"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.
"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.
"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.
"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...
"Where you are right now, doesn't have to determine where you'll end up."
~Barack Obama
Time flies when your having fun. Well, let's face it, time flies period when you hit a certain age. No asking for my approval. No asking if I would like yet another grey hair. No asking me if I want to ask the 20 something kid at the store to take my groceries out to my car. No asking me at all. Time is just plain rude, but it unfortunately has a monopoly on my journey. I have tried distracting myself. I have tried ignoring time, in hopes it would just go away, but then I realized what that actually meant and stopped doing that immediately. LOL. There is no negotiation with time. Time is clearly in charge, unless you are Bruce Jenner. He has decided to fight time... lol... by injecting Botulinum toxin into his face so no one will know he is 62. Good idea I suppose, because it's not like we can just Google him or reference his Wikipedia page or anything.
Sheesh! That guy is spooky looking, and it's not even time's fault! Go figure.
I am 50 now. My goodness, when did that happen? Wasn't it just the other day I was out partying with my best girlfriends, drinking screwdrivers, dancing with cute guys, and rocking out to Madonna, and our personal theme song from Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want To Have Fun? If you are under 50, you are not allowed to laugh at the memories of my days as a single girl on the town. Your reflective days will come soon enough, and what I am saying will make perfect sense. Believe me. And while it might sound like I am mourning that time in my life, I am really not. I did it all just the way I wanted to, and finally settled down when I was 28. I wouldn't change a thing. Oh don't get me wrong, I made some mistakes in dating, like that time I became a republican, briefly, all for a guy no less, but it all happened as it should, and today I can say, I love my age, grey hair, ability to finally say what I want to in the moment, and say the most lovely word in the English language... NO. I am just not sure when it all came into perspective.
What is all askew is that as hard as Alan and I have tried, we both thought that there would be more opportunities when we got to this age. I don't know, it has seemed that things in the last 15 or so years has began to slide as prices have soared. Gas prices... forget about it. Clothing... what the hell? Food... really, $5 for a decent loaf of bread? Movies... $12.50 for a matinee? Ice Cream... $4.50 a quart? Prescriptions, with health care... $35.00 a month, without... $300.00? It's scary! And it's getting scarier! And as much as I want to buy into the whole HOPE & CHANGE idea, I can't. Not again. Not like 4 years ago.
For the first time, in a very long time, I have been seriously considering sitting the whole national election out. I don't think President Obama comes close to representing my ideals, and values as a progressive liberal. However, when I think of a Romney/Ryan administration, cold chills run up my spine. Especially after the events this week. We are still held in somewhat contempt by the rest of the world because of the actions of the Bush administration, if Mitt Romney is elected to office, we will continue to slide farther and farther down in terms of world wide view. And what he, and the GOP as a whole seems to miss, is that we do indeed need to be apologizing to the world for our actions, in fact it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask for forgiveness.
Sigh.
I don't have much HOPE anymore, because I don't feel Obama has kept his promise for change. Washington is still Washington. And politics is definitely still politics. End of story. I had hope that after 8 years of division in AMERICA, folks on both sides would try to put it behind us. What was I thinking? I don't blame Obama so much for the lack of change, no Rush Limbaugh and Fox News said up front that they wanted nothing more than to see Obama fail, even if it means America fails as well. I put the responsibility for my frustration on myself, for buying into something that seemed a little too good to be true. I can't say that Obama lead me down a primrose path or anything, no, I believe he had all kinds of good intentions, but you know that old adage... The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions.
Unfortunately, we are all right there on the road with him.
I am not 100 percent sure what I will do in November. I know if Mitt Romney is elected we will be in another full on war, and I don't know how much more war we can all take to be honest. It might just be the beginning of the end, if we aren't there already. Mitt Romney, politicizing the death of the Ambassador to Libya this week did nothing to make the world better, or to keep us safe, or improve our credibility in the eyes of the world. Sigh. At least Obama has that going for him. I think. We'll see. I know I am not taking reaching my 51st birthday for granted, assuming we all survive December 21st. The day the Mayan calendar seems to end on. For the most part, I don't believe the world will end that day, but just in case I am eating all the fucking ice cream I want. At least that's my HOPE. And I don't plan to worry that it is almost $5 a quart.
~Me
And Now For A Little Humor. SNL's Kardashian Wedding/Divorce. It ALWAYS makes me laugh!
Today's link comes from our friend JR. He's awesome!
"Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others."
~Jonathan Swift
Here we have a coin operated binocular doohickey machine. I find this machine... well... creepy. Every time I see one, I can't help but wonder if the last user might have walked up to it, put their shiney new coin in it, and immediately sneezed.
Dumb, I know.
But sometimes I also wonder what I would see if I got up the courage to actually look into it's creepy eyes. In this case, if all went well, I would see Marin County and the Golden Gate Bridge. But what if I looked inside and instead saw... A GHOST?
Well, as nifty as that would be, I would rather see a ghost when I am looking for a ghost. Not when I am all happy and not creeped out and just interested in seeing Marin.
Another not fun sight would be... oh... say... the mother of the ex-boyfriend of mine that gave me food poisoning on purpose! Why she would be standing on the side of a cliff in Marin is beyond me, but can you imagine wasting your shiney new coin on the person who gave you food poisoning on purpose?
Other stupid sights could include... A GOP hootenanny, a giant squid, a sumo wrestler losing his diaper bottom, a giant octopus attacking the Golden Gate Bridge, hey... it was in a movie and everything! It Came From Beneath The Sea.
Dumb, I know.
Maybe it's silly to feel this way, but for whatever reason, I can't bring myself to look through that gadget, but I love photographing them. I really like looking at them, but not up close. I wonder if there is such a thing as BinocularPHOBIA. Hmmm... . Is that a thing?
"I am an artist you know... it is my right to be odd."
~E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes Of A Gadfly
I once asked my friend Steven, why he liked my photography so much? And he said, simply, because you see stuff. LOL. At first I thought it was a pretty simplistic reason why. Not that I was a whiz with lighting, or an expert at perspective and depth, but rather, because I saw stuff. What do I do with that? But after I thought it over, I knew what a great compliment it really was.
I do see things. I don't look for specific things. I see what's out there. Color will catch my eye, or sometimes shapes. Alan shakes his head when I photograph the ordinary, but I sometimes see such beauty in the ordinary, that I will be thinking about it an hour after I snap the photo. I like windows, and doors. Fire escapes are always shaped wonderfully and sometimes contain the most artistic arrangements of laundry or flower pots.
The ordinary is just life happening.
Yesterday, while out for a ride, I saw this telephone booth sitting at the side of a road on the edge of property. It's shiny and pretty and it's red color lights up the gray area it sits in. And oh yeah... it made me smile. BIG. It makes me want to step inside and see who I might be able to reach on the phone. If I popped a coin in the phone, could I call maybe... oh I don't know... the Queen? Or... ohh... how about James Bond? Could I only call England, or could I might even reach Heaven? If I could reach... oh... say... a fictional character? I know some say James Bond is a fictional character, but I refuse to believe it! But perhaps I could reach a genuine fictional character like maybe... Bridget Jones?
There is a lot girlfriend and I could talk about. :)
I love the ORDINARY, and I love the ODD. And I love it when the ORDINARY and the ODD come together.
Okay... yeah... I see stuff. And all I can say to that is... THANK GOD!
"It's so curious: one can resist tears and behave very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slops from a drawer... and everything collapses."
~ Colette
It's 9/11... isn't it? How could it already have been a year? Sigh. Oh my, time goes by so fast, but here we are again. As with all the September 11ths since that one all those years ago, I have David and Lynn Angell in my heart, prayers and memories. I got to know this couple through the years, by reading articles and testimonies from their friends and loved ones, participating in some online projects honoring those lost that horrific day. The more I learned about them, the more it saddened me that not only are they gone to us, the world, but I will never have the chance to meet them and be able to say... Thank You... for making my life better... Thank You for making me smile and laugh... Thank You... just Thank You.
I have written about the Angells many times since September 11, 2001. But this year, rather than researching into yet another article about them, I would take a step back and just say that it is my hope one day, when I go skipping off into that all important next step of eternity, that I will to be able to sit with them, maybe at some cosmic comedy club, and hear their laughs, and the sound of their voices... and... just be able to say... Thank You.
I am a bit tired, so instead of a new photo tonight, I am listening to my body and taking life slowly. I have some plans for new photos this week, so I promise you will see some brand new images, but if it's all good, I will simply share a fond memory with you. I may have displayed this particular photo series before, if so, I don't think it was recently. At least I hope it wasn't.
Anyway, tonight I bring you a nice memory of a day on the beach, adjacent to the Golden Gate Bridge. If you can believe it, this wasn't taken in the summer time, no, it was taken on February 5th, 2007! It was a lovely, warm winter day, and I could have stayed right there the rest of my life! LOL. But, alas, I knew that time, and temperature, and the day wouldn't last forever, and besides, it wouldn't be very long before I got the urge to wander with the camera. So I got the photos I came fore, and went home a happy girl!
Some of my best days with my cameras are when I have no idea where I am going, and what I want to see and photograph. It seems like those days always produce the best photos.
Queen Mary 2
The largest ship, at the time, to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.
The ship came in a little later than scheduled, but it was well worth the wait. You could hear the cheers of the cruise ships passengers, as it sailed under the Golden Gate with just inches to spare. How fun is that?
"All stories are true. But some of them never happened."
~James A. Owen, The Search For The Red Dragon
Still a bit stressed, but not feeling like sharing. It's a stupid situation anyway. It's not like there isn't any humor in the mess to remind me that all dramas tend to have a little comedy to them as well. But I don't feel especially good about the whole stupid situation with or without humor. So, I have some questions if you care to share your thoughts, all opinions welcome here!
Question: Why do people have to make life so much more difficult than it has to be?
Question: Why is it so difficult to get my first name right?
Question: Is it a good idea to address someone by their email address name, rather than getting their first name right?
My came isn't Gordon Carly isn't? No, my name is Carly Gordon, but AOL has a sense of humor.
Question: So, if you saw my email address at the top of an email, and you have been told, many, many, many, many, many times... "My name isn't Gordon, it's Carly" why would you continue to call me Gordon?
Question: How many girls do you know with the first name Gordon?
Question: Is it too much to ask that people, who want to believe they are professionals in their chosen field, do their FUCKING JOBS?
Queston: What is the appropriate amount of times one should have to correct another, before one or both people are considered OBNOXIOUS?
"I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck."
~Bill Hicks
No, the whole DRAMADY isn't made up of someone who can't get my name right, there is a lot more to it, but it's the name thing that makes dealing with this particular person a final straw every time I have to deal with them. They share NO relationship with common sense. They are condescending. They are argumentative. They are dismissive. They seem to be whoa-fully uninformed. It's not easy to be all those things in one sentence, but I'll be damned if they can't pull it off every time!
I am relatively sure I won the last round. But I wish it doesn't always, ALWAYS come to that.
Sigh.
I feel like this person takes me from the reasonable me, to the unreasonable me.
Sigh.
I can handle myself. I am not a pushover. I don't start conflicts, but I don't back down either. But I hate confrontation. I hate finding myself on the defensive over things that shouldn't happen anyway.
Sigh.
I guess I am just processing it all.
Shrug.
I suppose it's a good sign that I am less Angry Pickles tonight, and more Purple Garlic.
Shrug.
"The most fatal illusion is the settled point of view. Since life is a growth and motion, a fixed point of view kills anybody who has one."
It wasn't easy to find quotes to go with this week's RR subject, I finally had to settle for a generalized quote about shapes, but I think it suits the theme pretty well. Right Angles you say? Well, I did a looking through the archives for photographs that would accurately illustrate Right Angles, and I did a little snapping away while I was in San Francisco recently. So, here are my Right Angles...
The photo above was taken in Santa Cruz, in 2005. The pyramid you see is called Guardian I, and sits at Natural Bridges state beach. It is a kind of place marker of the small cove below the cliff that is the nudist side of the beach. It's an interesting art piece, and a lovely seaside area. The nude beach is well hidden, and out of the sight of the family friendly side. Hey, nothing like a little sunbathing... right?
Photo #2: Not Worth It (It's pretty self explanatory) 8/31/12
Photo #3: Rainbow Flag From The Castro, San Francisco, Ca 8/31/12
Photo #4: Enjoy CocaCola San Francisco, Ca 8/31/12
Photo #5: Another Brick In The Wall, San Francisco, Ca 8/31/12
Okay, that's my contribution for this round. If you would like to join in the fun, grab your camera and snap a Right Angle. You can find out all the details, and well as the links to other participants, at the official Round Robin blog. Just click the link at the top of this entry to be redirected!
"Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it."
~Jane Wagner
A Mostly True Tale...
He: That's a strange Smile you have on your face...stressed?
Me: Yes, I am stressed. Why do you ask?
He: Well... you are picking pears off the tree and throwing them at the back fence.
Me: Oh am I? I hadn't noticed. Well... lookie there... (BANG) I AM PICKING PEARS OFF THE TREE AND THROWING THEM AT THE BACK FENCE. WHEN DID I START DOING THAT?
He: Did I do it?
Me: No, no it wasn't you.
He: Do I know who it was?
Me: Yes.
He: Oh... well... um... do I need to start burying the body?
Me: ALAN... that's a silly question... I took care of the body. It's not like I would be irresponsible or anything. I wouldn't leave it for you to do. I always finish my projects.
He: Does that mean you actually took care of the body, or does that mean you at least have a sense of humor about the situation that stressed you out?
Me: Well... if you don't know the answer to that... well... then I don't know what to say.
He: Are you going to be okay?
Me: Sure. I will be fine.
He: Good.
Me: Can I have a hug?
He: Of course, just put the pear down first.
Me: (Laughter) Damn you Alan, you always make me lose my mad.
He: Good. Then my work here is done.
Me: Alan?
He: Yes?
Me: Will you rub my back while I watch General Hospital? I just have to find out if Jerry Jacks kills the whole town of Port Charles.
He: Sure. Sheesh. The things I do for love.
Me: I love you to Alan.
He: (Pointing toward the house) Come on. ( As we walk away, he puts his arm around me, and we walk into the house, leaving the stress behind in the yard.)
The End...
Of...
A Mostly True Tale.
:)
"Stress level" extreme. It's like she was a jar with the lid screwed on too tight, and inside the jar were pickles, angry pickles, and they were fermenting, and about it explode."
"But now in September the garden has cooled, and with it my possessiveness. The Sun warms my back instead of beating on my head... The harvest has dwindled and I grown apart from the intense midsummer relationship that brought it on."
~Robert Finch
Ordinarily I wouldn't complain about summer coming to an end, but I enjoyed this past three months of warm weather, because it helped to produce the most beautiful roses I have ever grown, and the yummiest tomatoes and zucchini. It wasn't one of those oppressive summers, when it is so hot outside you can't think straight, but it was a consistent summer and it was good, not just for growing things, but for stretching my creativity as well.
Later today, Alan and I will be cooking up some tomatoes from the garden, in some wonderful all purpose tomato sauce, that will eventually become pasta sauce, pizza sauce, and assorted different bases for dinner dishes. I will post the photos along with the recipes as they are developed. I am still considering what wines I may want to add to the sauce. A nice Cabernet for sure I think. We'll see. :)
For the most part, we had an amazingly bug free garden. The roses have been strong and producing new growth at a better than expected rate, so it softened the blow a good bit when I found some aphids munching down on some of my Pink Promise roses. (YIKES). I caught the infestation early, and cut the rose bush back to eliminate the infected new growth, then did a deep sprinkling of cinnamon at the base of the bush. Next I did some preventive maintenance by cutting the new growth from the rest of the roses in the garden.
It's been a couple days, and I haven't seen any new instances of aphids, but I will have to watch things closely for the rest of the season. If all else fails, I have some homemade organic remedy all mixed up and ready to go. It worked wonders in years past, so I am confident that if I need to use it, it will do the trick! In late October, I will prune all of the rose bushes back by a third to promote new growth next spring. Aphids like to overwinter in dry leaves, so while I adore autumn and look forward to the big mess the leaves make, this year I will have to be diligent about the raking and disposal of them. FUN! :) It's a good thing I love autumn leaves so much... lol... it will make dealing with them a lot more fun. At least that's what I am hoping! LOL.
The autumn light is beginning to whisper our way, especially in the late afternoon. When that gorgeous late day sun hits the roses, it's nothing short of magical. The roses in this posting all are showing off that light, with only a tiny amount of editing on my part. This pretty much how everything looks right now, and we are getting little bits of color all around. The leaves are gorgeous this year, and I can't wait to get out with my camera a document it all.
"The storm starts, when the drops start dropping. When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping."
~Dr. Seuss
Several years ago, in either 2004 or 2005, we had an unbelievable February in California. We had amazing warm weather here on the coast, and a huge snowfall in the Sierra. So, within the span of 5 hours you could be surfing in Half Moon Bay, or Pacifica or even Santa Cruz, and then later in the same day, swooshing down the slopes in Tahoe. I couldn't resist the urge to grab the camera and showcase what I love the most about living here. The awesome beauty of California weather. It's amazing at times. Take today for example. We are on storm lookout for lightning and thunder. Despite what Hollywood likes to say, we rarely have lightning and thunder, so when we do, I enjoy the hell out of it! With a little luck, I will get some pictures of lightning. Hmmm... now where did I put my lightning rod? Where is that thing? Oh well, I guess all I really need is a key and a kite! Now, if can just remember where I put my kite! Have you seen it? It's shaped like a black and white cow. Which is utterly ridiculous! LOL. Just think of it... and electric cow, flying in the air. How cool is that?
Photo One: Half Moon Bay, California February 21st 12:30 PM
Photo Two: Snow Park Placerville, California February 22nd 8:30 AM
Photo Three: South Lake Tahoe, California, February 22nd 12:30 PM
"I would like to see anyone, prophet, king, or GOD, convince a thousand cats to do the same thing at the same time."
~Neil Gaiman
Has it really been 4 years? My little boys are now my big little boys. According to the Cat Years Conversion Chart they are both 35 years old. If that's true, they are the most youthful 35 year old I know. I love my boys, they make me smile every single day. I just wish I could get them to sit still for pictures... maybe the 12 catnip mice was too much? LOL. They are good boys, and I couldn't be happier that we found each other. They make me happy. And make me crazy. And make me proud. And make me tired. And make me homesick... Alan says I can't get to the end of the driveway without missing the heck out of them. But to be honest, I felt that way about Elvis to. What can I say? They are my kids! And I got to be their mama! :)
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade windows in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
~H. Jackson Brown., P.S. I Love You.
Today's posting is a bit of randomosity, but there is one thing that unites the photos... all of the them were taken during my time in San Francisco the last couple weeks. Ahh San Francisco... I love you!
Photo One... The Octopus
I spotted this octopus on 24th Street, just across the street from the little market, Casa Lucas, where Woody Allen had filmed a scene for his new movie. I didn't make it in time to capture a picture of them at work, but I didn't pass up the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood a bit and check things out.
Photo Two... Sally Hawkins As Herself
I was looking through my files from the month of August, and to my happy surprise, I found a photo of actress Sally Hawkins among my "To Edits." I had completely forgotten I got a photo of her as well. She will be playing the sister of Cate Blanchett's character. She came down the red stairs really quick, and scooted around the corner onto Lexington really quick. I was lucky to capture this photo! I wish I could have taken more pictures of her, but the opportunity just didn't present itself again.
This wall caught my eye as Alan and I were searching around Haight/Ashbury searching for Woody Allen. I wasn't sure what it was about, but upon searching around on the Internet I found out is a new and innovative approach to improving the urban landscape. A decluttering of sorts. Cool. I will be looking forward to seeing more!
Photo Four... Dr. Who?
See the guy on the right? The one in the dark blue shirt? He is one of the dentists that occupies the professional building that was featured in Woody Allen's movie project. I didn't get a chance to speak with him much, but he seemed to enjoy his day off, watching the filming going on. I imagine there are worse ways one could spend an August day. LOL.
I don't know a lot about this restaurant, except that the have a menu that makes my mouth water! LOL. This is the front of the restaurant that I saw Woody Allen walking out of. See, like I said, I was only about five feet from him, and where was my camera? Sigh. That missed opportunity is gonna bug me for a while methinks. :(
Now, about the picture at the top. Doesn't the face just about say it all? I think someone got their car towed... which is a terrible feeling... I think. I makes me want to be a really good citizen, and follow all DMV rules and regulations. Not that I don't already... but you know... just sayin!
"It's on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly."
~ Claude Monet
I did a lot of black and white photography last week, and while I love it, I can't help but want to highlight all the glorious color I see around me. The garden right now is in a full on outrageous display of color. Purple, yellow, apricot, red, you name it, that color is screaming... NOTICE ME! The leaves on my Japanese Maple is especially vibrant. It was an amazing crimson red for most of the year, but right now it is transitioning into a lovely copper color. Everything is so vibrant and vivid right now, you can almost see an exclamation point next to each leaf and petal.
"If the world really looks like that I will paint no more!"
"If you know you are going to fail, then fail gloriously."
~Cate Blanchett
Isn't Cate Blanchett Lovely?
Sigh. It's not like Woody Allen is the first celebrity I have ever photographed, but there I was, dumbstruck like Lucy Ricardo meeting Charles Boyer. Like Lucy Ricardo meeting John Wayne. Like Lucy Ricardo meeting William Holden. Like Lucy Ricardo... well... you get the picture! Pun intended! It wouldn't have mattered how many filming locations I had tracked him down at, I was hopelessly dumbstruck by Woody Allen, and that was where my literal focus was. It's like my brain simply didn't have enough power to grasp two stars at the same time. And let's face it, Cate Blanchett is as stunning as they come. It might have been different if I had made it to the filming off Union Square at Shreve & Company. She was present, and from the pictures I have seen, amazingly lovely, plus there was a lot longer opportunity to focus on the total picture.
While in Union Square, they were outside for most of the day, but the particular days filming I made it to involved the actors doing scenes inside buildings. The only opportunities that presented themselves for capturing a photo were in the comings and goings. The amateur shutterbug such as myself, had to be ready at the shutter, and hope for the best. Hey, at least I have a pretty good shot of her profile here, but she is such a lovely lady, I wish I had done better. It's a good set of photos to consider the next time a celebrity sighting presents itself. Focus. Focus. Focus. Again... pun intended! LOL. In the meantime, I can add Cate Blanchett to my file of celebrity photography opportunities. I have learned something from each celebrity in my file, and anytime you can learn from your photography it's a good thing... right?
"If I had my way, if I was lucky enough, if I could be on the brink my entire life... that great sense of expectation and excitement without disappointment... that would be the perfect state."
"There have been times I have thought some dreams should never be dreamt, but I would hate a world where that was true."
~Daniel Amory, Minor Snobs
Alan and I tried to find Woody Allen again on Wednesday, but alas he wasn't at his last location at Claremont and Ulloa, and there wasn't any mention of his moving to a different neighborhood on any social media, so unless he turns up somewhere today, I think I have seen him for the last time. Well, in San Francisco anyway. I suppose I could actually make it to New York one day, that is still my number one daydream, and if it does come true I would see him in person again, but there are other New York moments that could come true as well.
You never know what funny little twists and turns life has in store. Good and bad. While I am far from feeling distraught about turning 50 this year, I am thankful for my new found appreciation of life. I am not afraid to get into that small plane this year. I am equally confident about the whale watching trip we have also booked. Just a few years ago I probably wouldn't have considered doing either of those things, but sitting here, considering both activities, the very idea of either fills me with nothing but eager anticipation and dare I say... happiness!
Life, and GOD both have a sense of humor!
After I realized that I wasn't going to find Woody, I decided to go up to Twin Peaks to do a new set of daytime photos of the amazing view of San Francisco. I got what I needed, but I need to do a set of sunset and evening photos from there as well. I am crazy in love with San Francisco, and the Bay Area in general. And with so much to inspire me, I think this year might bring my best photography yet! At least I hope so. That is the goal anyway. I am getting my groove back I think, and I am so thankful for that! Thanks for being patient with me my friend JR, and my regular lurkers, I know you are out there, and it feels good to know I am not alone. Your encouragement has meant so much to me!
:) = Happiness
Oh, and here is one more picture from August 28th. It seems he and I made inadvertent eye contact in a second photo! Cool. Weird. But very cool!
:)= Happiness Again!
"Imagine a delicious glass of summer iced tea.
Take a long cool sip. Listen to the ice crackle and clink.
Is the glass full or part empty?
Take another sip.
And now?"
~Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration
"The strangest experiences in life are apt to lose effect if dwelt upon long enough."
~A. M. Burrage
Don't you just love looking into the eyes of big cities? If eyes are the windows to the soul, then wouldn't windows be the eyes of a city... right?
I love looking at eyes, and windows. You see the most wonderful, unusual things. One day, someone looks at an object and that object resonates with them in some way. Soon, that someone decides to place the object in a window, facing out into the world, and those who see it may feel the exact same emotion or think the exact same thought, and suddenly it is shared with the world. Good, bad or otherwise... there it is.
So, what do you think the owner of that handsome head was thinking?
