Photo Bombed

From time to time I throw out a handful of bird seed,

in a place that is in view from the kitchen window.

I like seeing all the little birds and the doves that hang out in the yard.

This lonely sunflower has come up along with a nice stand of corm,

so I thought I would play with the camera a little before it's gone.

Of course, if you get down on your knees, 

someone thinks it's all about them.

;D

Morning Coffee with the Turkeys

Last night Hawk was setting in a tree screeching,

this morning he was still at it.  Camera in hand 

and full cup of coffee, I went looking for him.

  

Took my time walking down through the orchard, 

he was out front by the road and I didn't want to scare him off.

As I made my way from row to row, working towards 

the fence between the Orange and the Olive orchard,

I came face to face with mamma and baby turkeys.

Not sure who was more surprised,

 but I'm willing to bet it was me, 

as for now most of my coffee was on the ground

Three hens and six babies.

Once they decided I wasn't coming for them, 

they settled back to eating breakfast and I continued on 

my way to find Hawk.

No......  no photos of Hawk.

He was in the top of a Eucalyptus tree

 with branches all around, blocking him.

I did the next best thing and headed to the house 

for a fresh cup...   Maybe next time.

;D

"HAPPY INDEPENDENTS DAY"

Turning Night to Day

The last week of April I attended "Shooting the West" 

The Nevada Photography Experience.

One of the classes I took was with Grant Kaye,

Landscape Astrophotography.  It was pretty cool!

or I should say "Pretty Damn Cool!!!

Standing out on the side of a mountain in the dark,

30 some degrees and the wind blowing and

"Glad I did it."

Basically, you get all set up and wait for the stars to come out.

Sometimes the clouds come first and keep coming.

The first photo is what I actually shot ,

not much there and as cold as it looks.

I liked the photo, so worked with it to 

 get what you see in the second photo.

Big differences.

This is the look we were going for in the class,

much better.  This summer when I'm up in the mountains,

I'm going to try it on my own.

If you would like to see more of Grant Kaye's go to

Grant Kaye Photography

Click On Photos To Enlarge

Thunder Mountain Monument

Thunder Mountain is a unique place on Hwy 80 in Imlay Nevada.

Building began in the late 60s by Chief Thunder, Frank Van Zant, 

today five acres is owned and operated by his son Dan Van Zant.

There are many stories to explain why the Chief would take on such a project.

One account is that he had a dream, where a great big eagle swooped out 

of the sky and told him, "This is where I should build his nest."

 Another is that in the fall of 1968, Frank and his young bride's

1946 Chevy pickup truck broke down, he couldn't get it running again

and put up camp in the sagebrush. 

According to his son Dan, when his father was a boy he 

saw a bottle house somewhere around  Death Valley. 

 He fell in love with it and had always wonted to build one.

Now the monument is open to the public.

It's a fun place to stop, unload your ice chest, stretch  your legs, 

take photos.  If you like bottles, old rusty thing and

 cotton tail bunnies, you'll love it here.

For the full story go to 

Thunder Mountain Monument

Biscuits First Saddle

Biscuit is going to take riding lesson.
So while GG....   aka Grandma Don/ Mom  was at the ranch 
this past weekend, guess what she found.
"A Saddle"
 Funny thing, this isn't the  kids saddle we all know
and have no idea where this one came from, 
but it's just the right size.

She wiped it all down herself.

;D

"Cattle Guard"

"GOAT GUARD!!!"

Goats Gone Wild, Spring Break on the Farm

My friend Mike brought a few goats to feed off a small pen.

It's been going really well, even commented to JS,

" What eating machines these little guys are."

They've mowed the lot down in no time.

The problem with goats, is once they have eaten everything,

where they should....   they start looking for a new place!

And if that means over the BBQ.....  Hey! No problem!!

Picture me running around the backyard chasing one, 

while another is standing on the BBQ.

Thank goodness for grain, hay and folding tables.

;D

Happy New Year!!!

Better late then never...

Finally have gotten snow in the Sierra Nevada's, so 

 New Years Day JS and I where able to go for a wonderful 

cross country snowmobile ride.

Beautiful day and the snow was great, about three feet that day.

We've had a couple more storms so there is about 4 to 5 feet now.

Road to the Morreville warming hut, over looking 

Little Grass Reservoir below.  Then we dropped off the face of the 

mountain, heading back to the cabin.   Didn't realize that we were about

a half a mile north of the trail we usually take and it was a little 

steeper then I like, but fun.....  Makes you a better rider.

;D

11-11-15

Exposure

A little while back, my other partner in photography crime, 

Tammy Edwards came to visit me in the mountains and we had

 a photo day.  We started by walking the trail around the lake,

 to a large rock outcropping.   Our goal was to work on exposure, 

getting the lightness or the darkness of our subject correct,

while shooting in manual.

We even took a drive to the dam.  It's top is lined with large boulder's

that were created from the building of Little Grass Reservoir and Dam.

The sun was high, so it was good practice shooting in the full sun.

In another smaller rock formation we found this little plant.

Tomorrow, Tammy has invited me to go with her, on a photo day.

Now sure, where we are going, but I know it will be fun.

;D

I Am Not Lost.....

I'm here and how are all of you?

It's finely cooled off and is acting like Fall,

even got a little rain yesterday and a promise of more.

Oranges are getting color and the Biscuit is growing.

Starting to have a little more time, so thought I had better

get back to blogging and photography.

Talk to you soon.

;D

August 2015 Summers End

 How has your summer been going?

All is well here on the farm, summer has been hot and dry!

Weekdays are spent keeping the orange orchard irrigated, spot 

watering things around the yard and keeping one eye out for fires. 

Running for JS for the construction company,

 fills a good part of my time.  We're busy so that good.

Thursday is Biscuit day and she's growing like a weed.

Fridays I get us packed up and ready,

 to head to the mountains for the weekend.

We're still working on the "Lodge"

I took my Mom up to Modoc county in the far

Northeast corner of the state to see her brother.

That' always a fun trip.  Lots of cows and hay.

I love it there.

Fireworks over Lake Oroville

Sons Shane and Zachary, cooking for Kinder's on the 4th of July.

I took one photo and said "Can I get a smile?"

Shane grunted and this is what I got.

Santa Cruz on the Board Walk.

We've done some fun things too.

BBQ's, Big 4th of July celebration in our town this year.

Went to Santa Cruz with a good friend.

Sister Cindy and I were invited to have a booth, 

with our photography at the opening of a new winery.

County Fair (got to have our yearly corn dog)

and tomorrow Daughter Dawn and I are going to

 a baby show, for a close college friend of hers.

Haven"t had the camera out much,

but I'll be getting back to that soon also.

I'm glad summer is coming to an end,

 I don't ever remember out little farm looking so sad 

and brown.   Looking forward to green.

;D

Perseid Meteor Shower

What a Beautiful Night!

Had a little fun and tried my hand at shooing the 

Perseid Meteor Shower.

Took my camera equipment and set it up in the middle of the pasture,

 a glass of wine and my pistol.   Hey! there's things out there

and it didn't help that Ranch Dog kelp growling.

JS, even came and hung out with me and 

managed to capture a meteor 

A Few Chores

Yesterday while doing chores around the farm, 

I pack the camera along.  Trying to do more shooting in manual.

Look at this photo above of the young oranges.

See how the leaves are folded in half?

This is a sign that the trees are stressed for water,

 so I need to up the amount of water in this week irrigation cycle

and for the rest of the summer.

Even though we sold the cows, I still keep the water tanks full.

We have a lot of wildlife, that call our farm home. 

 Deer, turkeys, doves, lot of birds and critters.

Ranch Dog is my water quality foreman.

As you can see, it's pretty dry around here.

This is a different angles of the tanks, 

you can see the orange orchard in the background.

Olives...  These are the old Mission olives.

Not much of a market for them in general and they wont be worth

 much this year since we are not irrigating them.

Olive trees can go for many years without being watered.

Laundries is an everyday chore.

When the weather is warm I try to not run the dryer so much. 

I don't have a close line, but the handrail on the front porch work good.

It's a good place to air blankets and pillows also.

Didn't do to bad shooting in manual,

little dark, but I'll work on it.

;D

Love Fireworks !!!

The fireworks Saturday night were beautiful!

This was my first attempt at photoing them,

learned a lot and looking forward to next year.

Hope you had a fun and safe 4th.

"Happy Independents Day"

"Thank You God"

For letting me be born an American.

Wild Mountain Foxgloves

Above five thousand feet, it's still spring in California.

The state may be in drought, but Mother Nature 

has saved us a place, lush and green.

Can You See It?

Come with me, I want to show you one of my favorite places.

It's not far, but when your here it's like the rest of the world has disappeared.

See the big meadow? 

 I always stop right here to see if I might spot something moving.

Never do, I'm always here to late in the day, the sun is high and 

shadows hard and by now what might have been here is gone.

 And here in this spot that I stop to look is where I almost catch

my dang toe in the wire.....every time.    Can you see it?

Remnants of a fences from 100 years ago.  When before the lake was put in, 
cattle grassed in a bigger meadow and teams cutting hay.
Always think I should cut is out to be safe.  Then I think about the 
hard work it took putting it in.   The order that took days if not week to 
get to Marysville,  where it was most likely shipped from. 
 The freight team that brought it up the mountain, that was at least 3 days,
with one night spent in Strawberry Valley. Trip to LaPorte to pick it up
 and the entire summer, digging post holes, stacking rocks and stringing wire.

Can you see it?  The finished fence and the fat cows... 
and the man standing here, looking at this meadow, 
and what he has accomplished.

Can you see it?

Big Day!!!!

"Big Personal Day for Me"

My friend Lori Pierce is the owner of

 MugShots Coffeehoues.

Back in April, Daughter Dawn and I were in one of Lori's 

other shops and I was asking her about the photography

she was selling there.  She asked if I had art to sell and

would I like to have the month of June to display it,

in the coffeeshop...   with no hesitation Dawn said yes.

Every month a different local artist is invited to 

showcase their paintings or photography.

Those of you who know me, know I love my coffee!

so it's pretty fitting that my "First Show" 

would be in a coffeehouse.

There are 16 prints on metal and will 

 be displayed for all of June.

I am so existed and nerves, it's a bit our of my

 comfort zone and yes, they are for sale.

Stop By,  I can grantee you'll like the coffee and great food.

Art!? that's in the eye of the beholder.

Before I committed, I ask all three of the kids

if it wold embarrass them?  They said, "Heck No!,

 "They've seen a lot worse art in coffee shops"

I think that was their seal of approval.

;D