The End

“The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating...and you finish off as an orgasm.”
George Carlin 1937-2008

These Scottish lassies were very cheerful about the coming apocalypse. Judging from their spelling, they were not all that concerned.

Over

"It ain't over till it's over."
Yogi Berra 1925-

Is it over yet? I guess it depends what it is.
I hope your holidays were..are...will be wonderful.

Merry Happy

“A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!”
Charles Dickens 1812-1870

Peace on earth.

All Grown Up

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
Pablo Picasso 1881-1973

Here’s to the child in every one.

Triplets

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.”
George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950

This is the Christmas card photo of our family that we sent out for this year’s December holidays. We really have only one grandson but we can’t get enough of him.

Season's greetings everyone!

This week’s Corner View theme is “the December holidays”. To see more December holiday posts visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, sophie, daan, skywriting, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, tikjewit, mlle paradis, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, tzivia

Just Looking

“The virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking.”
Brooks Atkinson 1894-1984

There’s always something to find. This is a bit of grass in front of a garage door but to me it seemed like fireworks. I like the contrast between the formal one after the other black lines on the garage door and the explosion of light lines in the grass.

Enjoy

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon-instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today.”
Dale Carnegie 1888-1955

Or maybe the ones that were blooming last summer.

Tradition

“Tradition is the illusion of permanence.”
Woody Allen 1935-

Women of the Padaung (a subgroup of the Karen tribe of northern Thailand) have worn ornamental brass rings for centuries. The original reasons for this tradition are not known the most common explanation is that an extra-long neck is considered a sign of great beauty and wealth. The effect is striking but hard to comprehend.

This week’s Corner View theme is “tradition”. To see more traditional posts visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, sophie, daan, skywriting, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, tikjewit, mlle paradis, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, tzivia,

Beauty

"Beauty is the promise of happiness."
Stendhal 1783–1842

This is a view from a ferry floating on a Norwegian fjord.

The Seven Stages of Parking

"Stage 1: You're a kid. All you have to park is your butt.
Stage 2: You're a teenager and are out parking with a girl who has a good chance of being your future wife.
Stage 3: You're married with kids and are now parking at a McDonald's with a play area.
Stage 4: The kids have grown and are working, coincidentally, at McDonald's. Meanwhile, you've bought yourself a sports car and are caught parking with a girl who has no chance of being your future wife.
Stage 5: Now you're parking in the garage, where you're also living.
Stage 6: You're old; no license, no car, no parking spot.
Stage 7: You're parked. Permanently. You have your own parking spot. It even has your name over it."
Red Green (from the Red Green Show)

I’m trying to avoid stages four through seven.

Deep Thought

“Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much
deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen.”
Stephen Wright 1955-

Something to think about as you gaze out to sea.

Improvising

Life is a lot like jazz... it's best when you improvise.
George Gershwin 1898-1937

This is a portrait I did last year of bluegrass musicians Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum. They really do know how to improvise. Here they’re coplaying (I think I improvised that word) each other’s instruments.

This week’s Corner View theme is “improvising”. To see more improvised posts visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, sophie, daan, skywriting, anna,  kenza, rosamaría, victoria, tikjewit, mlle paradis, wander chow, kelleyn, sammi, tzivia,

Brilliant Tranquility

“Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet; a happy marriage has the tranquility of a lovely sunset.”
Ann Landers 1918-2002

Might as well aim for both.

To see more Sunday sunsets check out Scott's blog at Finding Another View.

Fabric

“We live in a web of ideas, a fabric of our own making.”
Joseph Chilton Pearce 1926-

Rain

"Can you hear me, that when it rains and shines
It's just a state of mind
Can you hear me, can you hear me?"
Rain- Lennon/McCartney 1966

This cloud, floating over the Berkeley hills, lit up for about thirty seconds before returning to a dark, rainy sky.

This week’s Corner View theme is “rain”. To see more "rain" posts visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, trinsch, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, sophie, mcgillicutty, daan, lucylaine, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, conny, l´atelier, elis, anne, rosamaría, victoria, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, merel, soisses, mlle paradis, cacahuete, wander chow, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, liza, myrtille, tzivia,

I'll Never Know

If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know.
Louis Armstrong 1901-1971

So what is jazz anyway?

The Earth Writes

“Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky”
Kahlil Gibran 1887-1931

That sounds lovely but the rest of the quote is
“We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.”
Oh well, …context.

Going Public

“Gluttony is not a secret vice.”
Orson Welles 1915-1985

Today is the day American families get together and practice one of the seven deadly sins. Sometimes more. Be careful out there! And Happy Thanksgiving.

A Different Perspective

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end
may also be only the beginning.
Ivy Baker Priest 1905-1975

And up may be down in this bit of abstract reality.

This week’s Corner View theme is “taking a different perspective”. To see more "perspective" posts visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, trinsch, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, sophie, mcgillicutty, daan, lucylaine, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, conny, l´atelier, elis, anne, rosamaría, victoria, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, merel, soisses, mlle paradis, cacahuete, wander chow, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, liza, myrtille, tzivia,

Late breaking news...ffocuss is featured on Agneta's wonderful wabi & sabi blog today. Thanks Agneta!!

Provincial Admiration

“Sunsets are quite old fashioned. To admire them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament. Upon the other hand they go on.”
Oscar Wilde 1854-1900

This old fashioned sunset occurred this week over San Francisco Bay. The city is to the left of the sun and the Golden Gate Bridge is just to the right.

To see more Sunday sunsets check out Scott's blog at Finding Another View.

Happy Hour

“Color possesses me. It will possess me always, I know it.
That is the meaning of this happy hour.”
Paul Klee 1879-1940

An enjoyable morning, looking west from Hawaii.

Anything Goes

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
Yogi Berra 1925 –

Yogi tends to speak in a surreal fashion. Anything goes and sometimes it keeps on going...

This week’s Corner View theme is “anything goes”. To see more "anything goes" posts visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, trinsch, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, sophie, mcgillicutty, daan, lucylaine, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, conny, l´atelier, elis, anne, rosamaría, victoria, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, merel, soisses, mlle paradis, cacahuete, wander chow, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, liza, myrtille, tzivia,

You Can't Tell

“I was born by Caesarean section, but you can't really tell... except that when I leave my house, I always go out the window.”
Stephen Wright 1955-

Everyone has their little secrets.

Balance and Harmony

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
Thomas Merton 1915-1968

Chilling with the elephants in northern Thailand.

Preference

“Love prefers twilight to daylight”
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. 1809-1894

Romance is alive and well along the Grand Canal in Venice.

Autumn

“Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.”
William Cullen Bryant 1794-1878

This is an early November view of a Northern California vineyard.

This week’s Corner View theme is “autumn”. To see more views of autumn around the world visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, joyce, trinsch, francesca, isabelle, kari, jgy, lise, otli, dorte, sophie, mcgillicutty, daan, lucylaine, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, conny, l´atelier, elis, anne, rosamaría, victoria, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, merel, soisses, mlle paradis, cacahuete, wander chow, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, liza, myrtille, tzivia,

Interior Design

“Interior liberty is universal.”
Krzysztof Kieslowski 1941-1946

This is the same sunset as the Oct 24th post. This one was taken through the bedroom blinds of the house where we were staying.

To see more Sunday sunsets check out Scott's blog at Finding Another View.

Subdivision

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865

Well, it can but it’s not very comfortable. And no, I did not take the photo of Abe.
I'm old but not that old.

Famous

“Frankly, I don't mind not being President. I just mind that someone else is.”
Ted Kennedy 1932-2009

Jimmy Carter was a relatively unknown politician when he ran for the US presidency in 1976. He needed national fame and he needed it fast so his organization asked me to photograph a couple of his fund raising events. This is one of the shots I took.
And the rest is history.

This week’s Corner View theme is “famous”. Fill up on fame around the world by visiting the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa, ian, esti, joyce, kim, natsumi, trinsch, c.t., francesca, jennifer,  denise, isabelle, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, lise, crescent moon, otli, dorte, nicola, sophie, , aimee, inna, daan, helene, shokoofeh, jenna, grey-lemon,line, inner toddler, lucylaine, adrienne, emily, lynn, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, sherry, conny, susan, l´atelier, elis, kamana, anne, rosamaría, marinik, victoria, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, merel, soisses, mlle paradis, cacahuete, wander chow, barbara, , pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, liza, myrtille, tzivia

Don't Stop Painting

“A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.”
William Arthur Ward 1921-1924

But a cloudy car is a match for a cloudy home.

Season's Greetings

“The devil made me do it.”
Flip Wilson 1933-1998

Happy Halloween everyone. I hope your weekend is not too scary.

Pumpkin Sitting

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself,
than be crowded on a velvet cushion”
Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862

This happy squirrel has it all to himself. Having a snack and doing a bit of carving too!

Something to Think About

“It is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so.”
William Shakespeare 1564-1616

I’ve been thinking about our written and visual communication and how it has changed over the last couple of hundred years. From letter writing and drawing, to telegraph and photography, to telephone and television, to computers and email and blogging… are we breaking down fences and borders or are we just creating new ones? I think we’re moving forward but Shakespeare is probably right.

This week’s Corner View theme is “pondering”. To see more pondering around the world visit the blogs below. Thanks to Theresa for hosting.

jane, theresa,ian, esti, joyce, kim, natsumi, trinsch, c.t., francesca, jennifer,  denise, isabelle, janis, kari, jgy, skymring,  lise,  crescent moon,  otli, dorte,  nicola, sophie,  aimee, inna, daan, helene, shokoofeh, jenna, grey-lemon, line, inner toddler, lucylaine, adrienne, emily, lynn, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, sherry, conny, susan, l´atelier, elis, kamana, anne, rosamaría, marinik, elisabelle, victoria, malo, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, ocean girl, emily,   andrea,  merel,
soisses,   mlle paradis,  cacahuete, wander chow, debra, linnea and emily, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, liza, myrtille, tzivia

Positive Thinking

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky.”
Rabindranath Tagore 1861-1941

This is an end of the day view from the backyard of the place where we stayed in Hawaii. We did a home exchange which was wonderful. This was the third home exchange we've done (the others were Australia and Norway) and they've all been great. It does require a bit of trust but it's a fun and inexpensive way to travel.

If you would like to see more Sunday sunsets head on over to Scott's blog at Finding Another View.

Seduction

“The flower is the poetry of reproduction.
It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.”
Jean Giraudoux 1882-1944

A Vacation Photo

"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you're taking"
Earl Wilson 1907-1987

And it's a good time to gaze at the stars in broad daylight.

To see more vacation (holiday) photos from around the world take a look
at some of these blogs.

jane, ian, esti, joyce, kim, natsumi, trinsch, c.t., francesca, jennifer,  denise, isabelle, janis, kari, jgy, skymring,  lise,  crescent moon,  otli, dorte,  nicola, sophie,  aimee, inna, daan,  
helene, shokoofeh, jenna, grey-lemon, line, inner toddler, lucylaine, adrienne, emily, lynn, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, sherry, conny, susan, l´atelier, elis, kamana, anne, rosamaría, marinik, elisabelle, victoria, malo, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, ocean girl, emily,   andrea,  merel,
soisses,   mlle paradis,  cacahuete, wander chow, debra, linnea and emily, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, theresa, liza,     myrtille,

No Time Like The Present

“Glance into the world just as though time were gone: and everything
crooked will become straight to you.”
Friedrich Nietzsche 1844-1900

Another way of suggesting that we should be aware... now.

Wind

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
William Arthur Ward 1921-1994

There is always wind. Maybe it’s time to use it.

Green Memory

“Lord, keep my memory green.”
Charles Dickens 1812-1870

Photography really helps. This is a scene in North Kohala, on The Big Island, Hawaii.

This week’s Corner View theme is “green”. To see more green around the world visit the blogs below.

jane, ian, esti, joyce, kim, natsumi, trinsch, c.t., francesca, jennifer,  denise, isabelle, janis, kari, jgy, skymring,  lise,  crescent moon,  otli, dorte,  nicola, sophie,  aimee, inna, daan,  
helene, shokoofeh, jenna, grey-lemon, line, inner toddler, lucylaine, adrienne, emily, lynn, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, sherry, conny, susan, l´atelier, elis, kamana, anne, rosamaría, marinik, elisabelle, victoria, malo, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, ocean girl, emily,   andrea,  merel,
soisses,   mlle paradis,  cacahuete, wander chow, debra, linnea and emily, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, theresa, liza,     myrtille,

A Condition of the Spirit

“Any landscape is a condition of the spirit.”
Henri Frederic Amiel 1821-1881

More Than a Pebble

“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs.
It's jolted by every pebble on the road.”
Henry Ward Beecher 1813-1887

This road covered with volcanic rock is not opening any time soon.

Greener Grass

“The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence but you still have to mow it.”

It does help if you have monster machines and a full time staff.

Orange

“May the sun shine all day long, everything go right and nothing wrong. May those you love bring love back to you, and may all the wishes you wish come true!”
Irish blessing

This orange view of the sun was taken on the same evening as the harvest moon shot in the previous post. All I had to do is turn around and change my camera settings.

This week’s Corner View theme is “orange”. For more orange around the world visit the blogs below.

jane, ian, esti, joyce, kim, natsumi, trinsch, c.t., francesca, jennifer,  denise, isabelle, janis, kari, jgy, skymring,  lise,  crescent moon,  otli, dorte,  nicola, sophie,  aimee, inna, daan,  
helene, shokoofeh, jenna, grey-lemon, line, inner toddler, lucylaine, adrienne, emily, lynn, skywriting, eliane, the wanderer´s daughter,  anna,  kenza, sherry, conny, susan, l´atelier, elis, kamana, anne, rosamaría, marinik, elisabelle, victoria, malo, the yellow door paperie, tikjewit, juniper, ocean girl, emily,   andrea,  merel,
soisses,   mlle paradis,  cacahuete, wander chow, debra, linnea and emily, barbara, pienduzz, kelleyn, sammi, theresa, liza, myrtille,

Harvest Moon

“May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door.”
Irish Blessing

Here’s a view of the harvest moon hanging over Hawaii.

Hawaii

“Hawaii has always been a very pivotal role in the Pacific. It is in the Pacific. It is a part of the United States that is an island that is right here.”
Dan Quayle 1947-

That's it in a nutshell. I had a wonderful time. Right here in the Pacific.

The Wild Blue Yonder

“Oh! `darkly, deeply, beautifully blue', / As someone somewhere sings about the sky.”
Lord Byron 1788-1824

Window seat heaven.

Auto Shrine

"The car has become a secular sanctuary for the individual,
his shrine to the self, his mobile Walden Pond."
Edward McDonagh

They don't make them like they used to.

The Edge of America

“Power is so characteristically calm, that calmness in itself has the aspect of strength.”
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton 1803-1873

A windless day on the California coast

A Very Long Trip

“Living on earth may be expensive, but it includes an annual free trip around the sun.”

So we are always traveling-even when we are standing still.