it's the water

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photo by Donald Kinney

Sunday morning I heard the Lagunitas Creek calling me.   Some colorful designs in the water wanted a few words with me...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Long and tall still water.   And in no particular hurry.   This water spoke quietly...



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photo by Donald Kinney

And forceful rushing water -- with a definite downstream destination...
(((this is not a new photo)))


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China Camp on San Pablo Bay

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photo by Donald Kinney

Except for early in the morning I avoid China Camp on weekends -- just a few too many people out and about -- but I am told that Frank Quan sometimes -- when he feels like it -- opens up and runs the tiny China Camp Cafe part of the day -- no real specific time -- on Saturday and Sunday.

But I wouldn't ask for fresh cooked crabs because I know he doesn't have any, and I really doubt if Frank will have all the ingredients on hand to make your favorite designer sandwich.

About 40 years ago I went in the cafe with some friends and we ordered shrimp cocktails, but to our amazement we ended up paying an exorbitant price for those little fancy glass jars of shrimp-cocktail -- the same ones that you can buy at the supermarket -- the jars with more catchup than shrimp.

For the past few weeks there's been a sign in the window advertising Clam Chowder. And I don't know, but I don't think there are a whole lot of clams at China Camp, so I'm going to bet that Frank's chowder comes from the supermarket too.



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photo by Donald Kinney

This is the Sea Breeze -- and judging from the number of holes in her sides, she isn't going anywhere soon.

So what is this China Camp?   Well, dating back to the 1880's, it used to be a busy place -- netting shrimp was one of the few businesses Chinese immigrants were allowed to operate.

Nearly 500 people, originally from Canton, China, lived in the village.   In its heyday, there were three general stores, a marine supply store and a barber shop.   The surrounding hills were covered with the tiny Bay Shrimp drying in the sun.

Fisherman by trade in their native country, they gravitated to the work they knew best.   Most of the shrimp they netted were dried and shipped to China or Chinese communities throughout the U.S.   Today shrimp is still caught, but the catches are not nearly as large as they used to be.

These days, water from the Sierras that would normally flow into the Delta and on to San Pablo Bay (((the northern thumb of San Francisco Bay))) is largely diverted for agriculture in the Central Valley, and this has caused the salinity levels of San Pablo Bay to become elevated -- which is something shrimp don't like -- their numbers have diminished drastically over the past several decades.



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photo by Donald Kinney

That's Frank Quan's shrimping boat -- she's a bit funky but she sets and pulls in Frank's nets just fine.   CLICK to see a photo of Frank Quan.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I suppose that Frank will get in and scrape off all those barnacles just as soon as he runs out of other projects and/or needs to use the boat.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I would imagine this rusty old Seven-Up sign on the side of the cafe gets it's photo snapped a lot.   I've never been able to resist rust.   In fact I love rust, and I bet you do too...


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at Lilly Lake, Mt. Tamalpais

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photo by Donald Kinney

Saturating rain has brought us life-giving juice, and the moss covering every shaded nook-and-cranny of Mount Tamalpais is standing up, bright green and proud.   Yum...



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photo by Donald Kinney

These are Madrone trees, and I'm not sure if Mount Tamalpais has an official tree, but the Madrone definitely gets my vote.   Madrone branches shed their paper-thin bark during the summer.   CLICK to see an older photo of the curly peeling bark.



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photo by Donald Kinney

A few years ago I asked a friend what the name of this little lake was -- the one with water-lillies and horsetails and frogs and all sorts of other neat stuff.   He told me it was named Lilly Lake, but I think he just made that up -- I don't think the lake has any official name but I could be wrong.   In any case, the name Lilly Lake works for me.   CLICK to see an older photo of a water-lilly pad.



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photo by Donald Kinney

These curious Mallards were enjoying the morning -- they've definitely been in their element with all this rain we've been having.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And this is what the typical Mount Tamalpais forest floor looks like -- a cooperative mixture of madrone, redwood, laurel, pines, ferns, and the ubiquitous moss.   This is not far from the Fairfax to Bolinas Road, in Marin County, California.


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turning the camera vertical

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photo by Donald Kinney

I don't know why, but I'll do everything to avoid taking a vertical shot -- but I think it's good that I've been taking more of them recently.   It seems to allow me to emphasize size on a grand scale.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I think I prefer a square format to a narrow vertical where the sides look so pinched and restrictive.   I fool with squareness every day over on the DailyDuo.

Gotta show you the Histogram for the shot above:

-- you'll see that my whites are just slightly blown out (((pasty and lacking detail))).
There's a lot of white bunched up against the right edge of the scale.   Also notice that the dark tones in the image aren't really pure black, as the low values don't reach all the way to the left edge of the scale.

I was using one stop of (((-))) Exposure Compensation, but I see I should have probably used two.   Actually, maybe what I should do is go buy a Polarizer filter -- just thinking aloud here...



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photo by Donald Kinney

But I did a bit better with this shot:

-- the whites are definitely not blown-out, and in fact I should probably have brightened them up just a bit -- notice how the tones don't reach all the way to the right side of the scale.   For brighter clouds I probably should have moved the right slider so the white-pointer is just touching the highest values.   And again, notice that there are no solid blacks in this image.


SPECIAL EDITION -- 200 VISITED A.P.A.D. YESTERDAY

That's right folks -- I had a "unique visit" hit-counter working yesterday and I was amazed that almost 200 "unique" visitors stopped by AphotoAday.   This is a far cry from not so long ago when I was only averaging about 20 (((or even less))) "unique" visitors each day, and I'm sitting here scratching my head and wondering who all these people are...   But a big HELLO to each and every one of you -- if you feel like it please leave a comment -- you don't have to leave me any praise, but I sure wold like to know who you are and where YOUR blog is.   Best regards, Don and Kitty


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familiar places, mossy faces...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, this old mossy tree (((on the banks of the Lagunitas Creek))) and I are old friends -- best buddies in fact -- but the kindly old tree has never before let me snag an acceptable photo.   This is a first -- we may have been waiting for the right time, and the time was last Tuesday...



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photo by Donald Kinney

These moss covered rocks are a bit easier to photograph than that tree.   During the winter months these rocks get their photo snapped every chance I get, but during Summer the moss dries out to the point where you'd think it would never be able to be resuscitated by the Winter rains.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And hey, look what the camera found...   But the lighting conditions weren't right for my usual colorful reflection photos -- the sun must be shining and at a moderately low angle, and the water must be shaded while surrounding vegetation is illuminated -- I'll give it another try on another day.


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fun 4 all at Rodeo Beach

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's a bit difficult to see in this small photo (((click to enlarge))), but that seagull is working extra hard to gain a bit of altitude in order to avoid the splash.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, I love you too, you big stick of wood...



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photo by Donald Kinney

And here those lovers go again -- or maybe they are just very good friends...



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photo by Donald Kinney

And I showed this Blue Heron yesterday on the DailyDuo, but the graceful creature has agreed to a repeat performance here on APAD.


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morning at China Camp

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photo by Donald Kinney

China Camp, with a grand sweep across San Pablo Bay provides a splendid viewing spot for sunrise hunters.   This is the upper thumb of San Francisco Bay.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Here's another pretty one...



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photo by Donald Kinney

And this is Frank Quan's dock at China Camp -- that's his shrimp boat on the left.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I shot this photo a few months ago, but this is my hero; Frank Quan, the lone remaining resident of China Camp.   Why is he my hero?   Because he's an old bachelor just like me.   Eat your hearts out, ladies -- we two fellows got away...


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more from the Caliber photo-walk

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photo by Donald Kinney

I've never really thought of books as being birds -- but there they are -- right down on the corner of Broadway and Columbus.

This is called "Language of the Birds", by artists Dorka Keehn and Brian Goggin, and was unveiled about a year and a half ago.   I give this installation high-marks for creativity and far-outness.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I shot this back in November, but it shows the books lit up at night -- they have LED lights inside and turn on and turn off in sort of an interesting pattern.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I mean, who is in such a hurry that they can't slow down and browse the windows at City Lights Bookstore?



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Or if for some strange reason City Lights Bookstore doesn't turn-you-on, you can walk a half-block down to the little Moke Shop and pick up a brand-new hookah.


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Photo-Walking around the City

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, it took the builders and construction guys my entire lifetime -- and I suppose some of the construction went on before I was born and some of it will go on after I am gone -- but the Financial District of San Francisco, in my estimation, is completely built and there is nothing left to build, let alone the space to build anything on.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Here's one of those neck-breaking shots that I was describing yesterday.   This is the super-secret TransAmerica building.   Many people don't know that several foreign galaxies have offices in this building, and they use the pyramid shape to channel energy from home.   It's all very hush-hush, so I can't tell you any more.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Who is Franc D'Ambrosio, you ask?   Well, according to his website, he looks and acts like Marlin Brando and sings like Mario Lanza.   How could have I not have known he was the man behind the mask in the Phantom of the Opera.


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Local boy takes a trip to S.F.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And along the way I stopped to look at the Golden Gate Bridge.   Okay, okay, I took the (((above))) photo a few days ago at sunrise, but I did take the vertical shot (((below))) yesterday -- on my little trip over to San Francisco...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Okay, okay, I know that this is pretty much a typical tourist shot -- but I never have been able to resist shooting the bridge, especially on a day with such puffy clouds.


SPECIAL EDITION -- CALIBER GROUP PHOTO-WALK



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photo by Donald Kinney

And this is the bunch of camera toting rag-a-muffins I met up with in San Francisco -- we were doing the second Caliber Group Photo-Walk and I think it's safe to say a good time was had by all.



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photo by Donald Kinney

It was an honor to be led on our route over to Northbeach and Chinatown by Frank Chu, one of San Francisco's most interesting characters.   How can I explain Frank? Well, that is a tall order, but I'll give it a whirl.

Well you see, Frank is from one of America's most successful movie families -- his mother starred in over 200 feature films and they were one of the richest families in Hollywood UNTIL President Clinton stole all their money.   Frank will be glad to explain it in more detail if you ask.   He will also explain the precise meanings of all those mysterious words on his sign, but somehow I think he knows that a few people (((o.k., maybe more than just a few))) just don't quite understand his concepts.   Yes, it is all very mysterious -- you can read more about Frank at Wikipedia



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photo by Donald Kinney

Fortunately, this wonderful and snappy young lady, Julie Michelle, is much easier to explain than Frank.   Or so it would seem -- because she is such an open book -- but yet I haven't known Julie all that long and imagine there is some bit of mystery on or near page 402...   The mystery just might have something to do with Tango dancing, but I don't know.   My imagination is running wild...

Julie edits and does the photography for her fabulously successful I Live Here S.F. featuring local citizenry, writes her own blog, and she is one of the key members of the Caliber Group.

Julie is a very talented photographer and I think she is a shoe-in to be the next Annie Liebowitz, but for right now she is extra busy volunteering with local organizations such as Women Drop-In and the diaper project Help a Mother Out.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And I don't have the names of these two intrepid snappers, but they were shooting neck-breakers of tall buildings in the San Francisco's Finacial District.   I'll have more of what I shot tomorrow.


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moody clouds

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photo by Donald Kinney

With all this Wintery weather I've had no trouble finding the moodiest of clouds.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And interestingly shaped hills lend a bit of drama.   And yes, with the soggy weather we have had vast quantities of fog.


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odds-and-ends

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photo by Donald Kinney

Odds-and-ends is a good descriptor for the collection of rag-tag houseboats down at Gate 5 in Sausalito.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Shame.   The owners should have had more respect than to name the Tamalpais No-Tell Motel after such an inspirational mountain.   The spirit of Tamalpa (((Indian Goddess, a.k.a. The Sleeping Lady))) is probably not pleased.



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photo by Donald Kinney

This bridge, out on the backroads of Marin County, has been painted more times than Carter has pills...   Then, every once in a while the county road crew comes along and paints everything over with a solid color, providing once again a fresh canvas for the midnight artistic and literary freak-outs of students from Petluma and Novato High Schools.   I like this painting -- some student's mind must have been in a good place.   A nice break from the usual slatherings of unintelligible graffiti.



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Oh, you may remember Jack and Jill...   Here they are -- coming down the hill...


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miscellaneous water

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, I couldn't resist showing another one from the other day at Webb Creek.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And I snagged this one on another visit to Roy's Redwoods yesterday afternoon.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And another from Roy's Redwoods yesterday.   In a few weeks the streams will be reduced to trickles, but I have memories and even a few nice photos.


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here come the birds...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Yeah folks, one day the birds are going to head our way and take over.   They seem to have as good of a handle on the banking situation and the housing mess as anybody else...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Birds don't know much about plumbing, but they do have an excellent grasp of our utility distribution system...



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photo by Donald Kinney

And though it is difficult to get them to shut up, they do know how to sit quite nicely in a row...



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photo by Donald Kinney

The main form of a art expression for birds seems to be air ballet...



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photo by Donald Kinney

But most of the time birds just like to stand around and gossip -- but at least they know what they're talking about...


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