Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Hunter's Moon

So named because it follows the Harvest Moon in September and in earlier times, after the crops were harvested and stored, it was time to hunt for game. This moon is peeking out from layers of cloud. It so happens tonight- October 11, 2011, is the night of the full Hunter's Moon.

Steve Jobs, John Scully, Steve Wozniak, Apple IIc

At the press conference roll out of the Apple IIc in San Francisco, April 1984

RIP, Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, pre I-Mac, pre I-phone, pre I-Tunes, pre Levis, pre black turtleneck, at the launch of the Apple II C in San Francisco, April 1984, praying, perhaps for success.

Probably An Homage To Lee Friedlander

In Pittsburgh, PA. Fun with an I-Phone camera on 9/28/2011.

ATT Park Abstraction II

Seat backs in an empty ATT Park in San Francisco, home of the Giants. Fun to play with contrast extremes, shallow depth of field, image and perspective compression via a moderate telephoto lens, and repetitive patterns.

ATT Park Abstraction

Must be an away game.. oh, yeah, Giants are in LA in the hunt for a play-off spot perhaps. Odds against a repeat of last year are growing as a result of the loss last night.

Pirates Cove, Fog & Clouds

On the trail that follows the cliffs south of Muir Beach, vistas of the Pacific, the California Coast and San Francisco's Richmond and Sunset Districts in the distance and maybe Pacifica, too.

Headed West

A flight of Brown Pelicans in V formation scouting the coastal waters of the Pacific near Muir Beach for dinner.

Pentagon 9/11 Victims Memorial

Victims of the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11 listed in chronological order from date of birth at the Pentagon's 9/11 Memorial.

Remembering 9/11, Washington, DC

The 9/11  Memorial at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. 9/16/2008

9/11 Remembered- WTC Site in 2009

October, 2009. Ground Zero construction. The major networks today are replaying their tapes from 2001 along with the broadcasts of the ceremonies in NYC, Washington, & PA.
How much has changed since then and since this photo was taken!

Remembering 9/11

Construction at Ground Zero in NYC, October 2009. A very somber day today, ten years later.

Coast Creek, Pt. Reyes National Seashore

Running merrily alongside the Bear Valley Trail at Pt. Reyes National Seashore, is Coast Creek with an abundance of ferns, poplars, laurels, pines, redwoods, and other riparian vegetation.

Bear Valley Trail, Pt. Reyes National Seashore

Hiking on the Bear Valley Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore over the Labor Day weekend. The trail follows Coast Creek much of the way allowing for a great variety of flora and fauna observation and cool relief from hot, inland locales. The trail head is at the Bear Valley Visitor Center just north of Olema, CA.

Arch Rock, Pt.Reyes National Seashore

It's been a hectic summer with some editorial assignments along with some commercial work keeping me busy, so that's why it's been awhile since my last post. Here's from  a visit yesterday to Pt. Reyes National Seashore and the four mile trek from the Bear Valley Visitor Center to Arch Rock. Surf advisories were up, so there were a good number of boards visible in the cars headed to the beaches, though this particular locale isn't well suited to the surfing crowd as you can see. It's an easy, popular hike along the Bear Valley Trail that follows Coast Creek much of the way. It was high tide when we were there, so we didn't hike down to the beach to see the arch, and with the surf advisory in effect, it probably wasn't a good idea anyway.

Eastern Spans, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

The single tower for the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge is nearing completion. The catwalks that will aid bridge workers in placing the single support cable have been attached to the western portion.

New Causeway, San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge

View of the parallel roadways of the new Eastern Span of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge from the waters of the San Francisco Bay.

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, East Span

The new span will have east and west bound traffic lanes running parallel to one another instead of atop one another as in the existing structure seen to the far left in this image.

Senior Moment at the Marina

"Oh, deah. Do, uh, youah  remembah wheah we, uh, pahked the boat?"

SF Giants Fans

Queued up outside AT & T Park on San Francisco's Embarcadero yesterday afternoon, four hours before the game's start time. Oh. It was Buster Posey Bobblehead Day. First twenty-thousand fans got one. That 'splains it.

Battery O'Rorke II

Atop Battery O'Rorke at Ft. Barry in the Marin Headlands, part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area, looking North. The stairs to the left lead to the four 3 inch gun mounts that were removed in 1946 following the forts' deactivation in 1945.

Rodeo Beach

Marin headlands, Ft. Cronkhite, in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Looking north from an overlook on the coastal cliffs.

Battery O'Rorke

Part of early twentieth century designed and built coastal defenses guarding San Francisco Bay, now part of the Golden Gate National Reacreation Area and home to graffiti of all types.

Pt. Bonita Light House

Ever vigilant at the entrance to the Golden Gate in the Marin Headlands of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. Taken on July 4, 2011. Happy Birthday, USA!

Meet Mr. Inky Dinky

Found him hanging out by the garage downspout the other morning. Looks like lunch is trapped in the background and the forecast doesn't call for rain. Today, though, Mr. Dinky had moved on....

The Bee's Knees

Another in the bee series utilizing flash fill.

Nectar Awaits, II

Final approach to the prize by an STOL expert. STOL is pilot-speak for short take-off/landing and refers to the runway distance an aircraft requires to travel before becoming airborne and subsequently land on and come to a stop. More fun with flash fill and extension tubes for macro-photography.

Nectar Awaits

Or "Flight of the Honey Bee". In any event, part of my enduring fascination with honey bees and macro photography. In this instance, utilizing external flash fill. Still not a short enough burst to freeze the bee's wings. Interestingly, a neighbor's friend stopped by as I was shooting and said he wouldn't be surprised if they were "his bees"- he has a couple of hives in his backyard and was a commercial beekeeper for a while. Sweet!

Sarah's Bouquet

A few days after her wedding and prior to being dried. Beginning to fade, but still lovely in muted late afternoon light.

Mt. Diablo, Clouds

What we've seen a lot of lately:
Clouds, leaden skies, rain.
What we've not seen: Mt. Diablo's peak,
the sun, and warm weather. Things look better today, though!

Headstones, San Francisco National Cemetery

Following a most joyous weekend with friends and family attending my daughter's wedding on May 28, a visit to the National Cemetery in  San Francisco's Presidio. It was  a sobering experience then and writing this now, on the 67th anniversary of D-Day, is deepened further. Yet, perhaps ironically, the joy of that weekend is not diminished but rather enhanced with the realization that this last full measure of devotion was given so that future generations could experience the happiness that fills me still.

I am not a particularly religious person but it seems to me that if one accepts the concept of the inter-relatedness of all things in the cosmos regardless of time, then it behooves one to act accordingly. To behave with the consciousness that what you do in the course of your daily affairs has consequences beyond your perception.

In the light of this realization and the media's obsession with the scandals and inanities of politicians and publicity seekers rather than the serious issues facing us as a nation and a planet, I find myself wondering why is there no perceptible outrage on the wasted resources reporting on such apparent fluff and why one particular representative should insist on remaining in office rather than resign.

It would appear that we are indeed living in "interesting times". The question is: To whom?

Top Lit Tulips

Tulips lighted with a single overhead light source. Go inner glow!

More Tulip Mania

 You have to love Spring!

Hot House Tulip Sex

And you were expecting what exactly?
Close up of the anthers and stigma from a Mother's Day Tulip bouquet. Available light, micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8, no post production modification other than size reduction and watermark Pretty hot stuff, for a flower....

Moon & Clouds Over Walnut Creek

Just getting ready to call it a night when a peek outside revealed a not quite full moon rising behind some fairly swiftly moving clouds. Had to see if I could capture the fleeting beauty of the moment. Guess I'm something of a lunatic after all...This is a straight pic-no adjustments save for reducing the image size for the blog and adding my watermark.

Grand Canyon 2

Never fails to impress- thanks Ray & Bert!

The Grand Canyon

Don't let budget axes decimate our National Parks!

The National Parks Conservation Association is protecting our national parks for our children and grandchildren.

You can help with your donation today!

Fruit & Cheese Jumble

A detail of the delightfully tasty fruit & cheese platter prepared by M Woodward Catering  served along with other gastronomical treats at the Full Circle Fund "Inside the Start Up Game" on March 29, 2011, in San Francisco.

SF City Hall

While photographing the Full Circle Fund's event "Inside the Startup Game" featuring William H. Draper, III, managed to squeeze one off of SF's City Hall in it's night-time splendor. From the balcony of the Green Room in the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center.

MLB opening day, 2011!

At last, it's for real  and the games count again. Spring is really here! Will the Giants repeat? Will it be an A's/Giants Series? As of this moment, all things are possible. Let the games begin!

More Spring

More tree blossoms from a walk between rain showers this morning. Hope springs eternal.

Hello, Spring!

Between rain showers this morning, the first day of spring, fresh buds and blossoms on a fruit tree breaking out, signs of re-birth and hope Nature provides annually if we let her.

Apple of the Day or Fruit Concept #3

One of these days I'm gonna take a bite out of this apple but for now,  am content to admire it's shape and form.

Fruit Concept #2

More shape and textures-a navel orange...a few more items and we can make a fruit salad

Fruit Concept

Play time with form and texture and remember, you are what you eat.

"The Silence of A Candle" Prt 2

Referencing the musical composition of the same name from Paul Winter's "Icarus" album with hope for a peaceful, democratic reconciliation in Egypt.

Stow Lake, #3

Bare branches on the trees at Stow Lake. Subtle beauty on an otherwise cold and gray day.

"I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do."

Willa Cather, O Pioneers!

Stow Lake #2

More fog and gulls that don't seem to mind the damp air.

Stow Lake, Sun, Fog

Walking back to my car after a recent visit to the de Young and the Post Impressionism exhibit, the fog rolled in from the Pacific and I happened to have my camera at hand, my eyes open.

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we will not find it."
Ralph Waldo Emerson