Fences, Photos, and The Sutter Buttes

This afternoon we took off and headed up to Yuba City to meet some friends for dinner. It never seems to fail that once we are all loaded up into the truck somebody has forgotten something :). Usually it is me – not this time though. Finally we make it to the gas station, fill up ($$$) and run the truck through the car wash. As usual on exit the back wheels spin and the truck ever so slightly slides to one side. Eventually they catch and out we pop into the alley. This is when I can exhale – we made through the evil bubble machine again. I always do but I have witnessed cars in front of me in line slide to far and hit the wash machine. It is a vehicle slip and slide.

We decided to take the scenic drive. We headed down I5 to Woodland – a two lane route with slower moving semi-trucks going over the causeway and lots of hurried people trying to pass them speeding by in the left lane. I stopped and took a couple of pictures in Knights Landing. I decided to walk up the old metal grate bridge and see what – well what I could see. I had to walk up the side of the road and step up to the sidewalk that leads to the walkway across the bridge. Once up there I decided on a couple of shots I thought would be cool looking. I about jumped out of my skin when the first vehicle crossed the bridge. It shook and vibrated – actually it rattled too – whoa! Everytime I tried to take a picture – the vibromatic bridge attacked.


Flickr Photo Sharing

We decided to turn left onto Progress Rd. (Robbins) and drive alongside the farmlands. Stopped near the duck club to see if there were any birds around. Saw a beautiful skunk. Then there was a bright yellow plane dusting the crops. Wow, now that would be a nice picture. As I opened the door I was hit with – surprise – whatever stinky pesticide was being applied. Slam the door turn off the air blower and split the stinky scene. We headed up into the Sutter Buttes.

The Buttes can be so beautiful in the winter when the grass starts to show the beautiful green it will become in spring. Not this year yet. The lack of rain has left them still the golden and brown colors of summer with a few spaces of green here and there. There was a lot of traffic compared to a few years back making it hard to pull over and take a picture. As we rounded on corner I saw a space big enough and pulled over. Right there in front of me was one of the numerous volcanic rocks with grafitti on it.


Flickr Photo Sharing

Took of few more pictures along the way. Since the 1960’s most of the land owners started inforcing tresspassing laws so when I was growing up the Buttes had limited access. I can not say that I blame them – after all the Buttes are full of geologic, natural, and cultural history. The Maidu and the Wintun lived around the Buttes. They are a rather odd geologically – just sitting there in the middle of the valley. In 2003 the California State Parks acquired the property on the north side. Our new State Park will open sometime in future after all the State required inventories and studies are done with. More of this grafitti is sure to be seen I fear.

I took this picture of a fence – well it is actually three generations of fence by apperances. One built from the rocks, one from wood, and another wire. At first I thought the wood was just in place for support against the wind but there were posts up the line a bit. In the late 1860’s and 1870’s the Chinese looking for work after the railroad track laying jobs dried up helped clear the land and built the fences.


Flickr Photo Sharing

All and all a nice drive and I did get some pictures. Drove by the Sutter Cemetery and remembered and said my special prayer for everyone – especially J-204-4.

Update WP 2.1 Testing

Wow using the two different size photos from flickr is a PITA! I used to just copy past the links now there is this lightbox tap and it wants way to much info for my pea brain! LOL wah wah now I have to read intructions ๐Ÿ™‚

Ok anothe go at it!

Lazy Day

I did nothing today. Really nothing but breath in breath out – a good thing – watch television – read some blogs – and share the couch with the dogs. Yesterday tuckered me out. Another side effect I suppose – or so the doctor says. I have not taken my pictures for the day but the night is young! I did read a few pages of the manual – now I can use the bracket function. Woo hoo. I have many photos from yesterday that are great examples of what not to do! Never change to a real high ISO thinking it will help. Never assume your holding the camera still enough in low light conditions. The built in flash is useless in a museum. And it helps if you can find a particular button on your camera in the dark :).

Things I did right. I listened to Drumsnwhistles and paid attention to Thomas Hawks nice message here and attended the Photo Walk at the Sacramento Train Museum! It was fun. I met some really nice people from Sacramento and I am going to go on the Sacramento Photographers Flickr Groups photo walk on Feb. 10th. I brought a monopod instead of a tripod (thanks Chuck for loaning it too me) and I did play with the aperture and shutter settings to see what I would get at the different settings in the lower light. I also got a lot of tips from the other locals who like me lost track of the main group. I suspect that Drums will be attending the one in Santa Barbara!

Others posts on the Photo Walk:

Had a Ball at the Sacramento Photo Walk

Photowalking 5 The California State Railroad Museum

Photowalking at he california state railroad museum

Photo training

My Photofu is Weak

Fun at the railway museum

Photowalking With Thomas Hawk and Robert Scoble


Catfish is in on the bed acting like all that. He has a favorite stuffed toy that is bigger than him that he cuddles up to. Annie is downstairs guarding her domain while watching TV. I swear she really does watch it just in case one of those other dogs dares to walk across the screen.

Well, off to read more blogs and all that stuff . …