Photography – West Coast Review

A Trip to the Central California Coast

Afternoon Walk Along the Lake Natoma Bluffs

An afternoon walk along the bluffs of Lake Natoma, CA.

Farmer’s Market

Denio’s Farmers Market, Roseville, CA.

This was a light Saturday at Denio’s. The highlight is the produce but in this multicultural and local favorite weekend spot you can get furniture, clothing, jewelry, pottery, antiques, fabric, painting, shoes, tattoo equipment, tools, toys, plants, sunglasses – you name it and you’ll find it. It is one big open air market and giant garage sale too. Check it out if you’re in the Roseville/Sacramento area. The Sunday after church crowd makes for some great people watching. Denio’s is open year around, rain or shine.

A Hike Around Lake Natoma

Summer and drought beings hot dusty trails and dry grass, but there is still so much beauty in the oak forests around Lake Natoma (Sacramento County, California.)

Calm

One more thought for those of you who are looking for something calm… this is Oscar. He is calm and collected and cool. We should all be so lucky.

They always make me smile

No matter what, they always make me smile.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/daily-prompt-make-me-smile/

Sunday views – all creatures great and small

Gemeni

Something beautiful and lovely and calming to start off your weekend with: Gemeni.

This is from one of my favorite blogs: talainsphotographyblog.wordpress.com

I always look forward to the wonderful photo posts. If you aren’t following it you should be.

Life is always good if you’re Oscar!

The place between the night and the day

Click here for: The place between the night and the day.

Home

I could live in hundreds of different places. There are places that I may very well move to and leave the area I’ve lived more or less my entire life.

Five years ago I made a big move. It now seems like a million years ago.

This is my story…

Once upon a time there was a single working girl with an ok job. Before the housing boom she purchased her own little home. She grew flowers and decorated it with art and flair. It wasn’t fancy but it was hers. She eventually added a husband, dogs, cats and a baby girl to the mix. What she didn’t expect to add was neighborhood drug dealers, child molesters, crazy people with guns and assorted low life types who moved into the neighborhood. After years of calling the police, the county, elected officials and bad landlords – she cleaned up the neighborhood. It wasn’t easy. It was awful. It was horrible.

Her husband talked about building an addition to the little house but the thought of that was just depressing. The never ending battles with assorted dirt bags was wearing her out.

So the husband suggested they get an old farm house or find another old house and fix it up. They looked and looked. It would have been exciting but expensive – and more than anything, years of “fixing up” didn’t sound fun.

Then the husband started to look at foreclosures. After months and months he found a house by a park. It was nice. It was quiet. It was home.

This house was less than five miles away but it seemed like a million miles away. It was where she wanted to live and raise her family. It was a place where her family would be safe. And as much as she liked the nice young handsome men in law enforcement she frequently spoke with, it was nice that she wouldn’t have to see them anymore.

And that is my story.

Our old house wasn’t so unsafe but it was uncomfortable because we became used to the drug dealers and the fight. We did have parks to walk in and nice neighbors too but then the calm would be broken, we’d be threatened with guns, we’d have to call CPS on neighbors because their school aged daughters wore nothing but panties, we’d see drug deals 24/7 right across the street. Now we have parks where it is safe, even for our cats. The only unsafe things are coyotes. No it isn’t perfect. Sometimes bad things happen like someone breaking into a car – but…it is so much better. I feel safe. I feel happy. I know my family is happy and safe.

Anyway…I still think of one day living by the ocean or in the mountains or in a big city but this is home. My home.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/daily-prompt-moving/

sandy sidewalk

Very cool. Take a look. Click here to go to: sandy sidewalk.

My gentleman companion

A true gentleman living in a world full of wonder and delight. His conversations are loud but always entertaining – even when he visits the neighbors who always listen with great humor what he has to say. He is my cat and friend and my gentleman companion.

Click here for more on Oscar: You wait at my door

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/06/28/weekly-photo-challenge-companionable/