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

Locally Grown – trees & vineyards

∼  Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. ∼

Robert Lewis Stevenson

In today’s photographs Carolyn and I wanted to give you a feel for the agriculture grown locally.  Since she lives in a warmer climate than where I live, our photographs are very different, each reflecting the temperature in our respective homes.

New Jersey is called the Garden State and during the summer months there is a plethora of locally grown vegetables, fruits, and flowers.  However, it’s November and since the weather has gotten colder many of the farms are now closed until next spring. The one place locally grown goods can be found this time of year is at a Christmas tree farm.

Growing up in a city, I never had a live Christmas tree until I got married. My first married Christmas, we went and bought a live Christmas tree, which was very exciting and has remained a tradition in my family.  A few years ago, we went to our first Christmas tree farm to tag our tree.  Tagging a tree is done by many families in our area, and is a tradition for many of our friends. Families bring their children to find the perfect tree.  Once the tree has been found, an ornament or a large stuffed toy is placed on the tree they have chosen, so it’s easier to find the tree when you return to have it cut it down.

Today, was the first day the farms were open to tag your tree.  For today’s image I wanted to show a bit of a human element, so I recruited my daughter to come with me.  While looking for a tree, there was a local photographer hosting mini sessions, there were several small children, Christmas props and parents oohing and ahhing over their children.  The tradition of tagging a tree is something many families look forward to.  It’s even more exciting when you see the joy and excitement on a small child’s face.  Afterall, Christmas really is for children, isn’t it?

I hope you enjoyed today’s peek into one of our family traditions.

Until next time … Deb

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These luscious grapes blanketed in gorgeous fall leaves are part of the grape harvest here on the Central Coast of California. The vineyards are just part of the beautiful landscape in San Luis Obispo County and provide a great subject for photographers.

The harvest and all it means has become something that is a very close part of my life since my husband began work as a wine hauler about four years ago. He mainly hauls wine, but during the harvest, he hauls juice (freshly crushed grapes) and grapes themselves. During other parts of the year, a wine hauler will also haul glass (or bottles as we would call them) and corks.

Some things you might want to consider yourself when photographing grapes are:

• the lighting and time of day … early morning or late afternoon light make the grapes look their best with the sun coming in under the leaves
• composure … the rule of thirds is a good place to start
• depth of field … shooting with a very shallow depth of field also highlights the actual fruit itself and gives a soft dreamy look to the rest of the photo

Here are my camera settings 85mm lens, 1/350 sec, f/1.8 ISO 200

Check back or follow us here to see more photos in the future of both San Luis Obispo County and New Jersey.

Thanks again!
Carolyn