Happy Halloween!

The disk with my pictures arrived so I am a happy blogger!

Somebody in California likes to decorate for the holidays.  As I was taking this picture, a couple walked by and told me that this family goes all out for every holiday. Sweet!

I left for California a week ago Wednesday morning.  The drive from Vernal to the Salt Lake International Airport is about four hours.  I got to the airport, parked the car and waited until 5 p.m. for the flight to depart.  I flew to San Francisco and waited there.  Bored, I started taking pictures.  Most of the pictures were a combination of stillness and movement.  I had to set the camera on a slow speed to avoid using the flash which created some interesting effects, along with a bunch of blurry, uninteresting pictures that will not be shown.

Lights, reflections and a crescent moon.

Ticket agents: one working, one in contemplation.

I flew to LAX and then on to Oxnard, a very tiny airport fifteen minutes from my sister's house.  The traffic in southern California is terrible.  I thought it was easier to sit in an airport than sit in a line of cars for hours or speed along at 70 mph bumper to bumper.  My arrival time was 11 p.m., midnight Utah time.  It was a long day but fewer hours than driving the entire trip.

Postscript on the memory card 

The card was corrupted for one reason or another.  I tried a rescue program but there was nothing to recover.  After reading on the net, I learned that using and reusing a card can cause problems.  I had used the card a number of times, deleting and reusing it.  Apparently it's not good practice.  Anyway, all's well that ends well and my pictures still exist!

California Dreaming

"All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey
I've been for a walk on a winters day
I'd be safe and warm if I was in LA 
california dreaming on such a winters day"


This is a rare picture-less blog.  I'm still waiting for my pictures to arrive from California.  My sister downloaded them off her computer after I loaded them on her computer while I was there.  I appreciate the helpful comments, but I guess I need to clarify.  It was the memory card in my camera that quit on me.  The computer didn't automatically erase the pictures after downloading.  I didn't choose the option.  I am wondering if I pulled the USB plug before I turned off the camera and if that would ruin the card (what I called the chip.)  I didn't run my camera through checked baggage.  My friend Nancy did that and TSA broke her camera!  Someone else had their camera stolen!  I carry my equipment in a backpack with me.


I did put the card back in the camera and tried formatting it again, but it just registered busy.  Before that the camera said it could not read the card.  Before that the computer said it couldn't read the card either.  My niece had half of her wedding pictures disappear when her photographer's card went "bad."  


What I've been wondering, and haven't googled, is what is it in a card that goes bad?  What is even in one of those things that records the electrons that make such pretty pictures that we all seem to be so fond of viewing and posting?  

Not California

I'm not in Colorado either, but I was a few years ago.  I think that it probably looks a lot like this today because they got a huge dump of snow yesterday.  We got 50 mph winds instead.

My chip didn't just get erased, it won't format, it's toast.  Again, if anyone knows what fries a chip, I'm all ears!  (Please read my previous post if you don't understand this one....)

Check out beautiful skies from around the world at Sky Watch Friday!

Ventura and camera chips

OK, I'm back from a great trip to Ventura, California.  I visited my sister and her husband.  They have a lovely condo ten minutes from the beach.  Joni and I spent a lot of time at the beach.  She got in the water with her wet suit, I didn't.  We cruised downtown Ventura on Saturday during their Art Walk.  I took close to 500 pictures and experimented with the lighting and settings because it's so different from our alpine desert.  I downloaded my pictures on her computer which was a very good thing because when I got home and put my chip into the reader, guess what???  NO PICTURES!  My husband who is very good with electronics couldn't find them either.  So I made a call and Joni will be sending a CD with my jpegs on them.  To get me started she emailed me some of my pictures.  So although there are benefits to our electronic universe, there are drawbacks as well.  If anyone can explain to me what is in a chip that goes bad, I'd be interested.

As a side note, I left hot and sunny weather and arrived to snow, wind and cold.  Gotta love it all I suppose but sometimes I don't.

A rooftop view on my first day there.

Lots of surfers were out enjoying the water.

Surfers (disguised as little ants) are out in the water (click to enlarge).

We made a new friend.

I ran down to the beach one evening to get sunset shots too.

Thanks to my sister for helping me get started, lots more pictures will be posted when they are available.

And if you like watery shots, check here for more!

Make an Autumn Wish

"The woods are full of fairies;
the sea is full of fish;
the trees are full of golden leaves;
let's make an autumn wish."

I've been wishing for almost a year that I could sit by the ocean and now my wish is coming true!  I'm leaving tomorrow to visit my sister in southern California!  Whoo Hoo!

Check out what's happening around the world at My World Tuesday.

Aspen leaves

The golden color of the aspens has been just spectacular this fall--love it!  I know they don't count as flowers but the flowers all froze.

To admire beautiful shots of real flowers, check out Today's Flowers.

Sunset

I looked out the window and saw a rainbow of colors in these clouds. Unfortunately in the minute it took to run upstairs and get my camera, the rainbow was gone.  But luckily a spectacular sunset remained.

Check out other glorious skies at Sky Watch Friday.

Unknown girl

This little girl was having fun feeding the fish and duck at the Botanical Garden in Arlington, Texas.  It's dark and damp in Utah today but I don't have any pictures to show for it yet.

See Watery Wednesday for more wet posts.

Duck pond at sunrise

When we lived in our old neighborhood I used to take walks by this pond quite frequently.  Sometimes I drive by just to visit again.

Visit other neighborhoods from around the world at My World Tuesday.

Skipper is almost famous!

Skipper has a facebook page:  Skipper Hills-Martin  This is his profile picture.  He's looking very regal don't you think?  He would like more friends if you want to friend him.

Skipper loves to go for rides with his dad.

And after a busy day, he enjoys napping.

Check out other critters that are almost famous at Camera Critters.

Eternal Sunrise

"The grand show is eternal.  It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never dried all at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls." --with thanks to John Muir for expressing what is in my heart.

To see other skies on seas and continents and islands from around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday and enjoy.

Hogle Zoo

The Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake is the largest zoo in Utah, but it's pretty small in comparison to other big city zoos.  It was established in 1931 and has an interesting history.  We really wanted to see one of the zoo's latest editions, Zuri, the baby elephant.  Who knew a baby elephant could be so stinkin' cute??

Mom was enjoying breakfast while Zuri played with her ball.

Moms and babies are the same all over the world.  To see what's happening elsewhere, check out My World Tuesday.

A trip to Salt Lake

Our youngest daughter is in college in Salt Lake.  I had not seen her for an entire month.  It seemed like a very long time.  So Friday her dad and I drove out to visit and had a wonderful time.  Saturday we went to the Hogle Zoo with two of her roommates and enjoyed seeing all the baby animals.

Kelsey, Kayla and Amber

Baby snow leopard

It's a treat to see such beautiful animals, but sad, too that they are endangered and in a cage.  I always have mixed feelings at the zoo.....

....but it's fun nonetheless.

Setting sun

First facing west towards the setting sun,

then turning around to face the east,

I discovered a hawk in a tree and the rising moon.

Check out breathtaking skies from around the world at Sky Watch Friday.