Chicago, Illinois

 Boats in the Montrose Harbor in Chicago, Illinois. I had never been to Chicago and was quite surprised to find out what a unique and beautiful city it was! I stayed with my friends Rick and Ellen Coffin for a week and had such a wonderful time. One day we walked down to the Montrose harbor and checked out all the colorful boats.

 Being a lover of old signs, this one grabbed my attention. When I showed it to my son David, he was all impressed with the theater's sold out Lord Huron concert not the authentic Chicago sign! Both me and Ellen did not have a clue who Lord Huron was. Old people's disease.

 Along the Chicago River they have created a gorgeous walkway complete with stellar views of the tall buildings, boats and coffee and ice-cream stores. I was in heaven.

 The bridge over the river took us into more of the city. Some of its Uptown and some of its Downtown, but I never quite got the gist of that one.

My friends Rick and Ellen, who I have known for over 20 some years. Terrific hosts and beautiful friends. Thank you!

 Since the summer season in Chicago is so short, everybody and his brother plants flowers, vegetable gardens and trees. Quite the place.

 Community gardens in a multi family complex. Each family gets their own plot of land and uses it to grow herbs, veggies, fruit and flowers.

 Colorful yellow and orange daisies, or sunflowers. Whatever. They were pretty.

A collage of life. So pretty.

 One afternoon Rick met me and Ellen for lunch at one of Chicago's original pizza joints. Our table overlooked this fountain, which did its thing at the bottom of this very tall building!

Down on the corner.....four very talented street musicians playing drums on their paint buckets!

 Two houses, both very different, bot very old, in terms of my neighborhood!

 Lots of old brick buildings have lasted for over 100 years. It is so amazing!

 Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church was dedicated on May 21, 1916. When the city wanted to widen the street in 1929, the 10,000 ton building was lifted from its foundation and pulled across the street by a gang of 50 men, steel jacks, rollers, chains, pulleys and two teams of horses! Quite an accomplishment to say the least. 

 I almost forgot to look up and see the ceiling! So amazingly gorgeous.

 Ellen and I walked, drove, or rode the train to all her favorite places, Wrigley Field being just one of them! Heres to all you baseball fans!

Another old sign I spotted while out walking with my friend.

Ellen and I got lost trying to find Millennium Park, so after Rick met us for lunch, he found it for us! (I can't even say Millennium and had to look it up to find out how to spell it!)

Inside the park, we found the famous stainless steel sculpturec by Sir Anish Kapoor. It is formally titled Cloud Gate, but all the locals know it as "The Bean". 

 That would be me standing in the fountain cooling off after a long day of walking and riding the train. Such a treat!

 On my last day in Chicago, Rick and Ellen taught a video class, so I boldly stepped out into the wild city and walked on my own. They live within walking distance of the beach at Lake Michigan, and that is where I found the geese!

Back at the Montrose Harbor, right before it rained. I safely made it back to their condo without a drop of water on me!

 One of my reasons for going to Chicago, was not only to visit my friends, but to visit our newest park, Indiana Dunes National Park, also on the shore of Lake Michigan but in Indiana. Ellen was so kind as to drive me there to see the park, swim in the lake and walk by the dunes.

 Indiana Dunes is the 60th National Park that I have visited, not my favorite one by any means. Out of our 61 National Parks, I only have one left to visit, the National Park of American Samoa! Yay! My son and his wife and kids, David, Lindsay, Eva and Leven, will be joining me in a week to fly out and spend the week snorkeling, swimming, hiking and sight seeing on several islands in Samoa. Yay again!

Good night to one and all. May the good Lord protect you and keep you safe. I stand with those who honor our God, our country and our families. Peace be with you. Susan Little

Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Last month I took a road trip up to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. It was incredible. I have taken this trip before, several times, and each time I discover new things. US Highway 395 begins in the Mojave desert and goes all the way up to Canada! I started in the desert and drove up through the mountains into Nevada where I cut over through Lake Tahoe and ended at my sisters house. Yes these flowers are shockingly real.

 One of the things I like about road trips is the unique things I discover along the way. I stopped at this tiny little ghost town, and found this old rusty piece of machinery that I wanted to take home and use as yard art! No I didn't take it......

Gorgeous pods on a yucca plant.

 I love old buildings and old signs, especially ones like this Coca Cola sign. This town was nearly deserted, except for one old Native American lady making jewelry in an even older shop, and one homeless women, living on a bench in the middle of a small grassy area. I stopped and talked with both, and found out that the Native American's mother, shot her father dead, and that the homeless woman was "getting ready to move" but God only knows where she would go.

I appreciate art, and to me this was quite a unique piece of street art!

 My first campsite was at Bishop Creek, just outside of Bishop, California. I love that little river! It was roaring and foaming and falling fast right next to my campsite. It was very cold there, and only one other person was camping there, but moved out the next day. Had the place to myself, which was both exciting and scary.

 I took a hike up the creek and came to this waterfall, where I sat and just listened to the sounds all around me. I love to listen and look, and find it feeds my soul.

The hike was beautiful, and fortunately for me, it was clear as I walked. 

Even though it was springtime in the Sierras, I couldn't believe how many flowers were blooming!

 At my campsite in the Bishop Creek Recreation Area, this enormous tree grew down near the creek. With the wind, snow, rain and hail, its roots have been exposed to the elements. 

 It was getting colder by the minute, so I drove up to Lake Sabrina before it got any worse. There is a hike around the lake, but it was covered in snow. The water level was so low, that I got to walk out in the dry lake bed and explore patterns in the sand, old rocks that are normally under water, pieces of driftwood and other strange objects lost in the lake. Very fun! Just as I was leaving it started to snow. That night I lay in the back of my Subee, covered in the warmth of all my down blankets, and just listened to the quiet.

The next morning I got in my car and drove up to Convict Lake. It was 28 degrees that first night I was there. A pristine layer of snow lightly covered the mountains.

 I had to scrape the snow off the picnic table, and did not even make a campfire there, just crawled into my bed at night, and hiked over to the store for hot coffee in the morning! 

One day I drove up to Mammoth Lakes, had some killer BBQ TriTip for lunch, and explored. Icicles hung from the bridge looking like daggers. 

On a fairly warm day I hiked around Convict Lake. At the far end of the lake, a boardwalk takes you across the little creek that feeds the lake. Fishermen were everywhere, but I never saw anyone catch a fish! Maybe it was too cold.

Beautiful, exquisite, Convict Lake, lies at nearly 8000 feet. It was named after some escaped convicts that holed up there to hide in 1871. All 29 prisoners were eventually captured, but several law enforcement agents were killed in the shootouts. A deadly history for such an outstanding place.

After leaving Convict Lake, I drove up to Lee Vining, and visited Mono Lake, an unearthly place with an extremely salty lake, and tons of birds and flowers.

After Mono Lake, I kept driving up the 395, past the Carson River, and over to Lake Tahoe. I finally ended my road trip at my sister Judy's house. My younger sister Dorothy flew out to spend the week with us. Very nice to see them and all Judy's family.

Dorothy, Judy and me, smiling for the camera! Miss you guys!!!!!

San Diego, California, Beaches in the Winter

On Christmas day, after celebrating with Isaac, Ashley and Dylan, I drove down to the beach in Oceanside. It was such an exciting, wet, wild atmosphere! The waves were crashing on the shore and only a few people were about.

Same day, different beach, just as beautiful, just as wild.

 I am forever fascinated with the  pattens in the sand, and the formation of the waves. It is always changing, and I never see the same thing twice.

 The sound is incredible when the waves crash on the rocky shore, then recede back over the smooth rocks on the sand.

It was so cold that Christmas Day, and so windy.I was surprised to see these two brave men out there in the water, windsurfing!

They just shot across the water as if they were racing. It was right about this time that it started to rain. It was already so cold, and getting wet only made it colder. I quickly turned around and headed back to my car. 

 Different day, different beach in Carlsbad. When I am not out camping in the mountains, or exploring the desert, or chasing down some new national park,  I love to spend my free time at the  beach, wandering, watching and wading in the water.

 One morning after dropping my friends at the airport, I drove down to the San Diego Harbor and cruised along the waterfront, talking to the street people and drinking coffee.

 This was taken on November 1, at a Bluegrass party in Encinitas. Our wonderful friend Bill, invited the group over to his house, which overlooks the ocean, to eat and play music. It was one of the most stupendous, magnificent, gorgeous sunsets I have ever seen. 

 Each moment grew more spectacular. We all gasped in amazement at the magnificent artistry of our Creator God. The heavens truly do declare the glory of God!

Good night one and all. I will be off soon to Indiana, as Trump has signed in a new National Park! This summer in American Samoa was supposed to be the grand finale, and I would have visited and camped in all 60 of our National Parks! Now there is one more, Number 61, Indiana Dunes National Park, along the shore of Lake Michigan. Now I went to Lake Michigan, does that count? No, I will go to the new park and be happy, happy, happy!