Barbershop at the Hof Brau

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Vanessa

HARMONY FOR LUNCH BUNCH

Barbershop quartet singing on Third Thursday (Click on the photo for a larger view)

It’s been happening every third Thursday for nearly 21 years—a special musical treat for the lunch time crowd at Sam’s Hof Brau on the corner of Watt and El Camino in Sacramento. The “Harmony for Lunch Bunch,” as they call themselves, line up for food service at Sam’s starting at about 11:30am, and are singing in the conference room in the back by high noon. They are barbershop singers from the greater Sacramento region singing classic barbershop arrangements of old songs, such as were popular at the turn of the 19th into the 20th century (and sometimes some newer ones). Though mostly men, there are usually enough women attending to form a quartet with a few left over, but all join in the communal singing. (Be sure to click on the link to “Continue Reading”)

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Dunsmuir Railroad Days — 2011

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Vanessa

RAILROAD DAYS!
The name speaks for itself. If you are anywhere from the northern California area, it most likely evokes memories of fantasy, fiction, and vague facts from one’s youth.

Union Pacific northbound freight at the Dunsmuir depot. (Click on the photo for a larger view)

“This is the town everyone wishes they had grown up in,” said Barbara Cross, a past president of the local Chamber of Commerce, and perennial volunteer. In many ways, she personifies both the old and the “new” of Dunsmuir: friendly, hospitable, not afraid to speak to strangers, and eager to share information about Dunsmuir’s legacy as a railroad town, fishing center, tourist attraction, and its own special brand of being, well, being “special.”(Be sure to click on the link to “Continue Reading”)

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Stand Alone #007: Highway 45

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Vanessa

Grimes Community Church

Grimes Community Church (Click on the photo for a larger view)

During my early railroad years on the Southern Pacific Railroad (1965-1983), I worked local freights throughout much of the central valley between highways 99E and 99W (now replaced by Interstate 5). Knights Landing, College City, Hamilton City, Yolo, Woodland, and Grimes were in a world isolated. For the most part, during those years, there was only one local freight train daily taking cars in, and switching cars out and bringing home produce (mostly) from this rich farming area. Today, Grimes, as then, appears to be home mostly to farmers and farm workers. It’s a quaint little place, and more than just a spot on the road. The church sits right on Highway 45 on the north exit.
[Click on the photo for a larger view]

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Stand Alone #006: Highway 45

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Vanessa

55 on Highway 45

55 on Highway 45 (Click on the photo for a larger view)

For the southern half, betwixt Knights Landing and Colusa, Highway 45 does very little wending and winding; rather it moves mostly in straight lines and right angle turns. For the better part of a President’s Day afternoon, I saw almost no other vehicle except on the close outskirts of the small towns. On clear days, the Sutter Buttes, which hold the title of being the world’s smallest mountain range, can be seen from nearly every vantage point in the Sacramento Valley. The mountains are about 10 miles (16 km) from north to south and east to west.
[Click on the photo for a larger view]

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Have you seen the PORTFOLIO page?

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Vanessa

Hi everyone,
I received a lot of feedback via email after my “official” launch. MANY thanks to you all.

BTW, have you poked around? The PORTFOLIO page has some of my previous slideshows that you might find interesting and even entertaining.

I’m also looking forward to your online Comments; do you have an avatar yet? It’s the tiny thumbnail photo that will appear next to your Comment. You can upload your own photo via Gravatar.com. If you participate in other blogs, Gravatar automatically uploads your personalized avatar for you. Pretty cool.
Bob

Geek Fest

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Vanessa

Recently, my friend Scott invited me to witness a special event for privileged participants. Sensing a great story, I asked permission to bring my camera and voice recorder to document what he calls Geek Fest. What a treat this experience was!

The common perception—or misconception—of overly indulgent computer enthusiasts (commonly known as geeks and nerds) as isolated misanthropes, is challenged for a few weekends every year when a small gathering of dedicated computer gamers convene for Geek Fest.

This is no casual crowd of computer clunkers, but an assembly of highly skilled game players (about 8 to 12) who play via online networking throughout the year and then congregate to socialize in the first person nearly non-stop for the entire three day festival. Geeks and nerds they openly and affectionately call themselves.
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Greetings, Friends!

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Vanessa

Welcome to my site dedicated to showcasing the natural (as well as the urban) wonders, beauties, histories, and the lives found in the greater Sacramento area, through insightful photography and slide shows, interviews, and meaningful storytelling.

If this website finds success, it will be mainly because of people as yourself who are curious about our world: outdoor, indoor, and down-the-street, and who are curious about its peoples—our neighbors.

My responsibility, as photographer and documentarian, is to provide you with more that simple snapshots and nice pictures. I’m here to create essays with a story to tell, sharing with you at least a sense, if not the Spirit, of the places and the people I have had and look forward to having the good fortune to visit.
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Photo Journeys of My Neighborhoods

Bringing my photo journeys and stories of my neighbors to the world.

Category Archives: Personal