As a response to the weekly writing challenge – Lunch Posts, in The Daily Post, I’ve reflected on my lunches within a four-day period during recent days and the differences between them. This is the first time I’ve responded to one of The Daily Post’s writing challenges, good practice – right?
Saturday was 75 degree sunny weather, blue skies, dry air, with one slobbering dog watching every move, while the other (visiting dog) snoozed in the sun. My son and I had sandwiches at the picnic table on the deck. We discussed my upcoming photography trip while he stayed to dog sit. We also discussed the slobbering dog, as my son spoils him rotten by feeding him table food, so of course the dog is going to sit slobbering in great expectation – great long trails of drool, getting longer by the second, almost to the ground. Please don’t shake your head Maverick!
We talked about the potential of seeing the mountain lion whose tracks I had caught with my camera. It’s a little unsettling seeing all these tracks, as it is often crepuscular time that I’m out shooting with the camera. The other day I found myself in a thicket with three paths in, all of them showing either mountain lion or really big bobcat prints; I turned around and went back the way I came in! Of course, my son wants to meet him, while I want to stay completely on the other side of that fence! I’ve snapped the bobcats with my camera and they’re ok, I’m not feeling the love when talking about the mountain lion.
Sunday’s lunch took place about 150 miles north in an ‘almost’ abandoned mining town with many photographer friends. Over burgers and fries, we talked about beef and the fact that this lunch was a rare treat as we were nearly all consumers of only chicken and fish. We discussed the photos we’d taken so far, along with what products we like for post processing (mostly Adobe Products) since we shoot in RAW; while watching one photographer create an HDR photo of an old church with NIK software on his computer.
Also eating lunch in the saloon, were off-road vehicle riders of every description. While watching them arrive from the dusty Mojave Bureau of Land Management expanse, two dune buggies arrived and out climbed eight very dusty women (after taking off their helmets and handkerchiefs you could tell who they were). There were dirt bikes, trikes, and quads. These visits probably help to keep the town somewhat alive, as there were four or five eateries open for business. I talked with several resident owners of the antique? Shops – they are a very hardy breed and determined to live in this remote, shambling town.
Monday found me a couple more hundred miles further north in the Owen’s River Valley in between the Eastern Sierras and the White and Inyo Mountain range. Lunch with the college community and my grandchildren took place outside on the picnic tables in 65 degree temperatures near the boarding house. A vegan lunch of curried potatoes, vegetables and rice was very tasty thanks to a visiting professor and family since the cook was unable to be there. Discussions were about the new professors who were being interviewed and the new applicant students who were visiting for their ‘live’ interviews. Of course, lap-sitting children, and childish talk was interjected into the mix. Lovely.
Tuesday’s lunch was crackers on the go and a croissant from my favorite bakery, since I was traveling back down the 300 miles to home. BUT, I’ve wanted to stop by a distinctly volcanic area with practically every trip I make up the valley. So I turned left and went back to Fossil Falls Archeological District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Red Hill (a cinder cone) is what you see from the road. It is surrounded by black volcanic basalt rock pieces left from eruptions between 400,000 and 10,000 years ago. The now dry Owens River traveled through the valley and sculpted rock into wonderful shapes. See the Wikipedia entry for Fossil Falls for more information. As I hiked the short distance to the falls I wondered what I would find that would be so interesting about a dry falls, since there wasn’t much grandeur on the way. Much to my surprise, I couldn’t stop saying WOW!, when I got to the falls. Since it is completely dry, you can stand where thousands of gallons of water forced itself through the rock gorge. The shapes were amazing and of course photos don’t do justice.
from egghill 
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