Silver Barn

Silver Barn, originally uploaded by mhall209.

Another barn. This one is hidden from the road but I had permission to wander around the farm with my camera, looking for pictures. People think you are odd when you ask. Things are just everyday to them, they do not think of their own place as interesting or unique.

I am always amazed how family farms make it work with such old tattered equipment. Large corporate farms seem to always have new shiny big equipment in big shiny barns that look like warehouses. But the family farms always have old equipment that maybe grandpa bought new way back when. I understand the whole stay out of debt thing, and why borrow money to buy new when the old still works. It just amazes me how long they can keep things running.

Peaches

Peaches, originally uploaded by mhall209.

It is peach season! We stop at a peach stand on the way home from work as often as we can. It is actually a house, and they have converted their back patio into a farm stand. It is an older german couple who live there. Each time we come there are several different types of peaches and a small assortment of other fruits and vegetables. As the season progresses the types of peach varieties will change. Today I bought June Bride and White Lady peaches, along with an unnamed yellow plum that the lady said her son found as a seedling.

I asked one time how many peaches they grow, and the old man said they have well over 100 different named varieties, but he hadn't counted in a while. I believe him, And everyone one of them are delicious. The only problem is you can only buy a one or two day supply as they pick them dead ripe and the peaches go bad quickly. But boy are they good! Fresh peaches from now till October!

Brandt Road Vineyard

Brandt Road Vineyard, originally uploaded by mhall209.

Our favorite strawberry stand is on Brandt Road. They grow a different variety than most of the other stands, and the berries are awesome. So I stopped for a flat. and then went straight down the road instead of taking the faster way home. I crossed a creek and there was this barn. A wonderful old barn surrounded by these cool green vineyards. It made a nice stop on the way home.

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Fill 'er up.

Fill 'er up., originally uploaded by mhall209.

I have been by this gas station many times- it is near some of our favorite places to eat. Usually though there are a number of cars parked obscuring the shot. I am not sure what kind of business occupies the building now but it is something, and not a gas station. The pumps (which have no hoses) register 40.9 cents per gallon. So it has been a while since they have seen any gasoline.

In the garage

In the garage, originally uploaded by mhall209.

My wife and I went to a farmers market this morning, and then decided to go exploring. We ended up in Amador City. We have lived in the area for over 12 years but have never really explored this part of this town. It was a nice neighborhood, probably a little too expensive for our paychecks, but a nice place to wander around in anyway. I found this car at the end of a dead end street, in a doorless garage. I just had to take this shot - standing in the middle of the street. I was hoping I would be able to drop out the background, and it worked wonderfully.

White Flower

White Flower, originally uploaded by mhall209.

FInally home for a while, and I feel like summer vacation is here. Time to really get into working the yard and garden. So here is the plan; get up early and work in the yard before it gets too hot, and then into the house around 10 or 11. I need to work on my Moodle courses and get them nice for the new school year, and I want to do that in the heat of the day. Then back to the yard in the evening when it cools off. Sounds like a good plan. Lets see how it works out.

Blue car

Blue car, originally uploaded by mhall209.

On my last morning at University of California at Berkeley. We have been staying in a dorm on campus and eating in one of the campus cafeterias. I have to say this has been a different experience, and I am sure I will not volunteer to do it again. Did you know that in the summer universities are used for youth sports camps? And did you know that means the cafeteria is full of kids under, say, 12? Hundreds of them. They were well behaved and all, but still. It is a tad bit out of my comfort zone.

Anyway it was several blocks from the dorm to the dining hall and on the way between the two was this old car. I kept yelling at me to get a picture, but the light was too harsh most times. But this time I got it.