This Mess is a Place

Thursday Challenge: "MESSY" (Children, Natural Disasters, Work Areas, Kitchens, Animals, Hair...)

These are pictures of Joe's Crab Shack interior in Sacramento, CA. 2008.

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul,
and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
~Henry Ward Beecher

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THURSDAY CHALLENGE

Outdoor Wednesday #1 - Unexpected Opportunity

Welcome to my first Outdoor Wednesdays post!

Taken in Sonoma, California. The winery wasn't our destination, in fact. My sister and I ended up here, because she had to make a U-turn at the end of the driveway. :D She paused long enough for me to take a picture, and then we went on our merry way to Santa Rosa—well, merry enough; the GPS refused to play nice.



"Ever charming, ever new, when will the landscape tire the view?
~John Dyer

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OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY

Watery Wednesday #2 - Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle

It's been really hot and humid in St. Pete today. I wasn't in the mood for the beach, so I daydreamed for a pool instead—the Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle in California, in particular. Doesn't it make you want to jump in?

Take a virtual tour of Hearst Castle and see more gorgeous shots of the pool. Look for Neptune Pool on the bottom right corner of the map. You can also view different areas of the castle by clicking on the dots on the map. There's also a virtual tour of the visitor center. Enjoy!

I had a grand time touring the castle. There were five tours available to visitors, but I only went to the first one. Missing out on the other tours makes for a good reason to go back. ;)


Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water
~Lao Tzu

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WATERY WEDNESDAY

Sepia Scenes #1 - Nevada Theatre 1865

Welcome to my first Sepia Scenes post!

I love walking through historic cities, and Nevada City is one of my favorites. My sister and I went there in November last year, which turned out to be the perfect time to visit. The city was bright with autumn colors, and the weather, though cold, was cloudless and sunny. The city was steeped in the spirit of Halloween as well. I'll probably post them in November for Halloween. :D

From the plaque outside the building:

NEVADA THEATRE

California's oldest existing theatre building, The Nevada, opened September 9, 1865. Celebrities such as Mark Twain, Jack London, and Emma Nevada have appeared on its stage. Closed in 1957, the theatre was later purchased through public donations and reopened May 17, 1968, to again serve the cultural needs of the community.

More about Nevada City, CA:

• Historic Nevada City, CA - Official Web Site
• Nevada City, CA - Wikipedia

"There's a certain nostalgia
and romance in a place you left."
~David Guterson

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SEPIA SCENES

Scenic Sunday #1 - Yosemite National Park

Welcome to my first Scenic Sunday post!


One of my favorite solo trips during my short stay in California is my impulsive visit to Yosemite National Park. These pictures are from that trip from a year ago. Drive down to the Yosemite Valley with me and immerse yourself into the beauty and wonder of the lush landscape.  We're now at the banks of the Merced River.

Well, don't just stand there! :D Pick a stone. Have a seat. Take your shoes off and let the water cool your feet. Then, let the magic of the land wash over you . . .

More on Yosemite National Park:

• Yosemite - National Park Service Official Website
• Live Yosemite Web Cam Views
• Yosemite Valley

"Ever charming, ever new,
when will the landscape tire the view?
~John Dyer

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SCENIC SUNDAY

Shadow Shot Sunday #1 - Kule Loklo Lamma (Sweat Lodge)

Welcome to my first Shadow Shot Sunday post!


My sister and I discovered Kule Loklo during a short visit in Santa Rosa, California. We were looking for trails to hike and ended up at Coast Miwok at Point Reyes. It was a pleasant surprise find, especially because the village was as much a part of its natural surroundings as much as its natural surroundings are a natural part of it.

"Kule Loklo" (meaning "Bear Valley") is a recreated village. It stands where no village ever was, but where one might have stood.

The pictures you see here are of the interior of a lamma or "sweat lodge".

Lamma
(Sweat Lodge)

Large sweat lodges were used by men for both spritual and physical cleansing. Women were generally not permitted to enter. Smaller family sweat lodges were used by both sexes.

"Where there is much light,
the shadow is deep”
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

Watery Wednesday #1 - Not Quite the Lighthouse

Location:
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes, California


Nothing in the world is more
flexible and yielding than water
~Lao Tzu

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WATERY WEDNESDAY

Islands in a Common Sea

“I feel we are all islands - in a common sea.”
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh



"A photograph is usually looked at—seldom looked into"
~Ansel Adams