Lifestyle

Point Reyes National Seashore

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Before we left for the Big Island, Marina and I spent a drizzly afternoon exploring the Point Reyes National Seashore. She led me over a creek and through the woods to an old overgrown and abandoned daffodil farm that was just beginning to bloom. 

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When we parked I was a little skeptical, it just looked like a marsh and some woods and a hill with no trail. But she knew where she was going. Pretty magical place. I have been wanting to go for years, but the daffodils are only in bloom the first couple weeks of February. Afterwards we took a walk on Limantour Beach, another place I had never been.

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Feeling fortunate that I have such an incredible grandmother, and that I get to accompany her  on adventures. 

First Eighteen Hours

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Saturday morning sunrise.

Saturday morning sunrise.

Mochi drinking
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Some images from our first 18 hours in Hilo. That dog, my Nala girl, with her caramel colored eyes and soft kisses. We collected 32 eggs yesterday, a farm record. Mochi has the most charmed life of any cat I know. And my mama works way too hard. My dad is always playing music, creating the soundtrack for our visit. It's so nice to be home. A year is a long time, and as always so much has grown in our absence. I don't have the words to do it justice, but it looks pretty good through my lens. 

Lately

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Into the second week of the new year and things are good. I am so glad that my ankle is mostly healed and I can go on walks again. I really love being outside with this guy, even if he makes a face when I take his photo. We try to get out for a walk at least once every Saturday or Sunday and even that's a challenge. With photo shoots, football games, waiting for washing machine repair men, the sun setting so early still, and just wanting to laze around with the kitties, some weekends sneak by without getting a walk in, which is disappointing. We are trying to do a workout video every other night, which has been fun. And we've decided that once a week we will make a big salad for dinner. This week it was red butter lettuce, quinoa, walnuts, green beens, and chick peas with a garlicky vinaigrette. We ate vegetarian three nights this week, on Sunday we had pasta in a red sauce, the bulk of which was julienned zucchini (made possible with our mandolin). Then I made mushroom bourguignon. And after three nights of vegetables we both craved burgers, so last night we made turkey sliders. They were delicious. 

I started a 365 photo challenge on instagram. If you want to follow along, you can find me at roseannbathphoto.

We booked tickets to visit my parents in Hawaii, and leave February 7th, which is four weeks from tomorrow! When we get back I plan on looking for more nanny work, so I have between now and then to get in as many photo shoots as possible. If you've been wanting to book something now is a good time! 

Even though it's been beautiful out we're hoping for rain! Hard to believe how much snow is falling all over the country and we can't get a drop. 

Christmas at C&S Ranch

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Marina was housesitting at a ranch in Tomales, so we grandchildren ventured up north to join her for Christmas. Austin and I drove up on Christmas eve, arriving after lunch, and Jeffery followed after putting in a half day at work. The only hiccup in the holiday was that soon after we arrived, the ranch completely ran out of water and we had to pull buckets of pool water to wash dishes and flush toilets.

I gifted Marina new lipstick.

At sunset I took the truck down the road to photograph the cows. I shot for a while, and they were pretty cute, all turning to look at me, inching closer with curiosity. When I was ready to move on I headed back to the truck and found the keys locked inside and the headlights on. I texted Jeffery, who was on his way from the city and had the other set of keys, and I went back to shooting the cows. When I was starting to lose the light and it was getting cold and I hadn't heard from him, I gave him a call. "Where are you?" I asked. "I just drove over a cow grate. Where are you?" he asked, and as soon as he said the words, he came around the bend. My hero. 

Lights on, locked out.

We enjoyed bouillabaisse for dinner and woke up to an incredible sunrise. 

I spent most of Christmas day with Coco Chanel, a beautiful Burmese kitty, on my lap, reading Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. Pausing for turkey dinner and too much dessert. I finished the book just in time to watch the Warriors beat the Clippers and then we drove home. Good book, good Christmas. Without something going wrong there is no story to tell. Last year our heat didn't work. It just makes me appreciate all of the little thing we take for granted.

Golden Gate Bridge // Marin Headlands

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Sadie and I planned a trip to shoot the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands. I can't believe I had never been. Leaving Oakland it was really hazy, but when we crossed over to 101 it cleared up. And when the sun began to set the clouds came alive. 

The narcissus think it's spring.

It was an exercise in patience. And it felt like such a luxury to compose my shot and wait for the light to be just right. 

If you've never been I highly recommend going to watch the sunset. It would be a fun date. Be sure to bundle up, and maybe take a thermos of hot chocolate. There is so much to watch: tourists, seriously equipped photographers, boats (they go out just past the bridge and then make a sharp turn back to safety), container ships, cars without headlights on. The bridge itself really lights up when the sun is on the horizon. 

Signs of Fall // Welcoming November

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I was quiet on the blog in October. That's because life took over. I was busy. I had two and a half weeks off from work in the afternoons (the big girls I watch were vacationing in Tahiti) and instead of taking the time to relax and reset, I took the opportunity to put everything I have into developing my business. I had seven photo shoots in October. Plus I helped Marina get her website up and running. I worked myself past exhaustion, and I got sick. And then I still couldn't slow down, so I stayed sick for two weeks. 

But it was an enormous period of growth for Roseann, the Photographer. I learned a ton. Learning by doing, that's my new thing. It's invigorating. 

There are two months left in the year, which is plenty of time to implement some positive change. I have realized that I need to condition myself to relax. I inherited this trait from my mother and grandmother, who are always on the go. It isn't a bad thing, they are very productive, but for me, if I go go go, then I tend to neglect important things, like sleep and diet and cleaning my house, and having meaningful conversations with my husband, and playing with my kitties. I need to start scheduling relaxation time, where I do nothing but lie around and catch up on TV shows, read a book, take a nap, or go for a walk. And I also need to schedule in productivity time where I avoid distractions. It's amazing how productive I can be when I focus on a task and don't get distracted. But I try to do too many things at once, and it makes me crazy.

So that's the plan. Two months to establish better balance.  Time is going by very fast. In three weeks my parents arrive and we will be joining them in Sonoma and Santa Cruz to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. In January, Jeffery and I celebrate our second wedding anniversary and eleven years together. And in February we are hoping to take a trip to the Big Island and possibly Maui.

I hope you all enjoy this holiday season and find more balance in your own lives. 

 

Good Friends and Fire in the Sky // Baker Beach

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A couple Sundays ago we had a long overdue get-together with old friends in the CIty. Time with these people feeds my soul like little else. And as day turned to night, we were treated to a truly spectacular October sunset. Afterwards we enjoyed Mexican food and margaritas at Tommy's on Geary.

Panoramic brilliance.  It was a prefect day.

Camping Mt. Diablo

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Two weekends ago we camped for a night at the top of Mt. Diablo. We took a pretty incredible summit hike and got to enjoy a spectacular sunset, but besides that the actual campsite was pretty mediocre.  I recommend going up there for a hike and a picnic. It you aren't camping there is a $10 vehicle fee and you have to leave before sunset because they close the gates. I am still enjoying the freedom of being able to pick and go. And it's always nice to get some elevation and the new perspective that comes with it. 

Santa Cruz 2.0

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Looks like we've made it a tradition. 

This year we rented a hundred year old house with friends and did a lot of barbecuing, made a couple batches of potato salad, ate our share of ice cream, and spent some time shopping and relaxing at the beach. Sadly, I came down with a cold and didn't start feeling better until the last night we were there, or I would have taken more photos. Jeffery and I stopped in Davenport on the way home, and took a nice little walk up on the cliff. It's a cute little town, but there isn't a lot to it. Inspired by all the beautiful plants where we stayed, we visited at the Half Moon Bay Nursery and bought some more green leafy friends for our home. The cats are still learning not to eat them. Time to plant some cat grass. 

Where the wind don't blow so strange.

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A couple weekends ago we drove up to Willits to celebrate Jeffery's ten-year high school reunion. It consisted of a Friday night bar crawl and a Saturday afternoon potluck in the park, both relaxed and interesting, to say the least. The best part was reconnecting with old friends, there are so many good people from Willits.

The real party was Saturday night at our friend Jesse's property where there were so many of my favorite things:

An outdoor kitchen with all of the amenities in a clearing in the woods surrounded by gardens...Barbecued oysters slathered with lemony garlic butter...The lovely Lucy vying for our attention, affection and any meat droppings falling her way...Late night fireside discussion with great friends, so much history between us...Endless music....Stars in the sky, and so many more as the night wore on...Laughter as we tried to find our tents in the dark...

It is the site where his family hosts Dead on the Creek, an intimate music festival each year on the second weekend in August. Bluegrass music, Grateful Dead cover bands and the best local organic food you've ever eaten. Camping, food and libations are all included in the ticket price and there are still some spots available! You can learn more here.

Jeffery has helped with parking the last few years, and I was trying to get in on the kitchen crew, but I was talking to Jesse's dad about my camera and he asked if I'd photograph the festival. So I have that to look forward to in just over a month. This summer is flying by. Soon I will share photos from my road trip to Colorado, and next week we're off to Santa Cruz for three nights with friends. I have some upcoming family shoots scheduled and I'm trying to meet up and shoot a little with some photographers I admire.

It all feels pretty fast paced, but good. I haven't had a chance to venture into the city for too long, but I am ecstatic about the Supreme Court ruling on the unconstitutionality of DOMA and the legalization of gay marriage in California. Happy pride to all my SF and LGBT friends, I love you and I am so happy. Happy to tears over and over again. This is going to be a summer of celebration, I can feel it.