gather your thoughts...

today i completed my third 365.  it's been a heck of a year in my personal & professional life.  taking a photo a day and posting it...has been the glue in my life that held everything together.  

in the beginning of the year...our offices were so busy...we brought on dozens of employees in the span of a few months.  and just as quickly...we let them all go...and then some.  

the things going on in my personal life have all the makings of a blockbuster at the box office...though no credits rolled to signal the end.  

no matter how crazy things get...things are always better when i'm planning that next photo.  or glancing at the way the light caresses an object 'just so'.  

i have some wonderful opportunities coming my way in 2011...and i aim to take advantage of every one of them.  

all the best to you and yours for a healthy, happy & prosperous new year!  

quack. quack.

this week i had a doc appt.  the reason?  i went to pick up one of my prescriptions...and without letting me know...my doc had cancelled my prescription saying that i needed to be seen before they would give me refills.  well...i don't have a problem with that...but ummm...could you let ME know?  

well...my doc was booked until the latter part of december...so i accepted an appt with another doc for december 1.  

the nurse comes to the waiting room to get me.  i was drinking a coffee...so he starts talking about how it could cause high blood pressure.  i tell him...its decaf.  

we go back to the exam room...he takes my blood pressure...still chatting about the coffee and a friend of his.  btw...my bp was normal.  

he asks if i've had a hysterectomy.  i say no.  

he asks what meds i'm taking.  i say...isn't it in the computer?  i give this to the nurse every time i'm here...and it always gets entered into the computer.  so...um...what happens to it after that?  

he then says...wow...so you were here this morning...and now you're back.  i say...no.  

he says...what's your name again?  i say...you're kidding, right?  i then give him my name.  

he's like...oh...i see what happened.  the person before you didn't show...and her record is still open.  he then has to remove all of my info from her record.  *i guess that's why it's not in my chart.   

then he asks...have you had a hysterectomy?  i chuckle...then answer...no!  

***

fast forward...

the doc comes in.  


he asks...have you had a hysterectomy?

REALLY?  

neighborhood walk...

this morning...mrchazman, my brother (kevin) and i decided to take a walk thru the parent's neighborhood.  it was saddening that there were so many empty houses.  of course i took my camera with me...and...i'm glad i did.  

***   

not a lot of walking for this pet.  as we walked thru the park...we saw the gentleman stop the scooter...and the dog hopped on.  as they approached...i readied the camera. 

*** 

when we were further down the street from this car...i asked...are those post-it notes?  as we got closer...we saw that they were.  someone has a LOT of time on their hands...and i believe a slight mean streak.  the message:  i hope you are happy that i returned your post-its...with one word on each of the post-its on the back window.  yikes!!!  somebody needs to take a chill pill!  

*** 

i liked these rocks.  they're on the corner of the medians at the intersections.  i'm sure any observers thought i might have needed to take my own meds for photographing rocks...but...it's not the strangest thing i've ever photographed...and...i'm pleased with the outcome.  

*** 

interesting mailbox.  i said the house belonged to a hells angel.  i have no clue...but...that's better than the speculation i made about the house with the 8 foot wooden privacy fence around it...with the big BEWARE OF DOG sign posted on the gate.  #serialkiller #drugdealer #nothingnice

*** 

i also liked this house.  the front door faces the corner...which i thought was rather unusual...and set it apart from the other houses in the neighborhood. the good news...it's for sale...so...mrchazman is looking it up.  even though we love our house...we don't exactly love our neighborhood.  

when this neighborhood was first built...the houses were out of my price range.  now...i'm considering the possibilities.  

lots of people in the neighborhood were decorating their houses...which i'll do start tomorrow when i get home...if it's not raining.  

happy holidays!!!

fall colors of napa...

i live about 15 minutes from napa...and visit there quite often.  
these photos are from a trip i took there on 11/10 with my meetup group.  


***

daytrip to point reyes...

this past saturday...my meetup group went out to the coast.  it was a pretty nice ride...and it didn't take us nearly as long as i thought it would.  we were to meet up with everyone at 11:00 at the cowgirl creamery.  

though i'd packed a lunch...we went inside to see what else we might want to purchase.  it was a quaint little store...with a variety of local ingredients...cheese, fruits & veggies & smoked fish.  mrchazman eyed the pastries...and i inquired about the fish.  it was a smoked trout...that they'd smoked on the premises...and it was boneless.  i bought one.  *btw...it was delicious!  

because the sun was playing hide-n-seek...and the skies were pretty gray...our assignment (should we choose to accept it) was to think about how things would look in b&w.  

the point reyes...  
we all took our respective positions to take...pretty much the SAME photos of this ship.  lots of polarization...hdr...and b&w conversions.  there were so many posted by the other members of my group that i posted mine to my flickr site...and called it a day.  

the lighthouse...  
we finally made it to the lighthouse area...but it was quite foggy out.  i took a few oceanview photos...and contemplated hiking to the lighthouse.  once i saw the sign that said how FAR the lighthouse was...coupled with the fact that i probably wouldn't be able to see anything if i DID hike up that hill...i took a photo of the sign...and walked back to the car for some vodka and lemonade.  *yes...i pack more than lunch in my cooler.  :)

a few elk...
as we were driving to our next location...our leader spotted these guys from the road.  we all pulled over...and out came the zoom lenses.  when we first arrived...they were all lying down...but...i guess seeing all of us standing on the side of the road...one of them decided to check us out.  seeing that we were only photographers...he lay back down to continue his afternoon rest.  

we saw some abandoned buildings on the side of the road.  the caravan pulled to the side of the road...and we started to scatter.  our organizer said something about...not going onto the property...but that we should shoot from the road...but...everyone was already gone.  of course...right before i was getting ready to go over there...someone in the group screamed.  i'm like...ok...what'd you see...cause that was going to determine just how close i got!!!  *it was a rabbit.   

our final stop was at the tule elk reserve...but...the fog was very dense.  i remarked to mrchazman that...the elk were probably standing on the side of the road as we drove by...wondering where the heck we thought we were going.  it felt like it was raining...and i covered my camera with my jacket.  i reached for my thermos...and poured myself a cup of coffee...as the rest of my group donned gloves and ski caps.  it was now 6:00 p.m., and getting cooler out...so i said my good-byes to the group...and we headed for home.  

i'm looking forward to going back there for another visit.  

a bit of historical benicia...

this morning...we were out with my photography meetup group.  today's location -  the benicia arsenal.  more specifically - the commandant's quarters and the clock tower.  i'd shot the clock tower before...but never the commandant's quarters.  

this is the front of the commandant's quarters...

a reflection of the columns and the steps leading up the porch...

side of the clock tower building...  

not historical...but i like it.  danger.  high voltage.  

i'll have to go back another day to visit some of the other places of interest at this historical site.

yolo in september...

today...we went up to yolo basin...and drove through the grounds.  

since it was a weekday...and we went in the middle of the day...there were no crowds.  in fact...we only saw two other vehicles the entire time we were there...and i think they were people that worked there.  

we saw quite a few egrets and a few heron...but as you can see...they saw us too.  the only other thing we saw a lot of was dragon flies.  i really wanted to see the pelicans...but i'll have to do a bit of research to find out when they are most likely to be there.  

another item that was plentiful were the organic sunflowers...and we know how much i've been captivated by them lately.  

on the way home...we stopped off in suisun to see some sculptures that ingrid had shown me once before.  i was very excited to see that there was now a camera sculpture...and i wanted a photo of it.  

when we were leaving...a gentleman came out of the house...and i asked if he was the sculpture.  he was.  he gave me his card...and a brochure...and told me of an open house they'll be having in november.  i plan to be there!  

tomorrow...i'll be attending a photography meetup.  stay tuned! 

playing tourist...

 

my daughter is visiting from new york...and we have so many things we've planned to do...we're scheduling our days.  today...we visited the east bay. 

blue bottle coffee company - she'd seen this on either the food network or the cooking channel..and wanted to give it a try.  i ordered a regular coffee...as i wanted the pure coffee experience.  

peerless coffee - no...i wasn't in need of another coffee.  they roast coffee AND peanuts.  since we were in the area...i thought i'd pick some up.  

bakesale betty - they were closed (and we knew this) but i had told her about it...so we drove by. i've never been here...but have read about the chicken sandwiches.  one day...i'll give them a try. 

masse's pastries - we went here because i wanted to try macarons (after seeing them on tafari's blog).  

while in the area...a few other places caught my eye...all in epicurious garden:  kitchen on fire (cooking classes), kirala (japanese cuisine) and imperial tea court (dim sum). i'll visit them another day. 

taylor's refresher -  we drove out to the st. helena location for dinner.  i had the regular hamburger, onion rings & a glass of red wine.  after all...we were in the napa valley.  :)  

next...we're heading east!  there's a sangria i had a couple of weeks ago...and we're going straight to the source!  

stay tuned! 

gospel by the bay...

last saturday...my mother and i attended the annual gospel on the bay concert in vallejo.  this was a free event...held at the waterfront park.

my father didn't feel like attending...so mrchazman stayed at the house with him.  and...since they weren't going...no need for my mother and i to have to drive...park...and walk a country mile (especially with all the gear we had: cameras, chairs, snacks, etc)...so i had them drop us off. 

when we were leaving the park...i noticed eugene cole sitting in a chair near the entrance...and pointed him out to my mother.  she went over to say hello...and to let him know there was a particular song she'd been wanting to hear him sing.  he said...he'd planned to sing it...but had received the '3 minutes' signal.  he then asked her if she had the cd.  she replied that she did not.  he gave her a copy.  he then posed for a photo with her.

i telephoned my father & mrchazman to let them know that the concert was over and we were ready to be picked up. 

the weather was nice.  the music was great.  nobody acted the fool (as can sometimes happen at music events...but this WAS gospel...so i hoped for civility).  we enjoyed ourselves.

wwpw - san jose...

last weekend...i participated in the third annual worldwide photowalk.  i walked in san jose, ca.  frederick van johnson  of twip (this week in photography) lead our group.  

these are a few of my faves of the day...

not fractured...

so...sunday afternoon...mrchazman and i were walking in suisun...going to see & shoot some fireworks.  about a block from the car...the sidewalk was uneven (and i looking straight ahead and not down) didn't see it. 

i tripped...flying fast & crashing to the sidewalk...knees first...before completing my fall by sliding on the palms of my hand and my right forearm to come to a rest hanging  off the curb.  my freshly polished toenails now looking as if someone had taken a sander to them (as most of the polish was gone along with a couple of layers of nail).  

the paramedic asked me if i was embarrassed...but i was in pain.  another couple came up behind us...and offered to help me up...but i needed to sit there for a minute.  make sure nothing was broken.  the last time i'd fallen (ten years ago) i broke both my tibia and fibula...and i didn't want a repeat.  

when i was finally able to stand...the knee pain was immediate.  a knot the size of a softball had formed and i could tell it was going to get worse before it got better.  mrchazman offered to take me home  but i'd been looking forward to the event for weeks and i wasn't gonna let a little fall send me packing. 

in hindsight...i should have gone home.  i managed to hobble to a restaurant where i got an ice pack and a glass of water to take some pain pills.  though the pain of the knee prevented me from being able to participate in all of the evening's events...i did enjoy being out. 

today i went to the doctor and discovered the knee is not fractured...but i did manage to chip the corner of the patella...and also discovered i have a couple on bone spurs...which cause arthritis.  oh joy!!! 

tonight...mrchazman went to the store...and brought me an icy hot medicated roll.  i didn't know they even made such a thing!!!  i promptly wrapped both knees...and am felling better already!  ahhhh....the surprises he brings me from the store in my 50s are much different than the ones i received in my 20s...but are so much more useful...though i'll always have a use for jewelry!!!  

ok...somebody tell him...or perhaps i'll send him an email link to this post so he'll go to the jewelry department for my gift...especially since our 31st anniversary is coming up. 

the american flag...

sooc challenge. 
day 7. 

***

I pledge Allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.

American Flag Guidelines for Displaying the Flag

     1.  The flag of the United States should be flown daily from sunrise to
         sunset in good weather from public buildings, schools, permanent
         staffs, and in or near polling places on election days.  The flag
         may be displayed 24 hours a day on patriotic holidays or if properly
         illuminated.

     2.  The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is bad,
         except when an all-weather flag is used.

     3.  The flag should always be flown on national and state holidays and
         on those occasions proclaimed by the President.  On Memorial Day,
         the flag should be half staffed until noon.

     4.  The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.  It
         should never be dipped to any person nor should it ever be displayed
         with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress.

     5.  The flag should never touch anything beneath it, nor should it ever
         be carried flat or horizontally.

     6.  It should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, drapery, or
         decoration, nor for carrying or holding anything.

     7.  The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored
         in such a manner as to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged.  It should
         never be used as a covering for a ceiling.

     8.  The flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of
         a vehicle.  When a flag is displayed on a car, the flag's staff
         should be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right
         fender.

     9.  The flag or its staff should never be used for advertising purposes
         in any manner whatsoever.  Nor should any picture, drawing, insignia
         or other decoration be placed on or attached to the flag, its staff,
         or halyard.

     10. The flag should not be embroidered on cushions, handkerchiefs, or
         other personal items nor printed on anything designed for temporary
         use and discarded.  However, a flag patch may be affixed to the
         uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, or members of
         other patriotic organizations.

     11. When the flag is so worn or soiled that it is no longer suitable
         for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified manner,
         preferably by burning.

remember me...

sooc challenge.

day 6.  

last night i decided that i wanted to shoot a roll of film. 
so today...i bought one.  

i plan to shoot it this weekend...
and have it developed on tuesday.  

i'm excited! 

casper...

christa's challenge...

day 5.

new month.   

new quarter.   

new fiscal year for california.

the year is half way over.
i'm at the mid point of my 365.
tomorrow...it's all downhill!

this month's posts will be from my garden...
though i will deviate for a few special occasions in july...
i.e. the 4th...the #wwpw...etc...etc.

***
this is casper.
my biggest white pumpkin.
i hope he grows up to be big and strong...
looks good carved...
and provides plenty of pumpkin seeds for roasting...
oh...and makes a tasty pie...

though i prefer sweet potato.  :)

garden girl...

christa's challenge...

day 4.

have you noticed that i sorta, un-intentionally have a theme going?  i realized it just now...and i typed the title of this post.  it's...garden!!!  there seems to be a lot going on back there lately.  and...it's the first place i go when i get home from work in the evening.  

well..prepare to see more of it...cause...the tomatoes are ripening!!! and i've got a pumpkin that's the size of an egg.  now...if only my peppers and zucchini would do better.  

*doesn't it look like garden girl has a face?  :)

garden additions...

christa's challenge.  one shot.  sooc (straight out of camera).

day 3.

two years ago...i went to my local hardware store slash nursery...and picked up a variety of flowers for my garden.  i called it my noah's ark flowerbed...as it seemed i was planting two of everything.  

when reading one of my many gardening books over the weekend...i saw that you should plant odd numbers of plants...as it gives a more 'natural' look.  no worries...as i didn't purchase flowers...and instead planted seeds that i'd harvested from last year's plants.  

 

tonight...i decided to add a few more flowers to the garden...as i now want that 'completely filled in look' that i've seen in some of my magazines.  

i scattered seeds of mexican hat and sunflower...to add touches of yellow & burnt orange to the purple...red and white that already exists.  i've never grown the mexican hat flowers before...and purchased the seeds earlier this year.  the sunflowers are second generation seeds...harvested from last year's plants. 

fountain pen...

christa's challenge.  one shot.  sooc (straight out of camera). 

day 2...
i've loved using fountain pens for as long as i can remember.  when my parents were getting my school supplies each year...i always asked for them...in addition to the regular ball point pens that i was getting.

as an adult...i have continued my love for them...and am like a kid in a candy store when i receive my levenger catalogs.

though i have a blackberry...and my online calendars...i still maintain a paper calendar...as i have always enjoyed putting pen to paper.

yes...i am right-handed...though if you were to examine anything i'd written...you'd swear i was a lefty...as i turn the page sideways...and write with a backwards slant. 

sooc...

curves applied...

i'm in...

anyone that knows me...knows i love a challenge.  i mean...i'm on my third 365.  

so...when christa mentioned a one-shot, sooc (straight out of camera) photo challenge...i was in.

day 1... 

peppers... 

wordle...

http://www.wordle.net/