Santa Barbara Tea Fire

Since I tinker with photography, I naturally enjoy the photography of others -- especially the real professionals. Someone just sent me the link to these amazing images that Alan Kim Boling, Jr. captured of the Tea Fire burning in Santa Barbara in November. It's always surprising how something can be horrifying and beautiful at the same time.

These images are especially powerful for me, because I grew up in Santa Barbara and my parents had to evacuate. I spent a sleepless night watching from afar as images like this appeared online, the line of fire marching uphill toward their home. Fortunately, their neighborhood was spared.

The Stunning Sierra Nevada

My husband and I backpacked up to Mt. Whitney last week. We've done it before (4 times for him, 2 times for me), but it never ceases to be an awe-inspiring trip. We take four days to do it so that we can truly enjoy ourselves.

Two of my favorite photos are the sunset and sunrise we experienced at Trail Camp. The trail to the summit of Whitney winds along the back side of the ridgeline in these shots - Whitney itself is the right-most peak in the first one.

Argiope aurantia

The latest addition to our "family" is this beautiful spider. We ignored her presence from afar for a while, thinking she was one of the more "ordinary" spiders we get this time of year, but upon closer inspection she turned out to be quite a beauty. Her common names are Golden Orb-weaver (California), Yellow Garden Orbweaver, Writing Spider (due to the zig-zag part of her web), or Black & Yellow Argiope.
Wrapping up breakfast.

Spring has Sprung!

We're having unusually warm weather right now in California, and the birds seem to be loving it. We have lots of babies flitting about, screeching for mom & dad to feed them. This morning, a couple of Bewick's wrens were hopping from bush to bush with their young one. Later, I noticed one of them perched on one of the supports of my windmill doing some rather enthusiastic grooming. I didn't have a video camera handy, but snuck out and caught these still shots (click the slideshow button for the best viewing). The quality is not great since I tried to keep my distance, but I thought I'd share.

New Cards

Once again, I have posted a few new cards in my Zazzle gallery. A couple of Kaua'i images and some wildflowers. More will be coming soon...


Kaua'i Breezes

Just for Fun

My husband and I spend a lot of time in the east Mojave desert, volunteering at the Mojave Desert Heritage & Cultural Association in Goffs. Since weather and availability of accommodations are unpredictable, we bought a trailer a few years ago to make our visits easier and more comfortable. It's a 1977 Airstream Caravanner, and we absolutely love it in spite of its many old-age quirks. One recent weekend, the moon was full and we took an evening walk. I snapped this photo as we returned to the trailer. I didn't expect it to turn out very well, but it perfectly captures the quiet of the place and our cozy little home.

New Cards Added to My Gallery

Late last week I added more cards to my Zazzle gallery. Check out the new wildflowers, roses, sunsets, and other scenes. I hope to be adding more soon.

"Old Workhorse" Featured on Tractorama.us

My "Old Workhorse" card is now featured on a Web site devoted to tractors! If you're a fan of tractors, especially "antique" ones, you might want to check it out: tractorama.us

Story Behind the Photo

This photo is one of my favorites. Not only because of the content, but because of the event surrounding it. My brother lives in Bali and is married to a local, so I have a half-Balinese niece. The occasion of this photo was her three-month ceremony. It was a typical Balinese ceremony with offerings, music, entertainment, and food for family and friends. I was fascinated by the spread of tools and offerings that were set upon the platform from which the priestess officiated. Everything had its purpose, and was also very finely crafted and beautiful. The priestess had obtained her position when her husband died; she assisted him in his duties as priest for years, and so when he died she simply assumed his role. Here's a photo of the priestess herself, in the midst of the ceremony:

Award Winner!

My card, Pink Orchids, was chosen as Hottest Greeting Card of the Day by the Zazzle Community on March 24!