A Daily Photo Journal by Michelle Breaux

Last Photo from Sedona

2011-11-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

I took one more photo from the hotel parking lot as we were leaving to head back to Phoenix!

Thanksgiving in Sedona

2011-11-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

View from hotel room door

View from town

Javelinas!

View from Airport Lookout

Red rocks at sunset

Christmas Lights

This was my first year not spending Thanksgiving with my family in San Diego. Luckily Summer was here and we finally got to take the trip to Sedona that we'd wanted to for years!

More From St. Louis

2011-11-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

Cardinal's Arch outside Starbucks

Jefferson Expansion Memorial...

Arch closer up...

Views from top of Arch...

I had a little bit of time before I had to leave for the airport this morning, so I walked a bit more around downtown and took a quick trip to the top of the Arch.

One thing I learned about riding to the top of the Arch is that when they ask you if you're claustrophobic when you buy your ticket, they aren't kidding! The "tram" is more what I would call an "escape pod." They cram 5 people in a space small enough where 1-2 people would feel cramped!

STEM Summit in St. Louis

2011-11-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

Arch from near my hotel...

Jefferson Expansion Memorial across from my hotel...

I took a quick trip to St. Louis to attend a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Summit sponsored by LEGO Education and had a little time while walking to and from the convention center to take some photos.

Memorial Photos for Dad

2011-08-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of memorials to my dad at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America facility in Goodyear, Arizona...

Cloud Fascination

2011-07-30T05:13:00.000-07:00

Today's photos once again deal with two of my favorite subjects to photograph: clouds and sunset. Enjoy!

At Village Walk

2011-07-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

My mom and I stopped to get frozen yogurt at Golden Spoon and I couldn't resist taking some shots of the pond with the plants and flowers in bloom.

Sunset Through Trees

2011-07-25T22:34:00.003-07:00

I went out to try to get a photo of Blossom in the big coral tree out back, but she didn't cooperate. Before I came in, I took this shot of the sun setting through the trees.

Out & About in the Backyard

2011-07-24T22:22:00.010-07:00

When my mom took the cats out for their evening romp through the backyard, I decided to tag along with them (Blossom mostly) to get some photos. I gave up on kitty photos after a while and gave into my fascination with clouds as it was a stormy looking sky. I love cotton ball clouds! These are a variety of photos I took while out in the yard with the cats.

Joelle & Blossom

2011-07-22T13:51:00.008-07:00

Joelle was sleeping on the couch on her blanket one night when Blossom came out to join her. They immediately started grooming each other and cuddling. Of course, I ran to get my camera!

Joelle Relaxing on Chair

2011-07-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here's Joelle (Mom's cat) on one of her favorite blankets on the chair.

Joelle and I have an...interesting...relationship. The very first night I met her (Thanksgiving of 2009), she jumped in my lap and stayed there for hours while I watched TV. Flash forward a year and she's hissing at me every time I try to pet her (and sometimes when I'm just in the near vicinity!)

She's fine when my mom pets her, just not me (or my sister). We do seem to have some temporary truces when she rubs on me, lets me pet her, etc. It's usually when she wants something from me, though (like playing with her or letting her outside).

We keep saying that one day we're going to have to consult a pet psychic or a cat whisperer to figure out what the heck is going on...

Stained Glass Door

2011-07-13T12:20:00.009-07:00

Just before my dad passed away, he and my mom ordered some new custom front doors (wood with two stain glass panels). They weren't ready or installed until after he died, but they're in now and they caught my eye this afternoon.

These photos are all taken in natural light (no flash).

Through the Desert

2011-07-12T20:26:00.007-07:00

I drove through the Arizona/California desert areas today. I've always wanted to stop and take photos of the sand dunes, but it is either crowded, hot as $%#@, or the light is bad. Also, I was never sure where I could get photos without the power lines in the way and usually am not in the mood to explore.

Today, it was still hot and quite bright, but I wasn't feeling rushed, so I decided to stop and explore! I also stopped along the winding road to get the rock shot.

Sunrise Photos

2011-07-10T16:53:00.008-07:00

Amazingly, I was awake at sunrise this morning. As usual, though, it meant I hadn't been to bed yet. That's generally the only time I see sunrise. As I peeked outside, the clouds and light looked interesting, so I went out to take some photos. Here are a few of my favorites I took from my backyard.

Estrella Mountains & Sunset Over White Tanks

2011-07-06T14:13:00.007-07:00

Leaving campus the last few weeks, I noticed a nice view of the Estrella Mountains and made a mental note to make sure to take some photos at some point in the future. I decided to head out to do some errands when it cooled off. I didn't make it far before I noticed a nice sunset in the making, so I made the first u-turn I could and went back for my camera. I decided to head for campus to get both some sunset shots over the White Tanks and a shot of the light at sunset on the Estrellas from the vantage point I noted before. It inspired me to try to get some better shots from closer in the future.

Here are the results from today!

Record Heat Sunset

2011-07-02T14:02:00.004-07:00

We set the record for how hot is was today (118 degrees!!) I didn't even venture outside until sunset to get these photos. Even then, I didn't venture further than my backyard.

Rays of the Sun

2011-06-28T18:32:00.020-07:00

I stayed late grading in my office today. When I finally left (after it got too hot in my office), it was just around sunset. I had planned to find an air-conditioned location to continue grading, but as I walked to the car, I noticed the rays of the sun filtering through the clouds. I decided to make a brief stop at home to take some photos. I got slightly distracted by a neighbor, but here are some of the shots I got when I finally made got to take the photos...

Alaska Trip Wrap Up & Crew Photos

2011-05-30T12:58:00.036-07:00

Whether you’ve read my recaps or just looked at my photos, I’m sure you can tell that we had a fabulous trip! Every time I have explored a new place, it has impacted my life. I have to say, though, that I don’t think a trip has ever affected me quite so much as this one did. The passengers and crew on the Safari Quest were a large part of that, so I wanted to post one last wrap up post to thank the crew and my fellow passengers for the wonderful week.

Here are some photos of the crew taken throughout the week by Karl and other crew members.

Sean, the Captain of the Safari Quest

Dirk, the Safari Quest's Engineer, and Sean

Dirk riding to the rescue on his unicycle!

Karl, our expedition leader aboard the Safari Quest, out in a kayak

Karl carrying Mom across a river so her shoes wouldn't get wet

Denee, the Safari Quest's first mate (and our skiff driver for many of our adventures!), on the bridge

Denee on the back deck

Alexandra, the Safari Quest's pastry chef & Bob, the Safari Quest's chef in the galley

Alexandra constructing her fabulous Glacier Cake

Sarah, the Safari Quest's hotel manager, Angela, a steward aboard the Quest, and Brittany, a steward aboard the Quest

Angela & Brittany at the bar in the lounge

Alaska Trip: Some Videos

2011-05-29T12:00:00.001-07:00

I finally have gone through my videos and here are some of them (though most aren't very good). I'm not sure how well this will work as this is my first time using the camera and uploading the videos.

I apologize in advance for the shakiness and for any background noises/commentary that doesn't really apply to the video itself. Click on the 4 arrows at the bottom right corner to view any of the videos full screen.

Humpback Whale

Quick Look around Margerie & Grand Pacific Glaciers

First attempt at a 360 degree view in skiff out by glacier

View of Margerie Glacier with some info in the background (if you can hear it)

Cracking Glacier & info on height of glacier in background

Different perspective of Margerie Glacier as we're returning to the Quest

Margerie Glacier Calving

Nowhere near as amazing as in person-- it's a bit hard to see on this video-- look towards the far right of the glacier. You can spot the splash of it falling in the water easier probably

Oh, and pardon our excited exclamations :-)

The brown spot moving along the beach is a brown bear spotted as we were leaving the Margerie & Grand Pacific Glaciers

Bear on beach at Tidal Inlet

Bear wrestling a stick

Alaska Trip: Day 9

2011-05-28T23:10:00.030-07:00

Still miss being out on the water on the Quest, but today was a good day! We had a wonderful Jeep Tour today with our guide Molly. Mom and I were the only 2 who signed up, so we had our own personal tour! I am so glad we went because we got to see a lot more of Juneau (both in Downtown and “out the road”). We had learned from the narrative in the seaplane the day before and from our guide Molly that though there are roads in Juneau, the only way out of Juneau is by boat or plane!

We made a few different stops along the way and of course I took photos when I could. We had great visits to the Shrine of St. Therese (where we almost interrupted a wedding and also saw a whale off shore), the University of Alaska-Southeast, and a private area with a local ranger stations where we walked up to the reversible falls for a local salt chuck (containing both salt and fresh water). We ended the tour at a salmon hatchery for a brief visit.

Photos below and as always click to enlarge!

Juneau-Douglas City Museum

Alaska Fisherman's Building

Totems on campus at University of Alaska- Southeast

Chapel at Shrine of St. Therese

Near the chapel at Shrine of St. Therese

Pillar for lights at entrance to island with chapel

Labyrinth at Shrine for St. Therese

Reversible falls at Salt Chuck

Hollow tree stumps

Entrance to Salmon Hatchery in Juneau

Alaska Trip: Day 8

2011-05-27T12:37:00.052-07:00

A sad day as it is our last day on board the Quest  I really wish we didn’t have to leave! When I woke up for breakfast, I joined my mom, Sean, and Denee on the bridge briefly before breakfast. I was surprised to see Sean without a hat for the first time the entire trip (which was weird because I had just had a thought before making my way to the bridge that I hadn’t seen him without a hat on the entire trip!) When I looked out to see where we were, I couldn’t believe we were already approaching Juneau!

By breakfast, we were already at the dock and soon it was time to disembark. The crew waited for us on the dock and I took a few quick photos (one shown below). We hugged everyone as we made our way back up and across to the Goldbelt Hotel with Karl. Our bags took a little longer, so Mom and I checked into our room (we stayed 2 extra days in Juneau to explore) and waited.

We didn’t have a firm plan for our 2 days in Juneau, but I noticed a sign about a Juneau Jeep Tour the next afternoon when we went down to pick up our bags. As we took the bags back to the room and made plans to walk around downtown and ride the tram to the top of Mount Roberts there in Juneau, I convinced Mom into looking into the Jeep Tour. We ended up signing up both for the Jeep Tour on Saturday and a Flight & Feast excursion via seaplane to the Taku Glacier Lodge later Friday afternoon.

Since we had a few hours before our flight to Taku left, we decided to ride up the tram, eat lunch at the top and enjoy the view. After lunch, we briefly visited Lady Baltimore (a bald eagle who lives in captivity due to her injuries) and explored a bit. I walked out along the start of one trail to take some photos, but Mom didn’t want to get her shoes muddy (there was still quite a bit of snow on the trails and some of it was melting). After buying a couple souvenirs & presents for people back home, we headed back down the mountain to drop off our purchases before our afternoon flight. We passed Sean on the street as we were headed to check in and waved (since he was on the other side)!

The whole flight & feast trip was quite an adventure. I’ve always loved flying (odd as I’m a bit afraid of heights) and even thought about taking flying lessons, but I’d never been in such a small airplane before. Since I survived the helicopter to Catalina with Summer, I figured I would be okay in the seaplane. I got a bit jumpy a couple of times, but the view and photo ops from the plane were enough to distract me! It was challenging taking photos out the window. Between the wing in the way and things going by so fast, I’m glad I got the shots I did.

Once we got to the lodge, we had a whole other adventure! Soon after making our way up to the lodge, one of our fellow passengers called out that 2 bears had been spotted in the woods just behind the lodge. Of course we all went to investigate (though Mom and I kept our bear training info from Karl in mind as we approached). It was amazing to see the two black bears so close to the lodge! When one started coming towards us, Mom and I decided to slowly back away and head inside. We chose our seats for the feast near the window overlooking the BBQ area and headed back outside when another bear was spotted approaching from the front of the lodge this time!

Soon it was time for the feast and as we began to eat, we saw the bears approach the BBQ area. All salmon was long gone, but the bears evidently couldn’t pass up salmon-flavored sand. It was amazing to watch them lick up the sand and interact. I think most of us spent more time taking photos of the bears through the window than actually eating! All too soon it was time to head back to Juneau in the seaplane. Mom and I were exhausted when we made it back, but I ended up dragging her back up the tram because of a missed photo op earlier in the day that had been nagging me  After that, we headed back to the hotel to crash and rest up for the jeep tour the next day!

Photos below and as always click to enlarge!

The Safari Quest Crew

From left to right: Alexandra, Bob, Karl, Brittany, Angela, Sarah, Denee, Dirk, Sean

Mount Roberts Tram

Interesting No Smoking sign

View from top of Mt. Roberts

Mt. Roberts Info (the math is slightly off for # of hours of sunlight, but it's close!)

"Butt Quack" Boxers at a shop in downtown Juneau

Take off in the seaplane

Various scenery from the flight to Taku Glacier Lodge

Taku Glacier Lodge as we arrived

Bear warning sign!

Black bear near the lodge!

Another black bear in front of the lodge

Black bears investigating BBQ and licking salmon-flavored sand

Leaving Taku Glacier Lodge

Inside seaplane on trip back to Juneau

Scenery on way back to Juneau from seaplane

View of dock & wharf right after landing

Taku Flight & Feast Office in Juneau

Our seaplane at the dock

Mural at Juneau City Hall

Stud Puffin Boxers!

The photo (below) I dragged Mom back up the Mt. Roberts tram to get...I wished I had taken the photo throughout the whole afternoon, and since we had a free ride back to the top any time that day, I figured what the heck, right? I even ended up buying the boxers!

Alaska Trip: Day 7

2011-05-26T23:38:00.024-07:00

Today was our last full day on the boat. We had an early morning with a kayak/skiff outing around Tidal Inlet (where we dropped anchor last night) at 7am. Cheryl was worried about getting up on time, so she asked for a wake up call at 6:30am (via the announcement system in our cabins). Karl warned us that his wake up calls usually involved him singing. This morning I woke up laughing as Karl and Sarah sang “You Are My Sunshine” as the wake-up call 

After getting my gear on, I went out in the skiff with Denee and Mom. We cruised all around looking for bears on the beach and other wildlife, but didn’t have much luck on the wild-life front. We saw an eagle, a couple of eagle nests, various other birds, a seal, and a couple of sea lions. The scenery around Tidal Inlet was gorgeous and the water was so calm in most areas! I got some of my favorite shots this morning.

After giving up on the wild-life, we headed back to the boat and prepared for brunch. It wasn’t long, though, before Sean knocked on our cabin door to let us know the kayakers had spotted a bear on the beach near by! So off we went back out on the skiff to see the bear. It was great! We got pretty close and the bear even got in the water and played with a stick. My camera decided to act up, but I got some video of the bear.

After that we had a wonderful brunch and were on our way back to Barlett Cove to drop off Janene and have the chance to go ashore for a bit. After brunch, I spent quite a bit of time outside looking for sea life. We saw quite a few sea otters (one who was close to the boat and pretty playful!), harbor porpoises, seals, and sea lions.

I was exhausted when we finally reached Barlett Cove and decided to pass on the walk on shore. I slept for about an hour and then headed downstairs so I wouldn’t sleep too long (and be up all night). Everyone was still on shore, and I chatted a bit with Sean and Dirk. Soon we were on our way again and I went out to spend my last afternoon out on the bow. I finally came in when I thought it was about time for dinner so I could change.

Dinner tonight was fabulous (both food and company). I loved the food and the crew dressed up and we shared various toasts. I’m really going to miss everyone. After dinner, we watched the slide show Karl had prepared of pictures taken during the week. After that I spent more time outside taking some sunset photos and enjoying the night. I also stopped by the bridge to chat with Denee since she wasn’t able to join us at dinner since she was driving the boat at the time. I can’t believe the trip is almost over!

Photos below and as always click to enlarge!

View of the Quest from our skiff ride around Tidal Inlet

Rock formation at Tidal Inlet

Reflection on the water (though it's a bit hazy)

Trickling falls at Tidal Inlet

Eagle's nest in the tree

Around Tidal Inlet

View Leaving Tidal Inlet

Towing skiff on way back to Bartlett Cove

Bartlett Cove- Glacier Bay National Park sign

Sitting out on the bow...

Photos of crazy crew costumes during toasts at our final dinner

Progression of the sunset as we traveled to our destination for the night

Alaska Trip: Day 6

2011-05-25T22:15:00.100-07:00

Today was quite a day! We got underway early to pick up Janene, a park ranger, before entering Glacier Bay National Park. Shortly after joining us, she gave us a pre-breakfast information session on birds and sea mammals we'd see around Glacier Bay. She briefly interrupted herself when she spotted a sea otter (our first one!) right near the boat.

It was another drizzly morning, but after breakfast, we headed out to the bow to look for wildlife as we approached South Marble Island. It was amazing to see, hear, and smell the Steller Sea Lions as we approached. I learned that the sea lions found here are different than the California sea lions; these growl and the California sea lions bark. Janene also told us that the sea lions here at South Marble Island were the non-breeding sea lions and therefore primarily male. When we noticed the sea lions all lying practically on top of each other, she also shared that their propensity to do that is called thigmotaxis.

We also saw quite a few different kinds of birds around South Marble Island. My favorites were the tufted puffins! Ever since I did a report on puffins in elementary school, I've been intrigued by them. My pictures of them didn't turn out so well, but it was very interesting to see them fly. They have such an interesting shape when they fly (and different than they look in the water); Janene says they fly like a lit cigar. I wasn't quite sure what that meant (maybe because I have no experience with lit cigars!) We also saw some eagles being harassed by a large group of gulls (protecting their young and nests).

After passing by South Marble Island, we came inside to get a better intro to Glacier Bay. After that I spent some time on the bridge with Denee, Janene, and my mom. We ended up back outside when Janene spotted some mountain goats on the rocky cliffs near by.

After lunch, I was back on the bridge with quite a few others watching our approach to the Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers. It was so interesting to see the Grand Pacific Glacier since it really didn't look like a glacier at all! It has a layer of rock and sediment in front of the ice, so that's all we saw. It was sprinkling, but I ducked outside to get some shots of our approach every so often. Once Sean got us as close as we could get, I went out in the skiff with Mom, Janene, Karl, Susan, and Geraldine. The others went out in the kayaks with Dirk. We saw some great calving action from the glacier and I shot some video of it (though with the small screen it didn't come out too great). We also saw a bald eagle swoop down, catch something in the water, and carry it over to an iceberg to eat it.

While we were out on the skiff, Sean maneuvered the Quest through the ice closer to the Grand Pacific glacier so he could drop anchor. As we were headed back from our skiff outing, the sun started peaking out. After a brief rest, we took the skiff to shore and got to walk in between the two glaciers. It was so amazing to be that close to them!

After our hike, we started back the way we came towards Tidal Inlet where we would drop anchor for the night. We were barely underway when a bear was spotted on the beach! As we headed back to Tidal Inlet, we passed by the Lamplugh Glacier in the distance and I took a few photos. At dinner, Alexandra created our surprise dessert in front of us: her interpretation of how glaciers formed in the form of a glacier cake with a story narrated by Karl. It was fantastic! I only wish I had my video camera to record the whole thing :-)

Pictures for today are below. I warn you there are many! As always, click to make them bigger...

Steller Sea Lions

Tufted Puffins

Other boat (Catalyst) near South Marble Island

Towing both skiffs

Skiff behind the boat

Sean preparing for our skiff & kayak outing

Mountains & ice in the water

Looking back at Quest from skiff

Iceberg in the water

Gull on big iceberg

Arctic Tern on Iceberg

Various shots of the Margerie Glacier

Mom with Margerie Glacier in background

Sean in skiff...getting ready for trip to shore

View of Margerie Glacier from Cabin

View of Quest from shore (between Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers)

Margerie Glacier from shore

Grand Pacific Glacier from shore

"Dark side" of the Margerie Glacier (as Susan put it)...We opted for that rather than the "dirty side"

Ice cave on Margerie Glacier

Lamplugh Glacier in the distance

Sunset over hills reflecting on water

Alaska Trip: Day 5

2011-05-24T20:36:00.024-07:00

It was a drizzly morning, but that didn't stop us from watching for whales! We saw a few this morning and Geraldine and I even heard one make some noise.

We spent quite a while this afternoon at George Island. We had the opportunity to both hike and skiff/kayak, but I was really sleepy today (not sure why), so I passed on the hike and ended up going out on 2 separate skiff rides (one with Mom and one just with Denee). On the first trip, we circumnavigated the whole island. It was quite an adventure since for part of the way we were out in the open Pacific Ocean. We could really tell as the swells and waves got quite a bit bigger and the winds picked up. There was also a lot of kelp in the water, so that definitely kept Denee on her toes navigating us through it. We mostly spotted birds and a few seals popped their heads up along the way.

My favorite part of exploring today was discovering so many beautiful, peaceful, secluded coves and beaches as we made our way around George Island. There was a bit more traffic (other boats and even a seaplane) around since we were near Elfin Cove, a small outpost for fisherman on land that has places to restock along with a cafe/bakery/pizzeria. I really enjoyed our time at George Island.

As we were leaving, a boat came in to pick up some white bags left along the shore. We're pretty sure they were materials left to create board walks along various hiking trails on the islands in the area. I decided to sit out on the bow as we left George Island to enjoy the beautiful sunny day. I even left my hair loose (it's been back most of the trip) to enjoy the wind rushing through it. Now that I'm home, I must say that is one of the things I miss most about being out on the water: just sitting on the bow with the wind blowing through my hair enjoying a beautiful day. If only I could do it every day! I don't think I've regretted moving away from the ocean more than I have after this trip. I spotted a whale randomly surfacing with seeing it exhale, but it disappeared again after that one time.

I went inside when I got a bit chilly to warm up, but I wasn't inside long before we spotted more whales, so it was back out to the bow! Sean got us a bit closer to the whales, but no close encounters quite like yesterday.

Pictures below (click to enlarge!)

Shots of whale tail as it dives

Interesting rock formation on George Island

Rock Arch from both sides

Cove/Beach on George Island

Stairs from back of bridge deck up to observation deck

Door to the inside on bridge deck (the level where our cabin was located)

Boat approaching George Island

View leaving George Island

Alaska Trip: Day 4

2011-05-23T14:24:00.004-07:00

Woke up a bit sore today from our hike yesterday. It brought back memories of college and crazy throwers workouts with Robert, and I realized I missed being sore! Definitely going to get back into working out regularly once I'm back home.

After breakfast, we went out in the skiff to get a bit closer to a humpback whale. Instead of taking photos (which never seem to turn out well), I decided to try out the new flip video camera and otherwise just enjoy the sighting. The whale stayed pretty far away, so we headed back to the boat. Then we re-deployed (some in kayaks and Mom and I in the skiff) to explore the area. We saw a ton of seals both in the water and out on the rocks (which was unusual from what Denee told us). We also saw a few bald eagles. I've seen more bald eagles in this trip than in my entire life before. It's amazing and wonderful to see so many thriving in the wild.

Before lunch, we settled in to watch part of a documentary on bears and salmon that Karl thought would be of interest. We were all especially intrigued after our recent bear info & safety class where we learned how to tell the difference between brown bears, grizzly bears, and black bears along with how to behave in response to a possible close encounter. It's important to know the difference since if you're attacked by a black bear, you should fight for your life, but if you're attacked by a brown/grizzly bear, it's best to play dead until the bear leaves!

Anyway, a few minutes into the documentary, I spotted some Dall's Porpoises right next to the boat. We all rushed outside to the bow and Karl told us that sometimes they like to "bow ride." It was amazing to lean over and see them playing in the wake of the boat along the bow. I'm just glad I didn't lean too far over and initiate our first man (or woman) overboard drill :-)

We went back in to keep watching the documentary until someone spotted two brown bears on a nearby beach. Of course we had to go out and investigate! I ended up spotting 4 bald eagles and a few seals along with the bears.

After lunch, we had the option of going on another hike. Everyone else went, but I opted to go out on a skiff ride with Denee instead. We had a nice little trip! We saw a few more seals, a river otter, numerous birds (including more eagles), and even a house hidden among the trees on one island. We got back to the ship around 3:30pm to rendezvous with the hikers, but they ended up getting back a lot later than originally planned.

Just before dinner, we spotted some humpback whales and we stopped to investigate. One of the whales was splashing around close to the boat and ended up surfacing right off the bow after being under the water. It really surprised Karl, Geraldine, and me as we were out on the bow at the time...so much so we didn't react fast enough to get many photos! It stayed right next to the boat and of course my camera battery chose then to die. I raced up to my room to get the one charging and got a few more shots. It was an amazing experience.

Once we arrived at our overnight destination, Dirk took a few of us went for a quick skiff ride. We saw some falls with a fish ladder (to make it easier for salmon returning to spawn). On the way back to the boat, we spotted a humpback whale we saw on arriving and Dirk took us out a bit closer. We observed for a while (and Dirk shared his "special" whale call with us) and then headed back to the boat. I ended the evening hanging out on the observation deck near the hot tub and took some sunset photos reflecting on the water. All in all it was a pretty eventful day!

Photos below and video to come later (when I figure it out). As usual, click to enlarge photos...

View of Mountains

Below are some shots of our cabin on the boat...

Here's my bed...

And yes, I slept with all 6 pillows (one hidden under the covers), though I used a couple just to cuddle while sleeping :-)

Mom's Bed

The bathroom in our cabin

The door to the cabin

Photos of the close encounter with the humpback whale

Splashing About

Sunset reflection on the water

Alaska Trip: Day 3

2011-05-22T18:38:00.029-07:00

We spent the morning at Red Bluff Bay where we dropped anchor the night before. I opted to sleep in rather than kayak before breakfast. After breakfast, Karl took some of us out in the skiff to look for wildlife. We saw many starfish in the water and a few birds. I was amazed at how many arms sunburst starfish have! As with most of my wildlife photos, the photos I took through the water of the starfish didn't come out too well, but a couple are posted below. I also got a couple shots of a bald eagle.

After lunch, we docked at Baranof Island and hiked first to Baranof Lake and then to the hot springs nearby. Mom and I opted not to go in either the lake or the hot springs, but I enjoyed the scenery. While we didn't spot any wildlife, we did spot a bear print in the mud! The crew members who came along brought chocolate and champagne for everyone to enjoy in the hot springs. While enjoying the hot springs, the sun decided to come out from behind the clouds and it turned into a beautiful afternoon! I stopped to take photos quite a few times on the way back down to the dock. I also learned that skunk cabbage is definitely named for its smell.

We then made our way to our overnight spot in Takatz Harbor where we we went out for a skiff ride before dinner. We saw a few other boats and got a tour of the salmon fishery there. They raise salmon to the fry size in net pens and then release them into the wild. The fish we saw were just about ready to be released. We also learned that one smart humpback whale has somehow figured out when the fry are released and comes to feed on the poor young salmon. All the hard work of Benji and Lindsay (who man this fishery) gone in one big gulp! Edward, one of our fellow passengers, entertained us at dinner by trying to figure out a solution to the whale problem.

Photos from day 3 are below. As before, click on any of them to enlarge.

Morning View of Redbluff Bay

Avalanche Destruction

Bald Eagle (if you look closely)

Bald Eagle in flight

Best pictures I got of Sunburst Starfish

Falls from around Redbluff

Redbluff as we were leaving

Bear print in the mud

Baranof Lake through trees

View from hot springs

Top hot springs pool (which was too hot to go in)

Looking back at the path to get down to hot springs

Skunk Cabbage (a favorite spring food of bear)

Safari Quest at the Dock

Funky titled houses on shore as we approached the dock from hike

Shots from skiff ride at Takatz

Salmon Fishery at Takatz

Reflection of mountains on the water

Alaska Trip: Day 2

2011-05-21T21:09:00.103-07:00

I set my alarm for 4am this morning so I could get photos of where we dropped anchor since it was too dark last night. Ended up being foggy & misty and still too dark at 4am, so I waited until just before we left around 5am. I got some shots, but most didn't turn out too well.

I tried to go back to sleep until breakfast (at 8am) but at 6am, Karl (at least I think it was Karl) announced that a brown bear had been spotted and I couldn't pass up my first bear sighting! I didn't get any good shots of the bear (in fact most of the wildlife photos for the trip didn't turn out so well), but it was amazing to see my first bear in the wild! Again, I tried to go back to sleep, but all the excitement made it a bit difficult. Then just before breakfast, we spotted a black bear on shore (though still not any good photos).

We had a kayak & skiff safety class after breakfast in preparation for our first outing of the week! Mom and I decided to stick to the skiff for the week rather than kayak. She'd had some traumatic experiences on the water and well, after the kayak adventure I had with Summer in Catalina, I was happy to stick with the skiff. Our first skiff ride was out to Dawes Glacier. I opted to stick with the basic life jacket, but mom decided to try the Mustang Suit (pictured below) that would keep her warm and act as a flotation device if needed. Karl had warned us that the katabatic winds coming off the glacier could make it quite cold near the glacier.

I was amazed at how many icebergs were in the water and how well Sean (our captain) was able to guide us through them to approach the glacier. We could still only go so close in the Quest and eventually had to go out in the skiff and kayaks to get a bit closer. My first glimpse of a glacier in person was an awesome experience! We got to see the glacier calving and the sound is just amazing. Denee (the Quest's first mate and our skiff driver for this outing) shared that the sound is often called "white lightning."

Another boat in the area had a skiff that got even closer to the glacier than we did. They were quite a bit closer than we were when a huge piece calved off causing quite a wave to propagate out from the face of the glacier. We learned that generally we should remain at least 1/4 mile from the face of the glacier for safety reasons. While out and about in the skiff, we also saw quite a few seals in the water. After being out for a while, we went back to the boat to pick up Sarah (the Quest's hotel manager) and Dirk (the Quest's Engineer) who brought hot chocolate out to the group kayaking. All this happened before lunch!

After lunch, I took a much needed nap until we spotted some humpback whales. Later we took a skiff ride around Sail Island where we spotted 3 bald eagles, quite a few harbor seals, some harlequin ducks, some harbor porpoises, and an oyster catcher. We also made a daring rescue of some "wild" Styrofoam that was spotted on shore ;-)

Oh, and I learned quite a bit about glaciers today before, during, and after our outing! I discovered that glaciers can be either tidewater or hanging. Tidewater glaciers have their face along the water, while hanging glaciers don't reach the water. I also learned that valleys carved by glaciers are more u-shaped (like the ones we saw) where valleys shaped by rivers are more v-shaped. I realized that teaching intermediate algebra every semester definitely affects my thought patterns because when u-shaped valleys were mentioned, I automatically thought of parabolas. I am such a math nerd!

Below are the photos for day 2. Click on any of them to see a slightly bigger version!

Early morning shot of our overnight spot (Sumdum Glacier in background)

View of Brown Bear on Beach

View through porthole in the bathroom of our cabin

Ice in the water as we approach Dawes Glacier

Beautiful Blue Icebergs (color caused by densely packed ice)

Mom in her Mustang Suit ready to go for a skiff ride!

Waterfalls in the area approaching Dawes Glacier

Hanging Glacier in the Valley near Dawes Glacier

Various shots of Dawes Glacier

Other group near face of the glacier

Dawes Glacier Calving

View of Dawes Glacier through porthole in cabin bathroom

Bald Eagle on Rock

Harlequin Ducks

Oyster Catcher on Rocks

Alaska Trip: Day 1

2011-05-20T12:05:00.071-07:00

Mom and I arrived in Juneau last night and stayed at the Goldbelt Hotel. We walked to the Sandpiper Cafe for Breakfast. We had most of the day before leaving, so I wandered around the Downtown Juneau area taking some photos with the free time. Two big cruise ships came in today as well.

Just before boarding, we found out that there were only 10 passengers (22 is full capacity) and this was the first voyage of the season for the Safari Quest. Karl, our expedition leader, met us at the Goldbelt Hotel and we took a bus literally across the street to the dock.

After boarding, Sarah showed us to our cabin and we then went downstairs to meet the crew and have a safety meeting (how to use our life jackets in case we had to abandon ship). Then I went out and enjoyed the afternoon and took some photos as we were leaving Juneau.

Our first dinner was wonderful! I was a bit worried since I'm a picky eater. I was even brave enough to try something new tonight (quite amazing for me). After dinner, I spent quite a bit of time up on the observation deck as we made our way to our destination for the night. We saw our first glacier (Sumdum Glacier) tonight (though from a distance). I finally went back inside after sunset (which was quite late) once we arrived where we dropped anchor for the night.

Sandpiper Cafe Sign

Interesting Coffee Company Sign

Mountains in Downtown Juneau

Juneau Police Car

Big Cruise Ships at Dock

Our Ship (Safari Quest) at Dock

View From Our Cabin Leaving Dock

Looking Back As We Leave Dock

Seaplanes Flying & Landing

Scenery Leaving Juneau

View From Back of Main Deck

Sumdum Glacier

Starting Up Again...

2011-05-19T00:17:00.000-07:00

I haven't been good about taking photos recently. In fact, I have rarely picked up my camera since January. I got a new camera and haven't even taken it out of the box!

After my recent trip to Alaska, I've decided that has to change! I need to take time to take more photos. So I am going to start by posting my journal and photos of my Alaska trip. From then on, I am determined to start the true Daily Photo Journal back up again taking at least 1 photo everyday and posting as soon as I can.

Bear with me as I have a ton of vacation photos to get through and get posted. I do have some photos from December, January, March and April I'll post to get started, though...

Spring Rainbow

2011-04-09T13:51:00.003-07:00

We had a beautiful rainbow this afternoon. In fact, it was really a double rainbow (though it was hard to get both in the shot). I usually have no luck taking rainbow shots, but here are a couple I took of this one.

Coral Tree in Bloom

2011-03-15T13:49:00.003-07:00

Here's a photo of the coral tree in my mom's backyard in bloom.

Out in the Yard

2011-01-05T19:12:00.009-07:00

The cats love to go outside, but they aren't allowed out without supervision. Since they want out more often than we have time to watch them, you see them waiting to go out pretty often. While out supervising, it's also nice to catch the sunset!

On the Attack!

2011-01-04T19:08:00.005-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Blossom on the prowl for something she's seen in the backyard (I couldn't tell what).

New Year's Sunset

2011-01-01T18:58:00.007-07:00

First sunset of 2011!

Breaux Family Cookies

2010-12-31T13:44:00.003-07:00

To celebrate the end of 2010, I decided to make my dad's family recipe cookies!

Chillin' on the Chair

2010-12-30T13:42:00.002-07:00

Joelle and Blossom enjoying the nice warm chair in the study...

Pause in Play

2010-12-28T13:39:00.002-07:00

Joelle took a moment to pause in playing with the scratching post to look up at me as I was taking photos of her.

Asleep in Closet

2010-12-27T13:37:00.003-07:00

With the doors to the closets off (and new ones coming), the cats love to sleep on the towels in the closet!

Kitties in Sleigh

2010-12-26T13:34:00.004-07:00

Both Joelle & Blossom in the sleigh...

Joelle on Christmas

2010-12-25T13:31:00.004-07:00

Here is a Christmas photo of Joelle in the sleigh in the front window.

A Tree in the House?!

2010-12-23T13:28:00.001-07:00

This is Blossom's first Christmas tree and she thoroughly checked it out. Here she's pondering it's height and probably wondering if she can get to the top. She tried!

Blossom In the Window

2010-12-22T13:20:00.011-07:00

Got this shot of Blossom from outside as she was looking out the front bay window.

Joelle Investigating

2010-11-26T01:03:00.002-07:00

Today's photo is Joelle in the backyard in the plant she seems to love for some reason that is not all that clear to me!

Blossom Up Close

2010-11-25T01:00:00.005-07:00

Today's photo is a head shot of Blossom I took while home for Thanksgiving.

Goodbye My Friend...

2010-11-17T23:00:00.009-07:00

For those who may not be aware, I was in a car accident just over a week ago. It was my first accident and hopefully (knock on wood) my last. The other driver turned left in front of me after being waved on through stopped traffic (well stopped except for the far right lane that I was in), and my car bore the brunt of the damage. Car vs. truck didn't turn out well for my car. It was a low speed crash, but my air bags went off. Since my car is just over 12 years old, it would have cost more to repair it than it is currently worth, so it is considered a total loss.

I went to retrieve my belongings (those I didn't take with me the day of the accident) yesterday before my insurance company towed it to the salvage yard. These are some pictures I took as one last reminder. I am pretty attached to my car. It was my first car and has always been super reliable. Though I am lucky to have another car (the car my dad drove), I will miss my Camry. I already miss seeing it in my driveway.

Trip to Boston

2010-11-13T21:31:00.016-07:00

Last week I was in Boston for the Annual AMATYC (American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges) conference. Since my sister also lives in Boston, I got to visit with her over dinner each night. On Saturday afternoon, we decided to take a Duck Tour of Boston as well. Here are some photos I took on the tour...

Kitty Cuddles

2010-08-11T22:23:00.010-07:00

Today most of the photos are of the cats (yet again!) though I did include one of the backyard. Joelle and Blossom get along so well, and they are so cute when they curl up together. Here there are in the front window.

More Kitty Photos

2010-08-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

More shots of Blossom & Joelle today. Blossom playing on the catnip mat & Joelle back at the sink (a daily occurrence).

H20 Fascination

2010-08-09T22:08:00.001-07:00

Joelle has a fascination with water (especially water falling from the sink spigot). Here she is "playing" with the water in the kitchen. She discovered that if she licks the spigot, the water will run out for her to try to "catch."

Kitty Kisses

2010-08-06T22:03:00.001-07:00

Blossom & Joelle are so cute when they groom each other :-)

Last Day in Guthrie

2010-08-05T23:43:00.030-07:00

The photos from this day are also from our time in Oklahoma. It is the day we buried my dad and the day we flew home, so it was a tough day. These photos are a mix of different places (including shots around Guthrie, the cemetery, and a memorial to my great-great grandfather Inman Page on the campus of Langston University).

Another shot of the house where my dad grew up...

My dad's high school

Various shots of Guthrie tower from down the street

Campus monument in honor of my great-great grandfather, Inman Page, who was the first president of Langston University (a historically black university).

Just before burial...

A while after the ceremony...

Out and About in Guthrie

2010-08-04T12:11:00.033-07:00

The photos for today are from all over Guthrie, Oklahoma (my dad's hometown).

Braum's is the local ice cream shop (though it also has other food). I remember Braum's from childhood visits to Guthrie.

Breaux Hall, the building named after my grandfather on the campus of Langston University

On the way to the Meridian Farm (property co-owned by my dad and uncle) in Oklahoma

Guthrie Tower

Honor Park, a tribute to those who have served in the military from Logan County, Oklahoma. My dad has a brick here (as shown).

Publishing Museum located in Guthrie

Arrival in Guthrie

2010-08-03T23:18:00.004-07:00

We arrived in Guthrie the day I took these photos (8/3/10). The first is a photo of the house where my dad grew up and the second is the gas station near our hotel. My sister pointed out the sign and we got a good laugh. If you look closely, you'll see it says, "Lashawnda Williams U Need to Come Pay Me."

Pretty Cloud Formations

2010-08-02T23:12:00.000-07:00

When I go "home" (i.e. to Bonita), I tend to go crazy over kitty photos. They're so fun to follow around and capture on "film." Today's photos are a bit of a break from the cat photos...I took these photos over the course of 6 minutes. It always amazes me how fast the colors in the sky change around sunset!

Photo Frenzy

2010-08-01T21:50:00.012-07:00

Today is another multi-photo day. In fact, I have quite a few today. I don't feel too bad since I went for so long without posting any photos. Enjoy!

Kitty Escapades

2010-07-30T23:14:00.036-07:00

I spent a lot of time today following the cats around and taking photos of them. I couldn't choose just one, so there are a quite a few today.

Blossom!

2010-07-28T23:00:00.009-07:00

My mom adopted a new kitten just a week or so before my dad passed away. While I was home, I had a lot of fun taking photos of both Blossom (the new kitten) and Joelle. I also got a few shots of Sophie (my last of her). Here are the first photos I got of Blossom.

Avondale's Friendship Park

2010-05-24T23:44:00.013-07:00

I drive by Friendship Park on a regular basis on my way to run errands, go to Borders, etc. I noticed this multi-sided mural a few times before I was prepared to stop and take photos. The light wasn't the greatest and stupid me parked in not the best spot (to avoid getting my car in the shots), but I did get some decent photos. Enjoy!

More Chicago Sights

2010-04-12T22:01:00.024-07:00

I decided to spend lunch walking around Chicago again. This time I stayed close to the conference hotel. I ended up walking through Millennium Park and across the pedestrian bridge to get a view of Lake Michigan. I also ran into what I think was an Art Institute of Chicago project (the trees).

The last photos are of the pub next to the Palmer House. The sign caught my eye as every morning and I finally captured it today.

City Sights Around Chicago

2010-04-11T21:37:00.017-07:00

Rather than ride the shuttle back from the conference hotel to my hotel, I decided to walk back at lunch to get some photos. I was really intrigued by the Chicago Theater signs and spent a significant chunk of time taking photos of it from a variety of angles. I also snapped some other shots on the way back that I've included above as well.

Room at the Palmer House

2010-04-10T21:30:00.008-07:00

I traveled to Chicago for a conference for work and stayed in the historic Palmer House Hilton hotel. Here are some photos of my room...

Cactus Close Ups

2010-03-29T23:05:00.001-07:00

Once again today, I have more than one photo. I noticed the cactus plants around campus were blooming, so I went out to take some photos. It was a bit bright, but I did the best I could.

When I got up to the cactus, I was intrigued by the looks and texture of the part of the plant not in bloom:

Then as I was taking photos of the flowers, a bee flew in and kept moving from flower to flower. I braved getting stung and got a few close up shots.

CTCA Avondale

2010-03-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

I got this shot of the CTCA (Cancer Treatment Centers of America) hospital today after seeing my parents off. My dad's been having treatment here so my parents are here every other week. It's been great seeing them regularly, but we wish the circumstances were better (as my dad says every trip).

Baby Yuccas Still Growing

2010-03-26T16:05:00.003-07:00

The baby yucca plants that took over for the dying adult are still growing (but somewhat slowly). I'm not sure when or if one of them will become the dominant replacement!

Monster Weed

2010-03-23T16:03:00.002-07:00

I can't believe how quickly weeds have been growing this year. It seems this one popped out of nowhere one day!

More Bargains!

2010-03-22T15:59:00.003-07:00

After yesterday's crazy bargains at Fry's, I went back for more today (even though I had used most of my coupons). I didn't get quite as much food this trip, but I did still save a lot. I spent a total of 50 cents for everything in this photo!

Coupon Craze

2010-03-21T14:46:00.004-07:00

In January, Andy (a co-worker of mine) got me started using coupons. I quickly became addicted! I paid a total of $1.77 for everything in the photo (including tax) on two separate trips to Fry's!

Headed Back

2010-03-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

I headed back to Phoenix today, but I was able to get some cute shots of Joelle before leaving. She really loves that catnip mat!

Adventures in the Backyard

2010-03-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

We don't usually let Joelle out in the backyard, but today my mom decided to be adventurous. I followed Joelle around and took photos. The last one is the craziest. I had never seen a panting cat before, but there she was, panting away!

Here's a shot of the pool.

What's out there?!

Joelle got brave and approached the neighbor's fence when she heard Zuma (their dog) barking. After a while, Zuma stopped barking and poked her nose through a hole under the fence.

Way out in the back with all the weeds.

Here she is panting. Crazy cat!

Silly Sophie

2010-03-18T18:31:00.001-07:00

We aren't really sure why, but Sophie loves to sit on people who are sleeping (especially my mom). It doesn't usually look very comfortable, but she likes it! Here she is on my mom after Mom fell asleep on the sofa.

Joelle Playing

2010-03-17T18:30:00.001-07:00

Here's a shot of Joelle playing with a toy I bought her at the new Tuesday Morning in Avondale.

Catnip Craze

2010-03-16T18:25:00.002-07:00

Joelle loves playing with this catnip mat (as you can see). She runs around with it on top of her and tackles it constantly!

Chasing Bugs

2010-03-15T18:16:00.001-07:00

Today's photo sequence is of Joelle in the kitchen chasing after a fly in the window. The photos are in the order I took them.

Catching Up for February?

2010-03-14T18:09:00.015-07:00

Since I didn't take any photos in February, I'm going to post multiple photos (yet again) for today!

************************************

The first one is of my parents' backyard in Bonita, California (with their pool that was recently re-plastered and tiled). Since it was spring break, I was there visiting.

Here are a few of Joelle relaxing on the sofa. Since it was inside, I had to use the flash and the first photo scared her (as you can probably tell!)

Here is Joelle later that night getting into trouble on the bar counter.

Sunrise with my Camera Phone

2010-01-30T13:10:00.001-07:00

I rarely see sunrise. I am just not much of a morning person. But today, I was out to get some good deals. I've recently started coupon shopping and saw sunrise this morning when making the rounds. Luckily I had my camera phone with me (though it didn't do the best job with the sunrise).

Pretty Clouds!

2010-01-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've really felt like taking photos. I was glad (once again) to have a camera phone when these clouds caught my eye and I didn't have either of my cameras with me!

January Sunset

2010-01-12T13:03:00.005-07:00

I only had my point and shoot camera with me to capture this sunset. I really don't like using it for sunset photos, but I didn't have my DSLR with me because it has a spot on the lens that's been bugging me. I did the best I could with the point and shoot, but it's a bit blurry since I never feel quite in control with it.

Have an Ass Kickin' Day!

2010-01-10T12:59:00.001-07:00

I never noticed this sign until I was down at the CTCA when my parents were here. It caught my eye so I stopped to take a photo.

Dad Outside CTCA

2010-01-09T12:55:00.006-07:00

Here are some outdoor photos of the CTCA. We spent some time outside trying to get a little sun and enjoy the nice weather.

Dad, Is That You?

2010-01-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

Though you wouldn't know it from looking at him, that's my dad under that blanket in the chair. Between losing weight because of the cancer and the cold temperatures in the rooms at the Cancer Treatment Center, he was a bit chilly. This was the only way for him to keep warm. My mom and I cracked up as we walked by the common area room, especially since he had the TV on! I got this shot with my camera phone. I'm really glad I finally upgraded my phone to one with a camera in it.

Completed Yard (Almost)

2010-01-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

My parents left to visit the Cancer Treatment Center of America facility in Phoenix before I headed back, but on the day I left, the front yard was pretty much done! All that's missing is lights and some last little touches.

Curious Kitten

2010-01-02T12:36:00.001-07:00

I'm really having fun following Joelle around and taking photos. As in the past few days, I'm stretching the rules and posting more than one photo from today.

*************************************************

Here she is looking out at "her tree." I think she was wondering why we had to go and ruin a good thing since she loved camping out under the Christmas tree.

She also seems to be fascinated with the bathroom. She loves to hide out between the shower curtain and liner and then attack Sophie when Sophie is on her way out of the litter box. Here is Joelle exploring the rest of the treasures of the bathroom.

Looking For Trouble

2010-01-01T00:46:00.003-07:00

I'm the night owl in the family, and Joelle really seems to like getting into trouble when everyone else has gone to bed for the night.

Joelle in Action

2009-12-29T12:03:00.002-07:00

Today, I've decided to post a progression of photos of Joelle. I'm including the time I took them so you see how quickly she gets into trouble!

**********************************************************

I came upon her on the dining room table (where she isn't supposed to be), and she suddenly hid behind my dad's laptop (photo time stamped 4:55pm).

Then less than a minute later (photo also time stamped 4:55pm) here she is chewing papers left on the table.

Here she is at 5:23pm sleeping (recuperating?) on her condo.

Here she is later that night (9:11pm) back on the table.

Nap Time!

2009-12-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

Joelle still doesn't stay in one place for long, so I was lucky to catch her asleep on the couch with my mom and Sophie!

Poinsettia Christmas Tree

2009-12-27T23:56:00.000-07:00

I was intrigued by this Christmas Tree made of Poinsettias at Fashion Valley. I was bummed I didn't have my camera until I realized my new cell phone had a camera. Yay!

All Curled Up

2009-12-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

Sophie all curled up in her nice warm blanket.

Bad Kitty?

2009-12-22T23:46:00.000-07:00

Joelle is so hyper, it's hard to catch her when she's still. I was lucky to catch her at rest here on my bed. We had to lock her in my room for a "time out" because she was getting into trouble.

Joelle Under the Tree

2009-12-21T23:43:00.004-07:00

One of Joelle's favorite places is under the tree. We think it is most likely because we can't reach her under it very well so it's a good place to hide after getting in trouble!

Christmas Tree Decorated

2009-12-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

I stink at indoor photos, but here is one of the Christmas Tree after we decorated it.

Under Construction

2009-12-19T23:39:00.002-07:00

My parents' front yard has been under construction recently. Here's a picture of the yard part way done.

Christmas Tree Memories

2009-12-18T23:22:00.006-07:00

When I was growing up, we always picked out and then cut our own Christmas tree from the Pinery Christmas Tree lot near our house. It's been years since there were trees to cut down, but we still get our tree from the same lot. In the last few years, though, my parents usually get the tree on their own because of timing. This year we decided to bring back the tradition and we all went together to get the tree. We ended up with 2 (one for our usual tree and one for on top of the piano). Lots of fun for Joelle (my parents kitten)!

Also, I couldn't resist posting multiple photos today as you may have noticed. This dog is one that lives at the pinery. According to the people who work there, this is one of his favorite spots!

And finally, here is one of Joelle, my parents' new kitten.

Christmas Decorations

2009-12-13T23:19:00.000-07:00

With all that was happening with my dad, I wasn't sure I would get any Christmas Decorations up this year, but I did! It's always hard to get decent photos, but I did my best.

Pirates of the Caribbean Mobile

2009-11-27T23:13:00.004-07:00

When visiting my dad at the hospital after his surgery, we spotted this car painted with a Pirates of the Caribbean theme. I was glad I had my camera with me!

Where's Sophie?

2009-11-26T23:11:00.003-07:00

Can you spot Sophie (my parents' cat) in this photo?

Yucca Pendula in Bloom

2009-10-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

At the same time the one in front is dying, the yucca pendula in my back yard is blooming!

Dying Yucca Pendula

2009-10-09T23:04:00.000-07:00

Over the course of just a few weeks, this plant went from the one doing the best in my yard to on the verge of dying. My gardener tried to save it as this photo shows, but it later died to be replaced by some babies trying to grow back in its place.

Whip It!

2009-10-04T22:58:00.002-07:00

I went to see Whip It today as a birthday gift to myself!

Messy Trunk

2009-09-30T22:56:00.004-07:00

Here is a shot of my messy trunk. I must admit it's not as messy as it usually is in this picture!

Into the Light

2009-09-29T22:54:00.000-07:00