As we drove along one of the main streets in Rancho Cucamonga towards our son’s house, we were treated to beautiful views of the snow-covered mountains ahead. The street had a row of palms along the median, and I was struck by the contrast of the palm trees and the snow ahead. I hunched down in my seat and was able to capture this shot with my iPhone through the windshield.
Fog and snow shrouded this scene up at Flagstaff’s Snow Bowl.
I do realize that this is the second blog post of the day, BUT I am trying to solve my image size problem on my own (WordPress still maintains it is an Apple problem). I changed the image size in my post earlier today to the default setting of Large (I have been using the Full Size setting for several years), and this morning’s image showed up correctly in emails. I’m trying again with a square image to see if it will work! You may see more posts in the next week as I test this out, so bear with me!
Head over to my blog if the image does not show up in your mail program- click here.
We had our first snow this week, just a couple inches, which has melted away- at least at our house. Yesterday we went up to Flagstaff for a doctor appointment and drove up to Snow Bowl for a bit of photography. I think the smaller details of the snowy trees were more compelling to me than the larger scene.
Tuesday we made our last (fingers crossed!) trip to Phoenix for medical appointments for my husband’s back. It’s annoying and worrisome that doctors are leaving our town and that we sometimes have to make the almost 2 hour trek down the mountains for medical care. We have been spending the night each time and adding on something fun to the trips to make it more enjoyable each time.
On the way there we made our usual stop at the outlet mall for a short break- and this time I took the time to practice doing in-camera multiple exposures of the saguaros by the parking lot. Because my camera doesn’t have all the bells and whistles for multiple exposure, I often get discouraged and give up doing it in camera. However, this time I think I got a good result and enjoyed editing it pretty quickly in Photoshop.
Last week’s poppy adventure provided an unexpected photo op. As we headed to Saguaro Lake, we came upon some of the Salt River wild horses having their own poppy adventure! We had talked earlier about the possibility of trying to find them, but we didn’t really know where to go and the poppies were calling my name. It was certainly a moment of synchronicity finding some of the horses among the wildflowers!
Little darlin’, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darlin’, it seems like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s alright
George Harrison
After a long dismal winter, we were beside ourselves to find this field of gorgeous poppies yesterday. It still seems like winter in Prescott- still having occasional snow and lots of flooding rains- BUT. . . down in Wickenburg, it is SPRING! We stayed longer than expected, just enjoying the scenery and eventually having a late lunch/dinner downtown. What a great day!
More Downtown Details today! Above is the light fixture hanging in a doorway of the old Masonic building, and below is the clock on the same building. By the way, these photos were taken in the morning- and the clock reads two o’clock- hence its title- Correct Time Twice a Day.
to be continued…
This month’s theme for my AAUW photo group was Downtown Details. I wandered around downtown on a Friday morning, armed with my iPhone and looking for details to capture. Above is a lamppost sign on a Cortez Street intersection. As the wires and lamppost intersect (as do past and present), I call this one Intersections.
Below is Through a Glass Brightly (groan…), a view of a window, the lights inside, and a reflection of the building across the street.
to be continued…
Back when we were at the Desert Botanical Garden a few months ago, I’m sure my husband was a bit taken aback by my enthusiasm over these watering cans which were sitting on a ledge in a corner, almost out of sight. We were surrounded by the beauty of nature and the magic of Chihuly glass, but there is something so amazing about finding an unstaged, “found still life” just waiting to be captured by the camera! I aimed my camera with my zoom lens and took a few quick shots, feeling very lucky to have come upon this little wabi sabi scene.
As I get ready for today’s Labor Day barbecue, I think about how Labor Day meant the end of summer when I was a child. Now, most schools have been in session for a couple weeks or more. This image is from last October’s visit to Huntington Beach; summer is still in full swing in Southern California!
I am thinking of getting my Fall wreath out soon though. . .
I never know what to call these stick tepee things I often see on our walks- nor do I understand why they are there. But- the autumn light coming through the trees called out to me to take this photo.
On our last trip up to Flagstaff, we experienced two seasons in less than 24 hours! This is the morning after the huge snowstorm/thunderstorm which kept waking us up during the night. The snow was still lightly falling when I took this photo.
Another photo from Aspen Corner- this time from our second trip this month. It was mid-to-late afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and the wind was just beginning to pick up, heralding the snowstorm to come.
Notes: Those are my husband’s fingers (I am not coordinated enough to hold the camera and glass ball at the same time- and I didn’t bring my tripod)! And this image won third place at my photo club this month!
We have just returned from an overnight to Flagstaff, where we visited Aspen Corner in sunshine one day and in snow the next. The image above is from our previous visit; newer images will be posted after I have time to process them. Autumn has fully arrived- and Winter is on its way!
Here is yet another image from our last trip up to Flagstaff. We are hoping to get up there again this week; there’s a chance of snow, so fingers crossed!
melinda anderson photography 