While in the Valley of the Moon...

[schrackman]

as they call the Sonoma to Kenwood to Santa Rosa area, I did manage to get out early in the mornings to snap a few photos while visiting with my mother.

I also shot a few b/w of my mother with my Canonet but I still have about 6 exposures left on the roll that I need to take before developing them. But here are a few from my Digital Rebel:

#1 Some of the vineyards off the main highway during an early overcast/slight foggy morning.
#2 A nice deer off one of the side roads leading up to a canyon. I think he's snarling at me.
#3 Blackberrys from the same canyon.
#4 A budding grapevine from my sister's small vineyard in her backyard.

A few more to come on my next post.

[schrackman]

#1 A flower from my sister's beautiful backyard garden.
#2 My sister Cynthia and my two lovely daughters, Mel (left) and Adrienne (right), shot later in the afternoon.
#3 Some immature grapes from my sister's vineyard.
#4 A pic of yours truly (and Kaela, my sister's German Shepherd). Self portrait made possible by a garden orb in the backyard.

[poker]

Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing!

[Old Timer]

Glad there was time for a little photograph since you were in such a beautiful area. Nice job.

[schrackman]

Thanks Eric and OT. I wish I had more time for photography while there, as there is unlimited opportunity all over the place. From wildlife to old buildings to historical monuments to grapevines and hills galore. Actually, Fall is the best time to go there, as that is when the leaves are all changing colors. In fact, I'll be up there again for Thanksgiving so it looks like I'll have more photo ops to come.

[another view]

Very nice, Ray! I'll be there myself in a couple of weeks and remember how great of an area it is for photography.

[schrackman]

Thanks Penny & AV.

AV, while you're up there you may wish to check out Jack London's estate in Glen Ellen, which is just a left turn off the main highway north outside of Sonoma. It costs $6 for parking and you can hike down .6 miles to London's gravesite and the Wolf House, which burned down before they could ever move in (see pics below). The main house is pretty neat too, and I have a few b/w photos taken of my daughters there on the steps with my Canonet (which I have yet to develop). If you have a couple hours to kill when there it's the perfect place to go for a few photos, but I recommend doing it in the morning and not mid-day like I did.