happy trails

The week had us spiffing up the laundry room. Whew, excitement! Mainly some cleaning, cabinet clearing out and organizing, and painting the walls. I want to take out the existing counter tile and John seems to be warming up to the idea. Once we do that, we can check this sucker off the list.

John's last day at work is tomorrow. I'm very proud of him...not that many people stick with a career they are good at and like and can retire from with a pension these days. We're fortunate to be "young" retirees. Although, it must be said, I'm still having some adjustment anxieties. Mostly feel pretty dang excited at the possibilities we're exploring for the future.

This is an image I made recently that I feel good about. I don't think anyone else would have captured it this way. It represents my (ever evolving) artistic vision. We're going to embark on a road trip to Arizona in a few days. Got a circular polarizer filter for my great landscape lens & wondering if I'll be lucky in terms of witnessing some of those famed desert sunsets/sunrises. Happy.

no comment

What signals spring better than pink tulips?

Attempting to get my blogging mojo back and one frustrating thing I've encountered is the inability to leave comments at other blogs. I can't do it signed into blogger/google or as name/url for those who make this option available.

Sugar Pine Point

Our third camping adventure went very well. Sugar Pine Point at Lake Tahoe is a popular campground and we can see why. It's beautiful with nice access to the lake. It's clean. It's quiet. In order to have two nights, we had to stay in one site the first night and the move to another site for the second night. The first site was not very good but the second was terrific. We will be back.

We did a little hiking and spent yesterday afternoon kayaking & swimming. There is just something special about kayaking on Tahoe. And the way you feel after swimming in the lake is wonderful.

Here are the Casita findings from this trip:

* The mattress topper made the wee bed so comfy. We slept well both nights.

* We want another cover for the spare tire. The current cover (the one that comes with a new Casita) would be fine if it didn't have the 1-800 number on it. That makes it look as if Dora was a rental. That will just not do.

* Organization within Dora is improving with each outing. There really does seem to be ample storage at least for the length of trips we're currently taking.

Photography was sorta pitiful during this visit to the lake. Bald skies. Here's my best shot:

So, while not exciting for photography, we made a discovery regarding campsite food: Amy's Black Bean burger patties. Served on Orowheat whole wheat thins and with heirloom tomato slices & avocado - YUM.

We don't have another camping trip planned until early September. I hope we can get another two nighter in around mid-August. Should we head for the coast or Yosemite's high country? Hmmm.

little mama

We went for a hike yesterday on a trail to a lake that's known for its wildflower displays. It was such a relief to get up in the high Sierra out of the heat & smog of the foothills. The wildflowers were indeed plentiful and beautiful but it's this cutie pie that really made my day. She was perched atop a boulder in the sun. The way she was clasping her little hands together and resting them on her pregnant belly was just so precious. Wish I would have had my telephoto lens with me but this will do. Thanks for letting me snap your photo little mama.

Hope you had a great 4th of July.

alpenglow

Dark Lake Desolation Wilderness Sierra Nevada

Our next adventure with Dora the Eggsplorer is a week away. We're heading to Lassen National Park. I'm really excited about this as we had planned to take Rocky there last summer and had to cancel those plans. We've only done day trips previously to Lassen and being able to spend two nights there will just add a whole other dimension to exploring this wonderland. Can't wait!

a-camping we will go

We packed up Dora the Eggsplorer and headed to a nearby campground near Lake Tahoe. It was a quick overnighter to check things out. Here's what we found:

- The small bed is going to take some getting used to. Turns out my hubster is an aggressive pillow flipper. It was like being in a one-sided pillow fight all night long. No bueno. New, smaller pillows are on order.

- It was nice to be able to keep food in Dora instead of using the bear box outside.

- This was a fantastic campground. That's why I'm not naming it. It's pretty popular already but for now it will remain unnamed here.

We rose at the crack of dawn so we could try taking some sunrise photos at Emerald Bay. As we exited Dora with coffee in hand, we watched as a large black bear ambled peacefully across our campsite. Bear country indeed.

Here's the reward (in addition to seeing the handsome bear) for being early risers:

autumn equinox

robes of glory

Wrights Lake 9-20-12

"When summer gathers up her robes of glory, and, like a dream, glides away." 

~ Sarah Helen Whitman

With my early birthday present in hand, I ventured to a favorite place: Wrights Lake in the Desolation Wilderness area near South Lake Tahoe.

So far, loving my new Nikon camera although it looks like I need to tone down the 'vivid' setting a bit.

How do you feel about the end of summer and beginning of fall?

~ Saturday Snapshot ~

green and golden wonder

"Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder
 in a vast edifice of stone and space." - Ansel Adams

Macro Monday

Sunday Still - Rays of Sunshine

View from Taft Point, Yosemite National Park - click on image to enlarge.

Sunday Still

when will I see you again?

A couple more photos from our Echo Lake hike:

Sierra Juniper

Ever since we walked along this beautiful lake, I can't stop thinking about when we'll return. Next time I want to take the water taxi and hike to Aloha Lake. Or maybe hike it straight through depending on how much time we have.

Echo Lake

Just finished reading "A Thru-Hiker's Heart by "No Way" Ray Echols and am wondering if it's time for a fiction break or if I should continue reading books about thru-hiking.

Saturday Snapshot - eclipse rose

Didn't attempt to capture the solar eclipse with my very limited photography skills but did notice the gorgeous light it produced on the first bloom on the Princess Diana rose.

~ Saturday Snapshot ~

the color purple

"notice the color purple" - the Happiness Project

An iris in my neighbor's yard. 

back in time

View from friend's cabin off Whitney Portal Road.

Our trip to Death Valley National Park was super. The weather could not have been better. It was a quick trip that has left me obsessing about when we'll return. So much to explore!

Years ago, my best friend from junior high school days, invited me to stay at her family's cabin. You wouldn't think teenage girls would find a rustic cabin in the middle of nowhere fun but we did. On this trip, we visited the cabin and this picture captures the view from the front side. Spectacular. The cabin itself is in complete disrepair. I would love to own it and fix it up. Dreaming...

road tripping

Badlands National Park [click on image to enlarge]

We're heading off to visit Death Valley National Park. It's our first visit despite growing up in California and living back in California for the past eight years. A quick trip this time (one day) but it looks like the weather is going to work out for us. The snow has let up in the Sierra and it's only going to be in the 80s in Death Valley.

~ Saturday Snapshots ~

Macro Monday - sage & lavender

Sage & lavender.

~ Macro Monday ~

Sunday Stills - new beginnings

Golden Full Moon Maple beginning to leaf.

~ Sunday Stills here ~

moonstruck

Aaoooooo!

Last night's full moon.

Saturday Snapshots at Alyce's.

Macro Monday - bamboo glow

Bamboo growing near front door.

Joining Macro Monday for the first time today.