Whatever Weds. Happy Birthday Nevada!

Copyright ©2025 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

October 31, 2025 was Nevada’s 161st year of Statehood. The celebrations started early in October with many events scheduled throughout the month leading up to the big Birthday Bash on November 1st.

November 1st started really early with Hot Air Balloonist rolling in at 6am to get their balloons ready for an 8AM lift-off. I was there.

I usually pick one balloon and stick with them until they lift off. This year I watched the crew that owns this balloon laying flat on the ground.

The crew pulled up to their spot on the street then they laid out a huge tarp, next they roll out the balloon. The crew is named Cloud Couture Crew. The Balloon’s name is Cloud Couture. It’s piloted by Eric Diamond.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com

Next they hook up the basket, and gas, check all the lines, then they turn on a huge fan. See it next to the basket on the left? They use the fan to fill the balloon with air. The best part is when they have enough air in the balloon to start heating it up and lifting the balloon! Whoosh! It was warm standing here once they had the flame going.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
That’s Officer Lorentzen from the Washoe County School Police department. He’s about to embark on his first hot air balloon ride.

By the way the balloon is piloted by his boss.

Now the balloon is just about ready to fly!

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com

Officer Lorentzen is invited on board as well as one more passenger, the owner- Delores Martinez. It’s almost Go Time!

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
While they wait for 8AM and lift off the ground crew is holding onto the lines keeping the balloon from rising. Another crew member is on ground standing by to give the pilot directions with hand signals which way to maneuver the craft to miss trees, lamp posts and wires.

I turn my back on the crew a minute to see what’s happening behind me, and find Lift Off has begun!

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
This is looking north.

Let’s look back and see what’s happening behind the Cloud Couture Crew.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
Looking south.

Did Officer Lorentzen and crew get off the ground?

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
Cloud Couture is airborne!

I waved good-bye and quietly wished them a great flight, and soft landing.

All in all I counted 18 balloons in the air, but I may have missed a couple.

My girlfriend and I went to breakfast and shed some layers before the parade started at 10AM as it was getting warm out.

Cloud Couture Crew-

Pilot-Eric Diamond

Owner-Delores Martinez

Crew Chief- Stephen Moore

Crew- Anthony, J-Bird, Alex, and Emma.

You can find them on Instagram at CloudCoutureNV

Cloud Couture, thank you for letting me and my camera hang out with you to see all it takes to get your beautiful hot air balloon off the ground!

Happy Wednesday!

more to come…

Whatever Weds. Thank you!!

Copyright ©2025 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com Image

Thank you all for the support, and kindness you’ve given me these last few weeks. I appreciate you and your comments so much. 🥰

I wish you all a wonderful Independence Day Week-end!

Purple Loosestife wildflowers

more to come…

Thurs. Doors- Red Door & Glass Doors

Copyright ©2024 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

Coventry Cross Episcopal Church is in my town, and I see this cross every time I drive through town using the main Hwy/Interstate 395. FYI the speed limit through this section of town is 25 MPH.

Wooden Cross

I’ve often wondered what the door(s) and front of the church look like so while I was in town running errands earlier this week I used the back streets to go just a couple of blocks from one place to another and finally saw the front doors.

As you can see it was gray, it was cold Tuesday morning, and there’s still snow on the ground from last week-end’s big snow storm.

Here’s a look at their glass doors and the whole building.

I didn’t bother taking out all the wires because I would have taken out the Cross on top of the bell tower too. My Photoshop skills aren’t good enough to put the cross back. What a shame to have all these wires going across it, but this is how it really looks. 😀

I did find a wee bit of history about this building on their site.

It says, ” Coventry Cross Episcopal Church, a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada. Serving the communities of Douglas County, Nevada , for over 55 years.

Coventry Cross Chapel was moved from its original site in Smith Valley, Nevada, to its present location in Minden, in October of 1954, to become the town’s first church. Before that, local Episcopalians worshipped in members’ homes and other buildings. While in Smith Valley, the Chapel was given the carved stone Tudor Cross which had stood on the porch of the Cathedral of St. Michael (Coventry Cathedral) at Coventry, England. Honoring the gift, the Chapel became “Coventry Cross Episcopal Church.” The rose quartz cross stands about three feet high and is carved with 28 Tudor roses with points terminating in a large blossom. It stands on the rood beam over the altar. At some point in its history it was stained brown to match the beam. The mantel of the fireplace (the original heat for the church) came from 14th century Malmesbury Abbey in England; the left corner stone of the fireplace is from a first century Roman wall at St. Alban’s; and the right corner stone is from 17th century St. Paul’s in London. The new parish hall modifies and expands the one built in 1958.”

Doesn’t that rose quartz cross and mantel sound lovely! I wish the chapel was open so I could have seen both. Maybe one day.

This post is part of the Thursday Doors group hosted by Dan Antion over at No Facilities which you can click on to see other doors from around the world- here

iPhone 14 Pro| PS CC 25.4

more to come…

Merry Christmas!

Copyright ©2023 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

Carson River on a Foggy Morning 12.21.2023

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Nikon D810| Nikkor 24-120mm| PS CC 25.2.0

more to come…

Sunday Stillness-Sliders & a Softshell

Copyright ©2023 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

Red-eared Sliders & Spiny Softshell
Slide Mountain View from Prison Hill East

Nikon D810| Nikkor 24-120mm & iPhone 14 Pro

more to come…