Scene & Story - December 2017

This is the last Scene & Story, hosted by Sarah and León. It was a year long photo project that I actually did from start to finish, a first for me. Usually I run out of "fuel" after a certain time, but since this was only once a month and gave me the opportunity to review my photos it was a project I thoroughly enjoyed and never got tired of. Thank you to both of you for this wonderful link-up.

This view of Putah Creek along CA Highway 128 made the cut for the month of December, taken with my phone. Since I saw this particular scenery the first time I wanted to take a photo of it, but never did - until that Sunday last December when I finally stopped the car by the side of the road, hopped out and took the photo. I had my "real" camera with me as well and took some more shots with it, but this image is the chosen one. I love that even in December there is so much color to find in nature here in Northern California. It was a beautiful winter day, sunny with temperatures in the 50s and I was on my way to Davis to pick up Kaefer for winter break. There are several routes to choose from and since it was such a splendid day I took the back roads through the hilly part of Napa County. It's my favorite road to Davis, free of any heavy traffic and through some absolutely stunning scenery (I should write an entire post with pictures just about this). The road is curvy, very steep in parts and flattens out in the plains at the edge of the Central Valley. When I took this photo I felt so happy because I was on my way to pick up my favorite girl and spend a bit more than two weeks with her. Oh Bliss. (She's back now and I feel quite the opposite.)

Here is the last link-up for Scene & Story.

Scene & Story - November 2017

In November I got all the photos of the beautiful fall leaves and colors that I missed so much in October. I enjoyed the many vineyards that were competing with each other for the most brilliant color; the trees were spectacular this year as well. It seems that after the terrible events in October, November was extraordinarily beautiful.

And still - the photo I chose does not reflect my favorite season, but a remains of the fires.

Of all the pictures I took in November this is the one that moved me the most. I took it in our old neighborhood that was destroyed by the Tubbs Fire in the early hours of October 9th. I had picked up Kaefer from college on Thanksgiving morning, and when we arrived in Santa Rosa she said that she would like to see her childhood home - or what is left of it - right now. I know that she was nervous and we were both very quiet when we drove up the hill through the Fountaingrove neighborhood that resembles a war zone. Then we turned and drove down into our old neighborhood where we could see over the entire valley, filled with rubble and ash and lonely chimneys. We stopped at our old house and then saw that our then-neighbor from across the street was there - he always has been some kind of substitute grandpa for Kaefer. This meeting took out the dark mood of the moment, and we were happy to embrace each other and talk about the happenings of that fateful night.

It was when he left and we walked around a little bit that I saw this stone sculpture. I am positive that it wasn't there the last time I was up at the house. Someone had placed it on the remains of the brick wall of a neighbor's house. I assume the people who had lived there had found it in the rubble and put it up there. Its broken, raw beauty made such a statement in the devastation - no matter what happens, if we have each other there is love and hope.

I'm joining Sarah and León for Scene & Story.

Scene & Story - October 2017

October was the photo-less month. I was looking forward to October, to take beautiful photos of the changing leaves, of all the beautiful colors that autumn has to offer.

I got those colors - in a very different way. Oranges and reds that were roaring and eating through our town's neighborhoods so relentlessly and furiously that they didn't leave anything but rubble and ashes. And smoke. A lot of smoke.

As well as a traumatized community.

A community that lost 5% of its residences, when we already had been in a housing crisis before the fire. Lost homes, lost businesses, lost jobs, and unfortunately also lost lives.

How does a community recover from that?

We're all pulling together right now. There is a lot of kindness among people, but also a lot of anger. But for all of us there is a feeling of "we're getting through this together". These words that I photographed on the door of my local bakery say it all. You find them all over town - on doors to businesses, on lamp posts, on tree trunks.

It will take a long time to get through this, for all of us, whether we have lost a home or not. The fire has impacted all of us.

But we will rise.



I am joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story.

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The Redwood Credit Union, our local paper The Press Democrat and our State Senator Mike McGuire have set up the North Bay Fire Relief Fund where every donated dollar goes directly to aid relief efforts and help the victims of the fires.

Scene & Story - September 2017

The month of September was very unusual for me in that regard that I didn't take a lot of photos. I was so busy with work, especially the beginning of the school year at the German School, that I simply didn't have the time and leisure to grab my camera and go on a photo excursion.

But just a couple days ago I put my macro lens on my Canon 7D and headed outside in the garden to see what was left so late in the season. I had thought that my Spanish Lavender still looked pretty good, and when I turned my camera to it this Fiery Skipper landed on its flower. This butterfly is a rather jumpy little guy who doesn't sit anywhere for a long time, but I was lucky to capture him (or her?) on a few images. This year I have seen quite a big amount of them as well as other butterflies and lots of bees which tells me that my garden is a sought after habitat for them with just the right plants for them to survive. I have mainly native plants and a very few "water suckers" in an otherwise low water garden. By now I am at a point where I offer a refuge not only for butterflies and bees, but there are also a lot of birds who enjoy the nectar and the seeds of the flowers.

I am joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story.

Scene & Story - August 2017

Except for the eclipse I didn't take that many photos in August. That month was dominated by the beginning of the school year and me going back to work. It was very hectic and extremely busy setting up the high school library and providing about 1600 students with their different textbooks and English novels.

No wonder that my favorite photo for August is one of quietness from a slow morning with my favorite girl. This summer when Kaefer was home from college we often went to our small neighborhood coffee joint to have a delicious cup of coffee, get a sweet treat from the bakery and sit and chat with the neighbors. It brings back memories of lazy summer days when we could spend our time with sweet nothingness and just enjoy being there. It held talks of the future, laughter about silly jokes and comfortable silence. Looking back at it just one week before she'll return to college it already carries the hint of bittersweet feelings.

I'm joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story.

Scene & Story - July 2017

One of the most unforgettable experiences in Yellowstone is seeing wolves. Most people don't even see them because you need to get up early to have a chance of a wolf encounter.

The Lamar Valley is home to one or two wolf packs, and so we headed out one morning before sunrise. We first saw a black bear right at the side of the road who didn't bother to pay any attention to these humans in their funny little boxes on wheels. After the bear had trundled away we continued our journey into the valley - and when we reached the top of a hill we had this stunning view over the valley.

I already knew when I took photos of this moment before the sun rose over the mountains that one of them would be a favorite of the month. This image reflects the atmosphere of that morning in Lamar Valley perfectly - the beginning of a new day, cool air before the heat, the meadows with the Lamar River meandering through them and those tall trees scattered all around. It holds the anticipation of seeing wildlife - at this moment I didn't know that only minutes later I would see five wolves feeding on a bison carcass and, after their meal, standing together and howling, an eerily spooky and beautiful sound at the same time. I would stand and stare through the scopes and listen to those "wolf watchers" talk to each other, deeply envying them for the time and leisure they had to follow these amazing animals day after day and get familiar with their behavior. My heart would beat for joy that I could see the wolves.

But all of this I didn't know when I took this photo, but when I look at it now it all comes back. I have always loved the gentle Lamar Valley with its abundance of wildlife and its tranquility. I know how quickly it can change from calmness to excitement, from peaceful enjoyment to breath taking joy.

I'm joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story.

Scene & Story - June 2017

One day in June I went into my garden with my macro lens and when I later looked at the pictures, this was the one that stood out immediately. The remains of a poppy - a seedpod that looks like candy cane and the stamen spreading around it. Usually the stamen are falling down as well and only the seedpod remains, beautiful in its own way. However, this special phase in the life cycle of a poppy spoke to me - simple yet elegant.

I am joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story again as I try to do every first Sunday of a month. You can find more stories here.

Scene & Story - May 2017

Those of you who have been reading my blog for quite some time know about "my lake" and how much I love it. Recently my walks around the lake have become much less frequently than they used to be due to my work. In May I managed to walk there only once, early in the morning. It was a very spontaneous decision to skip Jazzercise and go to the lake instead.

It was a beautiful morning, and when I saw the rising mist on the water my heart skipped a beat. I love this atmosphere! It is rather challenging for me to capture exactly this mood with my camera, but I simply cannot not try it. I have always loved this particular spot with the pier where often fishermen are patiently doing their work. This morning, however, it was empty. When I looked at the photo afterwards the feeling of solitude spoke to me and it became my favorite photo for May.


I am joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story again as I try to do every first Sunday of a month. You can find more stories here.

Scene & Story - April 2017

In March my chosen photo was of a bird, and so it is in April - taken right at the very first day of April and I already knew then that this was my favorite image.

Every summer the Hooded Orioles come to my neighborhood to raise their young. They live in a tree very close to our property. Usually they arrive some time in April, but this year they came much earlier - I had never seen them as early as the first of April. I saw this little guy - the male - sitting on the wire and since I couldn't really see what kind of bird it was I fetched my binoculars - and when I saw that it was an oriole I was so happy. He was sitting on that wire and "chatting" (they are very chatty birds), so I ran to get my PowerShot with its powerful zoom and captured this image of him. Never before had I got such a clear image of this bird. They are very shy and flutter away as soon as they see people. However, they love hummingbird nectar and grape jelly, so I started to fill up the little molds on my hummingbird feeder with the jelly. Both the male and female come by several times during the day to fuel up. Even when I don't see them I can hear their delightful chatter, and it makes my heart sing to know that they're here. They will stay until the end of August when they start their long journey to the South.


I am joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story again as I try to do every first Sunday of a month. You can find more stories here.

Scene & Story - March 2017

March was a better photography month than February and all of the winter months. It's so much easier to get outside when the weather is nice and nature is coming back to life.

When I looked through the photos I took in March I realized that I had photographed a lot of meadows and particularly trees. But it was this one that stood out - and it's not even a very good one. Taken with my phone and zoomed in, even though I know that my zoom is crap and the pictures are mostly a big disappointment. However, this one captures a Black-crowned night heron, one of my most favorite birds and the first one this year I discovered at the lake.

I don't know what it is about these birds that draws me to them. They're pretty - white and very dark blue feathers, orange feet, stunningly red eyes, yellow-orange feet and two or three long white plumes at the back of the head. They are smaller and stockier than most herons and have shorter bills. It's the "small fat" cousin of the proud and elegant Great blue heron. However, they're not as shy as the Great blue and don't seem to be disturbed by people so much. I often could approach them pretty close without them moving an inch away from me. Most times they were far more interested in watching what was going on beneath the surface of the water and catching their food quickly with a short shot into the water.

Perhaps it is their stoic patience that attracts me. Their ability to remain in the same position forever without moving a single feather (so to speak). Their complete and utter disinterest in me. Sometimes I convince myself that they actually know me - "the crazy lady with the little black box that she points at us" - even though I know perfectly well that they simply don't care. They seem to be at utter peace with themselves.

Zen is the word that comes to mind.


I'm joining Sarah and León for Scene and Story again as I try to do every first Sunday of a month. You can find more stories here.

Scene & Story - February 2017

February has been an uneventful month when it comes to my photography. It was raining a lot here, I had to work a lot - and taking photos just didn't happen very much except for the one weekend when we had family from Turkey over.

This photo was taken on the same weekend, on Saturday morning when Kaefer and I went to the Farmers Market to buy bread. One of the bakers sells delicious dark bread that is mainly baked with ancient grains like purple barley or khorasan (my personal favorite). As someone who grew up and lived in Germany for 40 years, bread is a daily food for me - not any bread, but dark, rich, whole grain bread. It is still difficult to find here, and any baker who offers wholesome bread that is also delicious gets my support. Unfortunately this baker only sells on farmers markets, and the one closest to my home is the Saturday market - when I usually teach at the German school. But that Saturday was the long Presidents Day weekend with no school on Saturday - I was able to go shop at the market and I bought several loaves that went into the freezer so that we can enjoy them later (now!) one by one. It makes me happy.

I also bake my own bread. There is something very satisfying in kneading and rolling the dough, seeing it rise and shaping it in form, letting it rise one more time. The smell that fills the house when the bread is in the oven is heavenly - and earthy at the same time. It is so basic, so natural. It connects to the essence of life (at least for me), it doesn't need much - flour, yeast, salt and water. The first cut to fresh bread after it has cooled is always exciting, because only then will I know how the bread has turned out. That first slice with a bit of butter, still slightly warm from the oven - it is the most delicious thing!


You can find more Scene & Story posts by clicking here.

Scene & Story: January 2017

A winter vineyard - nothing special in our county which is part of the wine country and has many many vineyards. They spread up slopes, cover hills and line the roads.

This particular vineyard is right by the side of the highway in Sonoma Valley with a very convenient lay-by. Over the past six months it has become a landmark on our road to Davis. In my mind it connects me to my daughter.

On my way to Davis when I want to pick up Kaefer for break or a weekend it's a most beautiful view. Even in the rain or on a gray day it appears sunny and colorful to me. I'm on my way to my favorite girl, knowing we will spend the next few days together. It's joyful anticipation. A few hours later when we return we are already deep in conversation, she has told me about her life in the dorm, her classes and her friends. Both of us always stop talking when we pass this vineyard, remembering the day in November when we first really saw it while it was glowing in the brilliant colors of fall.

But there are also the other days when we pass it - when Kaefer is returning to college, leaving home over and over again. While I always enjoy the drive with her sharing thoughts and laughter, my heart is heavy at the same time. Seeing the vineyard means saying goodbye to her in a couple hours and driving back home alone. Back to a home still full of love, but so very quiet.

When I pass the vineyard again later in the day, I actually enjoy my company, listening to music and singing along. The vineyard marks the beginning of the home stretch - 30 more minutes and I will be back where I belong, in the arms of the Geek. A home full of love.

I'm joining Lee and Sarah today for Scene & Story.