Return to Alta Vista

 Today was the day the electoral college met to ratify Biden's election win. It feels as if we are on the mend, and only have to endure about five more weeks of the current occupant before we can start the new phase we are all looking forward too. Well, the majority of us are looking forward to it, because Biden won over 4 million more votes than Trump. That counts for a big win, even if there are evangelical Christians who are filled with hate and spite and are posting odious vows of vengeance against the Democrats, such as a certain folklorico director in the Sweetwater District. 

Well, speaking of southern climes, I went to San Diego county today because I wanted to return to the Alta Vista garden in Vista, CA. Now, the city is a beachhead of Republicans, and I know that. It is the district that would routinely send Darryl Issa to congress. However, they have a beautiful, whimsical garden here, and it is a beauty to see. I have been there once, and this was my return.

I was motivated because of the hope of being able to take 8x10 pinhole photos of the statues. There are maybe 10 of them, and not all of them are by Richard Braceda, but many of them are. I wanted to capture them on big sheets of photos, and I took 8 sheets with me. I will post a few samples today, but it will take time to develop these sheets. I have no darkroom, so I have to use a daylight tube, and that means, developing only 2 sheets per day because it is a lot of work to develop these sheets.

These are a few cellphone photos I took of the garden. I left on a day where the high was forecast to be about 65 degrees, quite a change from the last time I was here. I will have to mention that the trees along the 15 freeway were beautiful, most of them with light yellow leaves, many of them orange as well. I will have to return because this show of color will not last for long, but I can't photograph them from the highway, I will have to exit and look for local roads and stop and take photos. 

I arrived at the Alta Vista garden and had the sense that it was all for me today. That was part of the plan, because I don't want to risk walking around on a weekend where there will be big groups of people. The parking cost is $5, very reasonable, and I grabbed all my (heavy) gear. By heavy, I mean my backpack with the GW690ii camera that weighs like an anchor, and also, the tripod which is very heavy too. The 8x10 pinhole camera is made of wood and is light but bulky. The sheet film holders are heavy, though.

So, I have 8 sheets of 8x10 black and white film exposed today, and two 120 rolls, and these cellphone photos. It was a very pleasant day, and I had to wear my windbreaker. Not much fall color at this garden, though. It is the wrong type of vegetation.