Monday, March 29, 2010

Happy Easter!


Happy Easter!, originally uploaded by "zampi".

It's that time of year, just past the vernal equinox and the full moon! Enjoy!"zampi"

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

MARCH

I walked out to get the mail the other afternoon and saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky. I ran in the house to get my camera, but, by the time I got back outside, this was all that was left. Really, when I first looked at it, it stretched fully across the sky. I hated to miss that. Here’s what I did get:

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So often great photos depend on one’s being at the right place at the right time. Of course, the best photographers do everything they can to put themselves in that right place at the right time. It takes planning and effort, something I’m a little short on these days.


I had a bit of luck last Sunday. Dickie and I had gone with our daughter, Mary, to check out rental homes at Dillon Beach. As we drove through one neighborhood, high on a hill overlooking the ocean, we came upon a doe and her fawn grazing on the front lawn of one of the homes. The fawn walked across the street to check us out. I thought it was going to come right up to the open window of our car, but it stopped a little short and I got several shots of it. Here’s one. He’s a scruffy little guy, but he has a certain charm:

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For the past month or so, we’ve had quite a bit of cloudy weather here in northern California and a good bit of rain. I’m not complaining. We need the water, but all the rainy weather has put a crimp in my photo ops. We did get out to Alexander Valley one morning where I was able to capture the beauty of one of the mustard fields. They really are gorgeous in the sunlight. Here’s one view:


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In a day of better weather, we also made a trip to Shollenberger Park in Petaluma. That’s the wetlands area that practically dried up last summer and fall. With all the rain lately, it has come to life again and the waterfowl are back, including Canadian geese:


Canadian Geese



And some mute swans

Mute Swans



Also northern shovelers:


Northern Shovelers





The red-winged blackbirds love the reeds in the sloughs there. You can see and hear them everywhere:


Red-winged Blackbird





I was also lucky enough to spot a kite hunting in the swamp. I think kites are one of the prettiest raptors:


Kite



People are always walking their dogs at Shollenberger. His owner let me take this head-shot of a Bernese mountain dog as they passed by. I think they are really beautiful dogs:


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That’s it for now. By the way, if you want to say “hi” or leave a comment, all you have to do is click on the word “comments” below this paragraph. You don’t have to belong to Google or Blogger, just write your comment in the dialog box that appears and scroll down in that dialog box to the line that says “Name/URL” and check it. Then write your name and click on the bar that says “PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT”. It won’t show up in the blog until I see it and approve it, but it will be recorded. Trust me. I’d love to hear from you if you’re reading this.

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