Happy January 1st.

Happy January 1st.   I hope you'll follow me to my new & permanent blog, just follow the link to Judy's Photo Blog .

The "theme" for today is persimmons, here's just one photo from the four I have posted on the new blog.
New year, new blog, hope you'll join me.

Happy New Year

I wish you all a happy, healthy and bright 

New Year in 2012

 

Don't give up on me ...

Blame it on the holidays ... lots of photos and no time to "process" them.  I did like this one, though, it seemed appropriate for the blog at this point.  I will be "right back" ... don't give up.  (This photo was shot in Spanish Village (San Diego)  during a meet-up with Carol Leigh and Chris Smith from Photo Explorations.)

Salton Sea CA

A week ago I was in Borrego Springs CA, did a "tour" of Salton Sea with Paul Johnson (through the  Anza-Borrego Foundation).   I'm still sorting through my photos, but wanted to post these from the final stop of our day:  Salvation Mountain.   I had been there 12+ years ago and missed meeting Leonard.  This trip he was there, so in addition to taking photos, I was able to meet the man who built the mountain.  

I hope you'll have some time to follow the link & read a bit about his story.

Inside the "balloon"  He used tree trunks, tree limbs, and he said a telephone
pole!   All put in place by Leonard, with the help of pulleys. 

Snow at the SD Zoo

The forecast yesterday in San Diego was for a cold, but sunny day.   The San Diego Zoo had a different forecast, SNOW for the pandas!     Couldn't resist a photo opportunity like this one!  The pandas enjoyed their gift of snow and the bamboo Christmas tree  ;-)








While there I spent some time with the flamingos, the young ones are so beautiful as their plumage changes.

Versatile Blogger nomination

        Linda Jeffers sent me the following email:

Judy:  I have nominated your blog for The Versatile Blogger Award.  You have been an inspiration.  You will find the details here: http://www.lindajeffers.com/blog/     Linda

I met Linda years ago at a photography workshop in Santa Fe we both attended, given by Carol Leigh.  We've kept in touch through email, each other's blogs and on-line classes from Carol.   She's a great photographer and not afraid to try new techniques -- recently did a lot of lightning photography.    She is amazing &  inspiring with her hiking & backpacking adventures.

This is from her blog:   "According to the rules for this award, with this Versatile Blogger Award logo, one should make a post with a nomination blog list (which should be 15) and one should inform the nominees that they are nominated for this Versatile Blogger Award.   In addition, one should share seven items about oneself that readers don't already know.  And one needs to thank the blogger who gave you this award."

So THANK YOU Linda.   It was a great surprise to read your email!

So here goes with seven items which many of you may not know (well, the first doesn't count, everyone knows this "secret").


1.  I'm an avid photographer:  photograph anything & everything that gets in my viewfinder  ;-)


2.  I am a sailor and lived on a sailboat 1999-2000, sailed from SF Bay down the coast and up into the Sea of Cortez.  Loved every second of it!


3.  Enjoy reading (so send me some book titles you've enjoyed).  


4.  I like burned microwave popcorn.   OK, you can stop laughing now, it was a happy accident.  I burned the last package of microwave popcorn I had in the house and was trying to salvage a few bites that looked OK.  I discovered that I liked the "ruined" ones maybe more than the regular ones.  


5.  I did a triathlon in Santa Cruz (many, many years ago).   I finished!    That's about all I want to say about my time  ;-)


6.  My nickname (in Santa Cruz)  was "The Mermaid" because after work I went to the beach a few times a week and swam in the ocean  (by the SC Wharf).   


7.  Also did a few rough-water swims in Santa Cruz and one in the beautiful La Jolla cove (here in San Diego).  


Blogs I follow and my nominees for the "Versatile Blogger" award.
1.  http://carolleigh.blogspot.com    I first met Carol maybe 10 years ago when she gave a lecture in Sacramento about macro photograph.   I loved her sense of humor then and now (a bit wicked at times), am continually amazed at the versatility in her photographs and art.   Her on-line classes are so much fun and get me photographing things I wouldn't normally do (ICE, Carol, remember the ice assignment).  

2.  http://ezpixels.com/blog   I met Marianne briefly at a photo workshop with Carol Leigh in Tucson. We've stayed in touch with blogs & emails.  She's been extremely helpful when I hit a brick wall with my pixel problems.  Her IR photography is beautiful, inspiring,  as are all her other photos.

3.  http://www.digitalfieldguide.com    I met Harold Davis two years ago in Cuba when we traveled with the same workshop.  I had already been reading his blog before we met, and it was great to meet him in person.  His books on photography are easy to understand and I've learned a lot from them.   Thanks Harold!

4.  http://iphoneographywithterilou.blogspot.com    I took two on-line workshops with Teri Lou and am now addicted to iPhoneography.  Love those apps!

5.  http://www.cakewrecks.com/    For a good laugh, I check in to CakeWrecks.  Sunday's are "sweet" cake days, but the rest of the week their blog always provides some chuckles.

6.  http://plantsoup.com/blog/  After moving to San Diego I started learning about succulents, Native California plants and  became aware of  the HIGH water bill that having a lawn would give me.  I took a few classes from  Nan Sterman in waterwise gardens and liked this concept, her designs and her energy.  She's designing a whole new garden for my house.

So for today I'll stop at 6 blogs I follow, will post more tomorrow -- have to make time tonight to read my other blogs.   Thank you again Linda for the nomination!








So h

Unexpected trip to Reno

I

I had to make an unexpected flight north to Reno.   It was an easy  flight and fun because I had 1-1/2 hrs to play with my iPhone 4s.    First photo was taken as we left San Diego, second as we approached Reno (that's Lake Tahoe we're flying by).   Third photo was done by an app called Decimat8.