family day

September 26, 2004
4 p.m.
warm, clear skies, cool in Grandma & Grandpa's backyard

End of a family day, celebrating G & G's 65th weeding anniversary (in two days.)

Just about time to leave, kids in the car in the driveway, adults working on good-byes, when suddenly the car begins a slow roll backwards. A quick jump in and stomp on the brakes stops it - it didn't have the parking brake full on nor the stick in gear - but now I'm all full of adrenaline and need to quiet myself down before driving home. Someone suggests a walk out back and so we all head in that direction.

My grandparents' backyard has always been a special retreat over the years. Fond memories of games with cousins and brothers, egghunts and a swingset that could launch you into the sky are all hidden here. Now tomato plants offer their last fruits, camelias are showing off their first blossoms, blueberry bushes hide quietly in the shade against the fence. Family members chat now, Grandpa begins to putter, my nerves begin to calm and we can head out to the driveway again.

test test

Friday 9-24
Testing newest camera - another 450 - with the film that was in it: Polacolor of unknown vintage - seller didn't think the batteries for this were still made, but I knew better. With a battery, even the old film makes an image.



Fresh film to go with fresh batteries in new-old 450. The first sign of fall - leaves in the bottom of the pool.

wetlands

Aug 27, 04
morning, Consumnes River Preserve
sunny, clear, warming

Lost Slough Wetland Restoration
Out exploring with Lisa-

Having technical problems, very distracting

Lousy day for shooting, wasn't sure if the problems were film or camera - highly suspect film since it's so inconsistent - problem like light leak in the camera would be the same every time.

Of course garbage in say, the shutter mechanism might float around and come and go like this.

Too bad I couldn't stop and pay attention to my surroundings - my own one-track mind just fretted on the problems.

Button bush swamp
One good neg in the middle of the film pack makes it seem to be man-handled film (so to speak - I am not always as careful as I should be.)

Actually water here now, which means year-round wetland habitat. The surrounding dryland is all dead grasses dotted by occasional valley oaks.

Temperature climbs and bug repellent seems to have worn off - our bodies are an easy target for many mosquitoes.

The shade is now the only place to be comfortable - mid afternoon has brought near 100 degrees, I'm sure, and the humidity is relatively high for us, making us feel the heat more.

New pack of film seems to have more problems - will have to test more later to determine what exactly problem is...

birdwatching

8-26-04
Watching the finches through the kitchen window as they feed on a block of seed - just grabbed the old 450 that had color film in it.



Couple days later - still watching as they eat away at the block - sometimes four or more birds will be on or around the seed, trying to eat, chasing each other away, sometimes sitting and waiting.


I try to creep slowly to the window to capture them on film, but most are quite skittish and fly away.


Only the bravest sit & watch me as I watch them.

out back

Aug 15, 2004
5:30 p.m.
backyard
warm, 80's, sunny with high thin clouds, slight breeze

A male house finch cautiously calls out, "swit?" then pauses, "sweet?" Another answers from a tree on the other side ot the yard. The dog, Rosie, moves under his tree and he flies off. Moments later he's back with his mate at the feeder, then off to the back fence as they see me sitting near.

In the distance, a little dog barks, a telephone rings, sprinklers hiss in the neighbor's yard. For a brief moment, the finch is back in the pepper tree, then apparently thinks better of it and flies off.

A tiny gray-brown mouse catches Rosie's attention - and mine, too - as it darts from between potted plants across the patio to behind the tub pond into more plants. Earlier this week I saw it bound from the seeds fallen below the bird feeder, to a cluster of pots and then dash across to the same area behind the pond. rose is very excited and noses the whole path and behind all the plants and pots that she can, but the mouse is now long gone.

Finally whe gives up her search, resumes her normal patrol of the yard and rolls on her back in the grass.

late afternoon

Aug 12, 04
backyard
late afternoon
hot - 100+, clear, light clouds, slight breeze

Kids playing in the pool, air conditioner hums loudly, air feels heavy, more humidity than normal, what we Californians call "muggy." The branches of the pepper tree are hanging very low, becoming heavy with yellowing berries.

My favorite begonia is blooming, a large apricot colored blossom, yellow towards the inside, darker to the edges. I try to capture it with the Mio, but it can't do the blooms justice.

Aug 8, 04

Aug 8, 04
Aunt Linda & Uncle Butch's property
late afternoon
very warm, clear, still air

Followed a mule deer down to a clearing, then saw her two fawns, a bit later a stag, while I fiddled with a film malfunction. Birds chitter occasionally but mostly it's still and quiet in the heat.



Pale dry grasses scratch at my ankles, attaching their stickery seed pods as I try to carefully pick my way between deer trails.

Tiny sparrow-sized bird in the branches overhead. Dull colors, long thin beak that it uses to poke into the tree, dark cap, light throat. Hangs onto the branches even upside-down, tiny squeak squeak and it flies off to another tree. (later identified as white-breasted nuthatch)



Getting late, sun shifts lower and the air moves a little, cooling as it blows.

south fork

Aug 5, 2004
Coloma, Ca
South Fork American River
afternoon
warm, clear, slight breeze


Just down river of where James Marshall discovered gold near Sutter's Mill. Water rushes through the rocks, a foot or two higher than recently, due to a stuck open spill gate of an upriver dam - several riverside plants that would only grow on dry land are currently submerged.



A trio of turkey vultures circles overhead briefly, rafters make their way downstream, a group of Japanese tourists walks past, chatting, on the path just above us.

Fools gold sparkles in the sandy spots between the river rocks and the kids pretend they've struck it rich in the icy water.

breezy & cool

July 22, 2004
after noon
Manresa State Beach
Monterey Bay
overcast, breezy, cool



Waves provide a constant roaring backdrop, muscles out any other sounds



A cormorant flies low over the surf, earlier we saw several pelicans doing the same



We see a pod of dolphins breaching, jumping, just past the breaking waves. Walking along the wet sand we find several large jellies washed up, many we can even see the flower-like purple markings from above



The beach here drops off more dramatically than at Sunset Beach, just south, providing more dramatic waves for the surfers who congregate here.

Later
Sunset State Beach

The overcast day has a timeless quality with no real reference to movement of the sun. We arrive to find what seems to be at a distance a large seal carcass, confirmed by the smell as we approach downwind. Plenty of pelicans patrol and dive. Hard to tell at a distance id they're catching much.



Izone struggles to find a correct exposure

garden spider

sunny & breezy

July 11, 2004
midday
W. R. Hearst memorial Beach
warm, sunny, breezy


Seaweed growing off the pier - standing on the pier looking down - has an other worldly quality.


Looking back at the beach and hills of San Simeon from the pier. On the larger rock just off the beach, a black cormorant stands, holding his wings open to dry.


strolling down the beach, looking out at the point



2 p.m.
Gorda By The Sea
pull-out on the Pacific Coast Highway, stopped to eat our deli sandwiches for lunch, were joined by a silently begging seagull, who posed for pictures in exchange for pieces of roast beef.




3:20 p.m.
"Private Property no trespassing El Sur Ranch"
just north of Pt. Sur Naval Station
leaning into heavy steady wind coming up the slope