Category: Water

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #57: Taking a Break

Hannah Keene2 Comments

Some of you may have noticed that I only posted one photo early this morning. (At least early my time.) That’s because I have found myself exhausted by always putting up at least two posts a day. So I’ve given myself permission to only put up one post, if that is what I feel like doing. My older daughter, son-in-law, grandkids and I are going away for a four day weekend before school starts again for the kids. I’ve scheduled single posts per day through next Monday, so if I don’t want to add any more, I can relax for 5 days while we all are on a mini vacation, plus the additional first day that I’m back. I might be checking in on comments, etc, but if I don’t, I’ll catch up when I return.

Here is an idyllic photo of a bench and the lake to add to the challenge. Wishing you all a good 5 days!

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Lake Merritt                                                                                                                 Hannah Keene 2019

Posted to Patti’s Lens-Artist Challenge: Taking a Break.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #57: Taking a Break

Hannah Keene2 Comments

Enjoying a Oakland Municipal Band concert in Lakeside Park on a warm August afternoon.

People

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You can see a little bit of Lake Merritt to the left of the band stand in the photo below. And very faintly, if you look for it, you can see the “Green Monster” climbing structure, also to the left of the bandstand by the lake,

People and Musicians

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Kids climbing on the repaired and newly rededicated 50 year old “Green Monster” climbing structure.

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And, of course, the GEESE.

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All images: Lakeside Park   Hannah Keene 2019

Posted for Patti’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #57: Taking a Break

K’lee and Dale’s CosmicPhoto Challenge: Living in the Light

Hannah KeeneLeave a comment

I’m taking this a different direction today. If we were NOT Living In The Light:

We would not be able to see light and shadows play over beautiful fallen leaves.

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We would not be able to see the light making patterns and changing the colors of the water.

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We would not be able to see shadows.

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And we would not be able to see reflections.

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And we would be so much the poorer for all that.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Animals

Hannah Keene2 Comments

My animals are a little different because I live across the street from a lake. And because I’ve already posted pictures of the dogs. So here it is – Canada geese! I was so excited when we moved here that I would finally be able to see a Canada Goose.

Let’s just say that my excitement has waned a little. Since Lake Merritt has been a wildlife refuge since 1870, and was, in fact, the United States’ first official wildlife refuge, the Canada geese have been stopping here twice a year on their annual migrations. However, some decades ago (no one seems to know exactly when), the geese decided that the small temperature fluctuation here in Oakland meant that Lake Merritt would make a great home year round. So…… they stayed. And thrived. And mutiplied since they have no natural enemies here. So they have become something akin to pests. However, they are still beautiful, and I still enjoy them. I’m just not so fond of the bird poop they leave all over. In quantities.

Nonetheless, here they are.

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Images: Hannah Keene 2019

Posted to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Animals

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #56: Seascapes and/or Lakeshore

Hannah KeeneLeave a comment

I live in a city so my Lakeshore photos are going to be a bit different than most. We are incredibly lucky here in Oakland, California to have Lake Merritt available to all residents and visitors. Lake Merritt is in fact a natural salt water lagoon, although with the construction of a dam in 1865 between the estuary of the San Francisco Bay and the tidal lagoon, water levels of the lake were able to be more controlled. That means that the salinity of the lake could be reduced, opening the lake not only to wetland birds but also to fresh water fowl such as ducks. Over the last 100+ years, the land around the lake has been build up with apartments and high rise offices buildings. None-the-less, Lake Merritt offers respite, wild life, and sanctuary for all who come. It is known as The Jewel of Oakland.

Here is a daytime view of the lake taken from the north shore looking south east toward some of the wetlands.

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Lake Merritt by day                                                                                                 Hannah Keene 2019

This photo was taken from the north-east end of the lake, looking toward the western shore.

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Lake Merritt at night                                                                                                 Hannah Keene 2019

And finally, looking toward the south western shore at twilight.

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Lake Merritt at twilight                                                                                   Hannah Keene 2019

Posted to Lens-Artist Challenge #56: Seascapes and Lakeshore.

Hen And Drake Rest At The Lake

Hannah Keene6 Comments

Ok, that’s a 6+1 Word Saturday. I bent the rules a little. I’ve tried for a week to make it just six words, but couldn’t seem to manage it. I also thought of “Let Sleeping Ducks Lie,” a riff on the English idiom of “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie,” but that was only 4 words, so I figured that 6+1 words was at least closer.

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Sleeping Ducks                                            Image: Hannah Keene 2019

These are two mallard ducks, female and male. Other than the Muscovy duck (the ubiquitous white duck), almost all domestic ducks are descended from the Mallard (Anus platyrhynchos). Yes, I absolutely had to look up the Latin classification. And I also didn’t originally know that the mallard was the second oldest breed of domestic duck. Isn’t the computer a wonderful font of knowledge?

They are standing on the mechanism for the fountain in our city’s natural lake.

Maybe these mallards are having a restful Saturday. I hope you do too!