Gut-wrenching

 It has been several years since I have watched any television programs. My nieces still watch the cable news channels, the younger one watches cartoon shows and the older one watches shows with ghost stories, while my mom watches entertainment programs on the Spanish-language networks. I don't watch anything and got rid of my television set a long time ago, and I don't watch anything on the web either except for photographic videos on Youtube.

I resolved not to listen to any news whatsoever, which I don't do anyway so it was no loss except for the temptation to see programs related to the election, and not to listen to radio programs and not to read my online news sources. The crisis in Washington is worse than ever, now that we have confirmed that the current president is a tax cheat, besides being ignorant, narcissistic, malevolent and a compulsive liar. He is a tax cheat, having paid very, very little taxes in these past 10 years, yet compiling more and more wealth. The sickness I feel is the certainty I have that these revelations will have no effect whatsoever on his supporters. They adulate the idea he represents, and their support is unswaying. It will make no difference, these revelations will join the other oceans of material that attest to his deficient character, but since his supporters are invested in the idea of white supremacy, they will let it pass. I have never felt so betrayed by this country.

Yesterday I was desperate for some peace of mind. I went to the Rancho Santa Ana (also known as the California) Botanical Garden in Claremont, CA. I took about ten exposures using 4x5 Rollei 400 infrared film. The lighting was perfect for it, but no necessarily the vegetation. Many trees do not reflect infrared, it has to be the thin leaves, and of course, grass and bushes. 

I did what I could. I developed several exposures yesterday, and today I finished the other batch. Here are a few scans.

I love the expansive look of the atmosphere here. It looks ominous, I know, but also peaceful in a certain way. I feel peace when I contemplate it.

I don't know what happened to the negative. However, I love this scene with the artwork, with different samples scattered throughout the grounds. It is next to the gift center building (which is closed anyway), and I was looking for the bathroom. I am glad I tried this shot, and will have to try it again.

I remember seeing this composition and thinking it had potential. Anyone else would have left it along, but I saw the log and had to try it. 

Another peaceful scene at the botanical garden. Hopefully in the future I will catch it again, this time with clouds, preferably storm clouds. 

That is it, I was there at the garden for about two and a half hours. I have an annual membership now, so I can look forwards to several more visits, and the good thing is that I no longer need a reservation, I can just show up. Temperatures will be sky-high this week, though. We were in the upper 90s today (my car says we hit 100), which I discovered when I went out to wash my car. It is supposed to get hotter later on this week.

Tomorrow I resume my Zoom sessions. I am hoping for the best. I could really use a week off right now.