Unsafe At Any Speed

"Driving round a bend, and skidding on a mat of toads is very unpleasant for all
concerned."

-Amanda Hillier

Tell me, do you find yourself looking at other drivers while you are moving along in traffic? I do. Sometimes when I am the driver of the car, but mostly when I am the passenger. I always have my digital camera out, because you never know when you might see something interesting. I didn't always keep it out of the case when the car was moving, but see, Alan and I had a very near miss incident in August of 2006, which scares the pistons out of me to this day. I decided that day, that I would keep the camera out, and turned on, just in case we ever came that close to being hit again. I want to get a photo of the plate number. It scared me, and it was months before I had a lot of confidence about driving on HWY 580, either as a driver or a passenger. Shame on those who deliberately cut you off in traffic! The only thing I knew to do to conquer the fear it had left me with, was to get right back on the freeway as a driver, and keep my trusty camera by my side as a passenger. I thank God for that camera every day.

So, you can probably imagine how I felt last Thursday, when I saw a woman, a rather age mature woman, in the car next to me, working a puzzle in a book, while driving her car, sometimes exceeding 50 MPH. We were on the San Mateo Bridge, heading eastbound, in late afternoon rush hour traffic, and she was doing a puzzle! She had to know better. I got so tired of folks screaming about the evils of cell phone use while driving, while other just as negligent behaviors go unaddressed. Eating, drinking coffee/sodas, smoking, and driving with animals who aren't properly restrained, all play into the possibility of negligence. Why do folks have to multi-task every last moment of their lives? Alan and I lost sight of her in traffic at some point, and I am glad. I didn't really want to be anywhere near her. You know? But I did wrestle with whether or not to call the CHP with her license plate number and location. I am not sure there is a law exactly about this kind of action. I see folks reading maps, while driving, all the time, but this was different. Was it my place to report her?

A part of me says, yes, I should have. I have to learn about second guessing myself on certain things. If I had come home, and heard on the news later that evening, that she got into an accident, would I have been responsible somehow? I probably would have felt responsible for not turning her in. At the same time, a part of me wonders if I was invading her privacy somehow? Didn't she have the right to do whatever she wants in her own car, if she is willing to accept the consequences of her behavior, should something go wrong? Is it up to me to intervene under any circumstances?

Opinions please. Tell me what you think. Would you have turned her in? Would you have shaken your finger at her, in disgust, as you drove by? Would you have just ignored it, and hoped she was paying better attention then it seemed she was? Have you ever been tempted to turn in a fellow motorist, after seeing them engaging in a similar activity? Share your thoughts with me. :)

"Reckless automobile driving arouses the suspicion that much of the horse sense of the good old days was possessed by the horse."

-Unknown

-OndineMonet
"Shame On You"
HWY 92
Hayward, California
September 13th, 2007
Late Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #183: Make A Poll

"For every evil under the sun, there is a remedy or there is none. If there be one, seek till you find it. If there be none, then never mind it."

-Mother Goose

Weekend Assignment #183: Make up a poll for people to play with. The poll can be on any subject you want - it can be serious or funny or silly, or whatever (although funny's always, you know. Funny). If you're not on AOL Journals, or for some reasons you don't want to use AOL's poll function, there are other poll options for your blog; here's one, for example.

Extra Credit: Have you ever participated in a political poll?

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Last Wednesday, while I was at the Botanic Garden in Tilden Park, I found this amazing spider stretched across two limbs of a blackberry bush. It was too pretty to pass up. The spider was about the size of a half dollar, and paid no attention to me, as I labored over the photo. First trying to decide just how close I wanted to get to it, and then finding the focus and lighting. It took me about 20 minutes or so to finally get things lined up properly, and all the while I had Carly Simon's song "Itsy Bitsy Spider" running through my head. The song, of course, was based on the nursery rhyme, "Itsy Bitsy Spider" so, I thought it might be kind of fun to keep things on a playful note, and ask you in a poll, to vote for your favorite nursery rhyme. :) And oh by the way, there is a new monthly poll on my sidebar, devoted to Autumn, which begins next week! Be sure to click the link below, to see the results of last month's poll.

What's Your Favorite Nursery Rhyme?
	Thirty Days Hath September
	I'm A Little Teapot
	Jack Be Nimble
	Little Miss Muffet
	Monday's Child
	Star Light Star Bright
	The Man In The Moon
	Muffin Man
	There Was An Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe
	Little Bunny Foo Foo
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Extra Credit: Yes, I participate in political polls all the time! :)

What Is Your Main Complaint About Other Drivers?

-OndineMonet
"Miss Spider"
Tilden Park
Berkeley, California
September 12th, 2007
Late Afternoon

My Continuing Adventures With Diabetes: Week #1 "Choices"

"My own prescription for health is less paperwork, and more running barefoot through the grass."

-Leslie Grimutter

The title of this entry is a bit misleading, actually it was 7 weeks ago today, that I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but I want to start writing about my adventures with diabetes because I am learning new things every day, about myself, and about my condition. I hope by sharing I can help and inspire others with it to feel a little less alone, so, I have made a decision to update my blog with an entry devoted to what I learn, as I continue on, looking for knowledge and skills for living well with diabetes.

IHOP Garden Scramble Under 600 calories and 15g Fat

A dear friend asked me the other day, "How have you been doing... with your diabetes?" I had to think for a moment, and consider, what to respond. It was a perfectly legitimate question, and it felt good to have my friend ask about me, but the thing is, I am really, really OK most of the time. If it wasn't for checking my glucose readings several times a day, I wouldn't know anything was amiss. There are NO symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, especially early on in the disease. I was even told, by my health education leader, that she once worked at a health fair, in a booth devoted to educating the public on diabetes. One of the ways they did this, was to offer free finger tip testing.

On one of the days she worked the booth, a gentleman approached the booth to learn more about the disease. It seemed a friend at work had been recently diagnosed and he was interesting in finding out some statistics. She gave him some pamphlets and then offered to check his blood. Well, the man scoffed, "I am in my late 30's," he said, "and I am not overweight, and I feel fine." "Then why not see, what your random reading is?" said the health educator. He laughed, but finally said, "sure, okay." His reading was 410 mg/dl. Sigh. He found out that day, that he was also, a diabetic, and had more then likely been for quite sometime.

There are a lot of myths about diabetes that are mistaken for truths. Diabetes is an equal opportunity intruder. Skinny people get diabetes, fat people get diabetes, elderly people get diabetes, children get diabetes, and people who feel just fine, get diabetes. There are high risk lifestyles that may increase your chances, but it doesn't guarantee you will be afflicted. I am not sure why more isn't being done to educated the public about diabetes, but I know one thing, I didn't bother to educate myself on it, until I was diagnosed with it. Sigh. Why would I? I felt fine. Sigh. Truth is, even if I would have done extensive research into risk factors, and statistics, I wouldn't have been able to have stopped myself for contracting diabetes. It's just a fact. What I could have accomplished, however, was that I would have known right away that blaming myself, or trying to figure out just exactly how I had failed, would have been a waste of time, energy and emotion.



Mixed Fruit Approx 250 Calories, 0 Fat, 14 Carbs

I have good days, and some not so good days. I feel good when I get to tell someone, that the old myth about sugar being evil, simply isn't true. I don't have to give up anything, with diabetes, I just have to account for what I put into my body, and plan for certain things. I am eating pretty much what I always did, only in more reasonable. I haven't give up my love of fast food, I simply figure it into my daily intake for maintaining my weight maintenance.

So far, I am finding it to be challenging at times, but far from impossible. I am more hungry for knowledge, then a taco. LOL. It's OK, if I blow it once in a while. I keep track of what foods to do my blood, and act accordingly. As an example, if I want to go and have a meal, which might not be so good for my readings, I have it at lunch, and then take a long, moderately paced walk to help regulate my glucose numbers. Exercising after meals is good for bringing those numbers down. So far, the highest number I have had, 2 hours after a meal is 148 mg/dl. My before meal average is 117 mg/dl, After Meal is, 128 and Overall is, 121. My doctor says I am off to a good start, but there is always room to improve. I try to keep my stress level down, so Alan no longer allows me to watch the news during dinner. LOL. Yep, we are a George Bush free house during meal times. LOL. What can I say, he brings me stress. Sheesh. :)

One of the nice things about taking a long walk after a meal, is that you can discover the most amazing things. For instance, yesterday, I discovered autumn, sneaking into the woods of Tilden Park. :) I will speak more about my visit to the Botanic Garden up here in the hills of Berkeley, this weekend, for now enjoy the lovely leaves I found yesterday, and just think, we are only about a week away from autumn, the most beautiful time of the year, the season that brings every part of me to life. I would rather have a bouquet of autumn leaves, then roses any day, and yesterday, I was treated to just that, and diabetes didn't stop me, one little bit. :)

Website of the Week: Diabetes Mine

-OndineMonet
"Autumn Prelude"
Botanic Garden
Tilden Park
Berkeley, California
September 12, 2007
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Get Mugged

"Don't laugh at coffee. Some day you, too, may be old and weak."

-Unknown

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Take a picture of one or more interesting coffee mugs you might have. Because it's my experience that people have coffee mugs with interesting stories behind them. At least I do.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Coffee mugs. Tee Hee. Why am I laughing at coffee mugs? Well, see, coffee mugs, and I, have had quite a past! I am sure you remember the story of how, at one time, I had a deathly fear of ceramic coffee mugs. LOL. True story. It was so bad, that my heart would pound, my skin would become hot, and I would feel dizzy, if I even saw someone drinking from one. Sheesh. LOL. I can laugh at it now, but at the time, it was high drama! :)

That was back in the mid 90's, and I have since been cured of that fear. Thank goodness, because I have come to know the joys of a good, solid coffee mug. I am not a coffee drinker, I much more prefer Hot Chocolate, Herbal Teas, or my very favorite hot beverage, Caramel Apple Cider, but I also enjoy having soup in a big mug, like the one in the above photo. I got this Friends, "Central Perk," mug, when the show was in it's 6th season.

It was a gift from Alan, for having successfully completed the "Unreasonable Fears And How To Overcome Them" workshop/support group. LOL. True story. Now, I consider that mug among my favorite things. Oh, if the house were on fire I probably wouldn't go running back into the burning building to retrieve it, but I would sure miss my mug. It's a friend. :)

-OndineMonet
"Got Hot Beverage?"
Berkeley, California
September 11th, 2007
Afternoon

Missing John Ritter (9/17/48 - 9/11/03)

"It's hard enough to write a good drama, it's much harder to write a good comedy, and it's hardest of all to write a drama with comedy, which is what life is."

-Jack Lemmon

Sometimes I wonder if a certain day on the calendar can actually be cursed. John Ritter passed away on September 11th, 2003, and I still miss him terribly. I mourn his loss, but I also think of him fondly for some very personal reasons, but most importantly for the gift of humor that he shared so freely. I love the YouTube montage above, it is Ritter at his comedic best. Watch the video and laugh, it is good for the soul, and it is a gift that shouldn't be taken for granted. Humor is the gift that heals us. Thanks again, John. :)

-OndineMonet

September 11th, 2001

"September 11 began like many Tuesday mornings in Washington, D.C., as the notorious D.C. rush hour traffic slowed lawmakers and their staff making their way to Capitol Hill, the worst of their thoughts was surely centered on Congress's always partisan budget battles. The day was the end, however, in a national nightmare as all came to grips with the worst domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history."

-Terry Everett

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama Bin Laden. It is our number one priority, and we will not rest until we find him."

-George W. Bush 9/13/2001

Can you believe it has been six years since that horrible day? Can you believe it has been six years, and Osama Bin Laden is still out there somewhere, still taunting us, and still free to continue with his plan of hatred and terror toward the United States? George Bush, as our president, has been worse than a complete failure, he has let all of us down, and indeed future generations as well. There is no excuse, there is no reason, and there is no justification for the fact that Bin Laden has not been brought to justice. It escapes me why President Bush hasn't been impeached for his many transgressions,including his blatant disregard for American lives.

He didn't listen to the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Report, or the Iraq Study Group. We are not safer from terrorism then we were on 9/11, and we still have a liar, and dare I say, traitor, in the White House. Sigh. It hurts. I hurt for all of us here in America, and I hurt for what we have done to the Iraqi people. I hurt for the men and women of our armed services, who went to war, and died for a war based on lies. I hurt for those brave soldiers who made it back home, and found themselves without proper medical care at Walter Reed Hospital. I hurt for the people who lost their lives on 9/11, like David and Lynn Angell. Last year I wrote a tribute to the Angell's, for the 2996 Project, but I had written about David and Lynn Angell before, the first time was in 2005, on my AOL blog Ellipsis. You can find that entry here.

The Angell's were a wonderful, loving couple. They loved each other, and they loved their work. They had a charity that was close to their hearts called the Hillsides Home For Children. Less than a month before their deaths on 9/11/2001, they celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They were together on the morning of 9/11/2001 as they boarded American Airlines Flight#11, at Boston's Logan airport, bound for Los Angeles, but they didn't make it home that day, because of pure evil. Their plane was hijacked and crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center at 8:45 A.M. EDT.

When the Angell's died, the world lost two magnificent human beings. Two people who were the complete opposite of the evil that ran rampant that day. I never got the chance to meet David and Lynn Angell, but through my research of them I have come to know them, and respect them as people. I mourn their deaths... deeply. It angers me that nothing has been done to bring Bin Laden to justice. It angers me that we have wasted human lives and resources on an unnecessary war in Iraq, but I have become resolved to the fact that until George Bush is impeached, and congress, both democrat and republican grows a backbone and stops George Bush, we will have to live with the true terror of Osama Bin Laden, and the Al Qaeda terrorist organization. We are not safe anywhere, at anytime, indeed it is just a matter of time before we face another day like 9/11. I am deeply,deeply sad right now. We must email the White House, and our elected officials and demand that we stop this unnecessary war in Iraq, and concentrate our efforts on finding Bin Laden.

Please take a moment to read my entry from last year. It was a non-political tribute to the lives of David and Lynn Angell. It gives you a glimpse into the lives of this loving and generous couple. They shouldn't be forgotten. I know I will never forget them, not ever. Shame on you George Bush!

The 2996 Project: I Am Honoring The Life Of David Angell


"So I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him... to be honest."

-George W. Bush 3/13/2002 (Less than a year later).

-OndineMonet

My Picks For The 2007 Fall TV Season

"Friends are like television. Some are like PBS and always asking for money. Others are like the news, with sad tales to tell everyday, some are like that one station with the foreign language you don't understand a word of it but you listen and watch."

-Unknown

I was thumbing through the new issue TV guide, which begins today, and has all the low down on the new fall schedule. The ins, the outs. I don't know, I guess I have to wonder, is television even trying anymore? It seems as if they have reached way down to hit new lows in "Reality TV." Do you think Kid Nation is really a good idea? Yeah, yeah I know, I am a "reality show" snob. I do have to admit that there has been the occasional "reality" show that has pulled me in. I really enjoyed the summer replacement series, America's Got Talent. Surprised? Well, so was I, but it focused on the talent and not the week to week egos of the contestants, but still came through with good old fashioned back stabbing and infighting by way of the judges, Sharon Osbourne, David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan. Now THAT was laugh out loud funny! Sheesh.

It's frustrating to me that one network (NBC) plans to show the "Drama Series Encore" as filler for some of their time slots. Huh? Have the networks run out of ideas? Repeats, rather new new shows, or even old shows? And what's up with ABC? I finally found myself interested in what happens to the survivors of Oceanic Airways Flight #815, of LOST. It's all very nice to know that the series has a few more seasons coming, but why did they scale it back to just 16 episodes for each of the remaining seasons, and also make us wait until the spring of 2008 to see a new episode? Who will really care by then? I am not really looking forward to it seeing it anymore. Sigh. And damn... just when I thought it was getting interesting.

Still, as I thumbed through the guide, I did see a number of new shows that I think are at least worth a look see. Cavemen looks funny, but how long can the show survive with such a limited focus? I am intrigued by the remake of the 1970's hit, The Bionic Woman, but I am a purist, I liked the show as it was when saw it the first time around. What if the new Jamie Summers is a nut job or something? I am not sure I am ready for a neurotic Bionic Woman.Tee Hee. But like I said, there are a few shows that have caught my eye. I might even set the DVR for a couple shows, but I am not too sure there is anything that will make me look forward to watching prime-time network TV this season. There are a few open spots, I guess I will watch whatever I decide to put on DVR in those spots.

Monday
8:00 - How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
8:30 - Aliens In America (The CW)*
9:00 - Two In A Half Men (CBS)
9:30 - Samantha Who? (ABC)*
10:00 - Journeyman (NBC)*

Tuesday
8:00 - Cavemen (ABC)*
8:30 - Carpooler's (ABC)*
9:00 - Reaper (The CW)*
10:00 - Boston Legal

Wednesday
8:00 - Pushing Daisies (ABC)*
9:00 - Private Practice (ABC)*
10:00 - Life (NBC)*

Thursday
8:00 - My Name Is Earl (NBC)
8:00 - 30 Rock (NBC)
9:00 - Gray's Anatomy (ABC)
10:00 - Big Shots (ABC)*

Friday
8:00 - Deal Or No Deal (NBC)
9:00 - Moonlight (CBS)*
10:00 - Men In Trees (ABC)

Saturday
8:00 - Dateline NBC (NBC)
9:00 -
10:00-

Sunday
7:00 - 60 Minutes (CBS)
8:00 - King Of The Hill (FOX)
8:30 - The Simpsons (FOX)
9:00 - Desperate Housewives
10:00 -

Setting the DVR for...

The Bionic Woman (NBC)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Back To You (FOX)
Women's Murder Club (ABC)

So, tell me what you think? Agree? Disagree? Is there any show in particular you are looking forward to? Which one will crash and burn? Which one will still be on ten years from now? Which one will be the biggest surprise, and which one will be the biggest disappointment? Personally, I think Private Practice will do very well, and so will Journeyman and Pushing Daisies. Cavemen will probably last maybe one season, and I don't hold much hope for the new Kelsey Grammer/Patricia Heaton series, Back To You. It's all about a guy and girl who work together, while fighting the sexual attraction between them. Been there done that! Seen it on TV. YAWN!


-OndineMonet
"It's What's On TV"
Berkeley, California
September 9th, 2007
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #182: You're an Animal

"With the qualities of cleanliness, affection, patience, dignity, and courage that cats have, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats?"

-Fernand Mery

Weekend Assignment #182: Compare yourself to the animal whose best-known traits are most like your own personality. Note this isn't "what animal would you like to be?" but is instead "what animal is most like you?" Also, don't be too worried if your identification is not totally biologically exact; listing your similarities based on the general cultural impression of the animal is fine, too. We're not doing science here, after all, we're doing end of the month diversions.

Extra Credit: Would you want to own the animal you identify with?

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I am experiencing a slight case of deja vu with this entry. We did a very similar Weekend Assignment last April. The assignment back then, had to do with being reincarnated and what animal we might come back as. This time, the spirit of the assignment is to describe the type of animal we feel we are most like. I am afraid I am going to have to go with pretty much the same answer I gave back then... the common house cat. :) And it's pretty much for the same reason. All my life I have been described as a cat, especially by the men in my life. Friends, boyfriends, even my husband, all ended up comparing me to a house cat. :) Alan even tells me that I sometimes sleep with my hand tucked under my chin, like our cat Elvis does with his paw. It's true, I do. LOL. I have picked up some of my cat's habits, but in all fairness, he has picked up some of mine as well. But that happens even with humans, we all pick up each other's habits and routines. Right? LOL.

Anyway, cats can be aloof, so can I. Cats can be persuasive, so can I. Cats like to nap, oh boy, so do I. LOL. Cats are somewhat finicky about what they eat, and so am I. Cats enjoy cuddling with the human they love, and so do I. So, while I tease a bit about being a mermaid in a former life, to the point I actually chose ONDINE as part of my screen name, I know I could never really be one, because, well, they aren't real. So, it's the common house cat for me. By the way, the kitty in the above photo is a friend of Elvis's. His name is Cinnamon. Doesn't he have the most gorgeous eyes? They are green... just like mine. :)

Extra Credit: Yes, I would, and do. I suppose Alan and I will always own cats. :)

-OndineMonet
"Cinnamon"
Berkeley, California
September 8, 2007
Morning

Round Robin Challenge: Something Different

"I think a photography class should be a requirement in all educational programs, because it makes you see the world rather than just look at it."

-Unknown

My car, Lilith, will be 1 yr old on September 29th. In that I am one of those, "girly-girls" I only really know the basics of what makes her tick, but the idea of the challenge this time, was to step out of your comfort zone, so, while I know how to turn on the engine, how to change the radio station, how to make the wipers work, and oh yeah, if things go ever so slightly awry with the engine, tires or brakes, I also know how to push the little green panic button that notifies OnStar, I don't really understand much more then that. LOL. So, in trying to achieve "something different" for this challenge, I decided to learn more about what makes my car go. Here is what I learned...

There, that was easy, and now I feel so smart! Next I might learn how to change a tire. I am woman... hear me roar! ROFL! This challenge came to us by way of Nancy, author of the blog, Nancy Luvs Pix. Be sure to pay a visit to her blog, to see her entry, and then be sure to visit all the Robins. It is our first challenge, since we changed the day we play the challenges to Saturdays. The Robins are a creative bunch of bloggers, artists every one! :) Just click the links below.

Linking List

1. Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

2. Carly... Ellipsis
POSTED!

3. Janet... Fond Of Photography
POSTED!

4. Annie... Pictures of Craziness
POSTED!

5. Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pix
POSTED!

6. Suzanne R... New Suzanne R's Life
POSTED!

7. Jessica... QuickSilver Dreams
POSTED!

8. boliyou... Percolation
POSTED!

9. Vicki... Maraca
POSTED!

10. Gina... Gina's Space
POSTED!

11. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
POSTED!

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

13. Tara... A Long Walk Home
POSTED!

14. Teena... It's all about me!
POSTED!

-OndineMonet
"All About Lilith"
Berkeley, California
September 7th, 2007
Afternoon

The Glow

"The grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere, the dew is never dried all at once; a shower is forever falling, gloaming on the sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls."

-John Muir

I am really tired, it was a long day, so I am making this a brief entry. I did get a chance to take some photos of the sky, with the effects of the Moonlight fire and the Lick fire, still hanging heavily in the air. The fire has now grown to 27,000 acres, and there are over 1,800 firefighters attempting to bring it under control. They still have a long way to go. I was able to get a photograph of how it appeared here in Berkeley at about 7:30, Thursday morning, and another shot as it appeared at about 6:15 in the evening, just north of the Monterey Peninsula . As you can see, the sky is a deep red glow, and the air is thick and gray. Sigh. And to think, this all started from an illegal fire ignited in a barrel. :( It brings back a lot of memories of the Oakland/Berkeley firestorm of 1991.



"The sunset caught me, turned the brush to copper, set the clouds to one great roof of flame above the earth."

-Elizabeth Coatsworth

27,000 Acre Coe Park Fire Shows No Sign Of Slowing (CBS - KPIX)

-OndineMonet
"The Glow"
Berkeley, California
September 6, 2007
7:30 AM

Butterflies, Wildfires And Music

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

-Maya Angelou

The sky around the Bay Area was really hazy yesterday, and it is expected to be so today as well. There are 6 major wildfires in California right now, two of which are directly affecting the air quality here in the San Francisco area. In Livermore yesterday, visibility was down to just 2.5 miles. The two fires affecting us the most are the Moonlight fire, north of Sacramento, and the Lick fire, which is in the South Bay, near Mt. Hamilton. Both have left the sky with an eerie orange cast to it. Beautiful in a sense, and at the same time, really spooky to me. I have had a lifelong fear of fire, well, since I was 3 years old anyway. I remember that night so vividly, it was a late, hot summer night, in 1965, when I saw my father, and his carpool buddies, pulling our neighbor, and her children, to safety from their burning house. It brings back some memories, and some fear. It's a strange thing, as frightened as I am, I have a desire to see the fire up close. I doubt I will be able to get too close, but there are a lot of safe vantage points, where I might be able to snap a couple photos of the smoke.

One thing about the smoke and haze, it made it possible to for me to get some photographs of a butterfly I have been trying to get for most of this summer. The Red Admiral. Because of it's dark colors, I had been finding it difficult to photograph it without it being washed out against the colors of the flowers it frequents. It is such a pretty butterfly, but it has been very good at both teasing me, and then evading me, so I had that working against me as well. Silly butterfly!

I found the Red Admiral in Golden Gate Park at the start of the summer, and have made taking it's photo a goal. When I finally got a got a good chance the other day, I tried to get shots from as many angles as possible, and I did pretty good I think, but I want to do better, so it is still on my list of goals, right along with capturing a perfect photo of a bumble bee in flight. The Dahlia garden in GGP will be around until the end of October, and according to my information about the butterfly, the Red Admiral should be as well, so I will keep at it. The exercise is good for me, and it is a great distraction from...well...things I need to be distracted from. LOL. You know by now what pushes my buttons. :) There is nothing like music, and photography to bring my soul to peace. Watch the video!

"Just like the butterfly, I too will awaken in my own time."

-Deborah Chaskin

Weather Sparks Concern For Lick Fire (KGO TV ABC)

Smoke From Fires Impacts Bay Area Air Quality (KGO TV ABC)

-OndineMonet
Red Admiral Butterfly
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
September 4, 2007
Afternoon

Secret Joys

"Some of the secret joys of living are not found by rushing point A to point B, but by inventing some imaginary letters along the way."

-Douglas Pagels - These Are The Gifts I'd Like To Give You

I have been trying to soak up the last of the summer, so yesterday I decided to spend a little time at the Palace Of Fine Arts. The grounds are simply stunning this time of year, and there is a lot to see with the camera. The sun was moving in and out of the clouds and fog... I love it when that happens. The scene in front of you can at one moment be softly lit and cool, almost dreamy, and then the next minute it seems to come alive with the warm sun and vivid color. It is a peaceful place to meditate, and then do some brisk walking. Beauty everywhere. Ahhhh... that's better!

-OndineMonet
Palace Of Fine Arts
San Francisco, California
September 4th, 2007
Mid-Morning

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Expression

"A woman whose smile is open and whose expression is glad has a kind of beauty no matter what she wears."

-Anne Roiphe

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Present a picture that clearly shows a particular emotion. Happy, sad, thrilled, bummed, anything in between.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I LOVE photographing faces. People faces, animal faces, and especially mannequin faces. Emotions are fun... sometimes. :)

"But some emotions don't make a lot of noise. It's hard to hear pride. Caring is real faint - like a heartbeat. And pure love - why, some days it's so quiet, you don't even know it's there."

-Anonymous

"Lets not forget that little emotions are the great captains of our lives, and we obey them without realizing it."

-Vincent Van Gogh

"Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming, but we can choose which ones to surf."

-Jonathan Martensson

"The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy."

-Jom Rohn


-OndineMonet
"Isn't She Lovely"
Berkeley, California
Summer, 2007

The Summer Of Love... 40 Years Later

"If you're alive, you can't be bored in San Francisco. If you're not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life."

-William Saroyan

There was a free concert in Golden Gate Park yesterday. A concert to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Summer Of Love, 1967. It was estimated that well over 50 thousand came to the park, to step back in time, if only for the afternoon. It's funny, while America might be a little better off socially, there are still some striking similarities to the summer of 67, in that America, once again, finds itself in an unjust and unpopular war. I wasn't able to make it to the city yesterday to attend the concert, but it was interesting to see folks on the news, of all generations, come together to recognize such an interesting era. I think a lot was learned from those years, although perhaps not enough. I am looking forward to going to the 50th anniversary celebration, already being planned for the summer of 2017. Of course I will bring my camera, and my peace sign, although hopefully I will be wearing it as just a piece of symbolic jewelry, because America will be once again at peace, with no war in sight. Heres hoping!

Here is a sampling of how the Haight/Ashbury district looks today. It still has a funky, free feel to it, and there is something wonderful to discover and see at every turn. Just thinking about it makes me smile, it is one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco, unfortunately I don't stop by there very often. Maybe I will put that on my list of things to do this week...visit Haight/Ashbury. Be sure to click on the above YouTube video. It is the music video of Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco," which was written by Papa John Phillips, and which became the official anthem of the Summer Of Love. It's one of my favorite songs, and fits the city perfectly.

Corners of Haight and Ashbury

Haight Street Market

Jerry Garcia's former residence, located at 710 Ashbury Street

I took this picture of myself, by focusing in a darkened window on Haight Street. I think it came out kind of cool!


"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

-Jimi Hendrix

Thousands Gather For The Summer Of Love Anniversary

-OndineMonet
"San Francisco 40 Years Later"
Haight/Ashbury
2006/2007

Weekend Assignment #181: The Reveal

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang the best."

-Henry Van Dyke

For those of you who read my Weekend Assignment entry, and guessed that my lie was #2... congratulations... you are absolutely correct! :) While I completely adore the pelican, my actual favorite bird is the Snowy Egret. I found a beautiful one at the Palace of Fine Arts last week, but as you can see the lighting was not with me. It was in the afternoon, and it was way too bright, so I am hoping to get back over to the palace a littler earlier in the day, one day next week, to again photograph the egrets. I also saw a gorgeous Blue Heron that day, and I am especially looking forward to photographing that bird as well. We'll see what I come up with next time.

-OndineMonet
"Snowy Egret"
Palace Of Fine Arts
San Francisco, California
August, 2007
Late Afternoon

A Green Christmas

"Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind."

-Mary Chase

Suzanne, of the blog, "New Suzanne R's Life," came by with a new meme. A Christmas meme. I can't believe how close we are to yet another Christmas. Parts of 2007 seemed to go by at a crawl, I didn't think January would ever end, and February was even worse, even with the shorter days in the month! But the summer, has seemed to just fly by. It will finally be autumn in just a couple weeks, and we all know what comes next... winter... and Christmas. So, I leaped at the chance to do a meme devoted to Christmas, because I think I might need a little extra help getting into the spirit of the holidays this year. Thank you Suzanne, for thinking of me, and giving me the heads up about this cute meme. :)

A Green Christmas

1. What is your favorite Christmas Gift?

A. In 1992 I got Ross, the moose you see in the photo above, he is my favorite stuffed animal, but in recent years I guess it would have to be my digital camera. It is a Minolta DiMage Z1. I got it for Christmas in 2004, and it hasn't been out of my hand a day since. :) I LOVE my camera.

2. What is your best memory of Christmas?

A. The year we took a holiday vacation down the California coast. It was beautiful and relaxing.

3. Depending on where you live do you have a hot or cold Christmas?

A. That's a tricky question. We live in the San Francisco Bay Area. The climate here is mostly mild all through the year, so we don't have extremes of either.

4. Would you prefer to try the opposite weather at least just once?

A. Well, in that we tend to have mild winters, I would have to say yes. I would really like a nice, snowy Christmas just once. I have always wanted to build a snowman on Christmas morning.

5. What do you prefer in a tree? Fake or Real?

A. I love real trees, but I like the fake ones because they don't carry as big a fire danger.

6. What Is Your Favorite Carol?

A. I really like "Christmas Time Is Here" from, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

7. What is your favorite Christmas dinner?

A. Autumn Baked Ham, Whipped Sweet Potatoes, Creamed Peas w/onions, Plum Pudding, Hot Baked Dinner Rolls, and Fruits of the Forest Pie.

8. Do you wear a Santa Hat at Christmas?

A. Sometimes, and then other times I wear antlers. :)

9. Have you ever seen Santa delivering gifts?

A. Of course, I tune into Santa at NORAD every Christmas Eve!


And so, there are my answers. :) Care to play along? Just copy and paste the questions into your blog and answer away, but please remember to comeback here and leave me a link to your entry so I can see what you wrote. :) Thanks again Suzanne. :) Click here to see what Suzanne's answers were.

-OndineMonet
"Ross At Christmas"
December 11, 2007
Evening

A Whiter Shade Of Pale

"To stop the flow of music, would be like the stopping of time itself. Incredible and inconceivable."

-Aaron Copland

At times last week, I had the song, "A Whiter Shade Of Pale," going around in my head. The version by Annie Lennox. I'm not sure why, I don't think I have heard the song in over a year, I don't know, maybe it was playing as background music on some show I have watched recently, and it got store away in my brain, anyway, it was haunting me, so much so that I began to be really aware of the color white in my photography. It was everywhere last week. You can't, and probably shouldn't, try to fight it when you suddenly find yourself attracted to a song, or a color. Just relax and go with it. Here is what I found. I wasn't really looking for these sights, they just kept presenting themselves. I wonder if there is any hidden meaning in the song or the color for me. Is my muse trying to tell me something, or was I just going where life, and the camera, took me?

A Whiter Shade Of Pale
By Procolharum (Annie Lennox Version)

We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kind of seasick
The crowd called for more
And the room was hummin' harder
As the ceiling flew away
And when we called out for another drink
But the waiter brought a tray

And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first was just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale.

You said, "There is no reason,
And the truth is plain to see."
But I wander through my playin' cards
Would not let him be
One of the sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might just as well been closed

And so it was later
As the miller told his tale
That her face at first was just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale.
A whiter shade of pale
Turned a whiter shade of pale
A whiter shade of pale.

A Bride In The Park

A Perfect Rose

Point Montara

So tell me, when you spend the day with a camera, do you find yourself drifting along with whatever comes your way? Do you go in search of specific subjects, or do you just let the day unfold naturally? Do certain colors catch your eye?

"Music and silence combine strongly, because music is done with silence, and silence is full of music."

-Marcel Marceau

-OndineMonet
"White Cosmos"
Conservatory Of Flowers"
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
August, 2007
Afternoon