Sunday Scenery East to West

“Always Look for the Rainbow” – Winnie the Pooh

March came in like a lion, as we anxiously await the arrival of Spring, it feels more like winter than it did in all of January and February.  The weather plays havoc with your mood sometimes, and I am hearing so many people wishing for the warm weather to finally arrive.  So, when I woke up Saturday and the sky was gray and raining once more, I knew where to go and what type of photograph I wanted to take to express how the weather has been influencing the mood of many people on the east coast.

Ocean City and the beach seemed like the perfect place to venture to on a damp, cold and rainy morning.  My husband and I headed south on the Parkway and arrived in Ocean City to find much construction on the boardwalk.  It’s almost twice the size it was a few months ago.  I haven’t been down to Ocean City for a short while and it’s coming along quite nicely, it will be beautiful when summer arrives.

The unofficial start to summer begins on Memorial Day weekend, by that time, the weather should be sunny and much warmer than it has been in the past few weeks.  Even though the weather has been a bit dismal, it seemed like a perfect day to capture its mood by photographing the ocean.  Once we arrived and began walking on the beach, the wind whipped around our heads, reinforcing the cold and damp of the day.  As we walked for a bit, we decided to head back up toward the boardwalk, which is where I noticed this bicycle sitting, waiting for it’s owner to continue their journey.  This bicycle seemed to be yearning for warmer days but we get what Mother Nature gives us, and today, it was anything but warmth.  I felt as though the clouds captured the spirit of the day very nicely.  The dark tones of gray swirling around the bits of white peeking through emphasized the raw feeling my husband and I were experiencing.

Even though the weather was cold and damp, this bicycle seemed to tell a story, that I felt needed to be captured.  Maybe it’s owner would ride the length of the boardwalk enjoying the cold upon their face, savoring the quiet of the last few days of winter before the craziness of the spring and summer season begin. Maybe they would head home hoping for a cup of hot cocoa once they arrived.   This story was mine to imagine, or maybe it’s yours?

Thanks for stopping by, until next time … Please visit me here to view my galleries.

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The long windy road, taking you past little ranches and beautiful orchards and vineyards just out of the north end of Paso will eventually take you to Halter Ranch Vineyard. It’s 24th Street that you start out on and Paso Robles is the town … locals shorten it to ‘Paso’. As you leave town, you’ll pass by the cemetery on Mountain Springs Road and then Jardine Ranch on the right. We use to go out there and buy almonds and big boxes of oranges. I haven’t done that in years, but have gone out to Halter Ranch a couple of times to do photography sessions.

As I said, the road is long, but the scenery is well worth the drive. Adelaide Road is speckled with old ranches, almond orchards, orange groves, vineyards, adorable little houses and more! As you get further back in on Adelaide Road there are a few spots where you can pull off to the side and get out of your car to see the incredible long view north-west towards the ocean. You’ll want to make sure you have your camera with you as the photo opportunities are many!

Deeper on the oak lined, two lane road, you’ll finally come to Halter Ranch on the right. Such a gorgeous spot! The old yellow ranch house has enough character all on it’s own to draw you out to this excellent wine tasting location. Once past that, you’ll see the old white barns and rustic bridge you that take you to the state of the art new buildings that are now for wine tasting and more.

If you’re ever in the area, this is a spot you won’t want to miss!

Camera Settings: 85mm, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 200

Thanks for stopping in … click here to see my California gallery.

Carolyn

One Sunday in January

This afternoon we had a bit of a scare with McKenzie.  Some neighborhood dogs attacked her, she was terrified and so was I.  After we both calmed down, she was fine.  She wasn’t hurt in any way, but what a terrible scare.  She has become very well known in my photographs.  It’s been a recent transition, that she doesn’t mind having her photo taken.  In the past, she would run, and I mean run fast, as soon as the camera came out.  I’m not really sure when that all changed, but I am so grateful and really love photographing her, she has a great personality.  I’ve never had a dog who spoke to me, but she really does speak to us.

She is such a large part of our family, we are empty nesters now, it’s truly not as terrible as it sounds, so Kenzie has become the center of our attention.  So after our traumatic walk, I began thinking, what do animals truly mean to humans.  Many of us own, either a dog or a cat and they become family members.  We are happy when they are happy, and sad when they are sad.  Not to mention when they get sick, it’s truly like having another child, the emotion can be overwhelming at times.  Animals are always there for you, to greet you every time you come home and always there by your side no matter what.

McKenzie came to be ours a year after our first dog, Teddy passed away.  Teddy was an Akita, very large and gentle.  McKenzie is the complete opposite in many way, she is small and a bit louder than Teddy. Whatever her traits, she is part of our family and we love her beyond words.  If you have a favorite pet, I would love to hear your stories about your loved family member.  I invite you to view more of my work here.

Enjoy your Sunday, until next time … Deb

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It was a rainy wintery day here in Atascadero. My grandson’s basketball game was at the Junior High. This was my first time to walk on campus and get a view of the back courtyard of the newly built brick school. The rain made it difficult to look around much, but I could see that they had done such a nice job creating an area for the classes to join together for various programs or just hanging out.

Atascadero is a small town with just one public Junior High and one High School. In 1982 when we moved to the area the population was 16,000. It has now grown to right around 30,000. You really can’t tell the town has doubled in size. Shopping is limited, with Kmart as our only large store and various small shops. We do seem to have an over abundance of drug stores and several grocery stores though.

Our town is nestled among the oak trees and it’s name means ‘place of much water’ or ‘mud hole’ … whichever you prefer to use. 🙂 I prefer the first … a much nicer way of describing this little bedroom community that feels as though it is quickly coming out of the drought we’ve been in.

And so … on that rainy day, I grabbed my umbrella and Jim pulled his jacket high around his neck as we quickly walked around the back side of this great new two-story building where three of our grandchildren currently spend their days. Once we got past the nice cement areas, there were chain link fences and mud puddles to try to miss, all the while making sure we didn’t slip and fall while trying to get to the game on time.

And we did. Just in time to see Andre make the first basket of the game … a three pointer at that!

Camera Settings 100mm, 1/125, f/11, ISO 500

Thanks again for reading … Carolyn

Local Landmarks – east & west

“There is no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this.”

Today, Carolyn and I share a local landmark from each coast of the USA.  It’s interesting, since I’ve never been to California or the west coast, to see how different that part of our country is.  I imagine Carolyn might feel the same about NJ and the east coast.

First, some history of the Ocean City Music Pier.  The Ocean City Music Pier dates back to 1928 when construction began to create a new concert hall for the community that had just lost a large portion of the boardwalk to a fire in 1927. The Music Pier that you see today was dedicated on July 4, 1929 with much fanfare.

Today the pier is known for stand up comedy to musicals, and from soloists to the Ocean City Pops orchestra.  The Ocean City Pops has a summer concert series from July through October that showcases the beautiful music of the orchestra.

During the summer months, Ocean City is always crowded with local visitors and beach goers from afar.  Although we visit Ocean City during the summer months, we truly love to visit after Labor Day, when all of the visitors are long gone.  Once the crowds have returned home, locals have the beach all to themselves.  The photo I am sharing with you today, was taken on Wednesday evening at 6pm.  For a November evening, it was unusually warm, but as we walked along the boardwalk, you could feel a chill in the air.  The sun was just setting, my how quickly the sun sets this time of year.  The sky was just beginning to display beautiful shades of pink, purple and various shades of blue.  The music pier is a building of quiet beauty, painted in a beautiful shade of pink with accents of tan which seem to represent the color of sand.

I don’t know if the music pier is an “official” landmark in NJ, but it’s a landmark very well known in this area.  I hope you have enjoyed the brief history and my sunset photograph of the Music Pier in Ocean City, NJ.

Until next time . . . Deb

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California has 21 Spanish missions, established by the Catholic priests. The idea was to expand Christianity among the Native Americans and colonization into this north western state.

The mission that I’m sharing today is Mission San Miguel Archangel. It’s located on Highway 101 in the town of San Miguel, about 20 miles north of where I live. You feel like you’ve stepped back in time when you come to the mission. The structure made of adobe, stone, tile and huge rustic wood is beautifully laid out on about a half an acre of land.

While the mission is open daily holding mass for locals, it is also a place for tourists to stop. I personally have used it as a location for photo sessions. The beautiful arches, stone walls, fountain and so much more provide striking backdrops.

The bell wall, which I chose to share with you today, is the first thing you see as you approach the mission coming from the south. If you ever visit California I encourage you to visit the missions, as they are incredible to see and experience and a wonderful part of our history.

See you on Sunday … Carolyn

Our Towns – Coast 2 Coast

We absolutely live in very different places.  My town is small, but we live close to Atlantic City and Philadelphia.  This gives us access to many restaurants, shops and sports or concert venues.  However, the town that I live in has a small village called Smithville Village, which is only a few miles from my home.   There is a bike and walking path from my home leading directly to the Village.  The Village has restaurants, shoppes and many fairs are held here during the year.  Just a few weeks ago the Oktoberfest was held there which hosted many food vendors and crafters.   My photo depicts a small scene of the Village.   Have great weekend everyone.
Until next time . . .   Deb

We each live in such different areas. My town is so small … I really just get my mail there and everything else is done in the next town which is 16 miles away.  It is definitely a country town.  But I’m very glad the next town is just 16 miles away.  Creston is a pretty quaint and quiet little spot. The post office is probably a 400 sq ft building with just one small hallway of mail boxes. Our little store is like a mountain store … I only buy special treats there and an occasional necessity. We’ve actually got a nice restaurant and wedding venue.

Enjoy your day!

Carolyn