chasing the minarets and aspens

A trip to the eastside of the Sierra the end of October is for the purpose of storing up the mountains, knowing it will be six months before the air and light will be visited again. The Minarets hold a fascination, and provide a focal point from many locations. Their jagged peaks are easily spotted. This summer smoke from the Aspen fire obscured them from our view. But they were on full display this month.

And while we missed the peak of the aspen color, there was still some left for us. We had seen the first leaves budding out the end of April, and now we were viewing the leaves falling.

the tree of life

A visit to the Oakland Museum yesterday gave way to inspiration for an early altar for Dia de los Muertos.

And a potluck neighborhood dinner filled the table with chili verde, homemade cornbread and tortillas, avocado and fruit salad, and apple cake. A feast was consumed. We learned from neighbors that the Chinese also have a tradition of visiting graveyards. Qingming Festival is usually celebrated on the 104th day after the winter solstice (or the 15th day from the Spring Equinox). I might have to add this to my list of holidays to celebrate.

10/10/13

the scene of the crime

the suspect

fall

I would say has fall officially started. Suddenly the shop is cold in the morning, and doesn't heat up during the day. My workmates and I come back from lunch and put on a layer of clothing to go back to work. Windows are being closed in the Rettie household. Not all of them, that takes a serious cold spell, but some. And Gris-gris appears next to me at 4:00 am seeking warmth. It could heat up again, but the light has changed and the leaves are trying to. Mike and I decided this was okay, for now. By December we will be ready for summer again. If we were independently wealthy we'd live in two hemispheres. We try to think positively. November the feast of St Dungeness occurs. And we keep thinking of field trips and outings to plan for the winter months. And October is baseball month. Listening to games recalls memories of my father and the early days of transistor radios.

The garden  flowers are gone from the window sill, I have to be content with red grape leaves on the fence. Trader Joes has candles in stock again. They consider them seasonal. A silly concept to me, we dine by candle light nightly. But now we can add more candlesticks to the table. And all my knitwear can come out of storage.

10/5/13

hanging out with a few friends

10/4/2013

Hazel

published in the Alameda Sun 10/3/2013

Had I known I was going to be appearing in a public newspaper, I might have combed my hair. At least my fingernails were clean. The photo I am holding was taken in 1941. Mike found the exact location. I think this may give us permanent Alameda residence status, something not easily achieved in this town. Both of our names were mentioned in the paper.

is it real?

This captured my eye yesterday, and I bent down to touch it. Exotic it maybe but not from anything local.

goverment shutdown

Entrance to Point Reyes National Seashore

A patient, not getting paid, ranger

We declared our own shutdown, and our household headed west. Feeling like supporting the economy, we stopped in San Anselmo on our way to Point Reyes where we visited a camera shop for Mike, and a yarn shop for me. Not spending too heavily, but spending in actual retail locations and not online was quite satisfying. Onto lunch at the Pine Cone (an oyster salad), and then after gathering some supplies for dinner, a stop at Cheda's Garage. Below a new sweatshirt for me, Mike's t-shirt will get mailed to him shortly. We have Cheda's Garage license plate holders on both of our cars, and it is interesting the number of times we have been asked about them. The last time being in Lassen Nation Park, where someone went out of his way to flag us down and question us. This gentleman was originally from Fairfax, and when he said "St. Rita's" I replied "St. Anselm's", our respective grammar schools.

Wandering around Point Reyes Station, I ran across this abalone shell farm behind the firehouse. I am hoping that simple wanderings will inspire my follow through on trying to post the photo of the day. There are plenty of opportunities out there, it just involves looking.