We expected wineries but photo buddy Karen took us on a special tour of Napa and Napa Valley. We didn’t see the touristy Napa Valley as described here, taken from the Napa Valley website: “More than 400 wineries dot the fertile soils of Napa Valley, one of the world’s premier viticultural regions. But wine, as visitors quickly discover, is only the beginning. Lavish resorts and top-rated chefs work alongside the farmers who tend this land: the result is something understated and exceptional.”
We saw the real Napa Valley. During our day we saw Lake Solano Park, Monticello Dam, rolling green hills, mustard tucked in between rows of vineyards, livestock grazing, alpacas and where her husband’s family ranch used to be. And we visited Napa City towards the end of day for some fantastic lighting.
Let’s see, what did I learn? I discovered the difference between llamas and alpacas, and again took the ultra wide lens out for a spin. So take a look at the Napa we saw on our recent visit with Karen.
We started out at Lake Solano Park.
I loved the red buds floating on the water.
Cattails are a favorite of mine.
What is this goose trying to tell me?
The road around Monticello Dam.
The expressive mountain across from the dam.
I liked the folds in the rock.
Workers were putting up netting to keep rocks from falling onto the road.
A pasture for cows and alpaca.
Okay, the difference between an alpaca and llama is the ears. Alpacas have short ears, as pictured, and llamas have longer ones.
Rustic fencing.
Sunlight casting a shadow on the fencing.
Mustard plants brighten up the vineyards.
A tree canopy.
I love this tree. On Thursday, I’m going to learn how to take out the front windmill!
My trip to San Jose, for my yearly vision board session, with Marlene was going according to plan. We stopped in Livermore to shoot the sights and eat lunch.
While Livermore is nationally known as the home for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, it’s a small, lovely town nestled in rolling hills. We walked around Historic Downtown, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way it was designed.
Next we stopped at the Sunol Regional Wilderness Park. I always wanted to get off the freeway to see what was hidden in the hills as I would go to San Jose, but never took the time. This was the time! It’s a beautiful area and now green because of our recent rains. There are many parks, lakes, etc. for residents to enjoy. Our stop was at the Sunol Regional Wilderness. Located in Alameda County and near the town of Sunol. It was primarily ranch land, and today cattle still graze in some areas. We enjoyed shooting in this beautiful park; however, our adventure went awry when we left.
I have no idea what got into me. Maybe it was the Greg Morris influence, but I saw that Calaveras Road continued on into Milpitas. I had my trusty GPS with me. And Marlene didn’t say “No, I don’t think it’s a good idea to go that way!” So off we went on a joy ride that would include mostly hairpin turns on an extremely narrow road. Not knowing the road, I was going around 18 to 25 miles per hour and the drivers coming the other way were cruising at about 40 miles per hour! Worse, remember those hairpin turns? They came around so fast and had to break when they saw me. Moving over wasn’t so much of an option with a shear drop on one side and a mountain on the other. At one point, Marlene suggested that the car came with a horn to use as a warning device.
We made it. But we weren’t able to pull over and take pictures of the beautiful scenery that included the Calaveras Reservoir. So, we made mental pictures, and I can’t show them to you. You can click on the link to see someone else’s images!
Going off plan proved adventurous, somewhat nerve racking at times, but gave me something to write about.
One of two fountains that were across the street from each other.
Well, what is in a name? Everything! As a former journalist and copywriter, I know that a name is very important. When you name a new company, it has to fit the personality and style of the group. It also has to appeal and suggest a benefit to the potential customer. So here we are with our newly formed Tuesday group, and still no name.
Now you’re thinking, why do they need a name. It’s simple, for the reasons above. After weeks of thinking, bantering and laughing –mostly because I threatened not to let them go home at the end of a long day shooting–we have a name! It is Camera Totin’ Tuesdays. I won’t go into what other choices we came up with, at least not in print. It’s amazing how silly you can get on Diet Coke, tea and water! Boy, do we know how to have fun.
And the name’s working already. We have two women wanting to journey with us when they can. Sometimes we know exactly where we’re going, and other times we just drive and see where the road takes us. We are secure with a GPS and a “Home” button.
This journey took us into Capay Valley. Karen was our guide since she knew the area. This valley is a mostly rural area northwest of Sacramento in Yolo County. Dotted with small towns, it was beautiful with rolling hills and great color. It’s amazing what a little water can do. With mostly farms, the culture is quite different from urban Sacramento and its suburbs.
I think the name Capay has something to do with American Indian culture since a few different tribes have inhabited the valley. I wish I could say for sure because names do tell tales!
We ate lunch at the Road Trip Cafe. These Paper trees were in their patio.
Also in the patio was this mural painted on the block wall–a tribute to the area’s veterans.
There were also other tributes to veterans.
When entering the town of Esparto these brightly colored paintings greet you.
Here Karen takes a picture of a silo.
Looking up the ladder of the silo.
The sun came out just to light up the old windmill.
And, do a sunburst over this old shed.
This is the Cache Creek Casino’s golf course.
It was a treat to see the clouds reflected in the water.
Let’s see: boots, check; flannel lined leggings, check; three layers on top, check; knitted head scarf, check. I’m all ready for a fun day of shooting in the snow at Donner Lake.
Marlene, Linda and I went off early one Saturday morning to get ahead of the weekend crowds. However, to our surprise, there weren’t a bunch of people on the Donner Lake roads. It was beautiful with temperatures in the high 50’s (Fahrenheit) and sunny. What fun.
The reality is that we drove around the lake, drove to the mountain top and drove into the nearby town of Truckee. Yes, we did get out, walk around and shoot. But, we didn’t hike. Still, the thrill of stepping into a foot of snow was there. At one time, I did fall, butt down, into the fresh icy snow. When I fall, so do my two cameras hanging from a sling. I got up and wiped them down with a towel I brought along. They didn’t suffer. Neither did I.
Since this was my first time shooting in the snow, I read tutorials. Of course they contradicted each other! That’s the frustrating about learning photography, there are many ways to achieve the same end. So, I decided to bracket my shots. At least one of the three would be good, right? When I uploaded them to my computer, I decided that the original exposure shot was the correct one. They did need some processing in Lightroom to tone down the white and, sometimes, blue of the snow.
And, we met a few nice people who were more than willing to chat. I get it now Greg! What did I learn from this experience? I discovered that whatever your physical capabilities you can have fun in the snow. Just make sure you’re covered for whatever weather Mother Nature brings–boots, hat, enough clothing layers and good friends.
Donner Lake as seen from almost to the summit.
Now these people are hiking! Underneath the snow there is a trail!
Icicles hanging from a roof.
Now this small house is truly snowed in!
Icicles.
We talked to the man who’s sons made this snowman and another. What fun!
A look at some of the lake side homes.
In Truckee, a brewery has made a home of an old gas station.
In Cisco Grove (down the mountain from Donner Lake) a young boy is getting a sled ride.
These red buds were abundant in Cisco Grove.
Here’s a closer view.
Back at Donner: The stairway to…..?
I enjoyed shooting with my ultra-wide lens. A deep view of the Lake.
This gentleman in his 80’s built this home. He’s come up to do some shoveling on the stairs. He summers in Alaska!
The sun’s rays are streaming through the trees, giving a rainbow effect.
We are in a morphing stage. Since Greg’s passing, our Tuesdays With Seniors group hasn’t been the same. We’ve reformed and are now enjoying the company of pre-seniors. It was during this time that our two new members, Rita and Karen, and I went to Grass Valley and the Empire Mine State Park.
I had been there twice with Greg, and he was the tour guide. He mostly showed me the town, various high points and the countryside. He used to live in Nevada City and for him it was a homecoming.
I find Grass Valley old town a little less touristy than Nevada City. We went to both, but shot mostly in Grass Valley. Once again, I needed to shoot the familiar scene a little differently. I didn’t do HDR or carry a tripod as I had done on my two previous visits. I tried different angles and got in a little closer in some shots, especially at the mine.
This time our visit to the Empire Mine, where I did use a tripod and shot HDR, yielded an unauthorized brief tour of the cottage. The ranger in the office turned her head and allowed the docent to take us in. We were like children in the candy store, that is until the alarm went off. Our docent, probably feeling like he got caught with his hand in the candy jar, was busy trying to turn off the blaring sound. Soon we heard an additional but different blare–the second alarm! We took our shots quickly because we knew that once the alarms were turned off, our sneak peak into the cottage would be over.
But, the fun isn’t over, and I look forward to more adventures with this re-formed group. We will have a new name which will be decided tomorrow during our Napa visit.
This mural was on the side of a convenience store near the historic part of town.
I couldn’t get a decent shot of this beautiful library the last time. So glad I came back.
Karen and I played around with catching a sunburst on the old Del Oro movie theater.
This picture of a bank shows how hilly this area is.
Just a bunch of hanging signs on Main Stree.
Inside the cottage.
I loved the old furniture. I used HDR because I didn’t want to damage anything with a flash.
Love the old tub in the downstairs bathroom.
This is what we would call the family room today.
At the blacksmith shop.
The docents make real, usable items in this shop.
In the old machinery bone yard. Close ups.
I love old rusted machinery.
I’m sure this was used to carry stuff out of the mine.
First of all, my photo buddy, friend and mentor, Greg Morris was never one to not speak his mind, especially on politics. So, when I first got the news of his death during the morning of January 31, the first thing I said to my husband was: “Bernie Sanders just lost a vote.” Richard knew what that meant because we’ve been expecting that phone call for a couple of weeks.
Greg not only introduced me to his candidate, Bernie Sanders, but to a great deal about photography. He loved HDR, his tripod and talking to people. He’d always remind me to bring my tripod along on photo outings. Just once, I caught him hand holding his camera.
Greg chats with a homeless man in Midtown, Sacramento.
He also introduced me to towns (Locke was a favorite), rivers and out of the way places I would have never known existed. The greatest part, he never took a freeway! That’s why it took us so long to get anywhere. He was our driver and guide, never taking gas money. So, Marlene and I would treat him to lunch at various places he knew of. Small restaurants with great food. Only once did he disappoint us. He promised us the best pizza in Downieville; however all the restaurants in that small town were closed for the season!
Greg poses as the famous Mona Lisa in Locke. He then had me pose in another cutout.Thank goodness the Downieville grocery was open. It may not have provided us with pizza, but my rice bowl was good.
We never got a chance to go back for that pizza during the season. Greg passed away from a cancerous Glioblastoma brain tumor. From the diagnosis to the end was three short months. Soon the guide became the guided as Marlene and I took him out locally for photo shoots. It amazed me that as frazzled as his brain was becoming, once we arrived at the shoot, he’d get his photo gear ready and was once again the amazing photographer.
Greg’s outing with us was to Discovery Park, Sacramento.
As much as he loved photography, he loved his family: daughters Tiffany, Erica and Mimi; his two granddaughters, and niece Shonna and her family. We are all going to miss this guy with the wonderful sense of humor who would sing to cows, do weekly crazy selfies and post them on Sacramento Photographers, chat with strangers, give restaurant wait staff a humorous time (It was usually the same old line.), help new photographers and not only post great pictures, but give us a history lesson too.
RIP Greg. And, Bernie, don’t worry, I’ll vote for you. Greg did convince me.
I have resisted buying a lens that would zoom out larger than 300 mm because I really can’t handhold anything heavier. And, lets be honest, I would only need it when I shoot wildlife. So…..I guess I can do without it. That’s what I’ve been telling myself, but when I looked at my pictures after a recent visit to the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge with Laura and Marlene, I saw mostly grainy images. They were in focus, but not tack sharp.
I knew I’d have a problem before I agreed to go on the outing, but I thought I’d give it a try. Even though it was overcast, I had hope. With the current rains there would probably be more birds than last year, and I knew I’d get something. I did. Thanks to Laura’s sun roof, I got some fantastic shots of a bald eagle in a tree above us. With my lens all the way out, I could get in nice and close. That was one of the eagles we saw.
We saw two other bald eagles that day. One was too far away to shoot even with Laura’s 400 mm. The other was a distance, but we could shoot it. Although in focus, the images were grainy. After looking at my almost 1,000 shots for the day, I’m thinking of getting a 400 mm zoom lens.
When we shoot wildlife at a refuge or preserve, we can’t get out of the car and have to shoot out the window. The window (which is all the way down) becomes a tripod when a small pillow is placed on the frame. I could also use the heavier lens on a tripod. It’s rather limiting, but I could get a better shot of wildlife.
Right now, I’m checking the used departments of online stores. My goal is to find an affordable factory refurbished lens, so I won’t be in the buy or not to buy quandary.
Snow Geese
A flock of Snow Geese.
Juvenile White Faced Ibis?
Ring Necked Pheasant
I don’t know what this little one is.
Bald Eagle
Same Eagle.
I think this is a raptor.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
The same bird.
Although more than last year, the water level was still down at the refuge.
With my 300 mm I could still capture landscapes.
This was probably a walkway, but there’s a slight amount of water now.
It may be a challenge, but it puts your photography to a test–revisiting places you’ve already shot. I go back with the idea that I’m going to find a new way of shooting, find new things to shoot and just enjoy it.
That’s the approach I took when Marlene and I went to Crockett and Mare Island. She had never been to Crockett and had been to Mare Island a long time ago. Crockett was the same: old, and sometimes dreary and quaint. Can a town be both? This one can. Its claim to fame is the C & H Sugar plant, and just like before, we were chased away. They do not like their property photographed.
We drove around, had lunch and found Port Costa (described in my previous post). From there we drove on to Mare Island, which was in the midst of change. Chain link fencing was around many buildings, the front street at the shore was closed to traffic, most of the large cranes were gone and we were left with little to shoot. They are fixing up the Island and getting ready to lease out buildings. So, I made lemonade by shooting various locks I found and some buildings.
It was a full-day shoot, and I enjoyed it. Especially the challenge of finding a new slant to a place I’ve already photographed.
You may remember this plant from my post last year. I just had to do it again!
This is a park across from the C & H plant.
I liked the way the sun was hitting the top of this picnic enclosure.
A lamp post in the park.
I wasn’t able to capture this beautiful home the last time. We also met the owner who talked with us at length about the house and how it had changed from its original state. They have plans to restore it as time and money permits.
This is a side view of the Odd Fellows Hall.
The bridge and boat were totally encased in fog/haze. Lightroom’s dehaze did a pretty good job of removing most of it.
One of the few old buildings left on Mare Island worth shooting.
The window from that building.
The one crane left.
I just liked the lines of these buildings.
Here come the locks! #1
#2
#3
#4
I truly don’t know what this was attached to. I just liked the aging and color.
Not knowing the country roads, we needed to take the freeway to get to Crockett, Port Costa and Mare Island. Marlene said, “Greg wouldn’t approve,” and I agreed. This was our first long distance outing since Greg became ill. We stayed around home base for a few weeks during our Tuesday’s With Seniors outings to accommodate his needs. He may not have been able to come, but he was certainly on our minds.
Driving the freeway route, we first stopped at Crockett, then found Port Costa and eventually made our way to Mare Island. Today, I want to show you some of Port Costa. This small, decaying town is a census-designated place in Conra Costa County. The population was 190 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1879 as a landing for the railroad ferrySolano, Port Costa’s ferries carried entire trains across the Carquinez Strait from Benicia to Port Costa. The town lost its importance when a railroad bridge was constructed at Martinez in 1930 to replace the ferry crossing. Today, it’s a sleepy, photogenic and cute town.
I enjoyed shooting in Port Costa more than the other two places which I will show you in another post. I just wish, some of the stores were open on Tuesdays. It’s a good thing we ate lunch before we arrived!
From Port Costa to Mare Island, we were able to stay off the freeway although we did use the GPS–another thing Greg would never use!
I would have liked to go into this store. Looking through the window gave us a glimpse of treasurers.
I’m so glad they were able to tell me where I was. This town has a sense of humor!
This store was also closed.
This golden statue was advertising another closed store.
The town’s post office.
The hotel.
I liked the doors in this town. This is an entry into the hotel.
Another door that must be attached to the hotel. I think it was the restaurant.
I truly don’t know what these doors opened. I also don’t see door knobs!
I think this is an antique store. Again, closed.
Isn’t this a beautiful door knob.
A beautiful courtyard.
An alley.
These train tracks are still in use.
This small structure is near the tracks.
Now how many locks do you need?
Also near the tracks, this is a very decorated port-a-potty.
The treasure of this town is this message tree. It’s full of wishes from residents and visitors.
What do photographers do when it’s raining or rain is unpredictable? Some go out in the rain anyway, some do studio work, some go through old images and edit or re-edit them, and then others run out when the weather breaks for however long.
I’m one of those who run out during rain breaks. Today would have been the perfect day to do that, but unfortunately my scheduled did not permit it. However, I am wanting to try shooting in the rain after seeing many rain shots in the Sacramento Photographers Facebook group. We’ll see. Apparently, the rain is here to stay for a while.
With this post, I’m wrapping up our visit to the Tower Theater. When we moved to the Sacramento area in 2001, we heard about the theater, but never made it down to visit it. Opening in 1938 as a single screen theater, the Tower was converted to a triplex in 1972. Tower Cut-Rate Drugs, a drugstore named after its next door neighbor, opened and starting selling records in 1941 and was the beginning of Tower Records. It eventually moved across the street.
By the 1980s, Tower Records sold records, books and videos. succumbed to the digital age and closed in 2006. I remember the news coverage showing devoted fans mourning their loss at the record store’s closing.
Now Dimple Records is in that same place, the Tower Cafe, which opened in 1990, feeds movie goers and the Tower Theater stands above the tree line with it’s art-deco design.
Maybe during the next rain break, Marlene and I will go down to take more photos of the theater and enjoy lunch at the cafe; but, only if the weather permits during the week so we can avoid crowds at the cafe.
In an overcast sky, the neon sign has a glow to it.
The iconic theater stands tall.
Another view.
Walking into the complex, is a nice area where theater goers and diners can wait.
This fountain is in the courtyard.
The landscaping is beautiful.
Looking up at the tower.
The theater’s entry.
Heaters warm patrons eating outside.
Another theater view.
The shadow of palms fall on the theater’s side wall.
Murals decorate the outside walls of Dimple’s Records.
Slow Shutter Speed 