Thursday, July 28, 2016

Back to One of My Favorite Little Corners of the World!!!




In the beginning of May we joined friends in beautiful 
Yosemite National Park


Having lived in Mammoth those 4 years, we were used to entering the park
from Tioga Pass, on the eastern side of the park.
This time, we were staying on the western side of the park,
near Glacier Point.
So it was a very different perspective of Half Dome than I was used to!


Being early in the season, the falls were quite powerful...


...and the Dogwood were in bloom.


This was our picnic spot for lunch!


I'm sure these aren't the first folk to climb that rock and wall for a photo...
but I sure as heck wouldn't do it!!!
(it's a l-o-n-g way down!!!)


Getting my Ansel Adams mojo on... 



Looking down on the valley floor.


A couple more crazy folk throwing caution to the wind!!!


Proof positive the pine cone came from Yosemite!!!


Nice spot for a music video!!!


Our second full day started out a bit dreary...
...but made for some interesting shots by the house we stayed in!!!


A smaller Dogwood bloom...and pale yellow!!!
At least I think it's still a Dogwood!


We still headed into the valley...
I loved the ethereal look of the fall through the fog.


And what better way to spend a dreary day in Yosemite 
than having lunch at the beautiful (former) Ahwhanee Hotel dining room!
Yeah...I know...it's now called the Majestic Yosemite Hotel...
but I refuse to call it that!
To me it will always be the Ahwahanee Hotel.
Yes...the National Park service lost a legal battle with 
a former concessionaire.  The Park service did not renew the concessionaire's 
contract.  Unfortunately for us, the government did not copyright the name,
but the concessionaire did.  So after a lengthy battle, the concessionaire
won the battle and retained the rights to the name.
While legally it was ostensibly the correct decision...
I think it was unethical and basically
"criminal" on the part of the concessionaire.
The hotel is a national treasure and the concessionaire
essentially stole the historical context of the name from us, 
the people who love this beautiful park and its history.


***Disclaimer***

Sorry...I had to include this one!
I took this the first time I went down to Yosemite from Mammoth
in the summer of 2011...the year after the most incredible snow year...
with incredible snow melt!
It's my favorite photo of Bridal Veil!!!


And of course...being a devotee of Ansel Adams...
I had to turn it into a Black and White too!!!




Click on the images below to visit more little corners of the world...













32 comments:

  1. Wow - just gorgeous! And I love those shots of Bridal Veil.

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  2. What amazing photos. Words can't describe their beauty.

    Thoughts in Progress
    and MC Book Tours

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  3. Gosh, so beautiful! I love how the fall is framed in the picnic area. A picnic area suitable for God him/herself.

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    1. Yosemite is one of God's greatest creations!!!

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  4. Breathtakingly beautiful landscapes. I've never been to Yosemite, but I'd love to see it for myself.

    As to that concessionaire, sooner or later karma will give them what they so richly deserve.

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    1. Haha! I love your mention of Karma! I'm a believer!!! You would love Yosemite William! But if you venture this way to visit, steer clear of Yosemite in the summer months...it gets pretty darned crowded on the valley floor!

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  5. Really beautiful shots, and good job getting your Ansel Adams mojo on!! Yes, it will always be the Ahwhanee to me, too!

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  6. Ansel Adams would be proud of you!

    And thanks for the word on the Ahwhanee. If I come across a business with that name, I'll know not to patronize it.

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  7. Loved the tour of a spot that is definitely one of our favorite places as well. Your photography is amazing.

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  8. awe-inspiring, incredible beauty! helps to put life in perspective.

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  9. I see you got the new signature working :-)

    Yosemite is high on the list and these photos push it higher. I really need to go there.

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    1. Yes!!! Thanks for the help on that! I actually had to have them re-send the signature file as I think the original they sent was corrupted because nothing I tried worked. After they re-sent the file, I followed the tutorial you sent and it worked like a charm!!! Thanks! Let me know if you venture to Yosemite!!!

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  10. Wow, these are gorgeous! The waterfall is certainly impressive, but so are the trees! Love your black and white!

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  11. What a wonderful place - I spent about 3 days there about 20 year ago - very, very high on my 'lets go back there' list.

    Great pictures.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  12. Wow, that's gorgeous! I love the waterfalls.

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    1. Thanks Gunilla! That particular year the waterfalls were magnificent...with record breaking snow the winter before, record breaking snow melt!!!

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  13. Beautiful and really stunning photos! I have been there :) but back then in 1981 I didn't have a camera :(
    Birgitta i Budapest

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    1. Ohhh...to be in Yosemite without a camera!!! It is a beautiful park!

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  14. There isn't anything that compares to Yosemite. It is amazing and the views can take your breath away. Gorgeous photos! One of my prized possessions is an autographed first edition of Yosemite and the Range of Light.

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    1. Thank you Pat! How wonderful to have an autographed signed edition! I love Ansel Adams' work...

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