Showing posts with label Atascadero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atascadero. Show all posts

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Photos of a Wet North County

What's Wet in the North County?


North San Luis Obispo County, California, is not known for its frequent rain. Most of the year non-irrigated land is not wet. Sometimes even our lakes and rivers are dry. Currently the sun is shining brightly and no rain is expected soon. But for City Daily Photo Bloggers, this month's theme is "wet" and this is the day to illustrate it. To do that I have have looked back to my rainy season photos.


Photos of a Wet North County
Atascadero Lake, January 28, 2017

Atascadero Lake

Atascadero Lake is one spot in the North County that usually contains water, but even it was dry in 2014 during the worst of the drought. I'm happy to see it full again. See Atascadero Lake at its best and worst here. The birds are happy to see it full again after the winter rains. We all hope it stays that way. 


Photos of a Wet North County
Waterfowl at Atascadero Lake, 1-28-17, © B. Radisavljevic


The Salinas River


The Salinas River is sometimes wet, but most of the year it is dry. For more wet season photos, see The Salinas River in Paso Robles: Now You See It. The photo below was taken in February at sundown. The recent rains had been good to the river.  I'm hoping it will stay visible and wet until at least the end of April, but that will depend on getting some April showers. 

Photos of a Wet North County
Salinas River at Sundown, 2-26-17,  © B. Radisavljevic


Since I love seeing the river full and flowing, I've made a lot of my photos of the river into products at Zazzle. Here are some of them.


The Cow Parade at Halter Ranch


In February I went on a search for cows in the Cow Parade, an international event. Businesses sponsored artists who made life-size cow sculptures, and the cows were scattered over many locations in our county. I wanted to find all I could in the North County. I found this one on a rainy day at Halter Ranch Winery. It's titled Cowvee Alice. It was created by Jack Foster and sponsored by Halter Ranch. Many of the cows from the cow parade have been made into collectible figurines you can find at Amazon

Photos of a Wet North County
Cowvee at Halter Ranch, 2-19-17, © B. Radisavljevic


 It was not easy to get this photograph. When I arrived in front of the tasting room, the cow was surrounded by people with umbrellas. They weren't moving. I discovered they were all part of a tour of the winery and were gathered in front of the tasting room (and the cow) to listen to the tour leader speak. I decided to join in and learn something. When the tour moved on to the winery, I snapped my photos and then followed the tour. Find out more about this tour here. I recommend it.) If you look closely at the photo, you will see that the sidewalk around the cow sculpture is wet. So was the cow, but it's hard to see that. The vineyards and grounds were also wet. 



Puddles Near the Park


On January 9,  I walked to Larry Moore Park to check on the river after the rain. I took a short cut from the J.C. Penny parking lot across a vacant lot to a back park entrance. On the way I passed many puddles. This is one I liked because of its reflection of the trees near it. It was quite a large puddle and the ground around it was so wet I sloshed as I walked.

Photos of a Wet North County
Puddle Near Back Entrance to Larry Moore Park in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

The Sunken Gardens In Atascadero


I took this photo of the fountain at the Sunken Gardens Park on a very windy day after the rain. It was wet in many places around the fountain because of the wind's splashing. Of course, the fountain is wet, too. 

Photos of a Wet North County
Overflowing Fountain  after Rain in the Sunken Gardens, Atascadero, © B. Radisavljevic


My Own Backyard


Until last winter, I had never seen my yard this wet. Usually the rain is quickly absorbed by the thirsty ground. After several rainy days, the ground was not so thirsty anymore. Thus the puddles appeared. The white streaks are the falling raindrops.

Photos of a Wet North County



Which photo illustrating this month's Wet theme do you like best? 



**


Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Wordless Wednesday: An Overflowing Fountain in Atascadero

The Fountain in The Sunken Gardens Overflowed During February Rains



The fountain in Atascadero's Sunken Gardens overflowed during the February rains.
The fountain in Atascadero's Sunken Gardens overflowed during the February rains. 

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers

Morning Sky

The weather forecast gave the impression I'd stay dry if I finished my shopping by mid-afternoon. I got in my car, and although the sky was cloudy, it wasn't raining. That was at 10:55 AM.

Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Sky View 2-18-17, Paso Robles, 10:55 AM, ©  B. Radisavljevic 


I drove to Atascadero, parked on Traffic Way and took a few photos. This is one that shows how green the hills are now. As you can see, the sky was blue looking northeast. 

Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Sky View from Traffic Way in Atascadero about 11:30 AM, ©  B. Radisavljevic

I walked around and took more pictures in the almost deserted Sunken Gardens.  It was windy, and you can see how the wind and earlier rain had combined to make the fountain spill over onto the surrounding area. 


Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Fountain at Sunken Gardens in  Atascadero about 11-45 AM, ©  B. Radisavljevic

After leaving the park I made my way to Smart and Final to shop. I was there by noon. By 1 PM I was back in my car, and there was still no rain. I headed to Trader Joe's in Templeton. I had planned to stop at Von's but it had started to rain hard by the time I drove the short distance there and the parking lot was full. I only needed one thing there and opted to skip it and go straight to Trader Joe's. It rained on and off all the way to Templeton. Fortunately when I got to Trader Joe's the rain had stopped and the sky was blue again. I left my hat in the car. 

Afternoon

That turned out to be a mistake. As I left Trader Joe's I could see the rain coming down as I reached the exit. My hat was in the car, so I tried to keep my glasses dry. As luck would have it, the rain became just a drizzle as I walked to my car. When I got home the rain had pretty much died down. I was able to unload the car without getting wet. At 4:30 I went to my front yard to take a picture, and this is how the sky looked then. 

Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Sky View 2-18-17, Paso Robles, 4:30  PM, ©  B. Radisavljevic 


As the Sun Went Down

These photos were taken at 5:25 PM

Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers


Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Sky View 2-18-17, Paso Robles, 5:25  PM, ©  B. Radisavljevic 



Sunset

These photos were taken from different angles at sunset. I show them in order. 

Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Sky View 2-18-17, Paso Robles, 5:48  PM, ©  B. Radisavljevic 


Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Sky View 2-18-17, Paso Robles, 5:48  PM, ©  B. Radisavljevic 

Sky Journal of Day with Sporadic Showers
Sky View 2-18-17, Paso Robles, 5:48  PM, ©  B. Radisavljevic 

It was eerie to drive in and out of showers as I passed under storm clouds on my way home.  I'm grateful we've gotten more rain, but not enough to do much damage. Our friends in Northern and Southern California have had much more damage. 

I"m seriously thinking of getting one of these rain barrels to collect and save some of this water for the summer. 


How has your weather been this week? How has it affected you personally or those you know?



***

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Out-of-Focus is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip

Business Road Trip from Paso Robles to Ventura County

Some of the best photo opportunities are from the windows of moving cars. There is usually a clear view ahead from the windshield or to the side from the side window. You can't capture many of these shots anywhere but from the middle of the freeway or road.

Out-of-Fous is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip
X in the Sky, © B. Radisavljevic


We started our trip in Paso Robles on Interstate 101 heading south. I didn't get my first blurry shot until we were at the south end of Atascadero. The sky had been putting on a show since we left. Here is the first out-of-focus shot.

Why out-of-focus? Because it's theme day for City Daily Photo Bloggers and the theme for November 1 is Out-of-Focus. See what others did for this theme here.

It is really easy to get an out-of-focus shot from a moving car. One doesn't have much time to even point and shoot, which is what I did with my three cameras I used on this trip. The sky was magnificent during the entire trip because of the way the clouds and sun and contrails were interacting. I saw that X in the sky for almost the entire trip to Newbury Park and it was still in the sky when we left to come home.

Santa Barbara County Out-of-Focus

The photo above was from the trip southbound. The photos below are from the return trip northbound. I was on the side of the car opposite the ocean but I wanted to capture the sunset as best I could over the ocean. It was difficult to aim the camera away from the rear view mirror which was hanging down from the top, and to also miss my husband and the edges of his window on the left.

What's amazing is not that these photos are blurry, but that so many I shot turned out well. Those I will share in other posts. These shots were taken between El Capitan State Beach and Buellton. The first is near El Capitan State Beach.

Out-of-Fous is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip
Sundown Near El Capitan State Beach from 101 North, © B. Radisavljevic


This next one is farther north near Refugio State Beach.

Out-of-Fous is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip
Coastine Near Refugio State Beach from 101, © B. Radisavljevic


This one was taken as we were getting near Gaviota Pass. You can see that it's almost dusk now.

Out-of-Fous is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip
Approaching Gaviota Pass, © B. Radisavljevic

Now we are approaching Buellton, of Pea Soup fame. We usually stop at Tom's Gas when we get there for the best prices around. It's also a clean rest stop. ( See photo of Tom's Gas in this post.)


Out-of-Fous is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip
An Oak Tree on the Way to Buellton, © B. Radisavljevic


The turn-off for Highway 246 which leads to Lompoc to the west and Solvang to the east is a bit north of this great blur -- the ultimate out-of-focus shot. Tom's Gas is just east of 101 in the Albertson's Center on Highway 246.

Out-of-Fous is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip
Out-of-Focus-Scene Just South of Buellton, © B. Radisavljevic

I rather like out-of-focus shots because they look a bit like impressionistic paintings.

When we finally got to Buellton the sun had almost set and I finally got the sky photos of the sunset I wanted. This is the only blurry one.

Out-of-Fous is Easy from a Moving Car on a Road Trip
Out-of-Focus Sunset in Bueltton, CA, © B. Radisavljevic

Which out-of-focus shot do you like best?

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Rejoicing in the First Rain of This Season

Rain Started On the Way to Ventura County

We left on October 15 on a business trip to Newbury Park in Ventura County. Yahoo told us to expect rain in Paso Robles, but not at our destination in Newbury Park. Sure enough, the rain started to fall about the time we got to Atascadero. You can see the raindrops on our windshield.

Rejoicing in the First Rain of This Season
Rain on My Windshield, © B. Radisavljevic 

We had lovely views of the sky all the way through the county. It rained off and on as we passed under the clouds. Below we are approaching San Luis Obispo. It rained all the way up the grade and through the city.

Rejoicing in the First Rain of This Season
Rain as We Approached San Luis Obsipo, © B. Radisavljevic 

We made a rest stop at Carl's Jr. in Santa Maria, and by then the rain was more a mist, though you could see it had rained harder before we got there.

Rejoicing in the First Rain of This Season
Rain in Santa Maria, © B. Radisavljevic 

Rain in Paso Robles


The day after we got home, on October 16, I could see that the predicted rain for Paso Robles would probably come. The clouds had that look, and the wind was giving fair warning.

Rejoicing in the First Rain of This Season
Rain Clouds about to Burst in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic 


Finally the rain came hard enough so I could hear it.



As I write this on Sunday night, it appears the rain is over and we won't see more rain for a while. But at least my unirrigated plants got a drink, and maybe the county's thirst oaks got also got some relief.


Rain is a Part of Many Zazzle Gifts


Rejoice in the Rain!


It's a gift of God to everyone in drought-stricken California. Join me in giving thanks for it.

Rejoicing in the First Rain of This Season

Sunday, May 1, 2016

No Smell Gets My Attention Like Beef Grilling

The City Daily Photos theme this month is smells. I considered the sweet fragrance that comes from my garden -- jasmine, iris, roses, and the orange tree in bloom where I lived in Newbury Park thirty years ago. The fragrance of flowers is subtle. But no smell gets my attention like beef grilling at a barbecue.

No Smell Gets My Attention Like Beef Grilling


These particular tri tip steaks were being grilled for our culinary pleasure by our public servants -- local elected officials -- at a political fundraising picnic in 2012. Most of the candidates lost, but the tri tip was a winner with me. The bigger picture is below. It was taken at Atascadero Lake Park.

If I'm working in the garden and my neighbor starts grilling, the aroma of the irises and roses become irrelevant. I get hungry and am overcome by a sudden urge to crash my neighbor's barbecue. I don't know of any pleasant smell that can get my attention in that same way.

No Smell Gets My Attention Like Beef Grilling
Beef Grilling at Picnic at Atascadero Lake Park, © B. Radisavljevic


What is your favorite smell?

If you enjoyed this post, please share it. The sharing buttons are just above the comment box at the end of this post. The photo below has been designed for Pinterest. 

No Smell Gets My Attention Like Beef Grilling #Theme Day

***

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...