Rest In Peace Alina

My mother’s journey on Earth is over. She died on Tuesday February 7, 2017. When I left North Avenue Villa early Tuesday morning I felt that the time was soon. I felt that Tuesday would be the day. Alina lived without her Arthur for 21 weeks.

On Thursday my Mom was laid to rest at Home of Peace, a Jewish Cemetery in Sacramento. Rabbi Reuven Taff met with me and my brother on Wednesday. In addition to sharing family stories I appreciated the time taken to listen to me. It allowed me some peace at a stressful time. The rainy day seemed fitting.

In the Chapel my brothers and I told stories about my Mom. Each had a different realationship to her. But what made me proud was my son Joshua’s rememberances. And then my granddaughter Alyssa spoke. Right from the heart. My goodness I will always be glad that I included her in my visits to Mom. Time well spent!

My friends turned out to support me. I again asked Anne to help with the Meal of Condolences. Liz offered to host the meal at her house. Such a trememdous relief for me. Zelda, Eva, Susan, Diane, Liz and Anne are such special friends. Thank you!

I feel sad that our time together is over. I tried my best to take care of her. My parents are together, and they gave me a great foundation. I know that her heart was with my Dad. They met after the war and saved each other! Another Holocaust Survivor has past. I am grateful for having my Mom.

Life at the Sacramento Historic Cemetery

The Sacramento Historic Cemetery is a great place to visit throughout the year. The changing foliage adds to the visitors experience.

Recently a controversy arose regarding the “historic” title of these grounds. It seems that some want to remove anything that was not in the original design of the cemetery. Specifically, the City Counsel wants to remove the Historic Rose Garden. I spoke to one person and I was informed that plans to remove roses and trellises was underway. She explained that this would be disappointing to many visitors who travel here to see historic roses. I looked around and imagined the surroundings without the flowers.

Wears a badge, “Support Our Roses!”

The first blooms of the season done, and to encourage new ones they were dead-heading the bushes. The morning that my Camera Totin’ Tuesday group arrived I saw many volunteers busy pruning the roses.

Volunteers are given instruction on how to best prune the roses.

This is such a special place. History, nature and architecture combine. Today, nature seemed to be my focus.

Using my Macro Lens to get close-up

Iceland Poppies

I like how the blue flower plays off the red and yellow blurs

Capturing some nectar

Petals spread out

Carpenter Bee stopping for a drink

Pretty, but I’m not sure what this purple flower is called. Do you?

Wheel Barrows in a Row

Daylily in such a bright color

Lots of bees out today

An Iris in soft purple

So many textures

Gazanias spread out

Hornet visits pink flower. Not familiar with this one. Anyone?

This rose bud is one of my favorite colors.

This place is special and the gravestones are surrounded by beauty. I hope you enjoyed my little tour.

Photographing the Sutter Buttes

Another week and Camera Totin’ Tuesdays is off to the Sutter Buttes. Starting in Woodland I am impressed with the water-wise landscape in my friend Karen’s front yard.

Low water and low maintenance landscape. In a couple of weeks Poppies will bloom.

Our first stop was Mary’s Chapel. Created in the 1850’s the cemetery is about 2 miles north of Yolo in Woodland. The chapel was build in 1857. It is called Mary’s Chapel because after a fire destroyed the church, Mary Cross Pockman asked the community to rebuild.This local cemetery is still used by the community.

Mary’s Chapel

Mary’s Crapper built May 1912

Cemetery at the Mary’s Chapel

Mustard field blooms at the foot of the Buttes

Bees are buzzing

Yellow Mustard all around

Orchard blossoms create look of snow

Orchard with pink blossoms

Pink Blossoms Frame the Buttes in the background

Looking at these hills I see a sleeping person.

The Sutter Buttes are green after the drought.

This cow was a distance away, but I caught her turning her head and looking my way. Maybe she likes my “Julia” voice.

Cows enjoying the green fields on the Sutter Buttes

Blurry background achieved with small depth of field.

Wildflower stands out.

Our travel around the Buttes passed this farm with some unusual animals.

What is this llama thinking?

Goat was looking for a hand-out.

Leisurely ride around the Buttes

We arrived at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, and mosquitoes greeted us in heavy swarms. All these photographs were taken exclusively from the automobile with windows closed.

Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

I have been working with Adobe Lightroom cc for the past 3 months and after watching more tutorials I am developing my images in a new way. Tweaking highlights, shadows, white and black tones, saturation and luminance.

Seascape at the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

Reflection at Gray Lodge Wildlife Center

Sunset at the Sutter Buttes

Silos in the Sunset

Farmhouse on the Hill

Sunset through the orchard

Sun goes down

Another great day enjoying my surroundings in Northern California and sharing it with friends.

A Bodie Photo Journey (part 2)

Bodie required a second look, so we headed back early the next day. It is not that the town is that large. The heat, dust and altitude passed my creative juices. When I reach the point that creature comforts takes over my attention, it is time to put away my camera. I’m glad my photo friends, Ann and Laura felt the same way.

This second day with clouds overhead we began at the Bodie Cemetery.

Path to Bodie Cemetery

Up on a hill, a little outside the town the cemetery stands. “Arrested decay” may describe this place, but there are signs that restoration happening. As I walked up to the cemetery I imagined what a family member would be experiencing. Many of the gravestones marked the passing of children.

Bodie Gravestone of girl

Many of the grave sites were missing markers. Probably made of wood, and did not survive the test of time.

Bodie Cemetery Grave Site

A Gated Grave Site with no marker, just wildflowers

About 80 gravestones remain.

Bodie Cemetery

For the rest of the morning I took it slow, tried to get a feel for the hard, desolate life lived in this area.

Framed by Auto

Vehicle Garden in Bodie

When the population abandoned Bodie, the shuttered buildings and personal items were left as is.

General Store

Some items held up to time, some rotted away, some fell apart, and layers of dust collected.

“I’ll huff and I’ll puff and …”

That part of it captures my imagination. Visiting museums I see artifacts from an earlier time, but they are often set apart from their time. Here everything just continues to get older.

My photograph captures me in a moment in time!

I enjoyed the time spent here. I also had fun with processing my photographs using various software tools. Mainly, I used Lightroom 5.7 with the help of Topaz plug-ins. I used Topaz Adjust and Topaz Detail 3. In some of my shots this weekend I used Photomatrix Pro 5 which I just purchased after the trip. I still need practice to perfect my 5 bracketed HDR images and process it with this new software.

I am getting ready to upgrade to Lightroom CC. There is always something to learn to improve my art! This keeps it interesting!

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A Photo's Worth

Words & Images by marlene frankel

Cemetery

Rest In Peace Alina

Life at the Sacramento Historic Cemetery

Photographing the Sutter Buttes

A Bodie Photo Journey (part 2)