Outtakes, Mt Starr King & New Years Resolution #4 (Read a Book Every Month)

So, just a word of warning, or a cautionary note to those who think there may be 3 days in a row of new snapshots- I'm sorry to disappoint, but these photos are outtakes, though they are from 2011. The bottom postcard is from just the other day, and has a nice view of the Glacier Point wall, and the Panorama Cliff and the sub dome in front of Starr King showing all the snow we just received. The top vintage postcard, circa 1964 going on 2011, is from the 8th of February and in a way is a continuation of the bottom: it shows the view from the top of the Panorama Cliff up to the hillside of Starr King and beyond. I had the urge to post something today, and after a long day of working, I knew exactly what to put up here. And regarding the resolution, I can tell you it hasn't happened yet: I did finish a book in January, but it was started back in 2010. The book I began in mid January is now almost finished, having taken a month and a half to complete. But it's a long one. Tolstoy's War and Peace. Enjoy your evening any and everyone.
P.S. Laura and I hope Rojo is having fun in the sun in the Amazon.
P.S.S. And if anyone cares to, here is the link to a really good audience Grateful Dead show from 1977 to download or just listen to, as I am right now:
http://www.archive.org/details/gd77-11-05.aud.clugston-alternate.3293.sbeok.shnf

The Tail Between the Horses Leg...

...means there is no Horsetail Falls with the alpenglow picture today. I did set out on a drive for it, looping around the valley and stopping to take snapshots in the mid afternoon. I wasn't sure if it was visible at Tunnel View, and thought there was no better way to find out than to park there and wait. (Thinking about it later, all images I've seen of it are from a certain angle that is not near that vicinity.) So I brought along some homework to read and set the camera and tripod up outside the car and waited, and read, and snapped some photos, and read, and watched the sun fade, and read, and snapped some photos, etc. Driving down into the valley I passed the turnout that held all the cars for the photo I was looking for, but I just drove by. It was too late and there were too many people all next to each other taking the same photo. Next time. Anyways, I did manage to take some kind of Yosemite photograph today and here's two postcards to show for it...Enjoy, those near and far.

The Suburbs

The suburbs of Yosemite. Urban sprawl. Tract housing. Mobile home off wheels. The ghetto that is L.A. (Lost Arrow). A trailer park. A parking lot. But between all of this I thought I'd brighten it up and make it idyllic and colorful. I thought there should be a way to expose the coveted real estate and majestic views it holds. Simple idea, simple image. And rents only $100 a month. Enjoy the postcard of the day.

Winter Srikes Back, or New Year's Resolution #7 (Take & Post a New Photo Every Day Off)

From a cloudless morning yesterday, began a late evening rainfall that finally became a heavy, steady snowfall this morning which hasn't let up. I was going to simply take a photo out my front living room window (and did), but then put the boots on and grabbed the umbrella and went outside to document the scene. It turned out to be the typical Wednesday in the middle of February in Yosemite during winter conditions. I didn't see much happening, which is sometimes worth documenting as well. Enjoy these few street scenes taken in the late afternoon today. The blue sky from yesterday is gone.

Winter Is Coming Again

It all looks calm and serene in this snapshot from this afternoon with the moon rising next to Half Dome and the sky blue, the trees snow free, and the clouds wisping. And today was another great spring weather day- when Laura and I took a walk in the afternoon it was perfect with all the clouds starting to gather. For this picture, the clouds kept building and covering the moon requiring us to stay in place and simply enjoy the sun. Eventually we walked home. The clouds are building as I write and its supposed to be a giant storm for the next several days. So enjoy this postcard today, and look tomorrow for a winter holiday postcard.

New Years Resolution #1 (Stop Smoking Cigarettes)

Just a postcard snapshot leftover from yesterdays hike with Rojo. A telephoto image of the snowcone and the rainbow caused by the sun and water that was projecting against the cliff. With all this good weather, people should take advantage of it more. To those on the trail yesterday with us, good job. To others, I highly recommend it. And so far I've gotten out of the bad habit of smoking after the hike, or at all this last month (its been 35 days). The goal is to never start back up. Enjoy this picture of the day.

Snowcones

Today was a stroll to the top of Yosemite Falls, with the goal of taking a photo of the winter snowcone that builds up at the base of the Upper Falls. Hiking in t-shirt weather in February is something else. Forthcoming for the next week and a half should be the perfect time to take the famous alpenglow photograph of Horsetail Falls that everyone fights over the turnouts on the road for. Enjoy the two snapshots of the day: a vintage look at the middle river of the falls, and the snowcone itself.

New Years Resolution #3 (Take A Walk With Laura Minimum Once a Week)

Took a walk with my wife. Passed by this spot and took a photo. Today's postcard of Yosemite. Enjoy.

Take Five

Isn't that what they say in the movies and then everyone walks outside and goes to this type of corner? Or you look around and nobody is over there because its too far away and everyone is right by the doorway, within 25 feet (not beyond). Anyways, Laura and I took a walk this afternoon down some of the side streets in Yosemite commenting on the fact that we were walking here today, and tomorrow we would be walking the streets of Southern California. We walked past Sentinal Bridge and the chapel, over swinging bridge and to the Lodge, then past the Falls and over to the Post Office, ending at the Deli for lunch. This picture was taken somewhere (I'm not saying where) along that route. It reminds me of a distant time, and the sign is classic. I added a slight touch of the toy camera effect and vignette to this image, to make it the postcard of the day.