California Coast – Page 4 – A Photo's Worth

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #150 Let’s Get Wild

For this week’s Lens-Artists Photography Challenge, let’s get wild! Dianne is talking about Mother Nature untouched and untrammelled, allowed to get on with her work without human help or hindrance.

Looking through my images I am more inclined to capture images with human interactions. My travels haven’t taken me far from home.

Squirrels take up residence in the trees.

And a dragonfly lands on a bush in my backyard!

I did manage to take a trip to the Island of Kauai with some of my photo friends.

A wild discovery at Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Carmichael, Ca.

Sorry, this wild blog may seem a bit scattered. My very special doodle, Charlie is in the hospital. His liver is not working to its best. The doctors are trying to figure this out. HIs numbers are quite unexpected for a such a young dog. Think good thoughts that Charlie will be home with me soon. We have never been apart.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge 148 Spots and Dots

This week the challenge takes me into my abstract/design library of images. Leya asks us to, “recognize and enjoy the different interpretations, meanings and importance of these two little words. Spots and Dots. Because even if they are small…they can make a big difference.”

As a photographer I am always looking for repetition. Here are some dots I spotted.

This is a swingin’ Hot spot, maybe?

Blu Nightclub inside MontBleau Resort in Lake Tahoe.

Now spots can be thought of as a favorite spot. This coming week I am going on my first trip since CoVid. It is our 50 + 1 anniversary. Last year, well you know, there was not much of a celebration, and it was supposed to be our BIG one. Pacific Grove has been our “spot” for over twenty years. This year will be a bit different. It is also our first vacation with a dog. Charlie is in for an adventure.

In preparation, I have been taking him out with me to stores, and parks. Yesterday, my grandson Lucas played tee ball. I brought Charlie to the game. He was a bit overstimulated at first. I remained, and after a while he started to relax. I gave out treats to those watching the game to give to Charlie. And he took advantage. The day before in Lowe’s he wouldn’t take a treat. Slow progress.

These are some of the images I grabbed during our last time in Pacific Grove in 2019.

On our way to Pacific Grove we stop and get some Bing Cherries

Seafood is on the menu! But we will see how well Charlie deals with all the excitement.

These are natural occuring spots.

Sometimes, as a photographer you are just in the right spot at the right time!

Taken from the Tower Bridge during a dry lightening storm.

That is all for this photo challenge. Need to get ready to go on a short vacation. Do I even remember how to pack?

The Misadventures of Subi Blue / Thanks Costco

Last week my husband and I made the trip south to visit my family for the High Holidays. In preparation for the 8 hour trip, and the upcoming rainy season we bought 4 new tires for my Subaru Outback. This two year old car has about 32,000 miles and I guess the tires wear out quicker in the hot Sacramento sun.

Trip down was uneventful, but lengthy. We usually stop a Pea Soup Andersen’s and we almost missed it. Needed to be on I-5 and not 99S.

Traveling through Los Angeles and into Orange County the traffic is unbelievable. Looking at all the single drivers I can’t imagine commuting daily to work. Listening to the traffic every 10 minutes there didn’t appear to be any freeway that way flowing. Accidents, cars on fire, people being airlifted, and more accidents. Lots of distracted drivers in the bumper-to-bumper parking lot. I just didn’t want to be one of them, and we weren’t. Yah!

This trip was planned as a time with family. Visiting with Ed and Leti in Laguna Nigel, we met up with my niece and nephew for dinner in Long Beach. On the way we stopped in Winchester at the Art Supply Warehouse. Leti takes art classes and wanted to get some supplies since we were close by. I have been looking all over for turquoise fountain pen ink for my Parker pen. And there it was.

My nephew works for Swift, a subscription computer ap for cycling. Interesting tour of the inner workings of this business. Wonderful view of the city from high above Long Beach.

The star of the evening was meeting my very cute great niece Sidney. See for yourself.

Sidney kept removing her bow. Mom put it back on.

The next day our tour guide, Ed took us to Laguna Beach. Enjoyed the nice weather, and I got some photo time.

Dinner was served at a Persian restaurant Darya. Great meal, and a delayed birthday cake surprise! Belly dancer entertained us tonight. Sorry, I couldn’t figure out how to import a short video clip. So I used Luminar to enhance this photo.

Dinner preparation started, and continued for the next two days. The only boxed ingredients was my wide noodles, otherwise recipes were created from scratch. I made Apple Lochen Kugel, and Leti cooked, and cooked, and cooked. Traditions between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews are quite different. Plenty of discussion about gefilte fish.

Giving us the fish eye. There is areason we needed the eye of the fish and no tail.

I guess, it may an aquired taste. I’m not fussy so everything was delicious.

Ok. So did I start this blog with Subi Blue and Costco? Took off at 8:45 am to miss the main commuter traffic into LA. But as soon as we got to Grapevine a light came on to let us know there was a problem with the tires. Our new tires. Found a gas station, checked the air and put in some. Light goes out, great. Light comes back on in about 45 minutes (about 60 miles later). Find another gas station, and more air in tire. Now we decide to look for a Costco. Using my iPhone directions we head to Hanford, Ca. Driving down roads in the middle of no where we drive about two hours. Passing places and towns, agriculture and desert sand. Of course we still needed to stop to replace lost air. Corcoran, Ca. has a gas station and we continue.

Arrive in Hanford. Plenty of cows, but we are not stopping for pictures. Mooo! Looking for East Lacey Blvd, and arrive at the destination according to my phone and it is a field. Can’t find Costco. Air is now leeking out faster. We stop at Wyndam in Visalia and get directions to Costco in Visalia. Guess we blew past Hanford!

Now is desperate need of air, we stop at another gas station, but the air pump is out of order. More directions, and finally arrive at Costco in another 15 minutes. Worried we might be driving on the wheel. Luckily there was one tire left in our size. Two hour delay where we dined on the usual Costco hot dog meal. With sourkraut. Thanks Anne. Replaced with same type tire at no charge, (road hazard warranty!), gassed up and we were ready to go. Thanks Costco and Ernie R. for getting us on the road so quickly.

Arrived home at 10:45 pm.

I haven’t left my house since Monday. So glad to be home.

Pacific Grove here we come!

A couple of weeks ago we took the opportunity to head to Pacific Grove. Just a quick getaway for our 49th anniversary.

These two were engrossed in conversation. The light was right, and I took the shot.

Usually we stop near Gilroy to get some Bing Cherries. With the long rainy season the crop of Bings were delayed. All the end of season rain did not help with this crop.

Arrived in Monterey, and decided to explore Fisherman’s Wharf.

Interesting way to repurpose a parking meter.

Getting hungry. Tempted with clam chowder.

Life altering copping! We needed to see what this was all about.

Great lunch/dinner. Not sure how my life has been altered? But my tummy was satisfied!

Got so busy eating that I didn’t catch a photo of the cioppino.

Had to grab this sign at another eating establishment. A whole lot of NO!

More street photography from Fisherman’s Wharf.

Our lodging this time was near Asilomar Beach.

The next day we decided to spend in Pacific Grove. Our grab and go breakfast did not make the cut. We went looking for something to eat.

Kind of a running joke. Often we enter somewhere new and follow signs that promise “Information”. But we usually find this not a very helpful way to go.

Interesting sign tells everyone not to play with wind chimes. But where are they? A little late, or did they remove them for safe keeping.

Many buildings have found new purpose in Pacific Grove. The landmark store now is home to many businesses. This gas station has found a different kind of customer.