272/365

I was hoping that this time next week I would be taking more pictures like this.  We have a fall color trip planned to the Eastern Sierra.  But, of course, a big storm is supposed to hit on Wednesday and bring snow to the higher elevations... which means the passes will close.  We were also going to bring our tent-trailer, and it's too late now to get hotel reservations.  I'm having the worst weather luck this year!

271/365

My favorite time of year is right around the corner.  The grasses are changing colors now, and soon the trees will be wearing vibrant red, yellow and orange! 

270/365

Unlike Lucy, Katie likes to be in front of the camera.  When she saw me taking a picture of my dahlia plant, she jumped up to make sure she was in the photo.

269/365

I took a trip to the nursery Sunday to look at ground covers, and came home with a dahlia instead!  I don't know if I can grow it, but I'm going to try.  The first thing I did was clip the flowers to put inside the house. 

268/365

Devil Cat

I was checking out the backyard for pictures when Lucy jumped on the fence.  She quickly became my subject.  I don't think she likes having her picture taken... what do you think???

(Actually, I caught her in a yawn.)

267/365

Senior pictures yesterday for Brad.  He was a good sport... most guys aren't too fond of spending an hour having their picture taken.  His mom must have bribed him with something!

266/365

I bought the most beautiful flowers at the S.F. farmers market last Saturday so I could photograph them.  But... time didn't allow it this week and now they are all dead!!  So, as I'm throwing them out this morning, I decided I would scan one of them (no camera... just a scanner) and post it as my picture of the day. 

265/365

Yeah!!  ONLY 100 more days left!  (Only???)

San Francisco Farmer's Market.

264/365

I'm up early (again) to work on proofs.  This is a beautiful family, and the kids were jewels!

263/365

Thank you ladies for a wonderful evening. . . delicious dinner, great company, and entertaining (to say the least) conversation.  Why do we do it only once a year???

262/365

The reason I wanted to go to Chinatown this weekend was to get a Chinese parasol for pictures.  I got two, plus a little one just the right size for a toddler... all for $15!!  Now I just need a little girl.

261/365

It's been years since I've visited Chinatown.

This was the view from the little outdoor patio where we had lunch.

Whatever that is Dave is looking at cost $59/pound!

260/365

We took a trip to San Francisco today.  I wanted to go to the Farmers Market and Chinatown.   I love S.F. ... we should go there more often!

259/365

Yesterday we had our jogathon at school.  Much to the delight of the students, the adjoining park had the sprinklers on.

258/365

It's Friday.  I'm enjoying a glass of wine and looking through some old pictures.  If I've already posted this one, I'm sorry.  (It's the wine!)

257/365

I'm thinking of buying a macro lens so that pictures like these would look much better. 

256/365

I like this sign we saw in Murphys on Saturday.  Now I feel better about having beer for lunch and dinner too.  Maybe tomorrow!

255/365

I was almost caught up, then the days slipped away again!

This is one of the many projects I've been working on:  making Christmas cards.  No... not this one.  (The picture is old and so is the card, but I didn't want to give away any surprises!)

254/365

Saturday I took pictures of another beautiful family.  It was the hottest day I've ever had on a photo shoot, but the kids were such troopers.  I think their parents were ready to quit before they were!

253/365

I was going through photo files this weekend hoping to eliminate some because my computer is on serious overload.  Instead of deleting, I found some I forgot I had!  Seeing this one made me miss this little guy... I haven't seen him in a while.  I think it's time for a visit!

252/365

We went to Murphys for a ride yesterday.  I thought this house nestled between the trees was cute.

251/395

9-11

Today is a sad reminder of the sacrifices that have been made in the last ten years. 

(Click on picture to enlarge print.)

250/395

Remembering 9-11.
On Friday Sonoma had a 'Remembering 9-11' choral concert.  The entire student body met at the flagpole, watched the flag being raised, and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.  Then the chorus sang patriotic songs so beautifully it moved me to tears.  Parents, grandparents, friends and Sonoma neighbors attended.  

249/365

I thought our custodians lowered the school flag everyday.  They don't... our Traffic Patrol students do it.  

248/365

Yesterday most of my free time (which wasn't much!) was spent working on Baby J's proofs. 

247/365

Last pictures of hot air balloons... I promise!  It's just that I have so many of them!

A little smaller balloon for these two little guys!

246/365

Up - Up - and - Away ! !

Leslie got a hot air balloon ride from Johnnie for her birthday.  I knew they were going to go up yesterday at the Ripon balloon festival, but I didn't know in which balloon... and there were so many of them.  Luckily they were in one of the last balloons to go up, so at the last minute I saw them.  Just in time to take a few pictures.  Happy Birthday Leslie!

 After a few instructions... they are off!

Zoom in on this picture to see Leslie.  I talked to her after her ride, and she said it was Amazing!

245/365

Since I missed a couple of days posting, I'll make it up with a few hot air balloon pictures I took this morning.  I've got a lot, so you may see more of them!

244/365

Got up early this morning to get to the Ripon "Color the Sky" hot air balloon show.  I was taking a picture of this balloon getting inflated, and the guy told me to get closer.  So, I was almost inside the opening when I took this picture.