Saturday, December 31, 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!





What says SoCal more than an LA area freeway???




Perhaps a long distance view of LA at sunset???

I took this with my new Nikon d750 and new Nikkor 70-200mm lens!
Santa and TheChief were very good to me for my birthday and Christmas this year!!!



Happy New Year!!! 

2017

 May your new year be filled with 
love and laughter...
and if you've got a camera...
may you enjoy every click of the shutter!!!



*Update*


News Flash!!!  Santa is heading back to the North Pole!!!



To view more images from around the world...click on the images below!

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

http://www.lisakerner-slp.com/blog-allposts?category=Life+Thru+the+Lens

http://skyley.blogspot.se/

http://mersad-photography.blogspot.com/search/label/throughmylens
 

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Good Wishes to All!!!





Merry Christmas and Happy Hannakah to all!!!
May Peace and Sanity reign in our world this New Year!


 



Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Just What is Hoar Frost???




You've probably guessed by my blog title that I was born and raised in Southern California.
I was a sun goddess growing up...
flip flops year round...
beach time...
but more likely you'd find me at the lake water skiing.

Be that as it may...I also had experienced snow...
here and there...
once, even at my house in Glendale...I was about 4 years old!

So when I moved to Mammoth Lakes, I was still a Newbie to living in and with snow.


And I had never heard of Hoar Frost!

Until I started blogging, and saw a post about Hoar Frost on my blogging friend
Linda Pierson's blog of her rancher's life in Alberta, Canada. 

Sooo...living where there was lot's of snow...I went searching for Hoar Frost!!!


"The Free Dictionary says....2. a covering of minute ice crystals, 
formed from the atmosphere at night upon the ground
 and exposed objects when they have cooled by radiation below the dew point."
(Not sure about the radiation part...but the rest worked for me!)
 
And I found it in Lee Vining!!!


Just the right amount of moisture to cold...and magic happens!!!


I'm getting cold just looking back on these!!!


Snow...and Hoar Frost...are so delicate and beautiful...


...and cold!!!


While I don't miss snow on the ground in June, 
I do miss the beauty and peace of a fresh snowfall, and searching for Hoar Frost 
on a cold, wintry day!!!





Click on the images below to visit more Little Corners of the World...

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/
 
http://www.shinethedivinecreativityisaspiritualpractice.com/

http://skyley.blogspot.se/

http://mersad-photography.blogspot.com/search/label/throughmylens




http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Have You Ever Been to Amargosa?




Have you ever been to Amargosa?
Or Death Valley?


Have you even heard of Amargosa?

Amargosa is a little town in the Mojave Desert, at the junction of Highways SR 190 and SR 127,
 east of Death Valley National Park, and only about 30 minutes to Furnace Creek.
The town is home to less than a half dozen people.
And yes...that is really an opera house!
In early 1967, Marta Beckett and her husband were traveling through Death Valley and had a flat tire.
As luck would have it, they were in Death Valley Junction.  
While the tire was being repaired, Marta wandered through the nearly deserted town and found a theater.  She had been a dancer and artist in New York in her younger days and was 
mesmerized by the theater and the opportunity to have it as her own.
In 1967 the little theater opened  as Amargosa Opera House.
She performed for a small audience of 12 adults, kids, and grandkids.
The little theater continued to open it's doors every Friday, Saturday, and Monday night 
for many years.  
Locals and tourists made up the audiences, and sometimes the theater opened to no one in the audience, but the show went on.
In the early 70's Marta painted an audience on the walls of the theater so that there 
would always be an audience.
She retired in 2012, and still lives in Amargosa.


The Amargosa Hotel is still available for bookings... 
Trip Advisor gives it 3.5 of 5 stars!
Inside some of the rooms you'll find more of Marta's murals!


I doubt that this is Marta, but she certainly may be a relative sprucing up the 
Amargosa Cafe!


Rumor has it that Amargosa is being spruced up a bit to accommodate the start of an artists colony!


Once in Death Valley, most everyone heads to Badwater Basin, 
the lowest point in the continent of North America at 282 feet below sea level!


We were there in the very early Spring...
the desert wildflowers were just starting to come out.


Some think the desert is a wasteland...
but if you're ever in Death Valley, you'll know that just ain't so.


Death Valley is quite an amazing place.  Summer temperatures get pretty darned hot
so the best time to visit is in Fall, Winter or Spring.

We've stayed in both the Furnace Creek Ranch and the Furnace Creek Inn.
The Ranch is economical, but the Inn...ooh la, la!!!
The Inn has a lovely pool, tennis courts and golf and a beautiful, fine dining restaurant.
And not to be missed, no matter which place you stay, cocktails at sunset on the patio of the Inn.!!!





Sunsets at from the patio of the Furnace Creek Inn at Death Valley are spectacular!!!





To visit more little corners of the world....click on the images below!

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

http://skyley.blogspot.se/

http://mersad-photography.blogspot.com/search/label/throughmylens

http://www.lisakerner-slp.com/blog-allposts?category=Life+Thru+the+Lens

https://nixpixmix.blogspot.com/2016/09/saturday-silhouettes-66.html




Thursday, November 10, 2016

Knee Replacement Surgery Ain't for the Feint of Heart...



As of today it's been seven weeks since my knee replacement...

Those first three to four weeks I thought I was the stupidest human being ever to 
voluntarily have that done to me!!!

What the hell was I thinking???

Physical Therapy...other wise known as Pain and Torture...
drove me to tears during those first few weeks.
It felt like every cell in my knee was ripping apart every time the Physical Therapist
pushed me into just "that much more bend."

Today...at seven weeks out...my flexion is within a few degrees of my "good" knee...
my extension too!!!

Life is good again...though not back to normal quite yet~


Before!  Notice that my knee bends away from midline...
made going up stairs and stepping off curbs quite the challenge!


Immediately after...yuck!!!  Pretty darned gross!!!


After the 3 week mark...
shedding skin like a lizard!!!


Today!
Swellings down considerably...scar is healing nicely...movement is pretty darned good...
minimal limping, only use a cane when out around the public basically to let them know to 
be a bit more careful around me (and it works!)...
endurance improved...strength improved...
all in all, a pretty darned good outcome so far!

The nerves are still numb...which quite frankly I think is a good thing right now...
they'll come back...

Well...this is why I haven't posted for weeks on end!!!

Now for a moment of peace and beauty!!!


Lake Mary at sunset...
Mammoth Lakes, California in the Eastern Sierras


Have a great day!!!



Friday, September 9, 2016

Mending Kids Hometown Clinic...




If you were visiting my blog last year, you might remember my post about 
Mending Kids Hometown Clinic...
Mending Kids is an International organization that operates in much the same way as 
Doctors Without Borders...except for the fact that they specialize in working with kids!
Mending Kids sends doctors and volunteers all over the world to countries where 
healthcare is tough to get, especially for children.
Once or twice a year they hold what's called a Hometown Clinic.
The Hometown Clinic is primarily for kids who have been turned down 
by their insurance or Obama Care, for various surgical procedures.
Generally the surgeries are considered cosmetic, but are really vital to the kids self esteem.
For instance, one lovely little girl was about to enter kindergarten, and she had what is called a 
Hairy Nevis...basically a mole with hair growing out of it.
This Hairy Nevis was on the little girl's face and was about the size of a dollar coin.
Can you imagine starting kindergarten with something like that?
These doctors, nurses and volunteers gave up their time and talent to help these beautiful kids!


The ages of these kids range from very young, to teenagers.


Waiting in pre-op can be pretty daunting...
even when Lambie Pie is sitting there with you!


I don't know about you, but I think it would pretty much suck if 
I had to have surgery on my birthday!
But the people at Mending Kids did what they could to make it a happy one for this young guy!!!


Every time I see my surgery shots I'm amazed that I have been fortunate enough
to have such an amazing experience.


Contrary to how the lighting looks in my close up of the surgical procedure, 
each surgical theater is lit up bright as day.
The reason the ambient light looks so dark is because I'm focusing in on the 
procedure and there are extremely bright lights focused on the procedure.
  Shooting this clinic is the hardest photography I've ever done simply because of the crazy lighting!


The anesthesiologist monitors the vitals.


The nurses shine during post-op care!


It's amazing to watch these surgeons work!


Pretty in pink even while in surgery!!!



There is a break room where volunteers, Docs and nurses can take a break and get a bite to eat...


Our birthday boy is happy to be going home!


A comforting hug comes in all colors!


You might recognize this volunteer...Luis Guzman!

Aimee Garcia trying to cheer up waking young girl...


Luis Guzman and Keltie Knight...


Keltie Knight, Aimee Garcia and Luis Guzman preparing to go in to observe surgeries!


China McClain is learning how to make balloon animals...


Nick Simmons and Aimee Garcia emulating dad Gene Simmons famous expression
for this young guy in pre-op!


Even Dad is getting into it!!!
This dad didn't speak any English, only Mandarin.  Thank goodness for smart phones!
Using various translation apps, doctors, nurses, and volunteers were able to communicate!


Apprehension...


Sometimes it just helps for Mom to hold your hand when they're getting ready to start...


Lambie Pie and this little sweetheart made it through the surgery with flying colors!
Lambie Pie even got a bandage!


Just some of the dedicated docs, nurses, and volunteers hamming it up for the cameras!!!

This year was a little different for me as I'm due for surgery next week!
Being able to visit and photograph these surgeries was oddly comforting.
The focus of these surgeons is remarkable.
Throughout each of the surgeries, docs and staff moved about like
they were choreographed.

I'll be taking a break from posting for a bit...
I'm getting a new knee!!!




For more images from little corners all over the world...click on the images below!!!

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

http://www.lisakerner-slp.com/blog-allposts?category=Life+Thru+the+Lens

http://mersad-photography.blogspot.com/