The Natural History Museum

My new favorite place.

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

Today 3/30/15 Apple Trees, Fog, and a Rescue

Sunrise in the apple orchards of Corralitos, California.

Fog along the jetty in Moss Landing

And a reminder that this is a world in crisis.

Warmer waters are possibly the cause for so many stranded sea lion pups this year; the most in recent memory.  Normally the cold currents infiltrate the bay, causing an upwelling of nutrients from the bottom which attract fish into the bay making for a cornucopia of delights for all manner of marine life. They also create the winds that we usually experience in the month of March.  No winds.  No replenished food for the marine animals and mother sea lions are having to travel further and further to sea to find nourishment. This is happening up and down the coast of California, not just the Monterey Bay. Marine Mammal Rescue was alerted to this little fellow's plight and hopefully he'll thrive under care.

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

Today 1/2/15

I'm changing from "This Morning" to "Today" since I don't always want to shoot in the morning. I want to shoot whatever strikes me as telling whatever story I need to convey that day without time constraint.  A lot of what I look at is in my home because home is now a new frontier for me.  These photos are a photographic diary of my life after v.  I'm still, after ten months today, trying to find my way around my life.  I am happy and devastated almost every moment of the day.  I miss him with every breath I take but am easily distracted by delights.  I have always been blessed with amazing friendships and a belief in magic.

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

This Morning 11/27/14

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

School in Session

A group of fish do not expect other fish to pick up after them.  We have a lot to learn.

In bocca al lupo  m (no v)

Working

The audition.  As I learn more about the tools I have my workflow becomes easier and easier. All related to the Ocean Acidification project I've assigned myself

Ah, technology...

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

Projects

Developing a series of "painted"

shells.  I have been assured that the photo in the previous post wasn't immediately identifiable as an oyster shell, which it is. So, for all of my supporters I've "painted" a different view to show a more oyster-like appearance.  Feedback is good.

Thank you all.

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

How Can I Help?

How does ocean acidification effect shellfish?  As the pH of the oceans decreases with the huge amounts of CO2 that are dumped into them daily carbonates are less available.  Carbonates are what shellfish rely on to develop their shells, without it the shells become thinner, growth slows, and the animals die.

How can we help??? Stop blaming and start changing...just a little at a time.

Turn off the lights
Buy less plastic, period.

Consider quality over quantity--more is definitely not better.

Have a weekly evening of reading or conversation instead of TV or video games

Encourage your children to put on their own theater productions for you and your friends
Gather together for potluck evenings
Support Farmers' Markets and buy produce grown locally and in season
Make do and mend--that's an old saying from the days of rationing, but why not be creative?
Go to the library
Play in the park
Use reusable (and washable) bags for shopping
Walk to our destinations whenever we can, or
Ride a bike to school, the market, work (if possible).
Share rides.
Demand better public transportation! Two hour commutes of only a few miles is not encouraging people to "ride the bus"!
Support Light and High Speed Rail development.

Just a few thoughts, please add your own.

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

Wolf Eel

The elusive wolf eel in the Kelp Forest at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  We can go weeks without sighting him and then there'll be a magical day when he is out swimming.  He looks like a pewter colored ribbon as he gracefully sweeps around the exhibit.

He's a favorite for visitors.  I recently had a great discussion of marine life with a remarkable 8-year-old boy.  He was very well informed, however as we were winding down our conversation he remarked in a world weary voice: "I don't think the aquarium really has a wolf eel.  I know there's a picture of one, but I don't think there is one really here."  I was just so pleased to be able to point out the eel resting in a crevice between the rocks.  I'd spied him just before meeting that young man and his mother who confided that they'd been in just the day before looking for that eel.  It feels so good to assist adding to an eight year old's "life list".

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

French Grunt

This little guy is called a French Grunt.  The name is from the sound the little fellows make when they chew.  They are found along the eastern seaboard off of the Carolinas to Florida and beyond; a frequent victim of bycatch, though I read they are also popular in aquariums.

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

Blue Sea Star

A blue sea star like other stars will regrow an arm if it is somehow lost.  It can also regrow a central disc making it nearly immortal...

In bocca al lupo  m (no v)

The Sentinel

I just had to post this shot.  An icon of the Monterey Bay, the sea lion basking in the sun on one of the boat harbor buoys.

In bocca al lupo. m (no v)

Life on Earth

Chambered Nautilus.

This is what I love about looking at the surface of the sea...imagining what might be just below the surface and beyond.  It's all so very precious and so very vulnerable, as are we all. What can we do to protect them and ultimately ourselves?

In bocca al lupo.  m (no v)

Each Day...

It's up and down around here.

Yesterday was such a good day. v awoke smiling and wanted to go for a ride. After lunch, when he still felt like getting out, we set out.  Now it's the three of us;  him, me, and the oxygen tank (portable).  We drive a New Beetle, so the portable tank almost needs a child's seat in the back. We belt it in and take off for points known.

Yesterday it was spotting a whale just off shore in Pacific Grove (bay side), watching people running along the recreation path, and stopping to pick up some really good clam chowder at Vivolo's on Central. Such tender clams...

Such a magical place to live.  We can pull to the side of the road and watch giants only a few feet away breathing the same air that we breath.  Watching the surface of the water and imagining what passes beneath. Oh, we saw one of the other giants too, the Elephant Seal who hangs with the Harbor Seals at Hopkin's Cove.  He's grown!

 Home feels good too.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

The Dunes

We finally found the entrance to Ft. Ord Dunes State Beach along Monterey Bay.  On the spot where I took this from there used to be an enlisted mens' club that was commissioned by General Stillwell.  It was an elegant place for the soldiers to relax and escape for a time during the wars.  The interior was beautiful with large well lit rooms, huge fireplaces, reading rooms, and beautiful murals painted by WPA artists.  In 2003 the building was torn down. The cliffs were eroding and the building had been battered by recent storms. The army tried to save the building, but nature won.  I don't know if the murals were preserved.  I know it was discussed. It will take some looking into.  One would hope that, at the least, there are photo documents. Stillwell Hall was the first enlisted mens' club built. Prior to that only officers warranted such grand accommodation for their relaxation.  The views of the bay were stupendous.

As we sat on the bluff a large school of Risso's Dolphins swam playfully by.  They leaped behind the waves and surfed within them.  For some reason every shot I took of those lovely dolphins came out extremely under exposed.  Must have been my excitement at seeing another creature at play.  We will just have to keep going back.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

Morning at the Aquarium

Morning at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  If you want to visit Monterey Bay and the aquarium this is the time of year to come.  Forget summer, we don't have summer around here. We do have glorious fall and spring seasons though.  Today was lovely and warm and to cap off our shift today there were whales just off the decks where this photo was taken.  No need for a boat today!

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

Whale Watching

"What should we do today?"

"Want to go whale watching?"

Oh yeah! One of the perks of being a volunteer is getting to take a ride on the Whale Watching boat for free if there is room and there was room today!  Not on the 9:00 morning boat, you know, when the seas are calm and the whales plentiful. But, there was room on the 2:00 when things are a bit choppier and the whales are a question mark.

While we waited, hanging around the wharf like wharf bums who drink Starbucks' lattes, I took some photos of a seagull who coasted in rather close to where we were hanging out.

Now for the whales.  The first shot has to be explained, I think.  This is not two whales taking a peek at us. This is one whale shooting straight up out of the water with its mouth open and gathering fish. 

And then, something I've waited, and wanted all my life to see:

Whoopie!  v had a great time, he felt very strong and happy at the end of our outing, but I noticed that he was quick to turn in after supper.  A few hours at sea can do that.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

Nevada City Weekend

We've been on the road for nearly a week!  This has been business and pleasure with the lines blurring to the point of indistinguishability.  We started by visiting my oldest friend (as in longest duration) down in San Luis Obispo (some nice B&W shots on Biondography just click the highlighted word here).  After a lovely cool night in Morro Bay we turned inland and headed to Grass Valley/Nevada City for a concert of the Nevada City Concert Band.  They put on monthly pops concerts at Pioneer Park, click here for their website. Oh My Gosh! I'd forgotten what hot feels like!

v and I had the honor and pleasure of being invited to photograph last weekend's concert "California Dreamin'".  I used to listen to the Boston Pops concerts on A&E every 4th of July.  It was a "new" tradition of my father's and mine after he developed dementia. I have a friend who is actually visiting Tanglewood this week.  This band, the NCCB, is as much a pleasure to listen to as the Pops band in Boston, truly. Lucky people of Nevada County.

The rehearsal was creekside in Pioneer Park.  A great place to stand barefoot and try to keep cool!

Something else v and I are working on, and I've been hinting at, is greeting card design, or note cards if you will.  We are going to start peddling them soon.

These are a couple that we've had printed recently.  In keeping with our "local" philosophy we are happy to have a printer three blocks from our house who is willing to do small orders. If we can figure it out we will start having designs available for sale on line in the coming weeks and months.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

(mystery night? m-e?)

A New Endeavor

Step 1: going to print tomorrow.  One of several designs we're trying out. So, does anyone know what this is?  Comments in any language are more than welcome. v is multilingual.

We are embarking on the unknown here, we're excited and having fun regardless. We are probably moving incredibly slowly...if only we knew more.  Good thing we are very fast learners! And that we have so much support from our friends.  Courage, you know?

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

Preview

We're starting a new venture utilizing the Photoshop Elements I received as a gift from one of our very dear friends.  The sunflower sea star is one of my first models. My second model, the male sheephead, just isn't making the cut.  I loved that he came up to the glass as if to greet my friend and I as we toured around the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

He's a beautiful fish, and a crowd favorite.  There will be more on this venture in the next week or so.  It depends on the outcome at the printer's.  We are starting with five designs.  Is anyone curious?

In bocca al lupo.  m & v