Posted on by Anne Sandler

Back from Death Valley with more to show you, part 4

You may have heard in the news that after a 3-year drought, California is experiencing a severe wind and rain storm. With that being a prominent concern, we dead headed from Death Valley and drove 11 hours to home yesterday to avoid getting caught in 60 mph winds that hit last night.

But, I still have so much more to show you. Death Valley is full of surprises and one of them is Scotty’s Castle. It’s called Scotty’s Castle because Scotty was the person most associated with the vacation home of millionaires Albert and Bessie Johnson. Scotty and Albert’s relationship was born out of a swindle (on Scotty’s part) and went on to become a friendship that would last Albert’s lifetime. People came from all over to meet Scotty and hear his tall tales. The Johnsons rented rooms and had private guests. The tour guide told us that when friends came, Bessie would play their favorite song from the clock tower as they were approaching. More of the history can be found at the two links I’ve provided.

My next post will show you the Devils Corn Field, Sand Dunes and Mosaic Canyon.

Now for the Castle images.

Posted on by Anne Sandler

Not so sick any more in Death Valley, part 3

Yes, not so sick, but recuperating. The cold is almost gone—no tissues used today and my back is allowing me to move more easily. I hope my chiropractor, Dr. Heather Rosenberg, is home from Russia when we return.

Today we jammed in three sights that I will show you in another post. Today’s post is all about the highest and lowest places, Badwater Basin, in Death Valley. This is such an amazing place. In the summer, temperatures can reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. During this winter trip, the temperatures are in the low 70s, and it is just beautiful.

One disappointment: they advertise Death Valley as one of the darkest places and welcome astronomers to view the stars. However, since we’ve been here, there has been a cloud cover. It’s great for photography, but not for Richard who brought his telescope!

Tomorrow we start the trek home. By the time we get there, I’ll be ready for more photography meetups.

Now, for the high, Dante’s View, and low, Badwater Basin, of the trip.

Posted on by Anne Sandler

On the road again: Sick in Death Valley, California, part 2

Yes, still sick. Yesterday was a bust. I slept through the morning and two guys slept through the afternoon. So we stayed put. I can’t say I feel a whole lot better, but at least I’m walking upright!

To make up for our day off, we’re having a full day. I figure I can sleep in the truck if I need to! Oh, we have a camp mascot—a coyote. He roams around the campground. Hopefully, I’ll get a shot of him before we leave. Of course we’re very careful with our dog.

Today, I’m going to show you the Borax Museum. The Borax Company’s history is rich in this area as a mining company. Our Ranger guide at the Inn told us that Borax wanted to have this area designated as a National Park and did whatever they could to make it happen. In 1933, Death Valley was designated as a National Monument and became a National Park in 1994.Borax is still mining here.

The museum is a small structure and has artifacts from the old mining era. However, outside, I found my own gold mine—a bunch of old rusted mining equipment.

That equipment can’t be brought back to life, but I hope I don’t feel old and rusted for too much longer!

Posted on by Anne Sandler

On the road again: Sick in Death Valley National Park, California

I didn’t plan on it, but it happened anyway. I left home with a bad back, hoping it would get better. While here I caught a cold from my dear friend Sandy. And, she really didn’t want to give it away. All of us four adults seem to be suffering from cold in some way.

So, we have taken it easy, avoiding strenuous hikes. Our first outing was to the Furnace Creek Inn and the Borax Museum. The Lodge is rather posh. We’re not staying there, but are camping in the National Park campground down the road. Here are some images from the lodge. Tomorrow (maybe depending on how I feel) the museum

It’s a bummer being sick when you want to see the sights and shoot pictures.

Posted on by Anne Sandler

Finally got my photo fix: Family Thanksgiving weekend, Monterey

Shoot, shoot, shoot. Yes, I did a lot of shooting Thanksgiving weekend. We had one great day, and then the rain came. Fortunately, by the time we got out to see the sights, it had stopped raining. However, it was cold, damp and overcast. Not the opportune time to take photos.

At the butterfly sanctuary, the Monarchs were huddled and not really flying around. They hang from branches high up on trees, and my 300 mm had a difficult time reaching them. But, I did my best–with Richard’s help. I have a difficult time bending my head back; I get dizzy. So, Richard became my human tripod. I leaned up against him and had him hold my elbows so I could steady the camera. I had two other alternatives: 1. to hand him the camera; 2. to go get the tripod. But why take the easy way!!

The weather was in my favor when we visited the lighthouse. But, no blue skies. This wraps up our Thanksgiving weekend. We are on our way to Death Valley. I’m looking forward to more shooting, shooting, shooting.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 2 Comments

Finally got my photo fix: Family Thanksgiving Weekend, Capitola Beach

Busy, that’s how I would describe Capitola Beach. Of course, the holiday weekend helped. The city was gracious to offer free two or three hour parking, but you had to go move your car. We were about a half hour late, but didn’t get tagged. This was my first time to this cute little beach town.

It catered to whatever you needed: surfing, just sitting on the beach, fishing, shopping and eating. My family opted for all except surfing. The grandkids enjoyed their beach time, their parents enjoyed relaxing, other family members enjoyed not catching fish, and the rest shopped. I had fun walking and shooting. My wonderful husband walked with me and patiently waited while I took pictures.

Here are some of the beach images. My next post will be on Monterey.

Posted on by Anne Sandler

Finally got my photo fix: Family Thanksgiving weekend at KOA, Watsonville, California

Yes, I finally shot my way out of the funk! I shot grandkids, beach, surfers, buildings, people, butterflies, a lighthouse and more. I think this may be a three-parter, but we’ll see. We’re leaving on Wednesday for Death Valley National Park. So I have to be quick.

Let’s start at the beginning–the very sandy campground. No it wasn’t on the beach, but the children’s play areas were in sand which my dog sat in. Needless to say, sand was all over the trailer! But the grandkids had a great time, and isn’t that what is important?