There is a line from one of my all-time favorite baseball movies, The Sandlot. It goes something like this: “Just stick your glove in the air (Scotty) Smalls, and I’ll do the rest.” Spoken by Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez, who then hits a pop-fly in to Smalls baseball mitt.
What does this have to do with the Laguna de Santa Rosa?
I always feel like the Laguna will deliver perfectly, no matter what time of day. If a person shows up with a camera, the Laguna gladly gives in, somehow, in fading rays of the day.
Not knowing what to expect whenever I head to the Laguna, I positioned myself on High School Road for the sunset. With a cold front that brought (all to common this year) zero rain, the clouds moved far enough south to give the sun a clear horizon, setting the stage for another falling all over yourself sunset photograph.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a cat in a field. Well, at least it would be a different photo, I thought. With a quick change to a longer lens, I was able to get a better view of the cat, which turned out to be a bobcat. With what looks to be a smorgasbord of field mice, ground squirrels and various other tender morsels at the Laguna, the feline had it’s prey.
Surprise! Click click click click click click click click (motor drive sound).
As clouds soaked in the color of the setting sun, Forestville resident Rod Smith showed up to make a picture of the saturated light. Click.
Delivery successful.
The Laguna de Santa Rosa with Mt. St. Helena at sunset, Friday Dec. 27, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
A bobcat stalks a rodent at the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Friday Dec. 27, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
A bobcat exits stage left with a successful kill at the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Friday Dec. 27, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Rod Smith of Forestville makes a picture of sunset over the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Friday Dec. 27, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Rod Smith of Forestville makes a picture of sunset over the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Friday Dec. 27, 2013. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
-Kent Porter
