And it didn’t disappoint….
Will upload more photos next week.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
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Back at the Flower Fields Part II
Ready for one more look at the Flower Fields? Here you go….
I was so glad to have a sunny day with blue skies. It’s been kind of gray lately, so this was a pick-me-up for sure.
The thing that looks like a silo on the left? That’s a 400-foot smokestack for the Encina Power station.
Have you seen a more elegant outhouse? Made me laugh. I hope no one tried to use it. 🙂
I think this photo gives a good perspective on how vast the fields are. The people and trucks look so small. Those are mountains in the distance.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Posted in photography
Tagged California, Carlsbad Flower Fields, Encina Power Station, ranunculus
12 Comments
Back at the Flower Fields Part I
As promised, another look at the Flower Fields in Carlsbad….
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
A Return to the Flower Fields
I visited the Carlsbad Flower Fields recently, after waiting for a non-rainy, non-windy day. They were beautiful as always and I took a lot of photos. I’ll leave you with this one for now, but will do a post or two next week.
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while you’ll know I love old vintage stuff juxtaposed with something new and beautiful. This tractor is a prime example.
Great weekend, everyone, and Happy Easter to all who celebrate….
{carole}
Posted in photography
Tagged California, Carlsbad Flower Fields, ranunculus, vintage tractor
10 Comments
Happy First Week of Spring!
OK, now it’s official. Spring has arrived, although we’re still having rainy cool weather. Can’t complain, though–we need the rain desperately. And at least it’s not snow.
I took the above while living on the East Coast and they are my favorite tulip magnolia blossoms.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Is This the Face of a Killer?
Recently, I read about a study that stated domestic cats would probably kill us, but they’re too small. To be honest, sometimes Yuri looks at me like he is considering murder, ha ha. Those piercing eyes that never look away! He also lies in wait at the bottom of the stairs, then jumps out at me. The vet says this is a way to show he wants to play, but I feel a little bit…hunted.
Turns out the study conducted by University of Edinburgh researchers was grossly misinterpreted. Lead researcher Marieke Gartner stated that cats are the most similar to lions because they share the personality traits of “impulsivity, dominance and neuroticism.” I definitely see the first and second traits in Yuri. He’ll be purring contentedly while I’m petting him and suddenly turn on me and pretend to bite my arm. He then runs off, but comes back in a little while. I don’t think he’s neurotic, unless you count his intense fear of the vacuum cleaner.
Anyway, if you’re a cat owner, have no fear. Cats may be a less affectionate than dogs, but they do love you. I think.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Back to Winter
Well, I shouldn’t have talked about how spring comes early to Southern California. The following week it turned cold and rainy. It even got down in the 30s at night.
But there’s something wonderful about winter in California besides the mild temps. The air is crystal-clear and the horizon at the beach is knife-sharp and everything looks like it’s in hyper focus….
This was taken at lunchtime a couple days ago and yes, it’s pretty deserted this time of year. The only people going into the water in February are tourists and die-hard surfers. I do like the patterns in the sand.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Surrounded by Beauty
One of my favorite parts of the Alaska cruise was going from Skagway to Juneau. I took a walk around the ship and couldn’t believe it: we were surrounded by nothing but sea, sky and mountains. I’ve never experienced anything like this before or since….
I knew the landscape of Alaska would be beautiful, but I wasn’t expecting the gorgeous skies so much. That looks like rain in the distance.
I really like the different shades of blue, and those tinges of pink.
Mountains go on forever in Alaska. Seriously.
The ripples are caused by our ship. Otherwise the water was so glassy and calm.
Here the ripples are more pronounced. I love the way the sky is reflected in the surface of the water. Heavenly.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Posted in photography
Tagged Alaska, clouds, cruise, Inside Passage, mountains, natural beauty
8 Comments
Spring Comes Early Here
We are fortunate in that spring arrives the first week in February in Southern California. When I lived back East, I disliked the month of February the most because it was cold and icy and interminable even though it’s the shortest month.
Here are some shots I took a few days ago at the San Diego Botanic Garden and Carillo Ranch….
Birds of Paradise at Carillo Ranch.
Red hot pokers, also at the ranch.
I am still amazed to see bananas growing in the winter. Botanic Gardens.
Bromeliad in the Botanic Gardens.
One of my favorite vines, Cup of Gold. Botanic Gardens. Our winter skies are insanely blue!
Another angle.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Cruising the Neva in St. Petersburg
After visiting Peterhof Palace, we returned to the city of St. Petersburg via hydrofoil. We were hoping to do that at some point and the trip did not disappoint.
Our transportation looked just like this one:
There was a lot of glare from the windows, so I’ve included shots that I took while walking around the city. Note the tall ship in the background.
The terra cotta-colored structures are the Rostral Columns designed to hold beacons for what was once St. Petersburg’s main port, inspired by Roman victory monuments.
There were all kinds of boats on the river. Many were like this one for tourists. It reminds me of the bateaux mouches in Paris a little bit. There’s the tall ship again.
A closer look at the salmon-colored building. I love the architecture and colors of St. Petersburg so much.
The Peter and Paul Fortress.
The amazing St. Isaac’s Cathedral. That yellow building is pretty cool too.
I wish I could have gotten this shot of the Hermitage without window glare, but there just wasn’t an opportunity. Seeing the inside was what mattered.
Sorry again about the glare here. This is very close to where we disembarked, which turned out to be a funny/odd experience. When we got close to our destination, I heard the driver talking on the phone with someone. Suddenly we were right next to another boat and were told to board it. Huh? Would you believe a children’s birthday party was going on there? I was so surprised I didn’t even take a photo. What’s funny is that the kids didn’t even notice us walking through their party. Must be a regular occurrence.
Great weekend, everyone…Super Bowl Sunday! I’ll be watching the commercials and maybe a little bit of the game. 🙂
{carole}
