Big Bear Lake, California

On my way up to Big Bear Lake I stopped at Mill Creek to rest. Rushing water always calms my nerves, colorful rocks ignite my passion and the ice cold water relieves my headaches. Such a wonderful place to replenish.
At one point I stopped and hiked off the road through forests of pine trees and snow covered mountains. I happened to arrive in-between snow storms and experienced clear blue skies with some snow on the ground. I went up to Big Bear Lake to spend time with my dear friends the Melvins. Fortunately Jeff and Laura like the same things I do and we spent the afternoon poking through antique shops, drinking coffee in town and eating ice cream.
Signs of Christmas are everywhere from the twinkling white lights on the trees to gaily wrapped packages in the old antique wagon.
Rustic art; simple, real, honest and alive.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Steve Jobs
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Alexander Graham Bell Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Icicle lights intermingling with real icicles; strange yet beautiful.
My dear friend Jeff and his daughter Laura in front of Big Bear Lake.
"Life is good," said the duck and then waddled off content and happy to be a duck.

Zion National Park in the Fall

My first and last night of my nine day trip were spent in the Walmart parking lot at Mesquite, Nevada! My first morning I woke up to rain, but my last morning, I woke up to this beautiful sunrise. A great way to begin the day before the long drive home.
Even Walmart can be beautiful. It really isn't too bad if you ignore the glaring lights, constant truckers pulling in and out, and the guy who drives around the parking lot in the middle of the night street sweeping. Not all the stores allow you to spend the night, but this one does and is also open 24 hours!
My final night looking up at the Watchman from my campsite in Zion National Park. Except for the leaves falling from the trees, everything was quiet as nearly all the people were gone. Good-bye to the Watchman and thank you for watching over me!
The day before leaving, I took another dunk in the ice cold river then drove out to the East Side and climbed around the slick rock checking out the petroglyphs.
Every time I look at this petroglyph, I think of our Blue Grass group singing, "And I'm on my long journey home!"
Petroglyphs are etchings in stone and these could be up to 7000 years old. The Ancestral Puebloans and the Southern Paiute occupied Zion before the European and white settlers so aggresively took over.
The East Side was very quiet. Only one other small group who left as soon as I arrived. Miles of glorious wilderness to myself with only the croaking of the raven to break the silence. I brought my lunch of ham, cheese, lime flavored Doritos and homemade salsa and sat on the rocks near these trees and munched away.
The sandstone cliffs are filled with signs of weathering; some like these holes look like a work of art.
The potholes were filled with water from the recent rainstorm.
View looking up into the backcountry. I climbed up the slickrock and ventured way back to the end of the canyon. In one desert wash, animal tracks were visible in the sand; deer, probably ringtail cat, and some larger cat-like ones that could have been a bobcat or cougar. Very fun.

Zion National Park is all about discovery; at times you have to get off the beaten path to find the pot of gold. Today, huge groups of people were on the same river trail I was, all enjoying the spectacular weather and gorgeous scenery. To escape the crowds, I jumped off the trail and found luminescent colors shining in the river; my sweet surprise after a busy day.

To me, every part of Zion National Park is beautiful, rain or shine. One afternoon I walked up the Virgin River and found complete solitude amidst the clouds, rocks, pools and falling leaves.
Red rocks, rust colored leaves and burnt orange sand contrast perfectly with reflections in the river.
In the past I have always camped at the South Campground, but since it is closed for the winter, I camped at the Watchman Campground next to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. It was especially nice with extraordinary views, nice people and clean bathrooms!
It was raining when I arrived in the Park; cold wet and dreary, but after the rain comes the warmth of the sun and the beauty of raindrops pooled on wet leaves.
This particular spot is my favorite place in Zion; yes it is a secret! The still water captures a perfect picture of the mountains above it. A great place to swim in the summer but a bit cold right now.
That would be me, smiling for my friend Tom who is a wonderful photographer. We took a hike up to Hidden Canyon and on the way back stopped at an unbelievable slot canyon that held untold treasures and secrets.
Whenever I am able to get out into the wild places, I take time to reflect. The Lord always speaks to me and reveals truth in the deepest part of my soul. I face the ugly parts of my life and release the pain associated with them. I think about those whom I love and the pleasant memories associated with them. By the time I go home, my heart is washed clean and I am a better person.
Today I stopped at the river to eat my lunch. All around me the leaves were falling like rain, fluttering, spinning, twisting and rolling through the air like golden butterflies on drugs. This black raven stopped to talk with me and surprised me with his incredible ability to mimic different sounds.
This is what I love about Zion; warmth, tranquility, beauty, color and mystery.
The epitome of patience; the Great Blue Heron waiting for a fish.
On the way up to Hidden Canyon you have to hike out some pretty slippery slopes and use the chains hooked into the wall to avoid falling. Hand carved stone stairs lead up into the canyon.
View from the trail up to Hidden Canyon and Observation Point. Amazing red rock cliffs overshadow Weeping Rock; an alcove dripping with ancient water that creates a lush hanging garden filled with moss, fern and seasonal flowers.
Down by the river I was surprised by a small herd of deer browsing in the grass. I stopped and stood very still to watch them. This buck was watching over the females and fawns and making sure nobody got to close. Other people were standing up on the trail and to my surprise everyone was quiet and still.
The deer passed by us, attentively nibbling on the grass, ignoring the folks standing around. One by one they stepped into the river and crossed over. The crowd didn't say a word, as if we were all witnessing a sacred moment.
The buck stepped into the river along with one of the fawns and slowly but surely they all passed through the water and disappeared in the trees on the other side. As soon as they were hidden in the foliage, we all collectively breathed a sigh of relief and wonder, turning to each other and marveling at the moment.

Even though the nights have been cold..28 to 30 degrees, the days have been warm....although cloudy at times. When it gets too cold I go down to the coffee shops in Springdale and drink hot Lattes and work on my computer.
The trees are losing their leaves; a beautiful dying; an ancient rite of passage into a new season.
Incredible reflection in the river that was captured by my friend, Tom Harkins. He has an eye for detail, shape and form that far surpasses mine. Thank you Tom for sharing your insight!
Quintessential beauty in Zion National Park; one of my favorite places here on earth.

Oahu, Hawaii

Aloha from Hawaii! This is the last day of my vacation in Oahu, an extravagant birthday gift from Georgette. The two of us spent a wonderful week at a luxury resort right on the Nai'a Lagoon.

Me and Georgette, in the lobby of the Ko Olina Beach Resort. Thank you, Mom for a wonderful vacation!

One night we spent the evening at the Moana Surfrider relaxing on the patio under the Banyan Tree. The sun cast a rosy glow on the buildings as it sank into the ocean. A group of two musicians serenaded us with Hawaiian music and a gorgeous young Hawaiian girl danced the hula; a hypnotic, graceful dance that left us spellbound.
After a trip to the North Shore, we stopped at the Dole Plantation and ate soft serve Pineapple Ice Cream with all the Asian tourists. At the plantation I bought the best pineapple; sweet, juicy and very flavorful.
One day we spent up at the tip of the North Shore in Turtle Bay. Wyland, one of my favorite artists, left his mark on the front of the hotel; a simple line drawing of sea turtles swimming.
After eating lunch overlooking this gorgeous vista, I put on my swim suit and went for a walk up the coast. I loved investigating all the interesting things on shore; tide pools, volcanic rocks, pieces of coral, sticks and unusual shells.

It started pouring shortly after this picture was shot, and I was dripping wet, even though I never got in the ocean. Back at the restaurant Georgette looked at me and said, "Your swimsuit is on backwards!" I looked and sure enough it was, looking very strange indeed. Can't take me anywhere.
Fiery torches lighting the night; you can almost hear the waves lapping upon the shore.

Nearly every morning before the sun came up, I took a walk along the coast. After wandering off the walkway and crawling over sharp rocks and volcanic boulders, I found this secluded cove that satisfied my need for quiet.

The Hawaiian wind swaying through the palm trees.
Our resort overlooked the Nai'a Lagoon; awesome for swimming at any time of the day.



Windy, warm day on the North Shore; turquoise waters, sandy beaches but small waves.
Pure Hawaii.....enjoyed every moment.
One morning I walked over to the new Disney resort; typical Disney, loud, garish, and filled with Asian families.
Feeding frenzy at the Koi Pond. The man himself, or is it the mouse?

On my birthday, we ate dinner at a nice restaurant overlooking the ocean. We dined on fresh salmon and exotic vegetables while watching this amazing sunset. Got soaked in the rain one morning while walking, but did catch this yellow hibiscus, sparkling with raindrops.

Each morning I woke up to this gorgeous view from the patio outside our room.

The Nai'a Lagoon at sunset.

Hawaii is filled with the most amazing plants, trees and flowers. These seed pods fascinated me and I dearly wanted to bring them home. Of course that was impossible due to Customs regulations, so instead of breaking the law and ending up in hot water, I took them to the shore and created this picture.

The Nai'a Lagoon in the early morning hours.

Fun, friendly guy working on the palm trees.

Double rainbow during a morning rain.

Christmas colors in the leaves; beautiful Hawaii!
Red Ginger flower growing at the resort.

"Aloha ke Ahua... God is Love." Daniel "Kaniela" Akaka, Jr.

I think I love the swaying palm trees the best. I could sit for hours watching the gentle movement and listen to the birds chattering and the waves breaking upon the shore.

"Somehow, the love of the islands, like the love of a woman, just happens. One cannot determine in advance to love a particular woman, nor can one so determine to love Hawaii." Jack London