I plan to get some great shots today, but last night I was too tired after struggling through LA Friday traffic. I managed to take a shot of La Jolla at sunset.
It’s pronounced La Hoy ya.
Avenue of the Giants, and something small living in the shadows
We were traveling during the lead-up to the big storm. We drove through some rain, heading here from Sonoma, figuring no problem, the canopy in the forest will protect us from the rain. When we arrived, the sun came out!
This mushroom was growing below the fallen stump you see above.
The trees have an emanation. It is very peaceful here. I want to go back and stay longer.
Mendocino memories
We did some research to see if we could just move here. But then I realized, if we moved here, we couldn’t stay at the Brewery Gulch Inn any more, and that’s what I really want to do.
This was a great place for a writing retreat.
Sonoma wine tasting
We sneaked in a little road trip between storms. Sonoma is lovely. There are so many wineries!
I was surprised by how busy it was. I thought it would be quiet because it’s winter! But wine tasting is very popular.
We enjoyed the less crowded tasting rooms the most.
For the first time, I spit the wine out. I was always afraid to, but today I just did it. I was glad because I was able to taste a lot of wines. Usually I’m done after 3 or 4. It is an acceptable and even expected thing to do, thankfully! Then I could enjoy my glass of wine with dinner after we returned safely to the cottage.
We bought a lot of wine and had a lot of fun!
The three sentinels
Ha ha, in my last post I said I wasn’t doing much post processing these days and so of course the next thing I did was this! That always happens to me. I have to be careful about what I say because as soon as I decide something, I want to do the opposite. Are you like that?
Alpine Meadows California and The Rule of Thirds
My focus right now is composition. I’m not doing much if any post-processing. I’ve been experimenting with the Rule of Thirds as described in this outstanding article: Two Seconds to Better Photos by Michelle W.
I like how those turned out, but sometimes during my photo shoot walk, I grew frustrated and just put the subject in the middle. I love the knot hole in this dead tree.
Here’s the same tree from a different angle, obeying the rule of thirds, at least a little more.
I do prefer the composition of the second photo.
Here’s another one where I just wanted the subject in the middle. I call it, Standing Tall.
And last but not least, I loved the majestic mountain and the sky at this moment. I think the rule of thirds wouldn’t work with this, but I don’t know. I like that big peak right where it is.
San Luis Obispo California
This really cute, central California coast town has an historic mission:
The mission is quite actively part of the community of San Luis Obispo, with a large, well attended church. They host lots of fun, family events in the gorgeous courtyard area between the mission and the river that runs through the town.
The town has these really nice street lamps:
along the river walk.
Bubble Gum Alley is a tourist attraction. No, I did not add any chewed gum to the effort.
I loved the library.
The museum is also really cute and modern.
This hangs on the outside of the museum, visible as you approach from the main street.
There are lots of places to eat downtown. The SLO Brewery has great food:
and, of course, beer.
I don’t know if we would call this covered passageway an “arcade” like they do in Australia, but we should. It’s good to have a word for it.
If you walk through the arcade you end up at one of the restaurants overhanging the creek.
I love how you can see small mountains from the town. It reminds me of Townsville, Australia.
Also like Townsville, I think the town commissioned some street art to cover a utility box.
Nicci Carrera 