The Tail End Rest Stop

My last photographic post for 2009.  I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Copyright ©2009 Deborah M. Zajac

I wrote a few details about what you're seeing here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmzajac2004/4232021625/

A Tarot Reading for 2010

 "Should you invest a Million dollars? Read the prospectus first!"

http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_14097268?source=email&nclick_check=1

Scooter Lust!

...and it comes in Red with lots of cargo holding space!

"Copyright That Car Guy (Chuck)"

http://www.carlustblog.com/2009/12/kymco-people-250.html

Cocktails Anyone?

Three suggestions:http://www.aldenteblog.com/2009/12/three-new-years-cocktails.html

Time Waster

I love cars-fast cars. Like most people I detest traffic jams, but here's one that's actually fun.
http://www.carbibles.com/trafficmicrosimulation.html

At the Christmas Carol Mix Rest Stop

Tell  me what is your favorite Christmas Carol? Mine has to be The First Noel. Perhaps your favorite is here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pczACCUmhHo

At the Walton Lighthouse Rest Stop

                                                     ©2009 Deborah M. Zajac-All Rights Reserved

"Anythin' for a quiet life, as the man said wen he took the sitivation at the lighthouse."

~Charles Dickens 1812-1870

I'm Thankful For...

                               All Rights Reserved © 2009 Deborah M. Zajac
 Today we stop the hustle and bustle to slow down, spend time with family, and friends, and look at our lives and blessings.
I have a list a mile long of things I'm grateful for. Topping that list- I am thankful that my children are with me today, that we are whole, and together as a family not just today, but everyday.


Happy Thanksgiving!

Night View

This shot I took from the courtyard in front of the facade of the Warden's House on Alcatraz Island. Here are 4 towers of the Bay Bridge stretching across the bay to Angel Island. I love this city. It's so alive.

Richard Henry Dana said, "If California ever becomes a proserous country, this bay [San Francisco] will be the center of its properity."
~1815-1882

What is Life?

"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset."
~Crowfoot (last words 1890)

Alviso,CA Sept.25, 2009 

At the Mary Street Bridge Rest Stop

 

Dedicated on April 30 2009, Cupertino opens the “Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge”, the first cable-stay bicycle pedestrian bridge over a California freeway. This bridge connects the north and the south sections of the Stevens Creek Trail.

I never really paid much attention to this bridge. I've driven under it countless times. At night it's gorgeous.

109 Years Ago Today

Campbell High School, Campbell, CA
Copyright ©Deborah M. Zajac. All rights reserved.
The copyright for this photo belongs solely to Deborah M. Zajac.
This image or any others by Deborah M. Zajac may not be copied, downloaded, altered, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.


Campbell High School was the first high school to open
in Campbell, California. It opened it's doors on September
14, 1900 with 35 students 23 girls, and 12 boys. Two
teachers were hired to educate the students.

In 1904 the school was moved to a bigger building on
the southeast corner of Winchester and   Campbell Avenues.
In 1936 they built again on the northwest corner of the same
intersection, where the buildings still are today.

After 80 years the school closed in June 1980 due to low enrollment.
In August of 1985 the city of Campbell purchased the property,
and it is now used as a community center.
Today this building is the Campbell Heritage Theater.

Confessions of a Tea Drinker

"I am a hardened and shameless tea drinker,
who has for many years diluted his meals with only
the infusion of this fascinating plant;
whose kettle has scarcely time to cool;
who with tea amuses the evening,
with tea solaces the midnight,
and with tea welcomes the morning."
~Samuel Johnson

 

20 Reason to Rejoice

1) The first warm day of Spring.
2) The first Tulip blossom you spy
3) An unexpected hug from your children
4) Finding $5.00 in your purse or pocket
5) Stopping after one piece of chocolate (okay, maybe two)
6) The loss of 5 pounds
7) A clean enough house
8) A husband/mate who washes your car every week
9) Every time your children say, " I love you." before hanging up
10) A really good hair day
11) Seeing a rainbow after rain
12) The first day of vacation
13) Buying everything on sale
14) The first time you notice how much you resemble your mother
15) Lunch with a girlfriend
16) waking up early enough to see the sunrise
17) The sound a new book makes the first time you open it
18) The first summer beach trip
19) A good night's sleep
20) Getting off work early

Gone to Flower

I don't often eat whole Artichokes- too much work! I do love Artichoke hearts in salads. I live very near the Artichoke capitol of the world, but never really paid much attention to their growning season, or how they look while growing. While out for an evening walk this summer I spied this beauty. I had no idea the Artichoke if left to grow would turn this lovely shade of violet and produce such a nice flower.Not bad for a thistle.

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Out of all the things I collect by far  my largest collection is of houses. I love Victorian, Gingerbread, and the little houses around my region that were built in the 40's and 50's. I'm not sure what that style is called, but they are small, with wonderful woodwork, glass doorknobs, and decorative glass in the windows.

When I am a tourist in my town, or nearby towns I usually take photographs of a house or two. I can not say why I am drawn to them, but will say my mother also likes them. Genetics!

Here's one I thought was adorable yesterday. There is so much to like about it. It just says Home and Comfy to me.

The home is a welcome rest area on the busy road of life.
~Beth Mende Conny

Simple Joys

..."we have the tendency to obscure the forest of simple joys with the trees of problems."
~Christiane Collange

A Little Sunshine

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life.  And everyone deserves a little sunshine.  ~Jeffrey Glassberg

I saw this Monarch butterfly in Ahjumawi State Park in Fall River Mills, CA. It was one of the best days of my life. I saw so many wonderful things in this park for the first time. Time seems to have stood still here. I walked softer, and slower here trying to breath it all in.

Reaching New Heights

"Continuity gives us roots;
change gives us branches,
 letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights."
~Pauline R. Kezer

Things always change

When things change in my life I'm often reminded of this quote by Marcus Aurelius

"Keep in mind how fast things pass by, and are gone- those that are
now, and those to come. Existence flows past us like a river: the "what" is in constant flux,
the "why" has a thousand variations.
Nothing is stable, not even what's right here. The infinity of past and future gapes before us-
a chasm whose depths we cannot see."

So now what?

I've decided to try a blog. Who knows how long it will last, or who besides me will read it. I'm not witty. It will probably consist of random thoughts, and photos that I've taken here and there.

With that I'll start with my first photo addition to my blog. A lovely Coulter's Matilija Poppy. This I saw from across highway 1 in Santa Cruz on Sunday last. It was so beautiful fluttering in the breeze that I dashed across the highway to snap this photo.

Enjoy.