Random photos come up either with our mirror-less cameras or with an iPhone when not traveling. They are rarely our best photos but remind us of everyday life around our home. Each day we take a morning walk and along the way we will stumble across something interesting. With every season something new presents itself. One of us usually has a camera or their phone everywhere we go and ready to snap a picture of something interesting. We like the spontaneity, often using natural light and avoiding flash to keep the moment genuine. It’s about being open to capturing interesting scenes or moments that arise unexpectedly, whether during a walk, a drive, or any other activity. Often, because of the spontaneity, the photos are not the sharpest or best composed or have the best lighting, but they capture the moment.
Random Animals
We have a trail camera on our back hillside. Daily there are coyotes. We have seen up to five in their pack.
There is also a bobcat that comes around every few days.
Mule deer come through and eat grasses and the pyracantha bushes.
An American bullfrog making its way from one small lake to another, however, it will probably come across a swimming pool or two along the way. A California whipsnake/stripped racer. They are good around the yard since they will eat mice.
Random Birds
A great horned owl at dusk on our hillside.
Hooded orioles come by every year for about 4 months. They nest and eventually their young come to the feeders, then they are off again until the next year. Orioles love grape jelly and hummingbird nectar.
The scrub jays enjoy the suet feeder. A sparrow and California towhee.
Roadrunners are around year round. When there aren’t any insects or lizards for a few months in the winter, they will eat seeds and berries. Sometimes they will eat other small birds and eggs.
There are a couple of sharp-shinned hawks that enjoy dining on the morning doves at the feeders. They come through daily looking for a meal but aren’t successful very often.
Every year we get wren fledglings around the yard. One of them was out in the open when the crows were feeding, so we put it in the bushes so it wouldn’t get eaten.
There are a lot of crows. They roost nearby at Lake Hodges. Trash day is their favorite and if you don’t have your trash lid all the way closed, they will get in it and quickly make a mess. We feed the quail cracked corn, and the crows love it too.
A rufous-sided towhee.
We have three hummingbird feeders. In the winter they get used a lot because of migrating hummers. They need to be refilled almost daily in the winter and spring. The permanent residents are not at all shy and will approach Sandy if a feeder is too low. We usually find nests in the yard and try to keep the gardeners from trimming the trees that have them.
Flowers
There is always something in bloom in San Diego. Its probably why, in additional to the mild climate, that we get so many hummingbirds. There are so many flowers it seems like we hardly take photos of them.
Just a few more samples including Pride of Madeiras, bird of paradise, iris, banana palm, Coopers Hardy Ice plant, coppery mesemb, and gerbera daisy.
Butterflies
A couple of monarch butterflies on our morning walk.
Swallowtail butterflies enjoying the society garlic flowers in the yard.
Events
Space X had launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Being random, we just caught its contrail at the end of sunset with Venus.
Lunar halo is caused by the refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere, creating a circular effect.
A partial solar eclipse and the moon.
We have a guava tree but it just doesn’t produce as well as our neighbors. They just throw the ripe fruit away, so every week for about four months we harvest the fruit and make guava juice. Its fairly easy, just wash them, cut off the ends, blend them in the food processor, then strain the seeds. The juice is very thick, so it needs to be diluted. A very refreshing beverage after our morning walk.
Occasionally we will take random photos when out for food or visiting friends. When traveling and taking photos, we have a specific theme in mind and the day is well planned. For example, when in Yellowstone, we pick an area known for certain wildlife and take appropriate lenses and go out during the times of the day and explore the territory where we will most likely see them. For landscape images, picking morning or golden hour for the best light or sometimes midday if trying to capture rock formations to limit shadows. Sometimes the choice is the time of the year for wildflowers, full waterfalls, winter snow covered landscapes, fall foliage, or dramatic afternoon rain clouds. But, sometimes its fun to just capture interesting moments as they arise, without the need for a planned photo shoot of a specific topic.
Viewpoint Brewery, Del Mar has an open air atmosphere, good food and beer and great views.
Nick & Gs and North Italia restaurants in Rancho Santa Fe and Del Mar, CA have delicious food.
Early dinner at Nick’s Del Mar.
Our long time friends Guy and Lynda are from Rhode Island. We’ve met them in California, Conneticut and Florida over the years. This year they rented a house in Carlsbad, so we’ve been enjoying getting together with them. Lynda came up with glass blowing at Barrio Glassworks. We had a wonderful time making glass orbs and picking what colors to put in them.
Afterwards we went to Docent Brewing in Carlsbad for lunch and met with their son Mitchell and his wife Hailey. Wisteria were in bloom.
Seems like quite a few of our friends have gotten puppies this year. A couple of doodles about 5 months old, Charli and Penny.
A wonderful night out for cocktails overlooking Ponto State Beach with Lynda and Guy at Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas, CA. It was chilly but the view was amazing.
Lunch at Stone Brewing.
The Salmon and Tuna Nigiri at Market restaurant were amazing. Sandys new favorite. Life is good.
