Wednesday, October 31, 2012

All Hallows Eve

Remember Her?



I think I met ‘All Hallows Eve’ back in the 60’s at a Golden Gate Park Love-In.
 


A little while ago I thought about making a list of reasons why I am glad to be me.



The first thing that came to mind was that I'm the only person uniquely qualified for the position. After that observation, I no longer had any reason to make a list.



I took this image, (above), of a young white rose on Tuesday afternoon. Someone evidently felt it needed a different home. It was gone Wednesday morning. Nipped in the bud.



We had rain today. When it first started, I was wondering if it was going to be a real, regular rain event? That was a legitimate query, seeing as how the weather has been behaving a bit strangely, lately.
 


So far, the rain seems like rain should be. No frogs, or extreme temperature fluctuations, yet.



So, Happy Halloween...See you in November.

Today’s Topical Video;

GMO Proposition 37 Monsanto - TRUST US from The Healing Grapevine Network on http://vimeo.com">Vimeo
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Bon Appetite

Sunday, October 28, 2012

What A World


We Get To Be Part Of



There was a nice stack of lenticular clouds near Mount Shasta today. The uplifted air, passing over the volcano, can create a variety of interesting clouds. Here is a nice MT Shasta cloud site.



Breakfast became a fascinating art exhibition, as well as a nutritious start to my Saturday adventures on planet earth.



I can listplaying with my food’ as a skill set.



I wasn’t planning on writing this post until sometime Sunday afternoon, but my cell phone woke me up at 3:30am with an announcement that I had an email message. I probably would have ignored it and gone back to sleep, but curiosity got the best of me.



You see, I don’t get email on my cell phone. It’s not the smart kind of cell phone and I have a no frills senior cell phone plan that doesn’t include the fancy stuff, like email. I looked at the address it was from, didn’t recognize it, and erased it without opening the file. I am pretty sure an email message from an unknown sender didn’t need to be acknowledged, or opened.



Today’s Fun Video;

Made on Earth from Enrique Pacheco on http://vimeo.com">Vimeo
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What A World

Friday, October 26, 2012

Closer And Closer

To Halloween



We're also getting closer to the Giants winning the World Series. 

Hurricane Sandy is getting closer and closer to the east coast.



And, we're getting closer to the end of all the election campaign ads. Of course, here in California, we don't have it nearly as bad as people in Ohio, where the media is inundated by millions of dollars of out of state, right wing sponsored, advertising.



Nope, here in California we are inundated with beautiful weather, year round fresh produce, mountains, lakes, rivers, ocean beaches, and the expectation that our food is labeled correctly.

Another Camera In My Bag


FZ5 and FZ8 side by side comparison.

I bid on eBay for another Lumix ‘FZ’ series camera a few weeks ago. I got the camera, (sent from Canada), early last week. It didn’t come with a battery, so I sent off for one. The battery arrived today and I began testing the Panasonic Lumix FZ8. I think this model was new in 2007.



I took it out for a spin today. I have a lot to learn, but I sure enjoy learning how to use the additional features. It has a few cosmetic flaws, (missing selector dial knob, scratches on the LCD, no lens cap...), but that’s why I could afford it. The lens is good, and the innards all work like they should.



The pictures here today come from all my Lumix cameras. Each camera has its own special function in my estimation. I always wondered about that caricature of a photographer with all the different cameras hanging around his neck. I get it, now.



And so, I get closer and closer to becoming a really good photographer. I like learning one set of functions at a time in the digital world of photography. This is a lot of fun.
 


Tomorrow will probably see me wandering around Redding with 3 or 4 cameras all strapped around my neck, like a walking cartoon photographer, happily taking pictures.

I have a feeling that each camera, will play its part in the days collection of imagery.

Today’s Scenic Video;




Full Hunter’s Moon Oct. 29

Monday, October 22, 2012

Briefy Visiting

The Campaign



A honey bee and beetle meet where the pollen is sweet. I consider them neighbors here at the end of the street. I wondered how the election would in some way affect them, and I realized how much I feel the need to protect them.



“What’s your impression?”, I asked this rose. I got no audible answer, but it gave me this pose.



I wonder about the corporate goal. Would they tear down Mount Lassen if it held lots of coal. They are leveling Appalachia, and Montana as well. So, they probably would because they know it would sell.



Can some rich guys buy the election this time around? I certainly hope not, their proposals aren’t sound. But then again, proposals won’t matter, as long as some voters believe all the right winger chatter.
 


The leaves change their color, and the air becomes cool. I hope that most voters learned something in school.

Now I’ve expressed a few of my views, and after the elections are finally through, I’ll still be me, you will be you, and we will likely keep doing the things that we do.

Today’s Travel Video;

Mission 26 The Big Endeavour from Givot on http://vimeo.com">Vimeo
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The Sky’s The Limit

Saturday, October 20, 2012

The Big Picture

Is Magnificent



This was the sunset on Friday. It was spectacular from beginning to end. I took many megabytes of photographs. With grand displays like this to fill my soul, I am grateful to be alive and humbled by the gift of enlightenment.



From the vastness of the cosmos to the world of backyard flowers and their pollinators, I am constantly being taught the lessons of life in this universe.

There is an interaction at all levels of existence that can be observed if one takes the time to look and be open to understanding. I marvel at what is happening on these two flowers.



Fall Comes To Redding



The trees around here are beginning to change into their colorful fall foliage. It is a treat for the eyes, and as the leaves fall, they give people something to rake.



The roses around the Treehouse continue to delight the observers, and provide colorful subjects for my cameras.



There is availability of healthy, fresh food, at affordable prices, practically year round. I don’t recall eating so well for so little, (if one compensates for inflation), at any other time in my life. At home I eat fish once a week, chicken a couple of times a month, (if one can call the factory animals chickens), and beef every couple of months, or so.

Milk On Cereal





 












This healthy eating is paying off. I am not disintegrating at the rate I was when my diet was composed of unhealthy stuff, loaded with even unhealthier toppings. When that was the bulk of my intake, I was sick a lot, my physical problems kept worsening, and my mind was not fully functional.

Tonight’s Sunset
 


The western sky was a sight to see at sunset on this Saturday in Redding. Every day has wonders to be enjoyed, absorbed, and treasured, (photographed and written about, too).

Today’s Flashy Video;



 
May The Force Be With You

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Mad Hatter

And Tea, Too



Treehouse residents got out their fancy chapeau’s and gathered for the annual Mad Hatter’s Tea. It was good to see so many neighbors participating in the festivities.



It was a lot of fun. Prizes were awarded for the best 3 hats. The tables were decorated by staff members and table numbers were drawn as one entered the dining room. I drew table number 6. Our table was hosted by social services coordinator, Stephanie.
 


I saw the bowl of fruit and thought, “Still life - Fresh Fruit With Plastic Fork”.

...

Monday evening, the night before the Tea, held the promise of a colorful sunset. I knew the ‘magic’ would only last a moment, so I brought a camera with me when I went to Raley’s to pick up something for dinner. It was good that I did, the sky lit up just as I was carrying groceries to the car.


Sunset from Raley’s parking lot

Tuesday, before the Treehouse Tea, I took some colorful flower pictures to play with.



Sometimes I get the perfect composition with light, shadow, aperture, focal length, and shutter speed. Those pictures, like the yellow rose, (above), are ready to go, right from the SD card.



Other compositions, like the white rose (above), are sometimes enriched with enhancements. 

What a great time to be a photographer and graphic artist.

Back in the days when I used dark rooms with an enlarger and trays of chemicals, I could do some effects while developing, then draw/paint/montage the print, but I really appreciate the expanded universe of digital photography and computer assisted enhancement.



Tuesday evening I stopped at the Sundial Bridge to get a few late sun pictures. It was busy, down where I usually park and take bridge pictures, so I found a spot where I could see the bridge through the trees, vines, and brambles. It turned out just right.



Mount Shasta looked great in the setting sun last night.

I really am very fortunate to be living here with all this wild and wonderful beauty surrounding me.

One more flower




Today’s Space Video;

ISS Startrails from Christoph Malin on http://vimeo.com">Vimeo
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Fantastic Times

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Changing Weather

Kind Of Pleasant

Food



I have been having fun playing with an application that assists me in painting a digital picture from a photo.

Landscape



I took this picture of Marians landscaped front yard when I was there, last week. It looked nice as a picture, it looks really nice as a painting.

People



I can think of quite a few images I have taken, that would have been more representative of what I was seeing had I had this digital photo painting program, at the time.

This next picture is an example of the way I see the date palm at the entrance to the Old School restaurant, where I get to play at the JSBS jam on Sunday’s.



I like it because it is my impression of a digitally created impression of an impressionist painting, that began with my initial photographic composition.

Okay, just one more;



Here are a few more pictures that I've played with using PhotoArtista.

I made whipped cream, last night for apple pie and ice cream. I think I have learned how to consistently achieve the desired result, so I filmed the final episode in the quest for home made, small portions of whipped cream, video series.

Today’s Tasty Video;

Instant Whipped Cream from Phil Seymour on http://vimeo.com">Vimeo
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Delicious