Inhuman Monsters

 

"Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters."

~Stephen King

The Shining

It's October 31st, the day I love most to fear. Halloween. Otherwise known as my favorite holiday. This is a special Halloween, than any I have spent in my life so far. See, not only is Halloween, but tonight is the second full moon of the month, making it a blue moon, and it will be visible in all three time zones! That hasn't happened since, October 31st 1944. This year the holiday, is mostly lost to Covid-19 and Donald Trump. He has taken yet one more thing from me, and all adults that are still children at heart, but with any luck, Tuesday will be the beginning of the end of his failed, miserable career as a politician, and the beginning of his career as an inmate in whatever federal prison is lucky enough to find themselves burdened with him next year at this time.

 Maybe I am hoping for too much, after all, the black cat is out of the bag, he doesn't plan on going anywhere, he will cheat his way into staying in the Hell of his own making. What a sad human he is. In the human place of politics, he really is the inhuman monster, completely created out of other peoples desires, and ambitions. Hatred and greed. Sometimes I think Stephen King is more of a prophet than author of horror. But I imagine Mr. King would say... who didn't see that evil coming one day, it's not like humans listen to their better angels. No matter, Trump may have caused Halloween to sit a year out, but he can't change the cycle of the moon, and if past full moons are any indication, he will have all the bats, in his mind's belfry, dancing the Time Warp for most of Halloween. 

 

Happy Halloween! 

 

Carly

Stockton, California

October 31st 2020

 

 

Autumn 2005... Revisiting The Lady In The Quartoscope

 

"I try to remember when time's measure painfully chafes, for instance when autumn flares out at the last, boisterous and like us longing to stay... how everything lives, shifting from one bright vision to another, forever in these momentary pastures."

~Mary Oliver

American Primitive

I went tiptoeing through the archives the other day, and I was happy to find a file from 2005, that I thought I had lost years ago. It was of our trip to Nevada, in autumn of that year, and specifically our visit to Virginia City, although I think I enjoyed Carson City more. Virginia City is a strange place. It can feel really laid back and welcoming one year, and downright hostile the next. I don't visit there much any more, I got a distinctly hostile vibe in 2016, with Trump signs here, and Trump signs there, and sideways glances at us. I guess we were putting out a liberal vibe or something. Don't take me serious, that was a joke, but it didn't feel like the cool "old west" novelty town that it once did, instead it was more like a town that just wanted to be left alone.

 

It's a shame, really, because I found some really cool stuff to photograph all over town. Historical stuff, and the cool touristy stuff like a really awesome kettle/caramel corn popper, and the lady you see in the photo above. In one of the "Olde Time" museums, was an antique Quartoscope, that showed a blush worthy movie, which played out on mechanized flip cards. A very cool thing from the late 1800's... I believe... and hopefully, one day, I can own one. I love antiques, but I'm not really into the "Old West" style, although living in the Central Valley makes it almost impossible to ignore, but quirky coolness will always be interesting to me. I think I posted about that lovely lady before, but when I came across her, it was like finding an old friends photo, in a box of photographs you didn't know you had. Hey, I am a cinephile, movies matter to me, even slightly racy ones done on a Quartoscope. Hey, that's a bit of history too!

 

Here is an example of one, and how it works. 

Carly

Stockton, California

October 30th 2020

 

37, 38, Autumn Catch-Up

"For art, she had thumb-tacked hundreds of autumn leaves on one of the cracked walls.

~Eleyne-Mari Sharp

Inn-Lak'ech

 

Leaves. That's all. Just leaves. I didn't get to do a post yesterday, because of painting my office, so this a day I will spend getting caught up. Pictures tomorrow or Saturday of my newly redecorated office, but for now, Autumn leaves.

Leaf Of The Day #37

Leaf Of The Day #38

~Carly

Stockton, California

October 29th 2020

 
 

Autumn Be Still

 

 

"After the keen still days of September, the October sun filled the world with mellow warmth... the maple tree in front of the doorstep burned like a gigantic red torch. The oaks along the carpet of jewels, emerald and topaz and garnet. Everywhere she walked the color shouted and sang around her... In October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible."

~Elizabeth George Speare

The Witch Of Blackbird Pond

Feeling: Quiet

 

7 Days To Go.

 ~Carly

October 27th 2020

Stockton California

Then The Trees...

 

"Then the trees, after their long silence, began to talk again, in yellow and red. And the days began to shrink under one's very eyes."

 

Mirrlees, Hope

 A little later today, I will be painting my office, Behr Color #MQ4-59 aka Purple Gladiola. I bought the paint five years ago, but because of assorted nasty incidents, I never got the project done. That's all behind me. It happens today, and by tomorrow, my office will finally reflect my taste and that I am finally home. I live in Stockton, and that's not the death I once thought it was. I am incredibly lucky. I have friends. I have love. I have my cats, and Alan. I have my own office, in the house I fell in love with, on an unbearably hot day, in early August, 2015. And then come to find out that it was first sold on June 29th, 1962. My date of birth! I am pretty sure it has been waiting for me. It took me a long time to let go of the life I had in the Bay Area, like someone who passes away, and then clings to the mortal coil. But finally, I made my way to the light of a this new life and I am okay. In fact, I am better than okay. I am home. All that time passing it on the freeway, when driving to and from the Sierra to do photography, it was waiting for me all along, and to think, I tried to push it away. We were meant to meet, and be family.

 

~Carly

October 26th 2020

Stockton, California

Mid-Century Cocktails, Cafes, Bowling And Life

 

"Autumn is an honest month; it does not delude man like spring does! 

It shows him the dark face of life, the tragedy, the rot, the separation, the sadness!"

~Mehmet Murat ildan

 Two new examples of Mid-Century excellence! I have been eyeing this first awesome building, since before we settled in Stockton. I first noticed it when we were still looking at properties. We passed it one day, when we went to see the magnificent Elm st. mansion. What a cool that place was! Two stories, with gorgeous turn of the century crown moulding, and chandeliers throughout. Not usually my style, but it worked in this place. A full-sized wood carved bar off the living room, and a really nice private office that faced the street. It was impressive at $200,000, and it was in our budget, but it was too much house for us. The stairs would have been hard for me, given my arthritis, and it was right on the street with no yard, and if that wasn't enough, it was right near Harding, which is a really loud street. It was just all wrong. Ultimately, we ended up across town, in a really nice mid-century, ranch style, with a pool and really great early 1960's charm. Perfect... for us! But this building, with the cool sign was never far away from my thoughts of doing some photography, once I got settled. I bet this was a snazzy bar back in it's day, it seems closed now, but the cool sign lives on!

 

This one is the second of two bowling lanes in Stockton. Situated a little closer to where I live, it's a bit newer sign than most of my previous ones, but this one has some fairly cool lines all the same. Places like this are still closed in San Joaquin County, so I have never seen the inside of any of the buildings I have photographed so far, but maybe one day I will be able to venture in, to see if there is any original advertisements or decor. That would be really fun to find and photograph! I love that the sign is shaped like a bowling pin. I know it's pretty much a given, but it's making me happy inside somehow, I don't know, I am just happier over all these days. Shrug. Maybe it's being able to get out with the camera, or perhaps because I have found so many terrific subjects to photograph, I am not sure, but I am doing better, and for that I am grateful. I will hold onto that as long as I can, and continue looking for autumn leaves, and mid-century life, and try my best to not live in the past, except for when it comes to my love for the kitschy styles of the 50's and 60's.

~Carly

Stockton, California

October 25th 2020

I Hear Him In The Whispering Leaves

 

 

"I needed a long lingering autumn, 

a tenure with which to ease into another state of being."

~Ruchika Tomar

A Prayer For Travelers

Sometimes I think autumn talks to me. Autumn Leaves whispering, everything will be fine. Of course they could be lying, or perhaps mistaken... right? Maybe it's a ghost. Maybe it's my dad. He died in August of 1995. He disliked summer almost as much as I do. His birthday was October 5th, so naturally I think of him in October, and how much he enjoyed this month. Halloween was a big deal in our house, in fact, it was probably the happiest of all the holidays. We had a lot of challenges as a family, but we got Halloween and politics right. Well, right for us. Talking politics, and carving pumpkins are some of my best memories with dad.

He'd ask me, after he carved the pumpkin, and while I was scooping the guts out, about my life, and if I had anything concerning me. Had some dumb guy hurt me, or was I worried about anything, and I would share. We talked about everything from the Vietnam war, to my mother's open heart surgery, to the 6 months that I was a registered Republican. He advised me with that one that I'd change my mind, and six months later, I did! I miss those talks, but I still feel him around when I am scared, and completely out of control with they ability to do anything about it. Even he couldn't fix it, he would find the right words to make it make sense. I sure miss him, but sometimes I can almost hear him whispering through the rustling leaves, "It's okay. It's autumn." Which didn't really help, but it did make me smile.

Thanks Dad.

~Carly

October 24th 2020

Stockton, California

Autumn Grows In Everything

 

"Days decrease, and autumn grows in everything"

~Robert Browning

The last, thank God, debate between Trump and Biden takes place a little later tonight. I have no idea what to expect, and I am a bit apprehensive about it. No shit. Right? I've tried to create a 2020 Hellscape Bingo card, but I am just not creative enough to come up with any of what 2020 has thrown at us, including Guiliani's Borat fiasco!What the actual fuck was he thinking?Anyway, who knows what will happen. Up until now, Trump's attacks on Biden have been lame but there is still time for him to create a lot of mayhem and devastation, because he is displaying all the characteristics of a caged animal right now, so who the fuck knows where things will end up. 

Fuck.

Yesterday, I couldn't help but think of the marquee on the beautiful, historic, Grand Lake Theater, in Oakland. They have let their feelings be known over the years, and I have often driven by and been very impressed by their messages about voting. It resonated with me after the Supreme Court handed George W. Bush the election in 2001, and his attempts to fuck with the election in 2004, so when I saw this message back in September, I knew I would post about it closer to the election. The Republican party has become a bunch of thugs, not statesmen. When this time is over, the ones who worked to take Trump down really need to formally regroup and rebrand, because Trump did accomplish one thing, he sorted out the party players. I still wouldn't turn my back on any of them, but right now, the enemy of my friend is my friend. 

Fuck. 

 The Leaf Of The Day #31

Rudy Guiliani Borat Fiasco

~Carly

Stockton, California

October 22nd 2020

The Gifts Of The Witch Of Autumn Or Maybe Science

March 2020

Tilden Park, Berkeley, California 

"What is the name of your dream? A lovely wooden cottage in the middle of a forest? Or walking in an endless autumn path? What is the name of your dream? Don't give a name, always give a list! Fill yourself with dreams because dream is the path to reality."

~Mehmet Murat ildan

 

2020 was the worst year that I can remember, and it's not over yet. But one thing it did give me, was the ability to find Autumn leaves in every season. When I was a little girl, I used to believe there was an autumn witch that controlled such things. Unfortunately, I grew up and learned what really caused autumn to happen, but it was okay, science works nicely too. But this year was downright magical, witch or no witch! On my favorite trees, and in some new ones, I happily discovered leaves, there just for me! In other years I could find them up to March of the following year, but this year, science seemed to want Autumn as much as I did. Maybe my heart just needed it so much, the science said, "That's okay, we can do that for you." Or maybe there is a witch somewhere, answering my call for something to heal my heart, as it broke over a million little 2020 things. I am grateful either way!

 

January...

March...

September...

~Carly

October 23rd 2020

Stockton, California

A Walk In An Autumn Garden Sculpture Garden

 

"Life is like autumn; short but colorful"

~Zain Baloch

When I first moved to Stockton, I was a fish out of water. Well, if you have been reading my blog, or following me on Twitter, for any length of time, you already know that. But I did try to learn my way around, so I subscribed to the town's newsletter, and jumped specifically into the part about great photo ops. I have been trying to visit each one, especially as I have become more familiar with the area. I have photographed parts of the Miracle Mile, the grounds of the University of the Pacific. The ample farm country, and of course the marvelous Mid-Century buildings downtown. Stockton has some stunning sunsets, and it also has awesome storms at times. Little by little I have achieved a fair degree of peace regarding our move. I am relaxing and settling in. Now, if I could be completely sure the world won't be ending at the hand of a madman... Donald Trump, everything will make sense again. Not thinking of politics, at least for a little while, would be nice. I won't be mentioning him again in this post. It's not about him, it's about the amazing statutes at the, Stockton Cambodian Temple (Wat Dhammararam).

 

 

 I have always wanted to visit this place, but somehow pushed it away. I have No idea why, perhaps I just needed to feel like I was the same size as everyone else, to find my way. I really don't know. But this week, I decided it was time to visit the temple grounds. It's vacation and my head is clearing a bit. I was surprised to see just how magnificent the statues were. Colorful and awe inspiring, they were placed all around the temple area, and as I walked through the sculpture garden, taking my photos, I felt at peace. It is a large property, so there was plenty of time to enjoy the time there. It was in the late afternoon, and the autumn sun played nicely with shadows, and lit up the autumn leaves as if they were on fire. It was a really nice experience. The one drawback was that the plaques on the statues were in Cambodian, but I am trying to find some information on them, and when I do I will either update here or post a whole new look at them. For now, I will simply share their beauty. They inspire peace, which we could all use right now. More soon. 

 

For now, enjoy!

 Today's Leaf Of The Day #30

~Carly

Stockton, California

October 21st 2020