I think this is the first time I saw a desert peach. Image captured with Fuji X-T5 and the Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens.
We were out for walkies about the normal time this morning — a little later than I want but early enough that the heat has not risen. We staged at the entrance to Silver Saddle Ranch, I gathered up my things and started my tracker, and got The Girl out of the rig.
Then we were off.
There was no traffic this morning. So Sera Sue had free rein most of the time. I called her back in now and again, for practice and to check on her. When we neared the choke points where we often encounter other walkers but I cannot see them, I called her in to heel (and also for practice). At the ranch compound there was a horse trailer parked so I put her on leash. That area is often congested anyway, so a leash is a good idea.
Along the way I spotted this desert peach. I saw the fruit on a number of these desert shrubs this year, but this is the first ripe fruit seen. Maybe I should try one.
In any event, it gave me a good image. We also had a good walk. I love walking with The Girl. Really, I just love The Girl.
This is one of my favorite places in Carson City. There are so many memories of playing with Ki here.
The Station 51 park is one of my favorite places in Carson City. The structure looks like it was a gathering place when the site was the state school. Maybe it was a mess hall. I am not sure. But I always enjoy the sight of it in the morning with C Hill in the background.
It is a tradition that every year the graduating high school class “converts” the C into the last two digits of the year. At some point it will be changed back to “C”.
When Ki and I returned to Carson City late in 2015, I rented long term at the Plaza Hotel. Our walks took us the couple of blocks east to the Station 51 park, where we interacted with human and canine friends almost every day. When Older Son and DiL came to visit, we would take Ki over there for her daily outing. I have some cherished photographs of those family times.
Later, in 2016 I rented my place here in Carson. Ki and I continued walking the few blocks to the Station 51 park, as well as walking out at Riverview Park and Silver Saddle Ranch. We walked many circuits around the perimeter of the park.
After Ki died and Sera came to live with me, I continued the tradition for a while. But Sera is a different dog and is mildly reactive. Her reaction always depends on the confidence of the other dog. After a number of encounters that I did not like, we began walking the Silver Saddle trails more because there is less traffic.
She loves to walk along the river where she can get in the water. But as time went on there was more traffic there and more of the other walkers we did not know and their dogs were not always the best behaved. So I started walking the upper trails more, where Sera can be off lead and the probability of running into another dog is reduced.
Sera injured one of her feet a week ago, probably by jumping on the brush chasing lizards. She has a small cut between her pads and the loose sand irritates it. Several times she would race past me and then drop on the trail to lick her paw.
I decided to walk her in town for a few days. There is less sand and more grass. That is good because it reduces the pressure on her paw and she loves grass. We walk early before the traffic rises. The grass is often wet from irrigation. She will roll around crazy or dive onto the wet grass as we walk. She loves it and that makes me happy.
So we are revisiting our walks to the Station 51 park and I am seeing things that remind me of the times there with Ki. Those were good times. Now I have memories of spending time there with Sera. Those are good memories too.
I am grateful. Life is good.
N.B. The photograph was made with the Fuji X-T5 and the Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 macro lens at f/8. It is a very good lens and the right focal length for the shot.
While eating a bite of lunch, I noticed that this looked rather interesting. So, I made the capture.
About noon, I noticed I was hungry. That seems normal enough. There is not a lot to eat in the house because I am busy with paying work. So by the time the day is done, so am I. With little energy left to generate a shopping list and do the chore, I either eat what is here, go out, or send out. So, there is that.
I went into the kitchen and retrieved an apple from the fridge. I grabbed a lovely little Bradford Knife that is my first Bradford — one that was offered on Massdrop and caught my eye. It is not a custom blade, but a very nice knife produced in a small shop. So it has had some hand work. I really like my Bradford blades.
While I worked on my apple, I noticed that the combination of paper towel work area, blade, and apple was interesting. I have a new-to-me Fuji 60mm f/2.4 macro lens in my inventory that has been asking me to do something with it.
So, I did. The equipment was the Fuji X-T5, Fuji 60mm f/2.4 macro lens, and light from my desk lamps. The ISO was very high (12,000 as I recall) for the f/stop I used (f/4). Yet, the image has little discernible noise.
