Photography – Page 3 – Circadianreflections Blog

Whatever Weds.-Alaska Cruise Pics

July 30, 2025July 31, 2025Posted in Photography, Travel and Tourism, Whatever WednesdayTagged Alaska Cruise, Cruise Ship, Photography, Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean, Seattle Skyline, Stateroom, Whatever Wednesday45 Comments

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

Some of you may recall that He-Man and I took a Cruise to Alaska on board the Quantum of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean Ship earlier this month. I thought I’d start sharing our trip with photos of our stateroom .

We were sailing out of the Port of Seattle so we flew up a day before our cruise departed. We stayed in the north end of town in a Comfort Inn & Suites. The room and hotel were nice, the neighborhood…a little sketchy, but we felt safe enough to walk to the nearby stores and a restaurant for dinner. We just pulled our city street awareness spidy senses out of the archives and stayed alert while walking.

This was the view from our room of downtown Seattle, and Mt. Rainier way in the distance on the left just as the city lights were coming on for the evening.

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

That parking lot is car dealer spare lot we think.

We took an Uber to the port after checking out of the hotel. Getting through security and checking in with Royal Caribbean was a breeze. Our stateroom wasn’t quite ready so we headed up to the Windjammer Cafe for lunch. I haven’t got any photos of that sorry!

Then we headed to Deck 12 mid-ship to our stateroom hide-away for our departure. We had a stateroom with a balcony on the port side of the ship. The images in the gallery are our main stateroom and view of the balcony, one closet, we had two closets, the bathroom, the big bed…bigger than our Queen at home and there was storage in a cupboard above the bed, the vanity I used for applying my makeup, and over the course of the cruise our Stateroom Attendant left us 4 towel animals. My favorites were the bear, and elephant.

Views from our stateroom balcony-the busy port where people were being dropped off to get onboard, and the port crew loading the luggage, food, and all the things we’d need for the week, and the Seattle Skyline from our balcony on Deck 12 shortly after we left the port.

We’re off! North to Alaska, the rush is on!

This is the movie that made me want to go to Alaska when I was girl. I had this song in my head off and on the whole trip. 😊

more to come…

Thursday Doors-Vintages

July 24, 2025Posted in Photography, Thursday Doors, Travel and Tourism, Travel PhotographyTagged Cruising, Doors, iPhone 14 Pro, Quantum of the Seas, Thursday Doors, Travel and Tourism, wine31 Comments

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

He-Man and I were recently on an Alaskan Cruise which was a lot of fun and full of beautiful scenery, but you know I had an eye out for the unique or unusual door too. I think this one fits the bill. Vintage’s Bar on the Quantum of the Seas ship.

This post is part of the weekly challenge Thursday Doors hosted by Dan Antion over at https://nofacilities.com/2025/07/24/shop-doors-part-2/

Head on over there to see more doors from around the world or join the craze and add a door or two of your own. 😊

more to come…

Whatever Weds. Celestial and Birds

July 9, 2025July 8, 2025Posted in Birds, Birds of North America, Moon, Moonrise, Photography, Whatever WednesdayTagged Birding, Cassin's FInch, Nevada, Waxing Gibbous Moons, Whatever Wednesday33 Comments

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

While birding last week I saw a Cassin’s Finch chick being fed by its parent and made several images of it. Unfortunately, they were facing me with the sun to their backs and in my face. So, the image isn’t great but, what is… is what I discovered once I uploaded my images.

Off to the right of the birds is a satellite flare. I think it’s a Starlink flare/glint which would be the first time I’ve photographed one of those.

Regarding this next image- A friend had been sharing his images of the Moon several days ago with me so, the other evening when I saw the Moon shining out my living room window I was inspired to get up and photograph it.

Here’s the moon at 82.7% percent full. A waxing Gibbous Moon from July 6th.

The bottom crater is Tycho. I really like its crusty textured bits. I know the other large crater off on the left below the Sea of Showers is the Copernicus Crater. I wish I didn’t need a poster to help me every single time with the other sea and crater names, but I do.

July’s Full Moon is called the Buck Moon. It also has several other names like Thunder Moon, and Hay Moon.

The Full Moon this month is July 10th.

Fun Facts:

This full moon coincides with a Major Lunar Standstill in 2025, making the moon appear especially low in the sky after sunset due to its orbital path and the recent summer solstice.

It will be the farthest full moon from the Sun in 2025, occurring shortly after Earth reached aphelion — the point in its orbit farthest from the Sun.
In some regions, such as India, the full moon coincides with Guru Purnima, a spiritually significant event, enhancing its cultural importance.
The Buck Moon gets its name from the Algonquin-speaking Native American tribes, as July is the time when male deer (bucks) begin to grow new antlers covered in velvet, symbolizing renewal and growth.

Fun facts gleaned from Space.com

Nikon D850| Nikkor 500mm PF-e| Processed with Photoshop CC

more to come…

Taking a Break

June 16, 2025Posted in Photography47 Comments

Hi Everyone,

I received a call from my sister and brother on the 5th telling me I needed to get to FL to see my Mom while I still could. She had been in the hospital for several weeks then went home and after her follow up appointment her Doctor called in Hospice care.

I flew out on the 6th. Mom passed on the 14th. I’m home now but, my head is not in a place to keep up with blogs, and posts or post anything of my own so, I’m taking a short break.

I’ll catch up soon. Until then be well, and safe. 🥰

Thursday Doors; Immaculate Conception

June 5, 2025June 4, 2025Posted in Architecture, Photography, Thursday DoorsTagged Architecture, Churches, OH, stained glass windows, stone buildings, Thursday Doors35 Comments

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

I did find a beautiful stone church while in Port Clinton, OH. Immaculate Conception. The doors are lovely.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find any information about the building online so, my photos are all I have to share this week.

Here’s a closer look at the doors.

This post is part of the weekly challenge Thursday Doors hosted by Dan Antion over at https://nofacilities.com/

Head on over there to see more doors from around the world or join the craze and add a door or two of your own. 😊

more to come…

Thursday Doors-Ottawa Co. Courthouse

May 29, 2025Posted in Architecture, Photography, Thursday DoorsTagged Architectural Photography, Building, Courthouses, iPhone 14 Pro, Ohio, Ottawa County Courthouse, Thursday Doors, Travel and Tourism37 Comments

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

One evening after dinner in Port Clinton, Ohio while we were walking back to the car I spied a clock tower rising above city, so I said to He-Man I wanted to go check it out…he knew I was thinking Thursday Doors.

I was expecting to see a church, but it’s Ottawa County Courthouse, officially Ottawa County Court of Common Pleas. It’s beautiful. I loved the stone, the grounds, and especially the clock tower. Built in 1898-1901 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by architect Wing & Mahurin and contractor was Caldwell & Drake Construction of Columbus, Indiana.

From the website of American Courthouses the description says:

“The building faces west and is a three story brown colored sandstone and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Port Clinton. The building has North Amherst Sandstone and pink colored Tennessee marble. The square tower, located in the center of the roof, rises to 132 feet above the ground. The top of the tower contains a belfry for the clock chimes, and the clock faces are located in gables similar to, but smaller than, those below. In the interior, the building is constructed around the central stairwell that rises to the second floor and forms a vault. Four scenes depicting Ottawa County are painted on the walls outside the courtroom: “Quarrying,” “Farming,” “Fishing,” and “Fruit Growing.” These four original industries of the county also define in large measure the significant immigrant groups that settled here. The French were the fishermen, the Danes were the farmers, the Germans were the fruit growers, and the Slavic peoples worked the quarries. The chandelier, hanging from the middle, was taken from the courtroom when it was remodeled and the ceiling lowered. The building houses the County Court of Common Pleas – General, Domestic Relations, Juvenile and Probate.”

It was closed by the time we arrived, but I did peek in through the doors and saw the staircase and chandelier, They looked lovely.

I think these are the front doors. I loved that entrance cover. I think it’s copper by the way its patina is coloring.

Here’s the east side closer look at the doors, arch, and windows.

There’s a plaque at both entrances.

For more information about the history of the county seat visit https://www.ottawacocpcourt.com/history/

This post is part of the weekly challenge Thursday Doors hosted by Dan Antion over at https://nofacilities.com/2025/05/29/misc-iowa-doors/

Head on over there to see more doors from around the world or join the craze and add a door or two of your own. 😊

more to come…

Whatever Weds.- Riding High

May 28, 2025May 27, 2025Posted in Photography, Transportation, Whatever WednesdayTagged Bicycles, Penny-farthing, Whatever Wednesday46 Comments

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION.

©Deborah M. Zajac | http//:circadianreflections.com
Penny-farthing

This bicycle was popular between 1874-1886.

They’re fun to see ridden but, they were fast, and dangerous. With the exception of the railways nothing was faster on the roads.

They were dangerous because the risk of falling was great. Heading over the handlebars was problematic. So makers tried making the handlebars so riders knees could clear them. They had design changes that included reversing the large and small wheels but, that proved dangerous as well by being thrown off the bike backwards when going uphill.

It got its name from the size of its wheels-the front was large like the British penny, the smaller back wheel was the farthing.

The Penny-farthing fell out of favor when the safety bicycle was invented in the 1890’s.

I saw this bicycle and a few other odd ones in Sonoma, CA back in 2011.

more to come…

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