I love this time of year…
Merry Christmas, 2007
Fallbrook Stream and Pico Promenade
My new studio sits on the edge of Fallbrook Stream which runs through town. I always seem to end up near water! Growing up our house in Elevado Heights in Vista was on a stream, and we built forts and would play all day down there. It ran year-round, since our neighbors were so fond of watering their lawns and groves, and that water had to go somewhere. My grandmother still lives on a stream up in Idyllwild. My brother lives on Constant Creek here in Fallbrook. My last two homes were right on streams. It’s definitely a recurring theme in my family!
A decade ago the town decided to create a mini park and walking path along the edge of Fallbrook Stream, and the Pico Promenade runs the three blocks from Major Market to my studio on Elder. It’s like a secret haven in the middle of town, and most people drive right by without ever walking it – but if you take the time to stop and get out of your car, it’s a beautiful spot!
I wrote yesterday about people coming to my blog expecting to find photos of wildlife, and what do you know, today I saw some! This Egret is just a baby. There’s a huge Egret that spends time every year near my brother’s house, and this one was maybe a third the size of that bird – but he was so incredibly white and just beautiful. And not a bit scared of me. I watched him use one foot to stir up the mud in the stream, and then swoop in with his beak to grab and eat whatever it was he was finding. And he ate a lot of whatever it was – so it must have been good! I was surprised the first time I saw an Egret in Fallbrook – I had no idea they would come so far inland. But I’ve heard since then that they nest in tall trees and feed in shallow water, so Fallbrook is actually a pretty perfect place for an Egret. I think they’re most beautiful in flight, since they’re so long and elegant.
The light was really pretty this afternoon – it made everything glow.
This must be a magical puddle! It was glistening and glowing, and it reminded me of a fairy tale…
The old Fruit Packing Plant used to be right on the stream, and this window is part of the new wall surrounding the property. If the entire renovation turns out as pretty as the wall has, the building could be stunningly beautiful.
Bogenvia blooms along the pathway…
This last image expresses how I felt today – bright blue skies, and beautiful colors. Everything is right with the world on a day like today!
How did you get here?
I always get a kick out of the search terms people use to find this site. Most are of course photography-related – and there are a lot that are music or model-related as well. I also get hits for Trashing the Dress and Rock Star and INXS and Lukas Rossi – all of which I’d expect.
But then there are some just plain fun ones! Like all the people searching for a red clawfoot bathtub – who knew it was such a sought after item? I love mine – I mean I did blog about it! But there are dozens of people every month that find this blog, because they’re looking for a red tub. This last month I mentioned jack rabbits and mountain lions and I’m now getting hits related to that kind of wildlife. If that’s what you’re looking for – sorry! All I did was mention them, there’s not really much here on either animal. I also get hits for simple modern desk or a variation of that – and yeah, I do have one, but no photos of it posted yet.
But the most interesting to me this month are the searches for “sold rockband.com” or “rockband.com sold for” or “rockband.com domain name.” The game was released this month, and the domain name has been splashed all over the media and in their ads, so it’s no wonder there’s some interest right now. But wow! There are a lot of mighty curious people out there!
Fallbrook Christmas Parade
The night of the Fallbrook Christmas Parade may be my favorite night of the whole holiday season. There’s just nothing like a night parade in your hometown! The parade is always huge – I think there’s an unspoken rule that every kid in town must march in it, or sit on a float, or at the very least, watch it! There were 120 different entries this year – several bands, lots of floats, horses, and goats, and dogs, and ponies, and even the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. And not a drop of rain! It rained on and off for most of the 24-hours before the parade, and finally stopped less than 2 hours before the parade started.
The loudest cheers were for the firefighters. It was incredibly moving to stand among my neighbors and clap and cheer for those who saved our town last month. There was a lot of gratitude expressed on Main Street tonight. We were very fortunate – and we know it – and it felt good to express it!
Rain Clouds
Rain! Nearly two inches in less than 24-hours. The grey skies finally broke this afternoon and the sun shone through briefly, and then the rain started again. I’m not complaining! We definitely need it.
I took a walk down by the stream yesterday, during the middle of a downpour and skipped over puddles and watched the stream swirl through town on it’s way out to the ocean. Everything smelled wonderful and fresh and new!
My first ad and a quick blurb…
My first ad ran in the local newspaper yesterday, along with a brief mention of my new studio. Very cool!
New Photography Studio Open
FALLBROOK — Cheryl Spelts, a fine art photographer specializing in fresh and modern portraits and beautiful weddings, opened a new studio in downtown Fallbrook this week. The studio is located upstairs from the Village News at the historic Elder House.
It’s a space that is filled with light, making it perfect for beautiful, natural light portraits, which suits Spelts’ style of relaxed, modern portrait photography. The grounds of Elder House are the perfect backdrop for the outdoor portion of a photo session. Location shoots and wedding photography are also available.
Spelts’ Web site, http://www.cherylspelts.com, features samples of her work and a regularly updated blog.
Spelts is available by appointment only. Please call (760) 728-4282.
http://www.villagenews.com/story/2007/11/29/news/new-photography-studio-open/15331.html
Fallbrook Today
I drove past a Persimmon orchard today, and was struck by how beautiful the trees look right now – completely laden with fruit.
My Mom makes the best Persimmon bread, and growing up we always knew at least one friend who had a tree and would have tons of fruit to give away between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I’d never seen a whole orchard of trees before this week – and it’s a beautiful thing to see!
Just a short distance from this beautiful orchard there’s massive fire damage. But not everything was scorched. This pale purple flower is actually a weed that grows on the side of the road – the official name is Datura, but it’s more commonly known as Angel’s Trumpet. When the bloom opens, they remind me of a Georgia O’Keefe painting. But even a bud like this one is beautiful.
On Reche Road there used to be an old restaurant or road house or country store or house – I’m not sure what exactly – if it’s been open in the last twenty years, I don’t remember it. And the oak trees and vegetation around it were always so thick, all you could see was the old sign – the building was completely hidden. But whatever it was, the fire a month ago claimed it – all that’s left is the gate, the foundation, a chimney, and two vehicles in the yard. And you can see it all from the road as you drive by.
The yellow sign reads, “San Diego County Wildfires 2007, Clean-up Program, Hazardous Materials Assessment and Removal COMPLETE.” I’m assuming the charred paint cans marked with green paint, were placed here by the pros doing the assessment and removal…
Not everything burned. This newspaper box attached to a mailbox melted.
Once thriving ivy…
Another yellow sign signifying the hazardous material has been removed.
There are a lot of classic and vintage cars in Fallbrook – it’s one of the things were famous for – avocados, classic cars, our hometown Christmas Parade, and oak trees! I wonder if this car was a project car, or if it was beautifully restored, or if it was something in between?
I was amazed to see so much plant life still standing, when the homes are completely gone. This plant may be dying, but it is still standing.
Part of a gate…
There were crews everywhere hauling out debris. About a week ago, my Mom spent a whole day digging through the ashes in this same neighborhood, with a relief group trying to find anything the home owners might want. I was really proud of her. It’s one thing to give money, but to give eight hours of your time to dig through ashes and debris? That’s just really special…
Canadian Change
I came home from Canada this summer with over $20 in change. I tried to give all their money back before I crossed the border – really, I did! I left some for housekeeping in the hotel, I gave the cab driver a larger tip than normal – why not? I can’t use it in the US, it should be in circulation in Canada, and there’s no place to exchange loose change at the airport – and since they use $1 and $2 coins, you end up with a lot of loose change!
But once you finish checking in, and they tell you that you’re officially back in the US, even though you haven’t boarded a plane yet, there’s a waiting area lined with restaurants and shops. I wanted breakfast, and a magazine and some Advil, and I had nearly two hours to kill – so of course I was going to spend some money. So I handed over my American $20 bill, and got back Canadian money in change – and not even paper bills – but all change. One clerk handed me back $18 in change.
So oh well, I came home with a bunch of Canadian money. So I stuck it in a drawer and figured I’d spend it someday when I go back. But the weird thing is, it’s been four months, and still, every time I open that drawer and see that money I feel an urge to head to Canada. So is that the plan? Make sure all the tourists go home with a big handful of change so they get an irrational urge to visit again, so they can spend it? If so, it’s working…
Happy Thanksgiving!
It was just a month ago we were evacuated, and wondering if we’d ever see our homes and town again – and now here it is Thanksgiving, and we’re celebrating all the reasons we have to be grateful. It was a very special Thanksgiving for my family. I hope yours was just as wonderful and special!
For more from our Thanksgiving, click here!
Evolution of the Old Packing Plant
There’s an old fruit packing plant in Fallbrook that I’ve been shooting for years. It was a great big beautiful eyesore. The one area in Fallbrook that could be called truly unattractive, but there was great beauty there too. I was fascinated by it, and shot it often. Some of my favorite shots are below – including a CD cover for a local band.
Shot in 1996 – notice the pool of standing water.
Taken at twilight in 1996.
CD cover for Ces Jacuzzi, 1998
CD insert for Ces Jacuzzi, 1998
In April of this year I did some night shooting around Fallbrook, and got to the packing house around midnight – the exposure was several seconds.
The property sold recently and the new owner is doing a total renovation. Every time I drive by I get excited by the changes I see. Hopefully soon it will be filled with restaurants and shops – and lots of people! Construction is moving fast at this point, so I went by today to shoot, knowing it might be my last chance to shoot the building in the midst of evolution.
I’ll miss my favorite eyesore, but I’m excited to see the change!