CAPITOLA WHARF • CAPITOLA BY THE SEA, CALIFORNIA

The weather has been great this past winter but I'd really would have liked to see a lot more rain. I went down to the Capitola-Depot Hill area and took in the late evening sights and sounds. I live in such a beautiful place. 

ARANA GULCH • SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

Arana Gulch Open Space is one of the most controversial and celebrated parks in Santa Cruz. I used to be the supervisor responsible for the maintenance of the area. Several people have been lobbying for this area to be kept open and undeveloped ostensibly to protect an endangered plant, the California Coastal Tar Plant. Many bicyclists wanted a path through the area so people could get from one side of Santa Cruz to the other without having to go out into heavy traffic. After over 20 years of planning the area opened up a month ago with bike paths and barbed wire fencing to protect the tar plant and keep cattle grazing there from getting away. It's very heavily used now and most of the comments are not positive in the sense the people talking are the ones that wanted to keep as much development as possible to a minimum.

Shot with iPhone 4S

AS THE SUN SINKS SLOWING IN THE WEST.....

Another beautiful day in paradise. Great weather except it hasn't rained for a very long time. Many are becoming anxious about the lack of rain. We depend on winter rains to supply all or most of our water. Although we live next to a huge expanse of ocean we don't have enough water. There has been talk of a desalinization plant but a very vocal backlash has put building one in jeopardy. I don't understand all of the ramifications of such a project but I can sure see the need for water. Let's hope something happens soon. 

END OF A PERFECT DAY

Spending time at the yacht harbor and having a bite to eat at Aldo's Restaurant at sunset is such a treat. I took this  shot last Wednesday at the end of the "Wednesday Night Boat Races". It's a custom here in Santa Cruz. If you own a boat docked in the yacht harbor you participate in the "races" on Wednesday. I'm so lucky to be living in this great place.

NEARY LAGOON

 Out for a stroll today around Neary Lagoon. Beautiful cool afternoon that was quiet and still in an area surrounded by houses, the Boardwalk, and traffic. It's truly a wonderful place to "get away from it all" while being in the midst of a very urban area. I am so lucky to be living in such a place.

PURA VIDA

Ah Yes! Costa Rica! This is near Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side. Beautiful beaches. Friendly people. Great food. What's not to like about Costa Rica. Please note the palm trunks painted white. It's a tradition in many countries to paint the trunks of trees and palms with white paint. Originally the paint was a solution that warded off insects and the light color reflected the light and heat off the tender new plants. The heat would scald the bark and kill the plant. It has become a tradition now and is not needed in most cases. In the United States young seedlings are protected by white plastic tubes that can be removed when the plant is strong enough to make it on its own. I highly recommend Costa Rica. Every visit has been a true pleasure.

This image was scanned from a negative.

TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROAD ~ John Denver

A late afternoon drive through the coastal hills along Swanton Road north of Santa Cruz, California. A beautiful day but no rain. Things are getting pretty dry around here. 

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

The lowest place on earth. I just had to visit the Dead Sea when I was touring Europe back in the 70's.  This is an Ektachrome slide. Back in the days of film I had to carry at least two cameras. On this trip I only had one and it was borrowed. Each camera would be loaded with a film suited for indoor and another for outdoor. I had just visited Bethlehem and used this film which is used inside under artificial lighting. I still had frames left on the roll so I couldn't just change. The bluish tint is a result. I did go for a dip on the water and enjoyed the bouyancy. Traveling in the middle east in the winter is the best time to avoid crowds. There was no one here but me.

BRANDT'S CORMORANT

Brandt's Cormorants. Nesting along the West Cliffs of Santa Cruz. It's not often I am afforded the opportunity to see wild birds nesting so close. This species moves from Alaska to Mexico during migration and often come here to hatch out their chicks.  Great for children of all ages to observe and appreciate.

MUCH NEEDED RAIN

It rained today. Expected to last through the next three days. No rain in January. Driest January in history. Santa Cruz has cut back water usage by 22%. I capture shower water in a bucket and transfer it to bottles to water plants in pots and the landscape. Flushing toilets is done with the same water. It's really not all that difficult to conserve water. I like the challenge. I really enjoy this vantage of the beach. I come here often. I live in a beautiful place. Visit us some time but bring your own water.

CHANGUINOLA, REPUBLICA DE PANAMA

In 1997 I took a trip to Bocas del Toro in Panama. This is Changuinola harbor. A laid back serene spot that was quite picturesque. Weather was pleasant as well. The place has really changed now that it has been "discovered". Hotels and tourists have over run the place. I wonder if the locals are grateful for the boost in the economy but at what price.

BIKE BRAKE

I bought a new lens. 85mm/f1.8 and just had to try it out. Great for bokeh and portraits.

BREAKFAST CLUB

My day starts here most of the time. Not much of a view so I dressed it up with a bird feeder made from old fashioned glass bowls and dishes. Kept the feeder, which is the green bowl, filled until I realized the birds were being out bid by the squirrels from the nearby walnut tree. I've got to cut back some limbs to give the birds a chance and keep them from being a easy part of the food chain.

A MYSTICAL MAGICAL PLACE AND A FAIRY'S HOME

Just the place she has been going to in her dreams. I can hardly wait to give her this photo. I hope she will be excited. I know I was when I created it. Grandpas. Aren't we silly?

IS IT REALLY JANUARY?

With the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in the background, the beach and weather was great today. In the upper 60's and 70+ in some areas. Is was a fine time to get out and take a walk.

A GREAT DAY TO BE ON THE BAY

We went for a walk out the jetty at the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor today and enjoyed the clear crisp weather and calm seas. We live in such a beautiful place. It's hard to imagine living anywhere else. Stop by for a visit.

AN OLD FRIEND

I've known this guy for a long time and have watched him age over the years. Sometimes when I see him I am shocked at how old he looks given what he says he feels like. A new year and a new start and other platitudes he says. Well he's almost as surprised he made it this far/long. I wish him health and ...well if he had good health he would have all he ever needs. I'll stay in touch for as long as I can old friend.

HAVE A SEAT

Just because I liked the colors, textures, and pattern. It's my chair. So there.

AFTER CHRISTMAS LULL

After the holiday rush and scurrying it's great to be able to go to the beach and enjoy the tranquility of the late evening sunset. Dogs and their owners are enjoying the view and brisk temperatures. I just couldn't resist the colors.

MY ANGEL ON CHRISTMAS EVE

My angel. She came downstairs dressed in her grandmothers scarves as only she can choose and arrange. She also chose a necklace and earrings that went with the colors of the fabric. I was so taken aback at her striking beauty I immediately asked for an opportunity to take her photograph. Sometimes she's reluctant but today she acquiesced and I didn't waste a moment to get the image. 

She asked me what we should do with her picture and I suggested I put in a new background. Something that would draw attention to just her. At first I offered a beach scene. She balked saying that the elegant clothing was much too nice for the beach. I then went through my files for just this sort of situation and came up with clouds. I take photos of clouds to use with other images. She liked the clouds and then wondered if I could put wings on her. Like an angel. I found some and this is the result. She was pleased as were her family. It's one of my favorite photos already. 

Merry Christmas.

THOUSAND ISLAND LAKE • ANSEL ADAMS WILDERNESS

August 1997. If you're thinking about getting married take her on a weeklong backpacking trip to the high sierra mountains of California. She will show you everything you need to know. Mine did and passed. And it was her first experience backpacking. She showed courage and toughness. I was duly impressed.

100 YEAR WHARF • SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

Here's an article written about 20 years ago about the wharf and I think it captures what you may want to know about it. I took this shot to practice depth of field photography. I'm not sure I captured much but it was a lot of fun and a really pleasant day. If you're in Santa Cruz drop by the Municipal Wharf. It's quite a structure. Plans are in the work to remodel parts of it at a cost of $135M. Should look even better after the work is finished.

POGONIP CONTROLLED BURN • 2001

The open grasslands need the Pogonip Club were the target of two simultaneous projects. One was to control the fire danger presented by the dry grass and to diminish the dominance of non-native grasses introduced over the last 100+ years. The other was to give local fire control agencies an opportunity to hone their skills at firefighting in a potentially catastrophic event. Both goals were achieved without incident. It was a lot of fun as well as exciting to be a part of it. 

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ~ Monty Python

Yes. I live in a pretty amazing and weird place. Santa Cruz, California, US is filled with interesting people, places, and things. Here's one of them. I don't intend to put a bumper sticker on my truck. Notice I didn't say NEVER. I've had too many "NEVERS" come back and bite me on the ass. IMHO bumper stickers remove what little privacy left. If I had this car I wouldn't use it for a bank robbery getaway car. 
The Mystery Spot is a very interesting place as well. I've only been there once. The optical illusions gave me a headache and sick to my stomach. If you're brave(stupid) enough to go there you will probably see what I mean. 

WHITE MOUNTAINS, CALIFORNIA • INYO NATIONAL FOREST

In August of 2002 I attended a class at the University of California-Los Angeles Research Station in the White Mountains. There I was studying the oldest living things on earth, the Bristlecone Pine. The station is located at 10,200' and getting used to the altitude change took a couple of days. During free time I hiked off for about 5 miles and found this miner's cabin. It looked as though it had been abandoned in the last couple of years. I have searched for an identity for the cabin but have not been successful. If you happen to know anything about it please let me know. 
I took these photographs as 35mm slides and wished I knew more about photography than I did at the time. I have thousands of slides. Scanning them to digital is both time consuming and expensive so I bought a 100mm macro lens and used a light box to photograph them. They turned out well enough for presenting this way but not to print. If you are considering alternative methods to scanning, these images will give you a good idea of how they can turn out. 
The experience  among the bristlecones was very rewarding. If you've followed this blog you probably have seen some of  my images already. Thanks for dropping by.

GUANAJUATO, MEXICO • LATE NIGHT SNACK STAND

An alleyway to a square near where I was staying. Late night tamales and tacos. Mmmmmm.....

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

 Along highway 50 and 26 miles east of  Fallon, Nevada and far from any sign of life is this isolated gravesite. As I was driving along I spotted it easily because it is only about a 100 yards off the north side of the road. I turned around, parked and started out across the mud/salt flats to get a closer view only to sink up to my ankles in mud. I beat a hasty retreat and walked around until I found a less muddy way. The site looks like it hasn't been cared for for awhile. The marker reads "Wilson Turner • 3 yrs • 1864". Further research has clouded the true identity and the authenticity of the grave. A white picket fence around a very small grave in the middle of nowhere is quite a striking sight especially when there are huge sand dunes in the background.

The Sand Mountain Dunes are accessible from the highway and are quite a "dune buggy" recreation area.  Both of these points of interest where most unexpected.

THE 'REAL' LONELIEST HIGHWAY IN AMERICA

When I started this trip along "the loneliest highway in America" I expected Highway 50 between Fallon, Nevada and Delta, Utah to be that road. It was pretty desolate. Only three towns over the 406 miles. When I arrived late at night in Ely, Nevada I grabbed a bite to eat and told the waitress what I was doing and she said, "It ain't so". The loneliest highway in America is highway 6 between here and Tonopah." She was right. Not one town for over 178 miles. Not as long but there was not one sign of establishment anywhere. It began to rain, thunder, lightning, and then very large hail. It was a wild ride for the last hour before Tonopah. This image is of the beginning of that part of the ride.

I THINK THE BATTERY IS DEAD

This photo is of what's left of a truck in Berlin, Nevada. If you clicked on the link you'll see a photo of this same truck in a much earlier time. There is another photo of it in the post below. When I go to ghost towns and find old vehicles still there in various stages of decay I often wonder why they weren't used to leave. Why did they leave them behind? Of course, in this case, I think it was because the battery was dead and no one had any jumper cables. Who knows? This little "town" was only about a two block area and apparently everything centered around the mine. Any housing used by workers is gone. Near by is an interesting site where Ichthyosaurs were discovered so both places were quite interesting. 

BERLIN, NEVADA

Berlin, Nevada is probably pronounced BER-lin. It is a ghost town now under the auspices of the State of Nevada. I think they call what they are doing is arresting decay there. It's an interesting place because the desert dryness has preserved the buildings so well. I was the only person there. At least the only person I think was there. It's way off the beaten path in the heart of the State of Nevada and quite interesting as a deserted mine. You can wander around virtually all of it and explore what's left.

IONE

I spent about an hour in Ione. It is a "ghost town" located way off the beaten track in central Nevada. Although it was apparent there were people living there I saw no one. It describes itself as "the town that wouldn't die". There was a mobile home used as a Baptist church and a bar that was closed. The town even had a park complete with play equipment and a white picket fence. If you are in the area I recommend you drop by and experience where these people live.

ROOM FULL OF STORIES

Located on the real "Loneliest Highway in America" between Ely and Tonopah, Nevada. This is but one of ten rooms in a small abandoned motel along highway 6. An adjacent casino and gas station stands derelict in the hot Nevada sun. I wonder what the plunger was used for and how did it get out on the plywood walkway. This motel had beds, end tables, bathroom fixtures and linens still in place. I imagine someone just threw up their hands and said I can't make this place work so I'm leaving. Amazing.

GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK • NEVADA

I just returned from a trip to this beautiful and desolate place. The Great Basin National Park is a wonderful place to experience the wide open spaces of the western United States. I had a great time.

JUST ONE OF THE REASONS....

that I love living here in Santa Cruz, CA. This is Seabright Beach. It's located between the yacht harbor and the Boardwalk. It was another beautiful day so I just had to go down to the ocean and take in the smell and breeze. Behind me, several people were out on their stoops listening to music, drinking wine, and sharing a doobie. Ah...the Santa Cruz lifestyle.

LET IN THE LIGHT

I was "volunteered" to take some photos of board members and staff of a local non-profit retreat today. They were meeting in the "Sunroom" at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. I took this shot while they were away at lunch. I guess this room was just too warm so everyone went somewhere for shade. The roof opens by telescoping and sliding backward. The fog had just burned off so the sun made the room very warm. I hope they opened to roof for the rest of their meeting.

GOING POSTAL IN RAMONA

Sorry for not keeping up my posts on the blog. I've been editing a long video and it has consumed my time. This is a photo I took in Ramona, California. My bro-in-law lives there. Apparently there are a lot of homes down this road. Notice that none of the mailboxes are permanent. I wonder what they would look like if I pushed them all down. Of course I would never do such a thing. It's a federal crime to tamper with the mail ya' know.

THE LAST BILLBOARD IN SANTA CRUZ

This was the last standing billboard in the city of Santa Cruz, California. It was advertising a tourist destination here in town. It would have been difficult to find it from this spot.  It probably stood on this spot for close to 40 years. Perhaps the owner of the property had a contract with the "Mystery Spot". About 25 years ago the land was sold to a group with the intention of turning it into a car dealership. Their plans didn't come to fruition and the City of Santa Cruz purchased it. It was a very large parcel that became the Arana Gulch Open Space. During the time the "dealership group" owned it no rent was paid on the location of the sign. After someone found there was no agreement I was tasked with the responsibility of removing it. It stood there for so long that I'm sure most people didn't even notice it. The entire sign, which was made of tin, was disassembled into about ten pieces and turned over the the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. I've not seen any trace of it since.

CAR VS TREE.....TREE WINS

I used to investigate tree related issues for the City of Santa Cruz. I just came across this filmstrip of a  Mustang after a very large tree was removed from its top. When trees fall without warning it's considered an "act of God" which lets the insurance companies off the hook. At least it didn't get stolen. See steering wheel lock.

MONTEREY BAY

Clouds but no rain. Beautiful mild weather most of the winter and no rain. Here in Santa Cruz we depend on seasonal rains for almost all of our water. It's been the driest year on record and everyone is getting a little nervous about what will happen. In 1977, I personally ended a seven year drought by taking the roof off my house for repairs but after all of the damage caused by three months of continual rain and thousands of dollars in damage believe me when I say I'm not willing to do that again. It's someone else's turn.

PSYCHO HOTEL

In 1988 I took this photo of the McCrary Hotel here in Santa Cruz, CA. I knew the building was about to be torn down to make way for a retirement community main building so I tried to capture was was left of it before the dozers. I took artistic license by giving the original a "wet plate" look. I had a friend that lived in the building as you see it here. He was there illegally and only came and went at night. I spent an evening there seeping in all of the hauntedness it had to offer. Turns out it's actually pretty famous because....well you can go here to find out.

Here's the original photo.

Here's a better photo

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED A MIDWEST COLD?

I lived in Chicago in 1972-73. Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area I had never experienced cold weather like they have in the midwest. I had experienced a New England winter and winter in Albuquerque, NM but nothing prepared me for the kind of cold they have in the midwest. Bundle up if you're planning on visiting there any time soon.

IT'S WINTER SOMEWHERE...

It is shirt sleeve weather in Santa Cruz, CA as I write this and I just wanted to remember what "real" winter used to look like. I took this photo in February 1973 near Chicago, IL. Now there's a cold place. 

LAZY SUMMER DAY IN SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

Downtown Santa Cruz, California from Cliff Street Walkway. The San Lorenzo River is flowing lazily to the Pacific Ocean about .5 miles away. The green grass along the banks are brown now. The most severe drought on record has everyone concerned about what the future will hold. Progress demands change. The lot filled with cars on the left side of this image is now Kaiser Permanente Arena and is used mostly by the Santa Cruz Warriors D-League team. Come visit us but only if you bring your own water.