It’s Walk and Click Wednesday and time to finish up that walk I started two weeks ago. I’ve left you waiting at the mailboxes long enough. Let’s venture on up that road.
Desolate
I don’t know if this place is abandoned or not, but it had a forlorn and forsaken look to it.
Boundary
Robert Frost wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors,” in his poem “Mending Wall” but the saying has been around a lot longer than that. I thought this rail and cactus made quite a good-looking fence.
Shell
I’ve been curious about this little roofless building ever since I first saw it, so I decided to explore.
Framed
It is, I believe, an abandoned well house. The capped-off well head can be seen inside.
Tracks
I walked up this small wash alongside the road. When I turned and looked back, there were many doggish tracks to be seen. My guess is coyotes — we often hear them howling at night, sometimes very close to the house.
Treasure
I found three of these old tiles in that wash and brought them home with me. Why? Well . . . I don’t know, they were interesting and . . . I guess it’s like collecting sea glass at the beach. [Susan and Jenny, stop laughing.]
Going Up
I noticed this dirt track going up the hill. It was evident that no vehicle had been that way for a long time, so I headed up to see what I could see.
Still Standing
This yucca was growing alongside the track, still bearing flower stalks from last year’s bloom. When I moved here near the end of last May, the hills were covered with flowering yucca. It was an amazing sight. I’m curious to see if the show will repeat this year, or if it was a special welcome just for me.
The Other Side of the Mountain
It looked like there was once a structure on the top of the hill, but nothing is left but a water faucet, the foundation of a wall, and some concrete rubble. This was the view down the other side. See that fenced area on the side of the mountain over there? We can see that from our house, too, and always wondered what it was for. When I downloaded my photos and zoomed in on this image, I could just make out several horses in the upper left corner of the fence. So now we know: it’s pasture.
The Hills Have Eyes
Have you ever had the feeling you were being watched? I got that feeling and when I turned around was startled to see these two characters checking me out.
Looking Down
So I headed back down and homeward again.
Horse Country
They’re quite serious about these signs. I often pass riders on this road.
Through a Fence
Why did the photographer cross the road? To capture an irresistible vignette spotted from the other side, of course. I was seriously hoping no one from the house was watching!
Against the Sky
I turned onto a smaller side road to make that circle back home, and loved this old fence atop the roadside bank.
Gate to Nowhere
Almost there! See that trail? It will take us right to the back of the garage.
Watch Your Step!
But don’t go too fast, or you’ll miss these tiny flowers growing right in the middle of the path. Each of these blossoms was only a quarter of an inch (or less!) across.
Finish Line
And here we are, home at last. This line of posts, all that’s left of a very old fence, marks the boundary of our property. I hope you enjoyed our little hike!
A friend inspired me to take on Ashley Sisk’s Memories, Dreams and Reflections 2012. It’s like a Super Scavenger Hunt Sunday, with 25 prompts to fulfill using photos from the whole year. You’d think it would be easy, having so much to choose from, but actually that’s the problem…there’s so much to choose from! But I thought it might be fun, and a good opportunity to review my year in photos, so here goes.
1. Me!
{In the Picture}
One thing I’m proud of accomplishing in 2012 is the {In the Picture} self-portrait challenge hosted by Christy at Urban Muser. I’ve taken a self-portrait (or several) and posted at least one on my blog every month all year. Here is one from each month . . . mostly outtakes that didn’t get published.
2. I Love You
My Favorite Couple
This is my Dear Darling Daughter and El Boyfriendo (hers, not mine). I’m not sure who took the photo — a friend of theirs, I think — I “borrowed” it from her Facebook page because I love it (and them) so much. It’s a great shot of two of my favorite people at one of my favorite places.
3. Still Laughing…
Just Hangin’
Can you see our visitor, the little guy with the skinny neck and really long nose, there in the center of the frame? One afternoon my sister and I were looking out her kitchen window when we saw our resident roadrunner dashing along the driveway. To our surprise, he ran into the gazebo and flew up onto the railing. He sat there for several minutes, turning his head this way and that, surveying the property like the Lord of All. Finally he jumped down and disappeared into the brush . . . probably off to grab some grub. We still laugh about how odd he looked there. He is such a funny and fascinating creature and I absolutely love it that he graces us with his presence.
4. Winter Wonderland
Sea Smoke
I suppose it’s not called sea smoke if it’s on a river. But anyway . . . this was from last winter, taken behind my apartment building in Maine. It was a very cold morning, mist rising from the water and the trees white with frost. As the rising sun hit them, every twig glittered.
5. Birthday
Another Year Older — So What’s Next?
For my birthday, my sister and brother-in-law took me all the way to Little India in Cerritos so I could have Indian food, which I love, for my birthday dinner. We took the scenic route over the Angeles Forest and Angeles Crest highways. It was a beautiful drive, requiring several stops along the way to take photos. A fun and memorable day!
6. Friends
Painting Pals
I became friends with these beautiful women over a decade ago, shortly after I moved to Maine. We met through our local adult ed program when Carol, Sue, and I took a series of watercolor painting classes taught by Judith (on the right). During the summer, when there was no class, some of us would get together once a week at Sue’s house to paint. Before I moved away in May, Carol and Sue invited me to lunch and surprised me by having Judith come too. I asked our server to snap this shot of the four of us with my iPhone. I miss these talented and very sweet friends.
7. I Was Inspired…
Me, Myself, and iPhone
Meeting my friend Susan for a photoshoot after work one day, I discovered I’d brought my camera bag but not the camera! I was very disappointed, but then I was inspired to try my iPhone camera. I hadn’t used it before except for a few snapshots, and I didn’t have high expectations. Much to my surprise, I loved the resulting photos and it turned out to be one of my favorite shoots ever. (I blogged about it here.) Of course, the wonderful company didn’t hurt, either.
8. Spring Fever
Spring Has Sprung
You know it’s spring when the daffodils are up in Laurel Hill Cemetery. They sweep down the hillside to the river and people come from all over the area to see the spectacle every year. This image is from another photoshoot with Susan. It was great to be able to share the experience and the photo op with a friend.
9. Travel or Vacation
Bye Bye, East Coast
My last glimpse of the Atlantic, as I flew to my new home in California. This is New York, where I changed planes. I saw nothing of Maine as I left — we were in clouds as soon as we left the ground. It’s probably just as well.
10. Summer Days
California Girl
August at the beach in Ventura. Need I say more?
11. A Day In My Life
Where I “Work”
Even though I’m retired now, I still spend quite a bit of time at a desk. The difference is that it’s MY desk, and I can get up and walk away from it whenever I want! This is where I process photos, write this riveting blog, peruse Facebook, and watch birds through the window. In case you’re wondering, I think retirement is awesome!
12. All Smiles
Bird Smiles
Do birds smile? No, but they and their antics make me “all smiles.” They are always entertaining and can make me forget any problem. These are only a few of the many species I’ve photographed right here in our yard.
13. Autumn Harvest
All You Can Eat
This is just a sampling of the bounty to be found at Sanchez’s roadside produce stand. Some of it is grown in fields and gardens right behind the stand, and most of the rest is locally sourced. Sanchez’s and our local farmers’ market is where we bought our fruits and veggies all summer and fall.
14. Family or Home
Moving In
This is my home. I know, it doesn’t look like much here. (Trust me, it’s improved since this picture was taken.) I have moved many times over the course of my life, and some of the contents of these boxes have been with me every step of the way. I’m pretty good at packing and unpacking my life. Each new house or apartment is a new beginning, and I love turning it into a comfortable home.
15. Celebrate!
Aunt and Uncle Sam?
2012 marked the 50th anniversary of Acton’s annual Fourth of July parade. The parade is a big deal. People start parking their RVs and setting up tent shade shelters along the parade route days in advance. There’s much hilarity as some parade watchers blast floats with water guns, and riders on the floats return fire . . . uh, water. Even the fire truck that opens and closes the parade gets into the act and by the time it’s over, anyone who wants to be is thoroughly drenched. Remarkably, those who don’t wish to be sprayed are respected and stay dry. It was a great time of celebration and good-hearted laughter.
16. Let’s Do It Again…
Friends Through a Lens
In the fall of 2011, I met in person a fellow photographer and blogger, Susan (Happy No Ears). We’d connected with through Kat Sloma’s Find Your Eye classes and discovered we lived only a few miles apart. Our growing friendship was one of the joys of 2012. We went on several photography outings together, always followed by something delicious to rejuvenate ourselves with. I really miss her and look forward to getting together again when I visit Maine. (She’ll probably want to kill me for posting some of these, but I think I’m safely out of reach!)
17. I Miss You
Sunrise at My Beach
Maine! I miss everything about it, except maybe the long winters . . . and long winter nights. But I especially miss being only ten minutes from a beautiful beach, where I could go on the spur of the moment and walk in near-solitude even on summer evenings. I miss friends and loved ones left behind. But don’t worry: I’ll be back! I’m already planning my next visit.
18. Beautiful
Sharing a Cup
These are my daughter’s beautiful hands. We still have tea together now and then — we just do it by phone.
19. Dress Up
No Place To Go
This is about as dressed up as I get these days. Please note the lovely polish on my toenails. I think that’s a nice, dressy touch. It even matches my fancy, flowered tee-shirt!
20. Macro
After Rain
These are berries of Juniperus Californica, the beautiful native California juniper. There are several large specimens of this tree on our property. I woke one morning to find it had rained overnight, and water was dripping from everything. I took my camera out and took nearly 200 shots of various weed-and-water effects. This was one of my favorites.
21. Holidays
O Christmas Tree
I really enjoyed dressing my new little cottage for the holidays. This is the first time in a dozen years that I’ve decorated a Christmas tree.
22. My Favorite
Snowy Owl
One of my favorite memories of 2012 is from New Year’s Day, when I went on a photoshoot with my son-un-law and a birding friend of his. The weather was surprisingly warm and beautiful for a winter’s day in Maine, and I’d gotten a new lens for Christmas. We went to Nubble Light in search of a snowy owl that had been reported in the area. As you can see, we found it, as did a small crowd of other folks on the same quest. The warmth of that day of sunshine, nature’s beauty, and casual fellowship have lingered in my memory all year long.
23. Don’t Ever Change
Picture of Contentment
I’ve been a reader all my life. I’m grateful for the pleasure, companionship, consolation, inspiration, adventure, tears, laughter . . . you name it . . . that I’ve gotten from books. They are always there when wanted or needed, asking nothing in return. I can’t see my love for them ever changing, nor would I want it to.
24. Just Because…So There!
Tattered
I don’t know why, I just like it.
25. Hopes and Dreams
Charisma
I hope to bloom like this beautiful rose as I continue to explore my new life and environment. I also dream of having this beautiful rose bloom again in my garden . . . and not be eaten by bunnies the very next day!
And that’s a wrap. Now it’s time to put 2012 in the archives and look ahead to a new year full of possibility. I’m joining the linkup over at Ramblings and Photos and looking forward to seeing everyone’s reviews of 2012.
It looks chaotic, at first. But when I look at this image, I see possibility and new life bursting out in all directions. Many blossoms have already opened, but others are still closed tightly, waiting until the moment is right to spread their petals to the sun.
This is a mature tree, and this is not its first spring. It has experienced many cycles of the seasons, from flower to fruit to falling leaves and bare branches. To some eyes, that bare winter tree might seem dead. But its life is far from over, and with the warmth of spring the buds swell again. A new chapter in its story begins.
When I saw these beautiful blossoms and buds against the clear, deep blue sky, lifting their faces to the sun, I felt a connection and kinship with them. They seemed symbolic to me of my own life right now, one chapter ended and another beginning. Retirement is perceived by many to be the end of a person’s worth and usefulness, but I’m filled with excitement. What I see is the potential and purpose of all those buds on this old tree, and I can’t wait to see each one open in its turn.
My daughter and I are in the middle of a week-long vacation. Last night it rained. This morning the wet earth and trees smelled like I imagine Heaven will. The mountains were wrapped in tendrils of fog and clouds.
By late morning, the overcast grey skies had transformed into deep blue scattered with shining white drifts of cloud. We set out for a walk.
We passed through this gate…
and came upon a pond.
As we walked around it, these are some of the things we found:
Some interesting trees to identify later
A beaver lodge (missing from the picture: the great blue heron that flew away as we approached)
Black-Eyed Susans everywhere
The tiniest frog EVER
A beautiful feather, downy and soft
My favorite view of the pond
The circle complete, we went back to our temporary home away from home for lunch and a well-earned nap.
Why a blog? Because I’m taking a photography class called “Find Your Eye.” A class requirement is to keep a photojournal.
But why photography in the first place? What do I love about it? Why do I take pictures? I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it before.
I began taking pictures as a child of 11, with a tiny plastic “spy” camera I ordered from a magazine. I don’t remember exactly what compelled me, but I had to have it. (No doubt the “spy” aspect was a large part of it.) That camera didn’t last long, but I still have the photos I took with it, black and white images that bring back to my memory in vivid color the best summer of my life.
Since then, I’ve used photography to try to capture the events, people, places, and things around me. I photograph things that interest and attract me in one way or another.
Photography helps me discover things I might not otherwise have noticed.
Just an ordinary dandelion. But see the surprise?
Sometimes it reveals details I didn’t even see with my naked eye.
The second surprise…who knew dandelions had all those cute curly bits?
My photography has always been very personal, to capture my own feelings about something rather than consciously to create “Art.” Few of my pictures are taken with any intention of sharing them with an audience, though I am always pleased when someone sees my photos and likes them.
Perhaps photography is my attempt to nail down and hold on to a fleeting moment in time. I know that I see things that stir me, and I want…no, I need to have my camera to save them for me.
I’m not satisfied that this answers the question, but I’m sure that I will be thinking more about it as this course goes on.
Where We Left Off
Desolate
Boundary
Shell
Framed
Tracks
Treasure
Going Up
Still Standing
The Other Side of the Mountain
The Hills Have Eyes
Looking Down
Horse Country
Through a Fence
Against the Sky
Gate to Nowhere
Watch Your Step!
Finish Line
Sea Blue Lens 