John and Judy Gay Library Now Open

John and Judy Gay Library - McKinney, Texas

The newest library is now open in McKinney. I am proud to have taken this photo for the Judy Gay. She was one of my high school teachers, and her sister Joan Coleman was one of my elementary teachers. They were both wonderful teachers and I thank them for giving me such great guidance! I had the privilege of working with their daughter at the City of McKinney for a few years as well. (Reminds of me McKinney was a small town and everyone knew each other.)

Congratulations to all for such a beautiful library.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Peaceful Moon

The Promise - Adriatica, McKinney

This 16-foot tall, 100-ton stone carving of a dove with an olive branch is being hand carved by artisans in Adriatica in McKinney. The Croatian inspired village is just around the corner from where I live. It is like an escape to the Mediterranean without ever leaving home. When finished, it will be the centerpiece of a 50-foot diameter fountain.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Back to Yosemite

Merced River and Half Dome - Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Meadow


©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Did you BART?

BART platform - San Francisco, CA


My Sunday experience in San Francisco was to board my first train and head to meet my friend Cary in Alameda. I had no idea what to expect, but the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) was very simple to use. I boarded the train in San Francisco and was whisked under the bay toward Oakland.



LA visitor - BART train


My fellow BART passengers - West Oakland, CA

On my train travel, two young men from LA sat across from me loaded up with their luggage. Good...I am not the only tourist on the train who doesn't know where the hell they are going. I could tell, they were trying to figure the system out themselves. One stood up and I started taking a few photos of him (with his permission of course). All his tatoos and LA skater look just added to the adventure.


Fruitvale BART Station

Finally, I reached Fruitvale Station where Cary was waiting for me. The artwork in the station was very colorfully painted tiles. It was Sunday, so not very many people in the station. The station itself was very artsy on the outside. I would love to go back.

So, I guess if you want to ask, I would answer, "Yes, I BARTed.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

(Hot) Chocolate Anyone?

Ghirardelli Square - San Francisco Bay

While waiting for the cable car back to my hotel, I stood looking at Ghirardelli Square and a beautiful sunset at Fisherman's Wharf. It gets quite chilly at this time of the evening in San Francisco, so I suggest getting a cup of hot chocolate for your wait. I am sure they could scrounge up some at the famous chocolatier. (Oh, and just before boarding the cable car, the guy behind told me that the place right across from the trolley stop was where they invented the Irish coffee. Now he tells me.)



Fisherman's Wharf - San Francisco, Ca

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

A NATIONAL PARK ICON

El Capitan - Yosemite National Park

The icon of Yosemite stands as a shear face of gray granite. I wish I had more time to study and photograph it, but I only had minutes outside the van to get my shots. It is amazing to see it in real life after staring at it in Ansel Adam calendars and books I have collected over the years. I got there and stood awe struck, almost forgetting to take the photograph. Well, I did get a couple, but it was only a teaser of what I need to go back and really photograph.



Yosemite Valley - Yosemite National Park (El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridal Veil Falls)

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

How does your garden grow

Dwarf Abelia (Rose Creek) - McKinney Green Gardens

I was out shooting photos for the Annual Report yesterday, and I thought this was kind of cool flower. The tiny cluster of flowers are only about 2" in diameter.

If you haven't visited the McKinney Green Gardens at Gabe Nesbitt Community Park, you should do so. It is a small eco-friendly garden planted by the city. There are six different landscapes, including a butterfly garden. (I had to hound some poor little butterfly yesterday to get a shot of him working his way through the Mexican Marigolds).

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP

Yosemite Tree Moss - Yosemite National Park

I just thought the moss on this tree trunk and the canopy was kind of cool. I got to playing with it in photoshop and came up with this. The texture of the bark is so thick and rustic, it was begging for a photo. As you can tell, I spend a lot of time looking upward.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Flashback in Alameda

One of my main reasons for traveling to San Francisco was to see my very talented and life-long friend, Cary, who had spent the summer in the Bay Area doing summer musicals. He was the vocal director of Alameda Civic Light Opera's (ACLO) production of Hair at the Kofman Auditorium. The 60s musical was brought back to the Bay area where the hippie movement had started, and it seemed to be the perfect place to see it for my first time. The performance was top notch, and was a perfect nightcap to my wonderful weekend.


Curtain Call Frenzy - Alameda Civic Light Opera's "Hair"

Kofman Auditorium - Alameda, California

It is unbelievable that Kofman Auditorium, built in 1926, is a high school auditorium. It is unlike any that I have seen. I was taken with the architecture and lights. I kept studying the ceiling and the artistic lights and carvings surrounding me. Todd, one of my newer friends grew up here, and this was his high school and said that it had recently been renovated and brought up to earthquake code. The years had taken its toll and it was deemed unsafe for students to use. But seeing what they had brought back to life was beautiful.

The whole island is this way. Victorian homes line the street, the downtown is full of art deco architecture. New buildings are built to blend seemlessly with historic buildings.

During my stay, a rare summer thunderstorm had come up. That evening, the streets of Alameda reflected the neon lights of local restaurants. Across from Linquini's was Ole's Waffle Shop and the bright neon's caught my eye, as everyone said their evening farewells.


Ole's Waffle Shop - Alameda, California



Farewell between old and new friends - Cast and crew of Hair, Alameda, California

Thanks to Cary, Todd and the cast of Hair for making my mini vacation such a wonderful and memorable trip.


©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

From the inside looking out

Dining Hall - Alcatraz, San Francisco



Maximum Security - Alcatraz, San Francisco



Solitary Confinement - Alcatraz, San Francisco

I couldn't resist studying the way the bars on the windows cast light and shadows on the walls of the prison. Oddly, the maximum security cells were more spacious and nicer. They faced the windows and instead of the tiny 5' x '9 regular cells, if you were bad enough to end up in maxmium security, you moved up to a spacious 8' x 10' cell.

Solitary was just below, and had solid doors with tiny screen holes. One prisoner recounts that he would pull a button from his jacket and pitch it up in the air. He'd then get on his hands and knees and search for it in the dark. Once he found it, he would repeat the activity. This gave him something to do until he was released.

The dining hall was lined with windows. The long light and shadows shown across the numerous layers of flooring that had been piled on top of each other of the years. I counted as many as five different types of tile and concrete.
Library Shelves - Alcatraz, San Francisco


©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Welcome to the Rock

Dance Hall - Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

Rooftop - Alcatraz Island, San Francisco




Lighthouse - Alcatraz Island (Flag at half mast in honor of Sen. Edward Kennedy)

The Warden's house - Alcatraz, San Francisco

A surprising part of my trip was my visit to Alcatraz Island. Everyone said I should go, so I went. I barely made the last tour of the afternoon of my first day. The sun was setting and the wind just about blew you over there. I began to get pretty chilly as the sun was going down.

But the best thing about that time of day, was the way the light cast itself on the ruins of old structures and through the barred windows. It is easy to see nature is reclaiming many of the structures. You can imagine the ghosts who still stay.

I highly recommend you take the audio tour while you are there. It is narrated my many of the inmates and guards, and even family member of staff who grew up on the island. It is eery, yet beautiful.

And in case you are wondering, yes Alcatraz had a dance hall, where socials were held for staff and family who lived on the island.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Seeing the forest for the trees

Archway - San Francisco, Ca

Recently I made my first visit to San Francisco. I really enjoyed the beauty that surrounds this city. The Victorian architecture is everywhere and survives next to modern skyscrapers. The contrast is what makes the city so beautiful.




First Presbyterian Church 1874/1911 - Van Ness Dr. San Francisco

This church was just about a block from my hotel. I had just arrived in San Francisco and had a few hours to kill before I could check into the Holiday Inn. Now, you have to realize, I am pretty inexperienced at traveling by myself, and especially trying to get around using public transit. I decided that the first thing I would do is see the Golden Gate Bridge. It would kill a few hours. So the concierge told me to walk down to Sacramento St. and hop on the #1 bus to Park Presidio, transfer to #28 and it would take me to the bridge.

I took a deep breath, and decided to make my first step of my big adventure. As I walked to the first bus stop, there was another photographer walking in front of me. I was taking in the sights and kind of got a kick out of watching him spot the same things I did. I got close to bus stop, and we both saw this church. He was busy snapping away, so I passed him. I watched him focus in on the elaborate carvings of grapes around the windows on the side of the building. I looked up and saw this huge stained glass window on the front, with colorful tiles and the similar carvings repeated on the front. He was busy on the side of the building where there were smaller windows.

I stood waiting to cross the street, trying not to be too obvious of being a newbie tourist. I noticed he had yet to see the biggest element on the building. I watched him, and he backed up to get another angle, I said "Have you seen the huge window on the front, it is beautiful." He looked up and the surprise on his face was kind of funny. He had been so busy focusing in on the details, he was missing the big picture. He politely said thanks, and started shooting the window.

After my visit to the bridge, I had to pass the church again. I stopped and took a few photos. What amazed me about the church were the colors. The colorful tiles looked quite modern, but you could see it was all original design.

I love the details of things. To focus in tight and see those tiny things that make up the whole. But sometimes I have to remind even myself to watch for the forest AND not just the trees.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Phoning it in

El Capitan (right), Half Dome (Center), Bridal Veil Falls (Left) - Yosemite National Park (iPhone 3g)



Merced River, Half Dome - Yosemite National Park (iPhone 3g)


Merced River - Yosemite National Park (iPhone 3g)

A GIANT SENTINEL

Tunnel Tree - Tuolomne Grove Yosemite National Park.

The tunnel was carved through this dead Sequoia tree around 1870. It stands like a giant castle door at the base of the Tuolomne Grove. The tunnel is large enough to drive a stage coach through.


Visitors have been carving their names inside the tunnel for nearly 150 years. This signature dates back to 1905.




©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

FALLEN GIANT

Fallen Giant Sequoia Tree - Tuolumne Grove Yosemite

The gnarled roots of a fallen giant sequoia tree in the Tuolomne Grove in Yosemite National Park. The mighty Giant Sequoias which tower over 250 feet tall, have surprisingly shallow roots. This fallen tree, is large enough that it has a tunnel that can walk through from bottom to top. The roots photographed here are as tall as many regular trees.

The photo below may help you with the scale of the base of the fallen tree.


©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Texas Shadows

Shadow Riders, Too - Archer City, Texas (iPhone photo)

I love riding in the early morning and late evening. It makes from some interesting photos. When you ride, you only get one perspective...the back of Chris' helmet is mine. But when the sun is low, you get to see your shadow stretch out across the road and onto the fields. This was taken early in the morning, near Archer City, Texas, where they filmed the movie "The Last Picture Show".

I am amazed when I ride across Texas at the vast terrain you will see. You can be in the sandy plains of the panhandle, with crops and flat land as far as the eye can see. In a few minutes, it can change into rolling green hills and limestone, where you seem to be able to see forever. It changes from sand to black dirt, and back again. The colors change in the matter of minutes from the golden browns, to the green of grass and trees. The geography is amazing. Although there is not much to do from Wichita Falls to Dallas, you can find beauty in the changing landscape.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

A Hidden Gem

1895 Opera House - Hico, Texas (iPhone photo)


Don't Scratch - Hico, Texas (iPhone photo)

Hico is a really neat place in the northern part of the Texas Hill Country. It is a town of only about 1500-2,000 people, but it it's small historic downtown is rich in unique shops and galleries. Some of the businesses have moved north from Fredericksburg and renovated some of the buildings. It is still renovating, so many of the buildings are just shells. But others like the Opera House are beautifully restored limestone buildings.

If you go, make sure to stop at the Koffee Kup for Texas' best pie. They have several different pies made daily and never dissappoint. Lunch is good there too.

Hico hit the map when Brushy Bill Roberts proclaimed himself to be the real Billy the Kid. He claimed to have staged his own death and lived out the remainder of his days as a law biding citizen of Hico. Many historians have debunked his story, I even believe there has been DNA evidence to disprove his claim. But still an interesting place.

If you go, make sure to not skip some of the pictorial history in the upper rooms of some of the stores. They show the town as its cowtown beginnings, through natural disasters and fires, to what is today. It is definitely a place to stop when you are around the Granbury/Stephenville area.


©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Name that car

Belaires and Burgers - Princeton, Texas (iPhone 3G)

I play this little game with my dad and brother-in-law. When I see old cars and trucks, I stop and take a photo and see if they can name the make and model of the car. I don't think either one of them have missed one. It is amazing by just looking a tail light, fender, or grill they can name that car.

My dad is so funny. You can be showing him some old family photo of us kids, and he starts talking about the car in the background. One day we were driving to lunch and he was in mid sentence, when he let out a huge gasp and a "WOW!" I thought we were about to collide with something. He nearly broke his neck rubber necking to see a 50 something car going the other way.

Movies are the same. We watched "Worlds Fastest Indian" starring Anthony Hopkins. Ray and my dad played "Name that Car" the whole movie. And they won.

Oh, and the answer: 56 Ford Customline

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

A kick in the butt

Everyone needs one every once in a while.

Thanks Cindy for the kick in the butt to post some new photos. I am glad to know you were waiting for my next post. Or were you? Even so, I dedicate the last three posts to you!

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

A Keller Sunday Morning Coming Down

Keller's Drive-in - Dallas, Texas (iPhone 3G)

Located on Northwest Highway in Dallas, it is a great place for a hamburger and a chocolate shake. The place hasn't had much upkeep in 40 years it seems, but it all just adds to the ambience.

©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.

Cotton Mill Oasis

Cotton Mill - McKinney, Texas (iPhone 3G)


-- Post From My iPhone

The Iphone Transformation

1955 Chevy Bellaire, Raton, NM (iPhone 3G)

-- Post From My iPhone