Category: California

Clark’s Grebes

Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds of North America, California, Clark's Grebes, Clear Lake CA, Grebes, Nature Photography, Northern California, Northern California Birds, PhotographyTagged , , , , , , , , , 26 Comments

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I spent the week-end with old friends Theresa, Dali, and Alex birding up in Clear Lake. We went to see Grebes, we hoped dancing on the water.

We booked a boat with the same tour group we used last year Eyes of the Wild with Faith as our Captain. You can read that post here.

We booked early and Faith kept us abreast of the Grebe situation on the lake on and off up until our booking day. Last week she sent me a text message saying that courting had really slowed down, but she had a surprise. Babies were early and she’d found several pair of Grebes with babies! Did we still want to come up?

Did we still want to come up? OF COURSE WE DID!  We’d go to see the chicks alone! We had hoped to get up there again last summer to see Grebe chicks, but there was a huge fire, the drought, add to that predators, well, it all added up to a low number of Grebes and not too many babies so, we didn’t go back up last year. We went this time!

Here’s my favorite image today of the babies and their parents.

Grebe Family

Dad had brought the fish, made a perfect transfer of it to Mom, and the chicks were out and exposed from their Mom’s wings peeping their heads off to get that fish!  The morning light was lovely, and I managed to keep the shot in focus and made before the boat moved up or down with a swell!

This was such an exciting, wonderful,  beautiful sight to see!

We also saw a few dances. We saw Osprey pairs with chicks, and a really pretty sunset among the most notable things we saw this past week-end.

I came home with 1700 images to cull. I’ve made my first pass and deleted about 400 already.  I’ll try to break up the posts so I don’t bore you to death with images of Grebes all the time. 🙂

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| SunDisk Digital Film|

More to come…

 

 

 

 

Sunset on Mt Diablo Range

Posted in California, Landscape Photography, Landscapes, Nature Photography, Nikon DF, Oak Trees, Photography, Santa Clara CountyTagged , , , , , , , , , , 30 Comments

Copyright © 2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I went for a short hike Sunday evening with friends, and found it super cold and windy up in the mountains above the valley floor.  There were so many beautiful wildflowers up there, but it was so windy I only made a few images of flowers. Macro photography and wind just don’t play nice with each other.

Nothing to do then, but find a composition and wait for Golden Hour, and hope that the clouds that rolled in don’t block up the sun and we get some color.

My fingers got so cold I couldn’t feel the heat from my hand warmers, and I was having trouble feeling my shutter button. After Golden Hour myself and a friend called it and started back down the hill to the car.  About halfway down the colors in the sky popped. I had to stop to photograph it.

Landscape Photography

I hiked down pretty fast after the sun sunk behind the mountains, and once in my car I cranked the heater as high as it would go, and waited for another friend who drove up with me. She and several others braved the cold and wind further up the trail.

I’m glad I didn’t hike back to the car earlier. I would have missed this!

Nikon Df| Nikkor 17-35mm| Delking Digital Film| Tripod| PS CC 2015 & On1 Photo 10| Single exposure

More to come…

 

 

Thursday Doors 17/52 Sveadal

Posted in Architecture, California, Photography, Sveadal, Swedish American Patriotic League, Thursday DoorsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , 23 Comments

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I’m dipping into my archives for my post to Thursday Doors this week because I didn’t get any images of pretty or interesting doors this past week.

Sveadal located in Morgan Hill, Ca is a little Swedish village that one must pass through to get to a popular Santa Clara County Park called Uvas Canyon.  I pass through this village when I go looking for waterfalls in Winter.

“In 1926, the Swedish American Patriotic League purchased 110 acres of beautiful mountain property for a potential retirement home that soon evolved into a summer resort. It has a beautiful Clubhouse, recreational facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, playground, ball field, picnic and camp grounds, two creeks and two outdoor dance floors. There are 49 private cabins and 10 rental units. ” ~Sveadal.org

 This past January while on my out of the area after photographing waterfalls, and little cascades here, I stopped to make some images of the doors in the village.

Nº D10– I really like the shape of the rails, and color scheme of this cabin right down to the delicate white curtains.  The listing awning over the French Doors with its shingles covered in moss is also quite charming I think. 🙂

Swedish Architecture-Photography

…Nº D10 

Swedish Architecture-Photography

Shed Door– the rust and mold caught my eye. It gives the door more character I think.

Sveadal Shed

Nº D6-The scalloped trim on the portico, the panel door,  the 9 paned windows with their shear white curtains, and the smoke stack…this is where I’d like to be tucked with my camera, a good book, plenty of tea, wine, food that isn’t fussy or too complicated to prepare, and He-Man, and Diva Dog for the week-end.

Swedish Architecture-Photography

I also love the patina on the fence in front of Nº 6. I wonder what metal it is made of? Iron?

Metal Fence Patina

Apparently Fairies, or Hobbits live here. Unfortunately, not one Fairy or Hobbit answered the door.   I love this and want one in my yard.  I wonder what the story is behind it? Is this a tradition I wonder?

Carved house from tree stump

For the History buffs I will let Ted Olsson’s speech  given on the 100th Anniversary of the Swedish American Patriotic League speak to that here.

There’s a bit more to see here, and I’m sure more than a few hidden gems. I hope to find those in future trips back to the area.

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

 

 

 

What’s Blooming?

Posted in California, Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro, Macro Photography, Photography, Spring, What's BloomingTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , 20 Comments

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spanish Lavender from my neighbor Maria’s yard. She has the best garden!

Spanish Lavender Macro Photography-LensBaby

This is a hedge that we put in on both sides of our house for a little more privacy.

It’s been so many years ago that we put it in I can’t recall the name of it. It attracts the bees, and looks great when in bloom. It has red and green broad leaves and is ho-hum when not in bloom. 🙂

Privacy hedge- macro photography Lensbaby

We just had our 26 yr old railroad tie retaining wall/planter box replaced with a cement stone looking wall which meant I bought new flowers to replace those that were let go or trampled on while the wall was being installed. These are some sort of cone Daisy. I need to ask Rick our contractor what he planted. I love these!

Macro Photography-Flowers-LensBaby

Calla Lily-  I love this blossom, but have a really hard time photographing it and getting on film what I see in my head, but I adore this curve.

Calla Lily-Macro Photography-LensBaby

Nikon Df| Nikon 105mm macro lens & LensBaby Composer Pro w/Soft Focus Optic & 8mm and 16mm Macro converters| Delking Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

 

Monochrome Madness2 51/52 Morro Rock

Posted in Black and White Photography, California, California Coast, California Coastal Cities, Geology, Monochrome Madness2, Morro Bay, CA, Photography, SeascapesTagged , , , , , , , 13 Comments

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A black and white version of Morro Rock in Morro Bay, CA.

Morro Rock in Black & White

This image is part of Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2.

To see all the images posted for this week’s MM2 challenge click here.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015 & Silver Efex Pro

More to come…

Sunset Morro Bay Harbor

Posted in California, California Beaches, California Coast, California Coastal Cities, Geology, Morro Bay, CA, Photography, Seascapes, SunsetsTagged , , , , , , , 12 Comments

Copyright © 2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I hope everyone had a lovely Holiday week-end.  Our’s was really nice.

This was our sunset Saturday evening in Morro Bay, CA. That’s Morro Rock a 581ft Volcanic Plug at the entrance to Morro Bay Harbor.

A volcanic plug is a remnant volcanic neck.  There are 13 volcanic intrusive units that form these plugs,lava domes, and sheetlike intrusions from Morro Rock to Islay Hill 18 miles southeast.  Wikipedia has more information about the rock here.  It sure is pretty in the evening with good light and color.

Sunset Morro Rock, Morro Bay, CA

Thanks everyone for the lovely comments, and well wishes for our Anniversary! We appreciate everyone of  them.

I’m beginning to get caught up with emails, and blogs.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| Tripod| PS CC 2015 & On1 Photo 10

More to come…

Happy Easter!

Posted in California, California Wildflowers, Easter, Holidays, Holidays and Observances, Lupine, Northern California Wildflowers, Photography, Wildflowers, Wildflowers of Northern CaliforniaTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , 24 Comments

Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I’m posting this a bit early because He-Man and I are celebrating our 35th Wedding Anniversary this week-end.  No one is more surprised than us that we’ve been married this many years.  Time has just flown by!

Table Mt. Spring Lupine in Full Bloom

Regarding this image- I made it last March about this same time when the Lupine was in full bloom up on the mesa.

Our plans for this week-end? He-Man and I  are going to celebrate us, and wrap ourselves up in each other, and nature over a long week-end.  I’ll be offline until Monday.  🙂

May  your Easter Basket be filled to the brim with goodies and love. Happy Easter!

If you don’t celebrate Easter I hope you enjoy the week-end with those you love.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24mm f/2.8af-d| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film| PS CS5 and PS CC 2015

More to come…