Down on the Farm

Saturday was our trip to the Forrest Farm in San Ramon. It was their annual sheep shearing day with lots of kids and a beautiful day. Only about forty-five minutes from our house in Brentwood, and being from SoCal - that was no time at all to be spending in the car. If this was not a 'Historical' site, I am sure it would be developed as the houses are closing in.

You remember your first haircut?? I was probably about as tense as this sleep, and I know I felt just as 'light' afterwords.

The old homestead. See the housing creep??!

Got to drag the old IR camera out on days like this.

This is what a six year old looks like down on the farm. She hates me taking shots and I was lucky with this one.

She's back to school tomorrow and I'm trying to help out around here.

Hope all enjoyed your weekend!!

Exploring the Delta

Got to go out and check out the neighborhood, right?? Went to see some of the close areas on the Sacramento Delta, like Bethel Island, Jersey Island, then Sherman Island off the CA160 heading North. Rich farmland that is being turned into sub-developments at a fast clip. One day, we will have no land to grow food for those that are living on this land. Sorry, I forgot -- all this land will be underwater in a hundred years or less from Global Warming, so no worries!! This area deserves further discoveries and I look forward to that.
I got out my Tamron 150-600mm to try to get some shots of the birds of the area. Well, I tried, but my hat off to all those who are so good at this. I'll keep trying, though.

I didn't know that up the channel there are two deep water harbors. Sacramento I knew of, but Stockton,CA?? It's right in the heart of the agricultural area and is the fourth largest port in in California. Future trip! As to the fishing, I understand that many of the fish have high levels of Mercury, but that least would be more fun than just drinking the water, eh??

Went as far as Rio Vista, a small quiet town along the Sacramento river.

Future sightseeing with take me to the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield and some more slow explorations of the Delta.

More

Things are come together

This has been an Aries cycle worth remembering.
I have moved out of the townhouse in Oxnard and put it on the rental market, with the hopes of it being snapped up by May 1st. The purpose of this is to allow me to be in the motor home and travel the US for awhile. This has kept me busy for the last few months and now that I have changed my 'base of operations' to the NorCal area of Brentwood, I'll have a whole new landscape to photograph.
Soon new offerings.

Finally got Out!!

My jailers have finally relented and allowed me a bit of freedom - well, after all, it was my birthday and they are not terrible people.
My youngest daughter asked me to come down to LA and spend the day going around a bit. Downtown LA that is, and after parking near the new Broad Museum and seeing a line that wrapped around the block - Saturday!!

 Detail of the front facade of the Broad

 - what was the first thing to interrupt our journeys? You got it - a film crew shooting a explosion of cars near the Library. Happy to say I didn't even pause to look, but went right in to the LA Library. I have lived in and around LA for too many years and I reluctantly admit that I have never been inside this classic landmark.  

The upper rotunda of the LA Library

Went to have a bite of lunch and we heard that the old Clifton's was reopened and stopped by. Hoping for a redo of the classic diner/cafeteria, I was taken aback to find it was made out to look like a jungle and moved on..

Where else to go when downtown LA? Why the old Central Market on Broadway. Now it has amazing new food court booths and just a few of the produce sellers of old. 

You want a meal, a beer, a snack, how about eggs anyway for anytime of day? Got you covered.

Across the street is the fabulous Bradbury Building built in the late 1800's and still standing. Many films have shot here, as attested to by the Greyline/TMC movie tour that was passing through during our visit.

Never have paid any attention to signs.

Since the Broad was out we traveled down the Wilshire and went to see an exhibit of Robert Mapplethorpe at the MOMA. Well worth the visit.

Dug out the Nikon D80 IR converted camera and here are a couple of 'false color' shots from here.

 Great day had by all.
I'll get back into the flow very soon now, I hope. Still more thinks to sort out for the family.
Later