365 Photo Project - Day 237

Taken: August 25, 2010

Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Shot this through my windshield with my iPhone 4 while I was driving through Santa Rosa.  Not the kind of thing you see every day, even up here in wine country.

365 photo Project - Day 221

Taken: August 9, 2010

Location: Healdsburg, CA

Taken on a lovely and temperate summer day, late in the afternoon when the trees were reflecting off the roof of my car in the golden light of the setting sun. I can feel the cool breeze just looking at this image.

365 Photo Project - Day 205

Taken: July 24, 2010, noon

Location: Geyserville, Ca.

Part of my theory of life involves cookies. Not eating cookies, baking them. I may have gotten this idea from my grandmother on my dad's side. She was one of those people that was always cooking and baking and sewing and noodling -- always prepared for company or an emergency or a surprise visit from a grandchild. My Dad is a fixer -- he is always trying to fix or figure something out -- but his Mom was a serial homemaker. And I use the word "homemaker" in the most respectful and complimentary way.

I find baking to be cathartic and I love baking with other people. At the offer of a friend, I did just that this morning. I didn't even eat any of the cookies. Just baking them was enough to satisfy my restless soul. I highly recommend it. Seriously, there's not much a bowl of flour and butter, eggs and sugar and some crunch peanut butter can't do for a person's general disposition. Try it.

365 Photo Project - Day 204

Taken: July 23, 2010, approx. 10 a.m.

Location: Healdsburg, Ca

365 Photo Project - Day 203

Taken: July 22, 2010, approx. 6 p.m.

Location: Healdsburg, Ca. 

I've been having trouble coming up with photos lately. I know part of this is just me worried that my images won't be good enough to put up here. I always think that even though I started this project as a way to learn more about photography and myself. I've always been hard on myself. I'm sure most of us are and I know for most of us, the really hard part is letting go, is forgiving yourself for not being perfect. You know, like everybody else. Ha.

A good friend told me to try looking at things around me differently. To try making images from the every day routine of my life. I'm trying to take that to heart. This is one of those days. The shot is of the barbells my husband has laid out in a row on the deck railing. Most of the time, we used them to keep things from flying away in the wind. Occasionally we actually use them for exercise. Sometimes even more than once a week. 

365 Photo Project - Day 202

Taken: July 20, 2010. approx. 3:30 p.m.

Location: Healdsburg, Ca

I'm cheating today. I didn't take this photo today -- I shot it yesterday. For the second time in two weeks, I just didn't have enough time in the day to take a damn photograph. I feel really guilty. But I snapped this one yesterday and I almost used it so, here it is. I took it at a local shop here in town.

365 Photo Project - Day 201

Taken: July 20, 2010

Location: Healdsburg, Ca. approx. 2 p.m.

This is an iPhone photo but I love the way it turned out. This is my friend Keiko. As long as I've known her, she's been scary great shape, even eight plus months pregnant.  She eats right, does yoga, surfs, loves life -- but if you met her mom, you'd know where her beauty comes from. She lives over in Napa and she and her mom came to town to spend an afternoon window shopping, talking and hanging out. They even bought me an Ugly Doll (which I'll have to feature down the road on this blog). I shot this photo to send to her stepdad who was stuck working in hot, hot, hot New York. Never intended it to be the photo-of-the-day but I just love it so much, I knew it had to be.

I love how she's looking down at her belly and the muscles in her arms -- she's my hero. She's also one of several of my friends who are pregnant or who have just given birth. It's such an exciting time around here. I'm looking forward to being the crazy aunt.

365 Photo Project - Day 200

Taken: July 19, 2010, Sunset

Location: Healdsburg, Ca

This is my friend, Sidrah, who is one of the wonderful souls I've met up here in my little wine country town. She's now living in the city (San Francisco I mean) and comes up to visit her folks once a week or so. We met for dinner late Monday, just before sunset and there was a tractor sitting idle in the parking lot so we did a little goof shot. It was so dark, I barely got the shot in focus but I still love what it says about our neck of the woods. I love more what it says about Sidrah, who is a fine writer by the way. My hope is to one day read her fabulous words in print. 

365 Photo Project - Day 199

Taken: July 18, 2010
Location: Petaluma, Ca

365 Photo Project - Day 197

Taken: July 16, 2010

Location: Healdsburg, Ca

365 Photo Project - Day 196

Taken: July 15, 2010

Location: Healdsburg, Ca

365 Photo Project - Day 194

Taken: July 13, 2010

Location: Healdsburg, Ca

365 Photo Project - Day 191

Taken: July 10, 2010
Location: Healdsburg, Ca

365 Photo Project - Day 187

Taken: July 6, 2010, approx. 5 p.m.
Location: Healdsburg, Ca.

365 Photo Project - Day 185

Taken: July 4, 2010, approx. 9:40 p.m.
Location: Healdsburg, Ca.

I got to see the Fourth of July fireworks from our porch tonight. They're nothing like the incredible shows they put on in the Nation's Capital when I lived there. I would pack a cooler with beer and munchies and spend July 4th on The Mall with thousands of other revelers watching Leontyne Price or Tony Bennett, but as fun as that was, it's nothing like watching without the crowds and in my pajamas. And no mile-walk to wherever you parked your car eight hours ago.

I set up my camera on a tripod and did my best to capture the show but I'm still learning. I took over 200 shots and haven't even gone through them all but I had to settle for the best of the bunch I edited. This here is it. Happy Fourth people.

365 Photo Project - Day 184

Taken: July 3, 2010, 9 p.m.
Location: Healdsburg, Ca.

I have a lot of things to talk about but my work, recent travel schedule and 100 other things are conspiring to wear me out by the end of the day. I will find my groove again soon I hope.

I shot this out my back door. You can barely see it, but there's a deer in the middle of the image by the fence. It was almost dark when I captured this -- really, really hard to get a clear image of the deer. Times like these I wish I had a bigger lens.

We don't see too many deer around here but they do stop by from time to time. My husband and I watched three of them leap over the fence. There's almost nothing as graceful as a deer jumping over anything. Them critters got hops.

365 Photo Project - Day 174

Taken: June 23, 2010, sunset
Location: Healdsburg, Ca.

Another sunset shot. Forgive me for the sameness. I'll be heading to Los Angeles for a week and I'll have time to sit and write something interesting. I hope.

365 Photo Project - Day 173

Taken: June 22, 2010, approx. 6:30 p.m.
Location: Healdsburg, Ca.

This is my favorite oak around here. I used to drive past it on my way to and from town but now I have to go out of my way to see it. I'm sorry I'm not posting much these days -- life is just kicking my ass but good. I'd rather get these images up then wait another day. I'll write more soon.

365 photo Project - Day 172

Taken: June 21, 2010, approx. 2 p.m.

Location: Healdsburg, Ca. 

Another shot of one of the oaks in the backyard. And another quickie too. 

365 Photo Project - Day 171

Taken: June 20, 2010, sunset
Location: Healdsburg, Ca.

We're having a series of lovely, lovely sunsets. I might have more in the next few days. Sorry for the upload and run but like I said yesterday, I'm trying to get caught up.