Month: December 2020

Oh Tannenbaum!

Mitten im Hochsommer war in einer englischen Dorfkirche dieser weiße Weihnachtsbaum
ausgestellt. Very british! Ich habe mir die Freiheit genommen, das Bild zu verfremden. So
gefällt er mir viel besser.
In the middle of midsummer in an English village church was this white Christmas tree
was on display. Very british! I took the liberty to alienate the picture. So I like it much better.

Rustic Life

I came upon this small cabin sitting far back in a meadow. The sun had just gone down behind the mountains so daylight was quickly fading. What caught my eye besides the beautiful and colorful setting, was that the porch light was on. This was a small porch light with an incandescent bulb. I am accustomed to seeing large LED yard lights that light up the world. This was off of a dirt logging road that only the adventurous aka brave travel in a very rural part of our county. It was a little unexpected so far from anyone or anything. Kind of a welcome beacon. And it completed the setting setting. Stay healthy!!!

Piedras Blancas Beach

In recent months, I have been several times to this beach that has a wonderful hiking trail (Boucher Trail), a lighthouse (Piedras Blancas Light Station), and the well known Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rockery.

Just a bit out in the ocean, not far from the lighthouse is an island called Haystack Rock. I used a 500mm lens with my Nikon D500 (750mm) to get the picture. It harbors a great number of birds and seals. Just great to look at closely.

Many different birds can be seen close by and at distance. Here just a pair of pelicans that I watched for a while. They were flying close together, swimming together, and hanging out at the beach together. I guess, they must be a couple.

Seals and the fairly large elephant seals (I guess that’s why they have their name) are enjoying themselves in the water, before coming on shore, to hang around lazily.

More … another time. In the meanwhile enjoy the photos and maybe even drive there. I think, the beaches are still open in California.

Tundra Swans

It was hard to get a close up of the Tundra Swans when you have a caravan of 11 cars pulling up all at once. Swans like all waterfowl are a little skittish. This pair was a little more accommodating. Tundra Swans mate for life, meeting up in the Artic during the summer and wintering at the females winter home. On the Pacific Flyway 70% of the birds winter in the California Central Valley.

Es war schwierig, die Tundra-Schwäne aus der Nähe zu betrachten, wenn eine Karawane mit 11 Autos gleichzeitig vorfuhr. Schwäne sind wie alle Wasservögel etwas scheußlich. Dieses Paar war etwas entgegenkommender. Tundra-Schwäne paaren sich fürs Leben, treffen sich im Sommer im Artic und überwintern im Winterhaus der Frauen. Auf dem Pacific Flyway überwintern 70% der Vögel im kalifornischen Central Valley.

Kräne im Abendlicht

Die Natur ist doch irgendwie der größte Künstler. Bei diesem prächtigen Abendhimmel musste ich einfach zur Kamera greifen. Die beiden Hochhäuser sind so etwas wie die Wahrzeichen unseres Stadtteils und werden zur Zeit aufwändig saniert. Daher kann am rechten Haus auch die Abendsonne durch das Gebäude hindurch leuchten.
Nature is somehow the greatest artist. With this magnificent evening sky I simply had to reach for the camera. The two skyscrapers are something like the landmarks of our district and are currently being extensively renovated. That’s why the evening sun can shine through the building on the right side.

Weihnachtswichtel

Im letzten Jahr gab es überall Weihnachtsmärkte, die in diesem Jahr leider ausfallen müssen. Diese bunten Christbaumanhänger habe ich damals in Braunschweig fotografiert. So bleibt uns nur die Erinnerung an das laute und bunte Treiben, aber dekoriert wird trotzdem. Und wie!
Last year there were Christmas markets everywhere, but this year they have to be cancelled. These colorful christmas tree pendants I took pictures of back then in Braunschweig. So we only have the memory of the loud and colorful hustle and bustle, but we still decorate. Now more than ever!