Postcard from San Francisco

How often have I written of San Francisco in this blog? Many times, I am sure. I can’t help it…The City was where I was born and raised. My father was also born and raised here. But, it was my Grandmother who showed me the real City. I was her first grandchild…thereby her favorite.

For many years, she ran a woman’s boarding house up on Jackson Street. But, no matter how many women lived there, I always had my own room when I came for a visit. When I would stay with her, I helped out in the morning with the chores. I remember opening the old-style refrigerator for the man who climbed the back stairs carrying a large block of ice on his back. The iceman cometh…almost every day.

When the chores were done, we would go out on excursions into the City. If it were a Sunday, we would start with Mass at Old St. Mary’s Church, right on the edge of Chinatown. Then we would wander through Chinatown, often on a side street like this one…stopping to have lunch in one of the many little restaurants that dot the Chinatown landscape.

On other occasions, we would ride the Powell Street cable car up to Nob Hill, often stopping at either the Mark Hopkins or the Fairmont for an ice cream sundae. Back then, the cable cars were for getting to and from places…not the big tourist attraction they are today.

Sometimes we would ride the cable car all the way down to Fisherman’s Wharf, also not the great tourist attraction (or should I tourist trap) it is today. She taught me which were the best restaurants on the wharf and which ones for tourists. Too bad I didn’t like fish. But I do remember the giant crab pots always boiling on the wharf. They are gone now.

My Grandmother was a great and special woman. She sang in the San Francisco Opera Chorus and her circle of friends included the legendary conductor Arthur Fiedler. She was class personified. How could she not be with a maiden name like Winifred Rose Callahan.

So when I describe myself as a San Franciscan in absentia, it is only because she taught me the ways of one of the greatest cities on this earth. I will love and remember her always.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Venice

I stood in Venice

by George Gordon Byron

    I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs,
    A palace and a prison on each hand:
    I saw from out the wave her structures rise
    As from the stroke of the enchanter's wand:
    A thousand years their cloudy wings expand
    Around me, and a dying Glory smiles
    O'er the far times, when many a subject land
    Looked to the wingéd Lion's marble piles,
Where Venice sate in state, throned on her hundred isles!

    She looks a sea Cybele, fresh from ocean,
    Rising with her tiara of proud towers
    At airy distance, with majestic motion,
    A ruler of the waters and their powers:
    And such she was--her daughters had their dowers
    From spoils of nations, and the exhaustless East
    Poured in her lap all gems in sparkling showers:
    In purple was she robed, and of her feast
Monarchs partook, and deemed their dignity increased.

    In Venice Tasso's echoes are no more,
    And silent rows the songless gondolier;
    Her palaces are crumbling to the shore,
    And music meets not always now the ear:
    Those days are gone--but Beauty still is here;
    States fall, arts fade--but Nature doth not die,
    Nor yet forget how Venice once was dear,
    The pleasant place of all festivity,
The revel of the earth, the masque of Italy!

Painting by J.R. Corkrum

“Blue Pole Canal” 

Postcard from Capitol Reef

Every so often I love doing a black and white image. I took this photo on one of my exploratory trips down the back roads of Capitol Reef National Park in Southern Utah. It is a very undervalued National Park that gets few visitors compared to some of its neighbors such as The Arches and Canyonlands.

They get so few visitors that they don’t charge an entrance fee. There is only one campground, and they do charge for that. But, every night I was there, the campground was full by about 2:00 pm. I understand that as the campground is one of the nicest I ever stayed in. They can accommodate both tents and travel trailers.

They have a nice amphitheater for after-dark presentations. One one night, they gave a nice talk about the park, then showed an episode of Ken Burns National Park series. So for a small, undervalued park, they due on heck of a job.

The campground sits in the old Mormon settlement of Fruita. There is a long, mostly paved road that runs south from Fruita and eventually dead ends in this slot canyon. This photo shows the road going into the canyon and leading to the parking lot. From there, you can hike into the canyon and see what havoc Mother Nature can wreak with water and wind rushing through limestone canyons. While this canyon is not as narrow as other slot canyons in Utah, it is still fun and quite interesting to explore.  

I hope if you are ever in the vicinity of Capital Reef, you will take the time to explore its many nooks and crannies.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from the Vatican

About a year and a half ago, I showed you a photo of St. Peter’s Square taken at night. It’s a photo I am proud of as I took it without a tripod trying to hold it as steady as possible. A few days later, I came back to the Vatican and shot this daylight image of the Square.

If you look at the other image, you will notice the obelisk is on the right side of the image…here it is on the left. In both images, you can see St. Peter’s quite clearly. It is a big, big church (or more properly, it is a basilica). Later this day, I wandered all over the inside of the basilica. I took several images on slide film, but the developed slides somehow disappeared. I saw them at home after they came back from the processor, but then they mysteriously vanished. I never found them. Sad.

You will notice a distinct lack of people in the square this day. It is just a few days after the start of the second Iraqi War and people all over Europe and the Americas stopped traveling, afraid of reprisal terrorist attacks. Later in the day, my friend Susan toured the Sistine Chapel (while I took off to see more Roman ruins) and she reported there were not very few people in there. The place is normally jammed with tourists.

The Vatican, AKA Vatican City (officially Vatican City State), is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. It has an area of approximately 110 acres, and a population of around 840. Of course, its most important resident is the Pope, leader of the Catholic Church.

He is also the head of the Vatican government and all of the highest state functionaries are Catholic clergyman from around the world. The city-state itself is supported financially by the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications.

The Vatican became an independent city-state in 1929 during the reign of Pope Pius XI thanks to the Lateran Treaty between the Church and Italy (signed by Mussolini).

The Vatican is actually the property of the Holy See, the main organization of the Catholic Church which dates back to very early Christian times. It is the Holy See that oversees the church activities for 1.2 billion Catholics around the world. Surprisingly, the Vatican City State is distinct from the Holy See. The two entities have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, issues only diplomatic and service passports, whereas Vatican City State issues normal passports for its citizens.

This is probably more information than you ever wanted to know about the Vatican, but when in Rome, its nice to know the territory.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from Chicago

In the depth of winter, I thought you would like a reminder of the glorious days coming our way soon. -JRC

 

THE SEASON OF SPRING

the season of spring
weather seems to sing
lovely lovely days
are coming our ways

the season of spring
blooming blossoming
of nature of all kind
let roots unbind

the season of spring
birds unfold their wings
diving high into sky
wish one could fly

the season of spring
careful hearts love sting
reaching out towards others
some persons might bother

the season of spring
nice sound bells ring
new wave new style
faces have on a smile

the season of spring
an new awakening
busy humanity on earth
as if it’s a new birth

listen listen to my words
the season of spring is near
now a look into your lovely eyes
and one can see spring is already here

 

by Morhardt Carmen Mencita Monoi Angel

Postcard from Glacier National Park

This is one of those experimental digital sketches I do once in a while from my original photos. The image is a of snow-melt waterfall high up in Glacier National Park in Montana. I don’t believe it has a name but probably runs pretty much all year long, depending on the amount of snowfall.

I didn’t have to hike to or make any major effort to get the original shot as this waterfall is right by the side of the road. At my age, you gotta love that! My friend Dave and I were driving up the “Going to the Sun” Highway that runs from the west side of the park up to Logan Pass and into the high country when we ran into this waterfall (or cascade, if you will).

The highway is one of the most scenic roads in all of America. The views are absolutely spectacular. It was built 75 years ago during the Great Depression and was one of many government projects designed to get people back to work.

The road officially received its name, "The Going-to-the-Sun Road," during the 1933 dedication at Logan Pass. The road borrowed its name from nearby Going-to-the-Sun Mountain. Local legend, and a 1933 press release issued by the Department of the Interior, told the story of the deity, Sour Spirit, who came down from the sun to teach Blackfeet braves the rudiments of the hunt.

On his way back to the sun, Sour Spirit had his image reproduced on the top of the mountain for inspiration to the Blackfeet. An alternate story suggests a white explorer in the 1880s concocted the name and the legend. No matter which version is accurate, the road named Going-to-the-Sun still inspires all who travel it.

The road is only open about 3 months out of the year because of the high snow fall in this area of Montana. It takes a couple of months of snow-plowing to get the road open each year. So, if you are planning to go, it will have to be in summer.

If you are lucky, you will see mountain goats and big horn sheep along the road, so drive carefully. But do plan to stop along the way to take in the amazing views.

Postcard from Tucson

A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to One and All.

Thank you for being here. See you next year! - JRC

Postcard from Italy

To be honest, I took the original photo somewhere in Northern Italy…possibly in the wine growing region of Piemonte, not far south of Torino. I took it on one of my rips to Italy, but I could not tell you exactly where or when. It was originally photographed on slide film, then digitized by scanner.

The title of the photo is, “Fearful Tower.”

Of course it was not all doom and gloom that day. Actually it was a beautiful day with some wonderful clouds in the sky. When I looked at the original slide, I knew I wanted to do something different…and I thought the image was perfect for some sort of moody, doom and gloom photo. 

I worked on it a few years ago and could never get it the way I saw it in my head. But with all the new post processing tools that came out this year, I thought I would give it another shot…and this was the final result. Not bad…I think I achieved that “gloom and doom” look.

I also can’t remember what we did that day, but I am sure wine and some great Italian food was part of it. There was a wonderful little deli and grocery store in the Alba town square where we would buy our goodies for a day of exploring. The two ladies that owned the place were extremely friendly and helpful, even though they spoke no English. Just part of many great days in Italy.

Even the gloomy dark tower here cannot spoil my happy memories.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com or at my Flickr site.

Postcard from Grand Coulee

I bet you were expecting to see a picture of a dam…the Grand Coulee Dam, to be precise. Sorry, this photo was taken in the town of Grand Coulee, WA, just south of the dam. The plethora of power lines in the photo all originate from the dam. The huge dam supplies a great deal of electricity and irrigation water to Central Washington.

However, this is a sunset photo, as you can easily ascertain. And while I normally avoid photographing power lines, they work in this image. The photo is titled,”Power” and refers not only to the electrical power flowing through these lines, but to the power of the sun and the power of a forest fire.

You see, the sun is behind a thick veil of smoke which consumes the entire horizon…the result of a massive forest fire several miles away near Lake Chelan. Nature uses fire to replenish itself and renew the cycle of life in a forest. It takes a long time for that process to unfold, which probably explains why it took so long for man to understand the value of these great conflagrations.

Once, up in the Canadian Rockies, I took a nature walk through a burned out forest. It had been at least 10 years since the fire…and I could see nature replenishing itself with lots of new growth. The undergrowth had all been burned away, but the ashes supplied vital nutrients for the new trees and plants. Nature is a miraculous process.

Another unintended consequence of a large forest fire is that is supplies plenty of smoke to make beautiful sunset scenes for photographers. Smoke blocks much of the sun’s intensity…so much so that it is easy to stare directly at it. Thank God I had my camera with me this day so I could take advantage of Mother Nature’s gift.

PS: This photo was originally taken on film, then computerized with a scanner.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from San Francisco

As you can see, this is another one of my photos from the America’s Cup races last summer. As I said in previous blog, it was such a joy to be there to enjoy the races and take some photos with my new camera. After all, you don’t see these kinds of boats very often.

This photo is of the back of the New Zealand Kiwi boat. What makes this photo so special for me is the use of a new post-processing tool in Adobe’s Lightroom that brought the photo to life.

Its called the Radial tool, but I just refer to it as the Spotlight Tool…with it you can highlight a certain area of the photo with a “spotlight” and at the same time, lower to exposure of the surrounding areas.

In this case, I created an oval-shaped area around the center of the boat and made it slightly brighter, while lowering the light of everything else, including the background of the America’s Cup Park. Notice the water underneath the boat and extending out to the white sailboat in the background…see how much brighter it is and how the rest of the water (and the park) are darker? The sun helped, but so did the Spotlight Tool.

That is what the Spotlight Tool does…it brings the eye to exact place I want it to be when you view this photo. The whole focus of this picture is the boat, with the rest only serving as a backdrop. 

The digital tools available for processing photos these days are amazing. It is hard to keep up with all of them. But I try. I hope I didn’t bore you with this bit of technical stuff. Sorry if I did…but please enjoy the photo anyway.

Postcard from Tubac

This is one of those photos I took knowing I would have some fun with it in post-processing…which is exactly what happened. This is a wind sculpture, designed to sit on a pole and spin when the wind hits it.

There are several of them in Tubac, the art town 40 miles south of Tucson (if you missed my 11/25/13 blog about Tubac, you can read about this fun little town by clicking here). This particular one sat on a pole and was a few feet above my head, so I had to shoot up to capture the image. In fact, it was spinning a little, so I had to use a fast shutter speed. Thank God there were some clouds in the sky to break up a boring background.

But the real fun came in post-processing. Using several of my digital tools, I was able to create this unusual image that I believe turned out rather well. Of course, I didn’t create it on the first try. I had to keep experimenting until I got this final image. But, that is the fun of it all.

Sure hope you enjoy it.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from Tucson

Did I ever mention that we have fabulous sunrises and sunsets down here in the deep Southwest? Of course I have. Sorry, bad joke. But one of the prices we pay for living down here are some extremely hot summer days. Tucson is higher in elevation than Phoenix so we are a little cooler, but still temps can hit 110 here…day after day after day.

Now I like to get in a daily walk no matter what time of year it is. Today, for instance, it was only 67 degrees. Except for the wind, it was a great walk. But on those hot summer days, I have to get up before sunrise to get in a walk.  Even then, I could be walking in the high 70’s or 80’s. But at least I get my exercise in before heading inside for the day.

That explains why I get to take a lot of sunrise photos. Many days are not worth shooting, but occasionally I get lucky…like this one particular morning…August 10, 2013. I took this shot, then immediately headed out for my walk before the sun got into my face.

There is no Photoshop magic here other than to darken the not-very-interesting foreground. This is the way it was. Sadly, the rays did not last long…they never do. Still it was a lovely morning with a very enjoyable walk. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from Tubac

Never heard of Tubac, you say? Am not surprised. It’s pretty small. Tubac lies about 40 miles south of Tucson. About 1,100 people live there today, but its history goes back over 250 years.

First established in 1752 as a Spanish presidio, it was the first Spanish colonial garrison in Arizona. Tubac was one of the stops on the Camino Real (the "Royal Road") from Mexico to the Spanish settlements in California. (By the way, "Tubac" is an English borrowing from a Hispanicized form of the local Indian name, which translates into English as "rotten")

In the 1840’s, Apaches repeatedly attacked the town, eventually forcing the most residents to abandoned the settlement. It was also the scene of a four-day siege in 1861, between Tubac’s remaining male citizenry, Confederate militia and Apache Warriors. Not sure who won, but the town pretty much remained a memory until around 1908 when some enterprising folks started to rebuild.

But what about the Tubac of today? Well it’s an artist colony. According to the Chamber of Commerce, there are, “over 100 eclectic shops and world class galleries situated along meandering streets punctuated by hidden courtyards and sparkling fountains.” All that is quite true. It’s a town totally dedicated to the arts (even if some may come from China).

To call it an artist colony might be a bit of an exaggeration, at least today. For several years, it was just that, but as it became more popular, bigger shops and galleries came in and prices went up…high enough the most of the artists were forced to leave. Not many left in town today. All to sadly, this is a common occurrence for artist colonies.

According to one local resident, the little town was hit hard by the economic collapse of 2009. When I first saw it in 2006, it was swimming with tourists, snowbirds and other AZ residents. On my visit there last week, it was close to empty. I realize it was the middle of the week, but when hard times hit, art is one of the first things to go. Too bad, as it is a cute little town and I hope it can rise from the economic ashes.

I wandered around town with my camera and took several interesting photos…but few more interesting than this collection of large metal flowers. I found different kinds of metal flowers all over town in all shapes and sizes. But I really like this collection. And the colors…wow!

If you are ever down this way, make sure you make a stop at Tubac and take it all in. It is really designed for tourists, but if you come here, that is what you are.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from Oxford

This photo was taken underneath the famous Bridge of Sighs in Oxford England. Now, I bet you thought that the Bridge of Sighs was in Venice, Italy. Well, you are right…there is one there also. It is probably far more famous than this one. But, in fact, this one is the more attractive of the two.

Why, you ask? The Bridge in Venice is almost all white and has a flat bottom…whereas the Oxford version is more colorful and has a rounded bottom. You have to be on a water taxi or a gondola to go under the Venetian version. Whereas you can walk under the Oxford bridge as it is built over a street: New College Lane.

The Venetian Bridge of Sighs (Italian name: Ponte dei Sospiri) got its name thanks to Lord Byron, the English Poet. It connects the prison on one side of the canal to the Doge’s Palace. The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. According to Byron, the prisoners would sigh when they crossed the bridge.

In Oxford, when a student is thrown out of the University (called “rustication”), he must cross the bridge for one last view of this fabled college town. Actually, that is not true. I just made it up.  Although it has been called the Bridge of Sighs, the real name of the bridge is the Hertford Bridge as it connects 2 separate buildings of Hertford College. It is just a walkway. 

While I did photograph the whole bridge from a distance, I think this underneath view is far more interesting. Someday, I will share the full view with you.

By the way, just around the corner from the bridge is one of my favorite pubs in Oxford, The Kings Arms. Nice place for a pint and a snack and to hang out with the students. Just opposite the bridge is the world famous Bodleian Library. Next time you are in London, take a short detour north and visit Oxford. Well worth it.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from Venice

On this particular trip to Venice, I managed to catch a day where it rained all day. Lucky me. The day started out in Asti, on the west side of Italy. There it was sunny and bright…the day looked promising. As the train headed east toward Venice, I could see clouds start to form. By the time the train arrived in Venice, it was pouring rain…and I mean pouring.

It rained non-stop all day. Surprisingly, St. Marks Square, known for its occasional flooding, never did. In fact, this photo, originally taken with my film camera, is in St. Mark’s Square. The steps in the photo lead to the entrance of one of Venice’s most famous landmarks: St Mark's Campanile, AKA the Bell Tower for St. Mark’s Basilica. It stands 324 feet above the square and, ironically, is across the plaza from the Basilica. But, no one really cares if it attached or not. It’s very famous.

When in one of the most famous places in the world, it is so easy to look up and around. It is definitely breathtaking. But, as you know, I like to look down occasionally for something interesting or special that would make a good photo. I found this on this rainy day in Venice: a broken umbrella that someone discarded. I was immediately captivated and took this photo.

Of course, taken with a film camera, I didn’t know how it would turn out. But when I got back to the US, I found I liked it very much, which is why it is included here. The blue umbrella and the wet marble steps make such a great contrast. This may not be your cup of tea, but I like it. Such great memories (albeit wet ones).

Now you have something to do if you ever go to Venice and its raining cats and dogs…go look for broken umbrellas in famous places. Oh…and take a picture too!

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from the Cascades

 

Autumn Memory

as colorful leaves whirl to the ground...
some leaves swirl on the breeze
in a little autumnal dance 
as they tumble and turn, to form a memory
painting a leafy autumn picture in the air.....
faintly seen in leaves, two lovers holding hands
waltzing, in a symphony of color
brushed in sepia tones, of gold and brown 
amber sunlight over their heads
shimmering in a leafy umbrella, held in his hand
surreal and lovely
dancing in memory, the leaves remember their love
as they sat beneath the tree in spring and summer
now their love remains in the fall, fresh and lovely
in crisp leaves of old, infused, with their bright love
and now that fall is here....
the lovers have passed on, but their love remains
timeless, in vibrant shades...
shining in brown lace, and golden rays

L. spirit

 

“Autumn Road”

A Digital Painting by JR Corkrum

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from San Jose

I titled this photo, “Gateway: From College to the Real World.” I took it on the campus of San Jose State, my alma mater. In looking at it in post processing, it occurred to me I was looking out from the university campus to a regular city street…in other words, from the campus out into the real world…a gateway, if you will.

I recall my own departure from the academic world and facing the realities of the real world. The closed society of the university is all too idealistic, almost a utopian peaceful place to learn and meet other educated people. The real world is far different, as I soon discovered.

For a time, I was lost and went through some tough times. But, eventually I found myself, created new goals and adjusted nicely to the de facto existence offered in our society. Over the years, all has turned out well. But, it was those college years that gave me the basis for my life, as well as my photographic and writing career. How I photograph and write today bear little resemblance to those university days…but I could not have accomplished what I have done since without those years at San Jose State.

In a way, I am back at university these days. I attend lectures and other events at the University of Arizona. What a pleasure it is to sit and learn…and not have to take any tests! I’ve read where so many people my age are retiring to college and university cities where they can continue their education at a more leisurely and pleasurable pace…studying what they want without the competition of achieving high grades.

If you are young and have not been to college yet, heed these words and remember: College will be a special time in your life, one you will always remember and cherish. Take it all in, savor every moment, including those all-nighters writing a paper or studying for finals. There will be times later in life when you will wish you were back there again. But, persevere, use those lessons and move forward…through the gateway to the real world. 

Postcard from Yosemite

This is one of those peaceful, dreamy photos you get when you mount your camera on a tripod and use a very slow shutter speed. For camera buffs, this photo was shot at 1/3 of a second at f25, using an ISO of 100.

It was a very bright day, so I had to use a very small aperture opening at the lowest ISO rating on my camera in order to achieve the slow shutter speed. If you own a camera with adjustable settings, you should try this out the next time you pass some moving water. With a slow shutter speed, water blurs into a deceptively tranquil image that effectively conveys the impression of motion in a still photograph.

For your information, this photo was done on the Merced River just below Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park. It was done in May so the waterfall was filled to overflowing. The main course of the river is actually behind me at this location. This is one of those little offshoots of the main river.

I like to photograph these small areas, often much more than the larger views. It just seems so peaceful here. Trust me…I did take photos of the full river and the falls…in fact I have published some of those here before. But these little tiny places in a landscape like Yosemite can be awfully rewarding. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from San Francisco

There is just something about this photo that is both artistic and nostalgic. Maybe I am just getting old and remembering those great days of growing up in San Francisco.

If you have read these blogs for a while, or even only recently, you know a little about the F Line Streetcars that roam up and down Market Street and the Embarcadero.

Just to refresh your memory (but hopefully not to bore you) these F Line Streetcars are mainly from other cities around the world. They are generally many years old and were retired in their cities of origin. Someone in SF had the bright idea to buy them up as surplus, restore them, then put them back to use…but, only on one line…the F Line (officially known at the “F-Market and Wharves Streetcar Line”).

Its enjoyable to sit on Market Street or at the Starbucks by the Ferry Building with a cup of coffee and watch them go by. They are clearly marked as their city of origin…and they are all from a bygone era.

But it is much more fun to hop aboard one and ride it the 6 mile length from the Castro District all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf. Along the way you will see some of the major highlights of this great city…including the Castro District; Upper Market Street; Civic Center and City Hall; the Powell Street Cable Car turn-around; The Financial District; the Embarcadero District, the Ferry Building; Pier 39; and Fisherman’s Wharf. What a ride! And it’s only 75 cents for us seniors. They come along every 5-12 minutes with stops all along the way.

I took this photo on a streetcar originally from Milan, Italy. Obviously, I was sitting right behind the driver. Although you can’t see much of the scenery outside the car, it is on Market Street at the Embarcadero. Straight ahead is the Ferry Building. If you know anything about streetcars, you can tell this is an old car just by looking at the controls and the windows.

The only thing modern about this car is the fare taking machine located in the lower right corner. On a different car, the machine was broken and the driver just waived me to the back as I offered him my coins. After the doors were closed and we were underway, the driver announced that “the ticket machine is broken so the fare today is how much?”

The riders in the car then sang out in unison…”it is free.” He did this at every stop and by the second stop, I joined in the chorus. Silly, but fun…all part of being in one of the greatest cities in the world.

PS. If you would like to see a gallery of all the old streetcars running on the F Line, just click on this link. I think you will be surprised.

PPS: Sorry about not writing last week. I went out of town and stayed much longer than I expected. Am I forgiven?

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from the Santa Rita Mountains

My Sunset

As the sunsets
I realize how quickly time passes by
I think of all the things I could have done
and all the things I wish I had done

After each sunset
I remind myself that there's always tomorrow
there's always time to catch on things I missed out on
but somehow, as fast as a new day comes
I find myself in the same place;
watching the sunset and thinking of all the things
all the things I should have done
all the things I could have done
continuously going to and from

Tomorrow?
tomorrow never comes
so all my plans for tomorrow may never be fulfilled
never be drilled.......killed

Unless I start today
today before the sun rises and today before the sunsets
before the darkness consumes all humanity
before the shadows are my only pity

Days without sunset, are days I hardly met
I've always been granted the favour
by the savour
to admire this wonderful creation
such beautiful attraction

A sunset
a sunset of light, of hope, of peace

Chantelle T C Huggins

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To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com