Happy New Year!

This is the annual ceremonial gathering under the harbor tree on the last day of 2014.  Or not.  I have photographed this tree so many times, under so many different weather conditions, but I don't think I have ever seen it with more than one person near it.  On this day, I happened to see four people all in a row.  They actually moved around quite a bit, they seemed to be tourists looking at the harbor and at the tree.  I waited until they were all separated from each other before shooting.

Rusted Stuff

I took my usual walk to the power plant to see what has changed in my absence.  After doing some photographs there, I kept walking and then cut through some woods to a vacant piece of property that used to contain a tank farm for fuel oil. I was curious what was there now.  I found some broken concrete, and then this rusted  sea wall.  It is made from steel sheathing that is driven into the floor of the harbor with a pile driver.  This wall has been there for a long long time, since it is almost completely rusted out.  I spent some time trying to find the best pattern of holes before taking this picture.

Jet Blue

It was late in the afternoon after flying more than half way to New York.  The sun had set perhaps half an hour before, and of course it set at a very rapid rate, since we were flying away from the sunset at nearly 500 miles an hour.  Everything out the window was deep blue, and then I noticed that the JetBlue aircraft have blue lights in the cabin.  I looked at the window and realized that everything was blue.  So I took a shot out the window, showing the very end of the wing, and the vertical winglet that sticks up at an angle from the wing.  

Watching California Recede in the Distance...

We had a great time during our Christmas stay in California.  We had been there over a week, and eventually it was time to head home.  And that is difficult too because we love being with everyone.  Twice a year to visit doesn't seem like enough time.  So it is a bittersweet moment to board the plane, and then look out the window and watch California recede into the distance.

Tolerance

On one of our days, we went to the Museum of Tolerance. It is a multimedia museum designed to examine racism and prejudice around the world with a strong focus on the history of the Holocaust. It also features a tolerance section that discusses issues of prejudice in everyday life.  It is a very powerful experience to spend time here.  This is a photograph of the sculpture "Holocausto" by Mexican sculptor, José Sacal, and from this level a circular ramp rises up to the next level, and all along the walls of the ramp are portraits of Holocaust survivors who are residents of Los Angeles. One of the survivors gave a lecture in person about her experience and her story was riveting.  We all agreed that was the most powerful experience of the day.

The Magical Mystery Plant

Both Liz and Amy have several of these plants around their houses.  This one is planted at Liz' house, and Amy has several in pots on her porch.  I was immediately taken by the beauty of the plant - it is just stunning - and asked what kind of plant it was.  No one knows, other than it some kind of succulent.  Some of the ones Amy has are reddish brown in the center.  I am guessing that someone who looks at the blog might possible know what plant this is.

Yes, There is a Santa Claus...

Yes there is a Santa Claus, and I know this because I found her on the beach in Venice, California!  We were walking on the boardwalk, and Liz looked off in the distance and said "Is that someone wearing a Santa hat?"  So I headed off across the beach on a slow run to see.  And it was!  I went up and asked if I could take a photo of her from behind, and she said that was fine.  Obviously she was here relaxing as the sun was going down, so she would be fully rested for her long night ahead.  Do not ask me about the International Date Line.  I like my version of the story better!