Razor Wire

I photographed this razor wire at the Port of Oakland. I often find barbed wire fences beautiful. If you ever find some idle time on your hands, Google barbed wire and/or razor wire. You will find some nasty stuff, such as the fences at concentration camps. But you will also find barbed wire art collections and art shows, as well as barbed wire design tattoos. Check out the history of barbed wire. It's even interesting to look at the multitude of barbed wire designs offered for sale. There's a whole world out there!

 

Driveby Shooting

Here's another house-painting picture I took in Oakland, while a passenger in a friend's car. It's truly amazing what you can do with today's cameras. Mine was a Nikon D90 with an 18-250mm Tamron lens.

 

Oakland

Shame on me! Oakland is just across the bridge, yet I've never seen these painted apartment houses. Until yesterday, that is.

 

The artwork must give the residents a real lift. Without it, the houses would look drab and uninspiring. A little paint can make a huge difference!

 

Hanjin

A very exciting morning! A friend took me to the Port of Oakland. First we went to see the Hanjin container crane. This Korean company is one of the world's top ten container carriers. My picture shows their gigantic container crane. The statistics are mind-boggling.

 

However, I have no plans of becoming a shipping-magnate. I'm merely a simple photographer, who was absolutely thrilled by some of the picture-opportunities he encountered. And the photo is just a composition, nothing else.

 

More Graffiti

More water tank graffiti.

 

KICK IT

Go out Sir Francis Drake Blvd in Fairfax and turn right on Glen Drive. This will take you to the trailhead of the Loma Alta Open Space Preserve. Hike up the trail and you will come to two huge water tanks covered with graffiti. Bob H and my destination this morning.

 

I know that there are people who are violently opposed to graffiti. I, on the other hand, love it if is well-done and does not deface property.

 

When we first saw the lettering shown on today's picture, we thought we were looking at hieroglyphics. A second look revealed the painting's true intent.

 

The Height of Laziness

One of the spectators at today's Quadruple Dipsea Footrace brought his two Golden Retrievers. I noticed that the girl-dog kept resting her head on the boy-dog's back. She followed him wherever he went, placing her head on his back as soon as he stopped!

 

When I mentioned this behavior to the dogs' owner, he answered, very matter-of-factly, that she always does that! What a chutzpah!

 

More Turkey

Here's another one from my Turkey trip. Three gentlemen smoking their water pipes in a nargile cafe in Istanbul. The pipe is also known as Hookah and also as hubble-bubble.

 

If you cannot resist, here's how to do it ~

Click here: How to setup a Water Pipe(Argileh/Hookah/Sheesha) - YouTube

 

Turkey

About twenty years ago a friend and I visited Turkey. We took our bicycles but the heat melted the asphalt and we had to switch to public transportation. The attached picture shows three young girls in front of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 45 million turkeys are slaughtered and cooked on Thanksgiving. As a confirmed vegetarian and animal lover the very thought sickens me!

 

McInnis Skateboard Park

I would never have had the guts to try this. I'm afraid I'm a wuss!

 

Outdoor Art

On our walk around the hills at McInnis Park, a couple of days ago, Bob H and I noticed this slab of concrete. I don't know what its original purpose was, but somebody decided to embellish it. To me, the resulting work of art is worthy of being exhibited in a museum. Ya jes' never know whatcha gonna find!

 

Great Egret Photo #2,311

There's no such thing as too many Great Egret pictures!

 

What's Wrong Here?

This morning (Sunday) the weather forecast called for rain. Instead the sun came out and it was a lovely morning. And here we have a beautiful scene. A couple out for a walk with their pooch, Mount Tamalpais in the background.

 

And then I discovered the flaw. A mood destroyed! A scene ruined! A picture kaput! The lady is on the phone! Mother Nature should forbid cell phones!

 

A Bit Of History

Today the Romberg Tiburon Center serves as the S. F. State's Marine Research Facility. The Center has a very colored history. Starting with a cattle ranch, probably around 1850, it went to a fish processing plant, then a coaling station, later to a nautical training school. During WWII it served as a Navy Net Depot, where huge steel anti-submarine nets were built. One seven-mile version was laid across the entrance to the San Francisco Bay.

 

My picture shows, what I believe are, rusted pilings from a wharf built by the navy at the turn of the last century.

 

Graffiti

I wonder what the author of this two-liner had in mind when she/he penned this message (if anything)?

 

Greater Yellowlegs

Greater Yellowlegs (I think). Yesterday, near the Village at Corte Madera. This bird was standing on one leg, but I believe that's all he/she had. I observed him/her in flight.

 

Taraxacum

"Common Dandelion" is a huge misnomer. In fact, the seed head of the Dandelion, consisting of dozens of little seed-carrying parachutes, is one of nature's miracles. The intricate design of these seed-heads never ceases to thrill me. Children, and some adults (like me) love to blow on them and watch the wind carry them far away.

 

I assume that you know, that "dandelion" stems from the French "dent-de-lion", meaning "lion's tooth".

 

Dogpark

Initially my camera refused to switch from birds to dogs. But finally, after some coaxing and promises of a speedy return to my primary mission, it finally condescended to take the attached picture.

 

So here is Janet's new pooch, a Lhasa-Ospo-Terrier mix, chasing around with a Pointer at the Mill Valley Dogpark a few days ago.

 

Great Egret

Great Egret taking off. This morning at the Ponds.

 

Sunday Morning

This morning Bob H and I went for a walk along the Gallinas Creek in San Rafael. Canoes passed us against a Mount Tamalpais background. The scene reminded me of an old print. Trying to imitate that print I resorted to black-and-white.

 

Ughhh!

At the precise moment everyone settled back in their easy-chairs, thinking that Hans is finally taking "normal" pictures, he goes over the top again, to the delight of those who love to hate his nutty shots.

 

Today's masterpiece shows a recently discarded paper-napkin, which fiendishly assumed the features of a bearded old man. Just you wait - this photograph may well end up at the SF MOMA where all black and all white canvasses have been known to take center-stage.

 

Oops!

Here's the correct "Encounter" picture.

 

Encounter

Great Egret at the Ponds, observing runner in the early morning sun.

 

Greenbrae Boardwalk

Posts that had rotted away with time. Their dark majesty reminded me of a feudal castle, or medieval cathedral.

 

Meanwhile back at the Greenbrae Boardwalk.

Some of the residents got quite creative with their water-meters. And here is one of my favorites.

 

What a Relief!

The campaigns are finally over. I couldn't have taken any more debates, stump speeches, TV ads, E-mails, Snail-mail, or "pundits"!

 

I photographed the TV with my iPhone for today's picture.

 

Two Bank Solution

Pelicans on the far bank, Great and Snowy Egrets on the near bank. Problem solved!

 

Butterfly

After several years of wandering around the Ponds, and seeing birders, runners, walkers, dog-walkers, bicyclists, etc., I ran into my first lepidopterist. Don't know what that is? Well, it's a butterfly specialist.

 

The gentleman was looking at a bush and told me that there were a lot of Somenameorotherblue butterflies frequenting the bush. Upon closer inspection I saw these tiny (5/8") gals/guys. It was hard to lean forward and focus without falling on my nose, and I could hardly see what I was doing. The results were better than expected, and attached is my best shot. Only question, why is it called "blue".

 

How it all came about

Some years ago I acquired some paintings at a street market in Havana. Buildings and parked cars. Somehow, the scene at the Romberg Tiburon Center, which I encountered the other day, immediately reminded of these paintings. Perhaps it was the mood, more than anything else. While the paintings are in color, I felt the picture needed to be in black and white.

 

Puddle in Front of my Apartment-House

Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle 1890 - 1970. de Gaulle led

the Free French Forces during World War II. In 1958 he founded the French Fifth Republic and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969.

 

Shadows

I'm a real patsy when it comes to stairs and shadows! This scene at the Romberg Tiburon Center a few days ago.