much to love about the Bay Area, and if you have been reading me for any length of time, you know I love nearly everything about it, but one thing in particular stands out as most important to me, when I think about it's beauty, and that is the amazing California coastline. I love the beaches, and the lighthouses that grace the coast, with equal passion. Since I got my current digital camera, in 2005, I have been as far north as Point Arena, and as far south as Santa Barbara, and on each little trek, I was swept off my feet by the beautiful coastal scenery.

The beauty of sunsets along the coast, always stop me in my tracks, but equally stunning to me are all the wildflowers that grow along the cliffs that look out over the Pacific. It would be difficult to narrow it all down to my favorite time of day, or a particular season, when I am out along the coast taking pictures, the different times of day and seasons make it look almost magical to me, no matter when I am there to see it. I suppose it all just speaks to my inner mermaid, but I always feel at home when I am near the ocean.

Sunset in Santa Barbara, California

Spring in Pacific Grove, California

Late Afternoon in January, Moss Beach, California

Summer in Monterey, California

February in Pacifica, California

October in Richardson Bay, Sausalito, California

October in Pescadero, California

Spring in Santa Cruz, California

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:) You should come and see it for yourself. You would love it! It's... BEAUTIFUL!

Extra Credit: As a matter of fact, there are a number of environmental hazards to the California coastline. Not the least of which was the oil spill from the container ship, Cosco Buson, in San Francisco Bay last year. You can read news coverage about it here, and you can read my blog entries, which includes some photos, here and here. Just this past week, oil from the Cosco Buson washed ashore in Point Reyes, which is a few miles north of the Golden Gate. According to experts, we will more then likely be seeing residual oil from the spill washing up along the coast for many years. :(

-OndineMonet
"Dusk In Moss Beach"
Moss Beach California
2008

Summer Is Coming!

Summer Is Coming
By Dora Goodale

Summer is coming! the soft breezes whisper;
Summer is coming! the glad birdies sing,
Summer is coming! I hear her quick footsteps;

Take your last look at beautiful spring.

Lightly, she steps from her throne in the woodlands:
Summer is coming and I cannot stay;
Two of my children have crept from my bosom:
April has left me but lingering May.

What tho' bright summer is crowned with roses.
Deep in the forest Arbutus doth hide;
I am the herald of all the rejoicing me? She cried.

Down in the meadow she stoops to the daisies,
Plucks the first bloom from the apple tree's bough:
Autumn will rob of all the sweet apples;
I will take one from her store of them now.

Summer is coming! I hear the glad echo;
Clearly it rings o'er the mountain and plain.
Sorrowful spring leaves the beautiful woodlands,
Bright, happy summer begins her sweet reign.

Ok, I know, I know... summer is still a little over a week away, but it was a lovely nearly summer's day yesterday, and I just had to show you what I saw from my bike. :) I am seeing the most amazing things lately. I liked this scene very much. The angle, the color of the day... and oh the flowers. I turned a corner, and there they were in a small patch. They were tall and strong, and seemed to be reaching for the sun. Yeah... they were reaching for the sun!

;)

-OndineMonet
"Summer Is Coming"
Tilden Park
Berkeley, California
June 14, 2008
Afternoon

Round Robin Challenge: I Made That!

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon, or not at all."

-Harriet van Horne

For this edition of the RRC, Jennifer Robin, who authors, Robin's Woods, asks us to show off things we have made. How fun is that? I like doing crafts, but I haven't been doing as many this year as I have in the past. Photography, caring for Elvis and the same old, same old day to day pretty much eats my time. I even debated possibly sitting this one out, but in the end I reached into my archive and pulled out some photos of different projects I have done since blogging. As you probably know, I love to cook, and making up new recipes, so a few of those are featured below, and in the photo above you see what is probably my most interesting invention, her name is Clarice. Can you tell what she is made from? Well, if you look very close, you see yarn for hair, and her smile comes from a magic marker, her pretty blue earrings are made from beads, and in the upper right hand corner you see the shadow of a straw hat. But what is her face made out of?

Well, if you look even more closely, you will see a fake boob! Yep, that's right, Clarice is made from a fake boob, and has a nipple for a nose! One of a a box of 100 false boobages Alan found alongside the freeway, as he changed a tire one day! LOL. At one time I was making them and giving them away, and I even offered one to the winners of my MADLIBS game I sometimes featured on the AOL version of Ellipsis, but only one person, Phinney, ever requested it as their prize, so to date, only two people own an original Clarice... well, three if you include me. Personally, I think she is kinda cute. LOL. And she makes me smile, but that's just how my silly sense of humor goes. Life gets a little too serious sometimes, and Clarice reminds me to smile. :)

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Summer Salad, Beef Kabobs, Vegetable Lasagna, Summer Veggie Soup

Homemade Veggie Pizza, with Whole Wheat Honey Crust

A Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon for my blog's sidebar. I like making my own graphics whenever possible to help raise awareness to different charities and health concerns.


Thank you for the neat challenge Jennifer! :)

Follow the links below, to see what great entries the other Robins have submitted for this week.

Linking List (But There Is Always Room For More!)

1. Jennifer... Robin's Woods
POSTED!

2. Steven... (sometimes) photoblog
POSTED!

3. Wammy...The Ellis Family
POSTED!

4. Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

5. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
POSTED!

6. Olive... Ur Olive
POSTED! 6/15/08

7. Ronda... Rookie Blogger


8. Jill... Letting Crazy Take A Spin
POSTED!

19. Jan... The Prytz Family
POSTED!

10. Jama Hameed... Sweet Memories


11. maryt/the teach... Answers to the Questions
POSTED!

12. Sandra... Strong Chemistry
POSTED!

13. Robinella... Not A Stepford Wife
POSTED!

14. Janet... Fond Of Snape
POSTED!

15. Carly... Ellipsis
POSTED!

16. Kiva... Eclectic Granny
POSTED!

17. Teena... It's All About Me!
POSTED!

18.


19.

-OndineMonet
"Meet Clarice"

Looking For The Barenaked Ladies

"Disappointments are to the soul, what the thunder-storm is to the air."

-Friedrich von Schiller

Some days are just disappointing. Yesterday, the Barenaked Ladies, were in San Mateo at Barnes and Noble, performing and signing copies of their latest CD, "Snack Time." The CD is a collection of songs for children, but I have already come to love the song 789. Have you heard it? The collection songs, while child friendly, can be enjoyed by adults, as opposed to an all Elmo or Barney type CD, which I think might drive me crazy! LOL. Anyway, needless to say I had been looking forward to seeing one of my favorite bands, and enjoying watching the crowd, not to mention coming home with a signed copy of some new tunes. Well, some days just don't work out the way you want them to, no matter how much planning you do.

Alan and I had discussed what would be our best route and time schedule for the day. We decided that it would be more practical if we took one car, for the trek across the bay, especially since we had just spent $100 to fill both of them with gas. To take one car, meant I had to wait for him to get off work, which was fine, because he gets off work at 2 and the CD signing was at 3:30. It would give us plenty of time to get across the bay, by way of the San Mateo bridge. There was one problem however, that being the guy that relieves Alan at work for the swing shift. A man who is habitually late, so he can finish his weekly golf game.

We talked about this possible problem, but Alan said that the guy hadn't been late in almost two weeks! A record for his being on time! That probably should have been a Murphy's Law clue, but naively I chose to ignore it and hope for the best. Running true to form, the guy was late by almost 10 minutes, which meant Alan had to spend an additional 25 minutes in traffic on the way home. In the Bay Area if you leave just 5 minutes sooner or later then you usually do, you can either shave or add 30 minutes to your commute. There are 5 freeways/highways between Alan's work and home. HWY 92, HWY 880, HWY 238, HWY 580, and HWY 13.

We finally got to Barnes and Noble at 3:20 PM, where we stood in line for 5 minutes before being told that the store had reached the maximum capacity and there was no more people being allowed in. Sigh. Alan and I just looked at each other, shook our heads in disappointment, and walked back to the car. Oh well, sometimes in life you are a 7 and sometimes you are a 9! LOL. Yesterday, we both felt like a 9, which wasn't a good thing at all. LOL.

Me: Hey Elvis, why was 6 afraid of 7?

Elvis: I don't know mommy, why?

Me: Because 7 8 (ate) 9!

Get a free download of the song, 789 here.

Official Barenaked Ladies Website

-OndineMonet

"Looking For The Barenaked Ladies"
Hillsdale Mall
San Mateo, California
June 12th, 2008
Late Afternoon