"A Birdie" on 365 had some friends here sending Ken Birthday Greetings today and he was both surprised and very pleased to hear from you (Big Thanks!) We had quite an amazing & full weekend, much of it quite out of the ordinary. Once we decided we couldn't keep up the pace a moment longer & passed on going to what would have been the second play of the weekend, we concluded today at San Juan Capistrano with fellow 365 member, Ron @stray_shooter , a first-time meetup. We had such a nice time visiting & me, admiring all his wonderful cameras & equipment! He and Ken share similar educational backgrounds, so it was like getting together with an old friend.
We met at San Juan Capistrano Mission (as in, "When the Swallows Come back to...") and he showed us the Los Rios neighborhood I'd only heard about during our 40+ years out here! On the National Historic Registry, it's said to be the oldest neighborhood in California. Given all the photos I took this weekend, I had to go with one of the first images he pointed out to me that he'd posted http://365project.org/stray_shooter/photo-a-day-14/2014-05-15 I think he said he'd be interested in seeing what I'd do with it... So here you are, Ron! Thanks for a really wonderful time!
Glad Ken enjoyed his birthday Louise. Sounds like you all had fun. We enjoy the San Juan Capistrano Mission area too. Have met Linda there several times for a meet and lunch get together.
@aglennc I noticed "this interesting looking area" when passing south by train. Ron directed us past the mission and across the railroad tracks and there it was...like a different world! YES, definitely meet up there one day as there were many tea rooms and little restaurants, gift shops, a butterfly garden and fascinating cottage homes with all the obligatory blooms! I photographed less than I might have for want of getting to know Ron better, but I could easily make a full days there, what with that district and the mission as well! (Like you, "who knew"?! Glad I'm now in the know...and it's so close!!!)
Happy to hear you AND Ken had a fantastic birthday weekend!! This shot is really interesting. All that metal reminds me of the Tin-Man from Wizard of Oz. Love it!!
@pyrrhula And thank you, Ferry for sending that note to Ken so quickly! He seemed surprised to have heard from you, but I didn't want to give away the plan, so I just said, "How very nice of him and Ina"...and it was!
@Weezilou I know exactly where you mean.... and we've eaten at the restaurant with outdoor patio directly across street from the mission, also the Italian restaurant down around the corner from the mission when we've met Linda's there.
I love what you did with your version of the photo, Louise! Really two completely different photos. And you used that macro lens to great effect!
Really enjoyed meeting you and Ken and sharing some of this terrific photographer's playground. I'm looking forward to seeing more of what you collected on this day and of course I'll be putting some of mine up so that everyone can envy this treasure trove here in Southern California. ;-)
@stray_shooter "...envy that treasure trove..." much as I did when I first saw your photos taken there! Wouldn't you know we've stumbled on it as we're about to leave, so it gives me the incentive I'll need to break away from Nova Scotia when the time comes! You may have read Anita's note above...a nice location for a 365 get-together. FYI, we met Anita & John for the first time when they came through Lunenburg in 2010...all because of 365! ...I'm still sorting through my photos and making HDR blends of the 3-image ones. I'll see that you get all of them...got some nice ones of you & of you and Ken...but said I'd have loved to have one of the two of us as we're really the ones with the sites here. So, "bucket-list photo" and we'll get together again! You now know where to find us! ...just in from our weekly "Margarita Monday" with friends at Acapulco on Bristol...so off to see what you've put up today!
Did read you did have a beautiful birthday celebrating. Thanks for sharing
Really enjoyed meeting you and Ken and sharing some of this terrific photographer's playground. I'm looking forward to seeing more of what you collected on this day and of course I'll be putting some of mine up so that everyone can envy this treasure trove here in Southern California. ;-)