Daily Ramblings and Photos

No Longer Using this Blog address at Blogger to post my blogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I will continue posting on a Daily Ramblings and Photos blog, but just not here on Blogger.

My new URL address from now on is lindajeffers.com
(All 3 of my websites are accessed from this address.)

Please come by and take a look. Once there, remember to bookmark the new address. And........... let me know what you think. Comments are always welcome. I love getting comments on my blog, AND also on my photo site.

I will no longer be posting here.

See you soon at http://lindajeffers, or www.lindajeffers.com or lindajeffers.com. (any of these addresses get you there.)

Much love,

Linda

A day or two away from using my new blog host, WordPress.

2009-08-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

(All of these blog posts have already been imported into WordPress)

I'm having a few techy problems.

First I'm having difficulty with a good internet stream using the VZAccess adapter I have which makes it almost impossible to upload photos right now for some reason.

Second, I am real close to having all 3 of my sites: Gottago's Adventure Site, my blog, and Smugmug, all linked on one home Front Webpage. As soon as this happens, maybe in a day or two, I will post the url address. I believe www.lindajeffers.com will be the address you will use to access this new site. Right now www.lindajeffers is in cyberspace not linked to anything. This web domain name (www.lindajeffers.com) is in the process of being transferred from my old web host server to a new web host server - Erik (the gentleman who is building the insides and outsides for the connected new look and works on my sites).

And now on the brighter side of things................
Guess who came for breakfast this morning, a wee bit earlier than yesterday morning, and a lot more visible and he even stayed for a longer visit.

I got such a high from Mr. Bear's visit I could not hold my camera steady, I used the video vertically rather than horizontally, I asked Ray to use my small camera to get shots of the bear but he said, "You're using the small camera!" Oops. I switched from video on the small camera to photo taking, took a photo through the glass door with the flash on. I made a mess. I certainly lost my cool. Needless to say I didn't get any great shots. But you can see that it's a bear.

I tried opening the door to get to get a shot without glass in front of the bear. The bear eating out of the birdfeeder, noticed the second I opened the sliding glass door just a bit. I stopped opening the door, mind you the bear is less than 3 feet away from me, until the bear starting eating the seed again. Each time I quietly slide the door open an inch the bear stopped eating and looked directly at me. He was afraid of me.

Ray, quietly seated 2 feet from me at the door (probably he was standing in front of his seat) must have thought I was crazy. But he didn't say anything. Finally the bear had enough of me trying to capture a good bear photo and split....down the tree, faster than I could have ever imagined he could have gotten down. I ran out on the wet porch with Ray but the bear was walking away and I lost my opportunity to get a good bear photo.

But I have proof there was a bear coming for breakfast. He was a half an hour later than yesterday morning. Now that I know he is making this visit a regular practice I will make sure I have my large and small cameras ready for that one great bear capture.

This is the shot I took through the glass door with my flash on.

Email sent to Alex this morning.

2009-08-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Alex,

Thanks for stopping by my site. You have no idea how much it means to me that you check out and notice all the work I’ve done on getting the photos photoshopped, re-sized and uploaded. Working on Smugmug (cleaning up the organization) and communicating with Erik over details of the new site, has occupied a lot of my time.

I just got out of bed. I was laying in bed, like I do when I first wake, propped up on my elbow, looking out the window at the scenery. (I do this at home too) From the bedroom window I can see much of the porch railing near the tree and the bird feeder where the birds are always fed. This actual bird feeder on the deck outside isn’t visible from the bedroom but much of the railing, porch and pine tree is.

So I’m staring out the window, through morning unfocused, tear crude filled eyes, when I see a blur of movement that is large and obviously not birds. I lift myself up a little higher on my elbow and blink trying to clear my eyes. The thing I’m trying to focus on is brown. It’s moving away out of my vision, moving down and behind the massive pine tree, out of site. I can’t see the brown anymore. I yell to Ray, who is in the main room in the cabin, “BEAR, BEAR, BEAR”!!!! I jump up out of bed and run into the room where Ray is seated 8 feet away from the bird feeder just outside the floor to ceiling window. “Did you see the bear?”

I no longer can see anything climbing down the porch railing or the pine tree. It’s raining outside. There is sap that has dropped from the pine tree all over the wood slat porch flooring (I hate getting sticky sap on the bottom of my feet or soxs), but I don’t care. I pick up my camera and charge out the sliding glass door into the rain….in my pjs. Photo op. Where is the bear. I do not have my glasses on. I’m moving too fast; I’m way too excited. I can’t see the controls on my small camera. I’m frustrated. I spot the bear down the hillside maybe 20 feet away, his back to me (I think – no glasses) and he’s moving away.

Oh no, I hope I’m on a good enough camera setting to get a shot of the bear. Oh well, I shoot away hoping the dial is set to something that will capture the bear. After one shot, the bear starts walking faster, seemingly aware of my presence I think, away down towards lake’s edge. For a moment I think about getting a video of the bear, but I can’t see the dial settings and now the bear is too far out of sight. What a rush. I walk back through the sliding door ,into the warm living area, and Ray and I excitedly share our “Did you sees……?”

My glasses are on, I’ve taken my once a month Boniva pill to promote good bone density, and I am seated looking at the email I received from last night. I’m hyped up, have the coffee Ray made me, but can’t drink it because I’m not supposed to drink or eat anything for an hour after I take the Boniva pill. What am I supposed to do with all this adrenaline? Write my morning down in this email to you Alex, that’s what I’ll do with the adrenaline rush.

We had been told when we arrived and checked in here at Wood’s Lodge that the bear has visited our cabin and climbed up on our porch over 28 times. We’ve been waiting and hoping to catch a “safe” glimpse of the bear and now we have. We love it.

Hey bear. Hey bear.

Thanks for listening to the reporting of a great start to our day.

Love,

Linda

Here is the bear. The photos were really dark, almost black, so I had to photoshop them a lot.

Never left this position all day!

2009-08-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today was overcast. Ray was sore from yesterday's hike. I had domain website stuff going on. And the tone was set.

What a glorious day I had after I got email back once the my domain site decided to allow connections again after shutting down for a few hours. It's time for updating my sites. Erik in the UK is working on transferring my stuff from my present web host. We have been in contact daily. He has been working on some really cool Front Pages for my new blog site on WordPress and my photo portfolio on Smugmug. Gottago's Adventure site will keep it's same look and hopefully will stop causing Erik so much trouble moving it to his domain for web hosting. Hopefully soon these 3 sites will be accessed and linked on one URL - www.lindajeffers.com.

I played lots and lots of Word Twist on Facebook. I am totally hooked. Damn Cindy. She topped my high score today by 2 points.

I watched many Adobe Lightroom tutorials online. I'm becoming so much more familiar with this software. Knowing how to use it has saved me lots of time. Time I'll have no trouble quickly filling.

Back to the rest of my evening. Ray is in bed and I figure I have another 45 minutes before I join him.

Insistent little buggers.

2009-08-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

Each day this guys get more and more insistent about wanting their food when they want it. Well actually, I get that. It's just that if we don't slide the screen door shut completely they have learned how to use their little hands to slide open the screen door. I guess it doesn't help that I leave the bag of bird seed, within their vision, next to the screen door. Soon I will post a video of their "It's time to eat" behavior.

Ray and I hiked up the Mammoth Crest trail today. I've posted photos on http://gottago.smugmug.com. I was putting captions under the photos when the Smugmug site went down for their routine weekly maintenance. The site will be up after midnight tonight.

Here is a silly photo of Ray at the top of our hike today. The lighting on the photo didn't turn out so I put a solarizing filter on Ray's photo because I like his expression. He probably won't be happy with me.

We are acclimated.

2009-08-20T23:44:00.001-07:00

Cyrstal Crag Lake - our dayhike today.

This ground squirrel did not like us being gone for a couple of hours.

Photos of today's hour hike around Lake Mamie may be viewed.....

2009-08-19T21:50:00.000-07:00

I've posted the photos of today's hike shots taken with my little Canon Powershot A 650 over on Smugmug.

And, here are a few more photos of early morning shots just after I put out the first feeding of bird seed.

I forgot to post this:

9:16 am Tuesday, August 18th.
Ray just said while sitting in his lounge chair drinking his morning coffee, before his breakfast has been served, and after putting down the book he is reading: “I was just sitting here thinking, I don’t have any resentments against you. Isn’t that marvelous?”
I liked hearing that. This is a miracle. Ray just said that the only resentment he has is getting old. I understand and agree.

Lake Mamie photos on my photo site - Smugmug.

2009-08-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took some photos with a new lens, the Canon 70-200mm 2.8. It's the first time I've used it. I've posted some of the photos on my Smugmug photo site. For easier viewing, there is a Slideshow option in the upper right hand side of the photo gallery page.

I plan on using Smugmug more than I have in the past. The site is a work in progress.

Also in progress, and hopefully not too far in the future, I will have all 3 of my sites - blog, smugmug and gottago's adventure website linked on one Front Page. I'll let you know when this happens.

Enjoy.

Some insight into what occupies my time up here in the cabin while acclimating.

2009-08-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Since I purchased VZAccess ($59 a month!), which affords me internet access on my computer, I now have internet in the cabin. There are about 8 photographers' blogs I normally follow and I continue following them up here. (I also get out and shoot too.)

So.....I spent quite a bit of time reflecting on what I read this morning.
When you have time, if you want to read about a special salesman named Derrick and see a very motivational video of him video taped by Zach Aris, read Zach's photographer's blog. Start your reading with Zach's blog entry dated Aug 12th and then continue reading two more blogs about Derrick, dated the 13th and 14th.
Zach continues to be inspirational ever since I first became aware of Zach when he posted a Wednesday guest blog video on Scott Kelby's blog 6 months ago. (If you haven't seen this video of Zach's on Scott's site, this is a must see.

Then, I converted some video of the birds around our cabin.

My kinda day.

2009-08-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

I got up early and caught the morning color on Crystal Crag after I put out the first serving of bird seed. The local market is selling a new kind of mixed seed and it is a big hit with the birds, chipmunks and ground squirrels.
So far the only birds we’ve seen are: juncos, stellar jays and a few black birds. One of the black birds has a gimp leg and basically flops in the center of the bowl bird feeder while eating. Each year Ray and I always look for the bully birds. Well I don’t know if this black bird is a bully, but he sure has a way of non verbally communicating with the very loud stellar jays that keeps the jays at a distance until the black bird decides to give up his bowl.

It’s usually the second day we are in Mammoth that Fatso shows up. Fatso fills his jowels with food, runs down the tree, must bury the food, as he comes right back up for more food. All the chipmunks and ground squirrels that feed from the flat plate on the floor of the porch, not so patiently wait their turn at the feeding plate when Fatso is feeding.
Ok, it’s 10:09pm and I am still in my pj’s. Ray is still sore from packing up his Tahoe and then unpacking it in again in Mammoth. Believe it or not, we bought and carried 21 of the quart sized yogurts up here and Ray had them all in an igloo, covered with ice. That makes for a very heavy carry. Here are a few of our reasons for staying inside the cabin all day:

We are not yet acclimated to the 9600 feet elevation here at Wood’s Lodge and get dizzy washing dishes. It usually takes until the 3rd day when we start to feel ok with the altitude. I woke up with a pounding headache from being in the altitude and somewhat dehydrated.
I wanted to get my “Food” photo assignment completed that’s due Tuesday.
I’m addicted to Word Twist on FB.
I can’t stop photographing the birds and squirrels.
I am so enjoying not having an agenda.
Ray’s hips are really bothering him. He’s so worried he’ll need another hip surgery.
Ray wants to get into the first of many books he brought up here.
And, because we can.

Tuesdays are 2 for One days at the Snow Creek golf course and every day from 12 to 3pm is half price.
Tomorrow I’d like to hike around a bit, take some morning lakeside photos and evening lake photos by lake at Wildyrie Lodge. Except for a newspaper and the mustard I forgot to bring, I see no reason to go into town.

Another great poem by Susan.

2009-08-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Poem by Susan Alvarez
copyright 2009

WINDOWS (NO TALKING)

Looking in and looking out
All I've done is scream and shout
Somebody help me, I can't see
What is right in front of me

The broken glass has fallen inside
I can't run and I can't hide
I only run into myself
and so I'm jumping on God's shelf

Where God can get a hold of me
To squeeze me tight and set me free
it's only there that I can breathe
And look at what's inside of me

God take the tweezers, remove the glass
I'm bloody and bleeding and I can't last
Here alone without your grace
I'll die for sure in a lonely place

Why did you let me out of jail
and give me a key on which to impale?
My fears, my doubts and all my lies
I'm all alone and NOW I cry

It hurts so bad inside my soul
Was I better alone and whole?
The pieces they fit and they are sure mine
God, give me some glue of your design

While pieces lie broken, I can't repair
The things of which I am so unaware
So pick them up into the light
and clean me up and make me right

I want to just walk so deep in this life
with none of the tantrums and none of the strife
the silence seems deafening and I just can't hear
So speak very loudly and speak very clear

Your words like milk, to this lonely calf
who's been sent here to love and just laugh
My heart is not broken, it's beating inside
why was I running and why did I hide?

I felt all alone and lost in deep time
I forgot for a moment where I am divine
with cracks in the glass of this windshield called life
it's all an illusion, and sharp as a knife

I'll put down the glass and I won't impale
I'll listen to him and I will exhale
breathe out the fear, the pain and the doubt
Breathe in the love so God screams and shouts

Clear off the rooftop, I'm tall, I can leap
God's made me fearless and given me feet
His legs I can stand on to walk to the light
out of the darkness for His love is right

He lays me down slowly right by the path
returns me to you so I can just laugh
this life is a journey and it never ends
whether we're lovers, family or friends

God He takes nothing to love me this way
He leads to water when I go astray
When I am just lonely alone in the dark
He lights up the candle, He sends me the spark

My soul is on fire and that's real OK
It's warming and lovely, God made me that way
Not scared of the embers that He leaves inside
I don't like the ego and I hate the pride

I'm giving that up so I can just say
it's not what I wanted, I just want to pray
to open this package and unwrap the gift
walk out of Your light as Your love I live

I know I'll be scared, it should be that way
I'm walking the road, I won't go astray
With You there to guide me I can't loose a thing
I am Your puppet, just pull on the string

God thank you for courage to be by myself
I'm climbing back often to You and this shelf
I thought I was lonely up here all alone
But sometimes I need to just come back home

I hear the laugh, it's calling me now
I'm full of your wonder and now I know how
to stop for a moment and just let You in
It's You that is healing, it's me who can win.

Josh Jeffers and his new girlfriend, Amanda.

2009-08-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with my stepson, Josh. He is very happy. He's got a girlfriend he met two weeks ago and they're very happy together. Josh told me he had emailed Ray these photos. I stole them from Ray.

It's 3pm. I'm still in my p.j's. I've made breakfast and lunch and the rest of the time I've been shooting photos of food for my next online class assignment or photographing the chipmunks and birds. Ray is reading. This is a true vacation. What constitutes a true vacation? Doing just what I want to do.

Saturday - 1st day in Cabin 18 at Wood's Lodge in Mammoth.

2009-08-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ray and I finally left home for Mammoth at 8:40am. We arrived in Mammoth around 4:15pm. We'd have arrived in Mammoth sooner but Ray had to stretch his legs in Bishop (my eyes are looking upward in that - yeah right- look) ...and since we were in Bishop why not stop and visit Wilson's Sporting Goods. I had a first in Wilson's. I spent nada. Wilson's is a slip store for me (and Ray apparently....he bought something). It's a bitch when you have everything a store sells and don't need anything. You see I've been directed to ask myself, "Do I need "it" or do I want "it"?

After a small food market stop, we checked in to one of our favorite cabins here at Wood's Lodge, cabin #18. We have never stayed in cabin 19, but have eyed it with envy over the years. This year, our third week in Mammoth we'll move from cabin #18 and stay the last week in cabin #19. Normally these better location cabins are not available as families or families of family members have been renting the same cabins each summer for over 50 years. We decided late to try and get a cabin. We got lucky as people must have canceled.

I quickly shot off some photos with my small Canon Powershot A 650 just before the sun set and right after I'd put out some bird seed. The feeding frenzy took place seconds after I emptied some seed into an outside bird feeder tray on the porch of the cabin.

Friday.

2009-08-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today is the day we were supposed to get the condo ready to be left while away in Mammoth. HA. Instead it was another day where the day dictates my choices rather than I following my schedule.

It's 7:31pm. I'm exhausted. Ray is exhausted. This morning Ray and I went over to Axis House to 12 step a sponsee of Ray's. That was emotionally draining. Next we spent time figuring out what to do with the Thursday night meeting and the concerns brought to our attention by Diane, the secretary of the Church. Last Thursday members brought children to the meeting and Diane commented on the fact that the children were unattended, disruptive and threw rocks around. She also mentioned we are allowing too many members to attend the meeting. Fire regulations states a max of 120 people are allowed in the room. We had 160!

We've known for a long time we had to find a larger facility. Our rent is so reasonable compared to going rents at other facilities. Now we have to look for another place. We also have to limit the number of chairs that will be set up for next week's meeting. Anyone not seated will have to leave the room. Oh, people are going to be very unhappy. The timing for this awkward change is unfortunate. I wish Ray and I could be there.

Quincy has volunteered to look for other facilities. She found one today already but the rent for one week is more than what we pay for an entire month. Alima has offered to help in her ways and so has Katya who will stand outside the meeting next Thursday and help those who won't be allowed to stay find other local meetings.

Change. I don't like change. Our meeting has changed. We need to change. We will change but I'm in fear and not trusting a change will be for the good of the meeting as I have known it the last 22 years. Ray has gone to this meeting 10 years longer than I have.

To be continued........ I need to get to packing up for Mammoth. I'll think about the Thursday Night meeting tomorrow, or the next day, or.........

Happy Birthday Paula.

2009-08-14T00:25:00.000-07:00

While walking from El Rancho to the JTBP meeting tonight I noticed the ball of red in the sky. Too bad I only had my cell phone camera to take this photo.

Paula's parents, Carol and Tom, on each side of Paula.

Ok, I'm home. It's midnight. I'm going to bed.

A quick hello.

2009-08-12T22:38:00.000-07:00

I've really been trying to be good spending money. Really LR. So I wasn't happy to see an unknown orange light come on while driving Monday night. I was happy to see the light quickly go away though. I hoped that the light coming on was a fluke.

Yesterday, the light came on again. I couldn't find the book that came with the car to explain what this orange light coming on was all about. Ray found the book and told me it was related to my brakes. Great, cause I was driving to Upland at 5pm. I called the Mercedes mechanic(my car is out of warranty). I was told that once the warning brake light starts to appear I could drive another 100 to 150 miles without a concern, especially since I would be driving on the freeway, not starting and stopping a lot.

Because later last night I'd have 4 other passengers in the car while driving to Upland (1.3 hour drive), Ray let me take his car.

Today I took my car to the Mercedes mechanic. That visit cost me $1050.00.

So much for trying to keep my expenses down.

At the meeting tonight, I quickly shot off a photo of Ray and the two newest ladies in my life.

Cynthia, Ray and Connie at the JTBP meeting in Rancho Mirage.

In to LA tomorrow with Ray, Paula and Connie and then Friday Ray and I pack up for Mammoth and our stay at Wood's Lodge above Lake Mary.

An a.m. walk around the golf course photo.

2009-08-11T13:18:00.001-07:00

My photography teacher, Carol Leigh, posted a photo she took of a boy on the beach on her blog dated July 31, 2009. If you follow the link and read what she wrote, you'll see what bothers me with this kinda cool photo below.

In my photo below, I wish I'd changed the angle of capture so that the cactus (see blog amendment below to correct succulent name to agave, not cactus) point on the right didn't blend in with the dark background. Another thing I noticed when I zoomed in is that the front left cactus point isn't in focus and that is where I intended the focus to be rather than where it is on the right rear point.

Hey, I'm happy I notice such things lately.

Another student of Carol Leigh's, Lori, has a wonderful portfolio of cactus photos on her site. I thought of Lori this morning and wished I could have picked her brain on how to shoot this shot.

And I just have to post this way too funny photo of Connie's mode of transportation these days.

Connie driving Tony to her car, 20 yards away, following the woman's meeting last night.

Blog entry amended 8/16/09. I received an email from a friend who helped me see that what I had photographed was not a cactus. I was told.."you called your agaves "cactus"... grrrrrr...... they're both succulents, but agaves aren't cactus, and vice versa! Grrrrr...... you know how protective I am of my agaves, so be careful not to besmirch their reputation! >;-}"

I apologize and stand corrected!

Online photo class assignment #2 Halves - Critique

2009-08-10T17:09:00.001-07:00

CRITIQUE: Linda Jeffers

HALVES
1. MEEEEEEEEE
I hope I included the right number of "E's" in the title!
This is a cute photo of you, Linda, and it was a good
idea for this assignment. And just as an aside — isn't it
weird when we examine a photograph of ourselves? If
we stare long enough it's almost as though the
photograph is of a stranger and you begin wondering
about this other person . . . Nah, probably just me . . .
Anyway, I like this photo. I also like how you post processed
it. The black and white treatment is
appropriate and it's flattering. You've also softened the
image, which again is appropriate. And it looks as
though you may have overexposed the shot somewhat,
which is ALSO appropriate. The little I know about
people photography, I know that the black and white
treatment removes some of the distractions that color
can create. And the softening aspect draws our attention
to the eyes, which are the most important part of a
portrait. And slightly overexposing a black and white photograph often removes a lot of the
deeper lines in our faces.
Please note: I am not saying that you are an overly tan wrinkled old hag and my, what a good
job you did disguising it! No, no! I'm saying that we digital photographers have the skill and
tools to become self-portraitists, and we can do exactly what a professional portrait
photographer might do. We can soften lines or we can emphasize lines. We can max out on
color or we can be more subtle. We can selectively soften an image, making the eyes leap out in
sharp focus.
Your lighting is such that the background really blends, providing just enough shadowing and
texture to be interesting, yet being soft enough so that your face really stands out against it,
especially the strands of your hair and the peach fuzz on your cheeks. (It's said that Marilyn
Monroe had this same soft fuzz in her face, which gave her a naturally luminous glow.)
Your glasses blend in well, don't they? We know they're there, but they don't interfere with our
connecting with
you via your eye.
Good shot,
Linda. You look
cute.

2. HALF DISTORTION
Beautiful. What makes this shot (to me) is (1) the bit of
yellow in the reflection and the sharpness of the base.
You filled your frame with 2/3 glass and 1/3 background,
which works great and ties in with the overall Rule of
Thirds in composition.
Your background is completely out of focus but has
strong bits of color in it, making your glass stand out well
against it, but without overpowering the image. Your
glass is darker than the background, which makes it stand
out even more.
My eye goes first to the lower left, focusing on the
yellow. Then it sees the yellow in the reflection, and so
my eye works upward. It then begins looking for
something in focus, and it finds the base of the glass/
vase.
This is important:
Did you notice that my eye concentrated just on the
bottom of your photograph? The yellow, up to the yellow,
then down to the base? Maybe THAT'S where your
picture is. Maybe if you turned this photo into a square, it
would be jam-packed with good stuff, without any
extraneous empty dark stuff on top. Let's take a look. (Carol Leigh posted a square version here on my critique cutting off the upper third of the vase.)
Hmmmm . . . I think I like this version a lot better. I think
we see all of the interesting things at once — yellow/
yellow/base. What do you think? Less is more?

I’m sorry, I just
had to do this.
Here’s how
you’d look as
Yoko Ono! Ha!
This looks
NOTHING like
you! (I couldn’t copy the photo Carol that appeared here to explain this last comment. In the critique she posted a full face photo she’d created of me, by somehow flipping or reversing my face to seamlessly post a full faced photo.)

3. TV SHOT
Very interesting. I'm glad you added descriptive info
— TV and poster edges — that helps me out a lot.
I'm not sure about this photograph, but I'm finding it
intriguing. Let me just sort of ramble on and maybe
something will come of it.
First of all, my initial impression was Obama/
Kennedy. I shan't go into politics, but my thinking
was, "Oh, give me a break!" The important thing
about this little thought bubble is "teeth." My eye
went first and foremost to the teeth and to the guy on
the left rather than the guy on the right, who is much
darker. So to me, you're emphasizing the person on
the left. But what's tying the two together is the bright
white of Obama's shirt. So I go from teeth to shirt and
then up to Obama's eye. All I'm trying to do right now is point out the movement in your photo
and how our eye goes from point to point and why.
I truly like what you did here. It's fresh and different. And the poster edges filter in Photoshop?
I think it worked great! You took what was (I'm assuming) a relatively grainy photograph of a
television image. So your photo is not only of halves, but of grain. How can you enhance the
concept of grain? Poster edges does it beautifully. Ink outline sometimes is a good filter for this
sort of thing, too. And the black and white treatment? Again, it works for a TV image — a sort
of retro TV feeling.
Photoshop filters can look gimmicky and obvious, but they can also enhance a concept that's
already in place. When we use filters for a reason, not just because we can, we add our own
artistic touch and vision to an image. As you did here.
I think you did a great job with this picture. It made me stop, look, and think. Congratulations.
Carol Leigh
August 10, 2009

It's me back.........I'm so sad Carol is no longer going to offer these online classes. Here is a link to her blog where I'm sure other learning possibilites will be offered under her web pages section.

Guilt free down day in bed.

2009-08-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

I hoped I was wrong, but last night I knew my glands were sore. This morning something I have sucked all the energy out of me. I don't want to be sick. We're leaving to go to Mammoth for 3 weeks in a few days. Well, maybe whatever I have will go away over night.

Following the second part of the 5th step I heard from 7am to 10am, I got back into bed....with books! What a luxury. I've been wanting to watch the Canon D40 tutorial DVD I'd watched a long time ago, and did. There were some things I didn't know how to work on the camera, but was surprised with how comfortable I am knowing how to use the camera. In the DVD the guy suggests we learn how to use the camera by feel and intuition like we do when driving cars. I don't have to look at the stick shift to know where it is or how to use it, so that's my goal with the camera.....knowing how to use the controls without pulling my eye away from what I shooting.

Where is the time in the day?

2009-08-08T22:42:00.001-07:00

A stolen hour at home, trying to create another photo for my online class assignment: Triangles.

It's 10:40pm and I'm tired. Lot's of phone time today plus a 5th step tonight for 3.5 hours. At 7am tomorrow we meet to finish the 5th step.

Off to bed to sleep for 6 hours.

Our very own Cind!

2009-08-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

Cindy's first TV interview.

You go girl.

A full moon hike start.

2009-08-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Starting out at 5 am, the full moon was about a half an hour away from dipping beyond our vision. Connie and Mary Kay.

Still not light enough to hand hold a shot of the girls hamming it up for the camera.
And what would a hike be without a shadow shot: Connie, Me and Mary Kay.
Home watching this different visitor drinking from the water Ray put out before he left for the San Fernando Valley today.

Off to bed.

2009-08-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

Too late to blog.

Up at 3:45am tomorrow morning to hike with Connie and Mary Kay.

Good night.

p.s. Katie was "4" yesterday!

This poem is about me!

2009-08-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

I asked Susan if I could post her email I just read. I am not of service to get, I give to give, but when I get something like this I am so moved.

You made my day Susan. I love you.

p.s. Now get back to writing:-)

From: susan alvarez [mailto:suzeque321@bresnan.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 12:11 AM
To: Linda Jeffers
Subject: One a day!

Hi Linda! I am so envious of my sis' who get to be with you. I miss you lots

and in case I haven't said it often enough...I love you! You give and have

given me so much more than I could have ever wished or dreamed of...you help

me keep my self from running naked down the street (with my hair on fire and

out of the "bin"). Everyday I watch and learn something new. You are my

treasure! I was born an only child so every once in a while I don't want to

share you. Today's topis at my meeting was selfish and self-centered. I

picked the topic. But I fell out of myself pretty quickly today. So here's

your poem for the day.

Treasures

I am so glad to feel a part of your part

Don't know where that is, but it's a good place to start

Talking to you is like melting my soul

I can see all the lines and all of the holes

You fill up my heart and God takes me away

He then brings me back and I get to play

I'm happy and free and dressed up to dance

I willing to be and just take the chance

I'm brave and I'm strong and I know the way

I see little bread crumbs left every day

God leads me to water and I take a big drink

My mind wanders onward without me I think

I don't pay attention to thoughts in my head

they tell me I'm worthless and I should be dead

I silence the demons and put them in place

They're snarling and angry with shit on their face

It's all an illusion a disease of the self

You've brought me the courage to climb down from the shelf

I wish to pay forward and give it away

My soul seeks the answers each moment each day

I have thoughts to offer of God and His plan plan

My mind wanders onward when I take a stand

I do love this journey where ever it leads

Love is the answer it fills all my needs

It takes but a moment to walk out of the self

It's here in the moment that I wish to dwell

Where I am just happy to be so alive

There is a solution and how I do thrive

So I need to thank you for just being you

You're calming and brilliant and I like the view

So here's to the heartbeat that my soul does claim

One thing's for sure, I am not the same!

Love,love, joy,joy. happy, happy, Linda, Linda, bye,bye. Talk manana!

My peeps from Saturday and Sunday.

2009-08-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight, following the meeting where Paula took her cake.
Happy Birthday Paula.
Cynthia, Connie and Paula.
The color burst originating upward from the distant San Jacinto mountains, just before the sun came up while on the Bump & Grind with Connie this morning.

Last night we all (Me, Ray, Connie, Paula, Cynthia and Dusty) went to see the Bill and Bob play in LaQuinta.
Cynthia, Paula and Connie.

Dusty and Cynthia.

New photos from Karen from our day in Big Bear.

2009-08-02T14:44:00.001-07:00

Quincy and Karen
Karen, Sandi, Quincy and Linda
Quincy and Linda

Susan is back.

2009-08-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

She's back!
Another poem.
By Susan Alvarez
copyright 2009

I give Susan a subject and she just delivers.

"What a difference a day makes."

Days they come and days they go
some seem fast and some seem slow
I spend my time just being here
I don't engage in thoughts unclear

There are those times when I can't bear
my life unraveled and unaware
It's then I reach inside myself
and take that girl down from the shelf

She's kind and easy and looks just like me
I ask what she wants, she just wants to be free
To live her life without regrets
With lots of love and plenty of zest

Inside my soul resides my self
it's time I took me off the shelf
I wish to listen to my stillness of heart
It is the only place that I can start

I have a wish to write and give
It's time to smile, to wake and live
I no longer sit upon my hands
I've reached the mirror, I have a plan

To those I love who love me back
I say one thing hold on to your ass
This girls awake, this woman alive
One things for sure I can survive

What a difference a day makes..

And now here is my attempt at being creative - A section of bark on a eucalyptus tree by Linda. I'm trying to see triangles for my 4th online photo class.

A day in Big Bear at a Convention.

2009-08-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

Quincy and Linda

Quincy was the Saturday, 9am speaker. She gave a fantastic planned program of recovery talk; she carries a great message of hope.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Couple more weeks and we'll be in Mammoth again!

2009-07-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

View on trail above Lake Mary looking down on the Wood's Lodge cabins (9600') where we'll be staying.

View on trail looking above Heart Lake.

Nearby Lake Maime.

Aaaaahh. Can't wait. Are you envious?

Morning hour long walk with Gina and Ray this morning.

2009-07-31T00:53:00.001-07:00

We walked right out our front door and walked the Arnold Palmer course around 9:15am this morning. It was free of golfers as the course has been closed for maintenance.

Shots of our early morning Bump and Grind hikes.

2009-07-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning: Linda, Mary Kay and Connie

Wednesday morning shots of Connie.

Connie almost at the top of the Bump and Grind hike.

Later today, Gina and Linda getting manicures and pedicures and feeling mighty feminine.

A mini slumber party.

2009-07-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

Connie and Paula are getting ready for bed. We leave for the San Fernando Valley tomorrow at 5:30am. My sponse, Debbie, is speaking at an all day Three Legacy Workshop.

All work and no bird watching makes for an unhappy Linda.

2009-07-24T23:24:00.001-07:00

We have lots of bird watching distractions from 2 days of having organized about 46,000 photos and over 2,000 file folders. Without the birds, I might have gone crazy. I'm so relieved to finally have all my photos and folders organized. Thank you Prodeal. Please no more crashes for a couple of years!

Tomorrow we import all the photos into Adobe Lightroom 2.4! Then we'll set up regular backing up.

Two weeks ago I was getting my clothes and closet organized. I certainly like knowing what I have and where it is. Woo hoo.

400 blog entries since my first blog Wednesday, September 26, 2007.

2009-07-23T22:47:00.000-07:00

Well, the 400 blog entries don't work out to be a photo a day but I am impressed I have been as committed to blogging as I have been.

Ray is away in Santa Barbara for the weekend. He left me a loving surprise card in the coffee cupboard. Thanks Babe. I recently bought an internet card which I gave Ray to use with his computer while he's away.

Our home is inundated with crickets. They are crawling everywhere even though we have a pest control man come once a month to spray inside and out.

Prodeal and I were at the computer from around 10am until 8:30pm. As usual, there were glitches which kept us in a stall pattern for a while. The In and Out burger and fries took away the frustration though.

Here's Prodeal. He is a backpacking friend who, like Cupcake, has many of the same interests as I do which makes working on my folders and photos fun. Hopefully tomorrow we will make a bit more progress on making sense of a year's worth of chaos.

Beat the heat at 5am!

2009-07-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

Connie got me up and back out there exercising on the bump & grind hill.
I exercized!
We did it.
We committed to doing the bump & grind Tuesday mornings.
Tried taking a handheld photo here but the light was too low.

Used the fill in flash here as evidenced by the reflection of the flash on Connie's perspiration.

Lens practice.

2009-07-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

Walking around for a half hour today, hand holding the new 70 - 200mm 2.8 lens, I shot from our dining room out the window. Was hoping for better, but liked the concept.

Good night. Up at 3:45 for a 5am beat the heat hike.

When I stop something one time, I stop. I've got to get back to daily exercising. Since I canceled my backpack, I have only exercised one day. That's over a month ago. Pathetic.

Noisey little bugger.

2009-07-19T22:05:00.000-07:00

This was what was making noise outside my window. I couldn't figure out if the noise I heard was coming from inside or outside. I could hear the noise and Ray couldn't. I finally got up from my computer and walked outside. I was barefoot and walking on the concrete right by Mrs. Black Widow's nasty web.

I looked for something big like a rat or some other rodent that might be trying to scratch his way into our home from the outside. I couldn't see any unusual forms in the little light falling on the concrete just outside my office. But while still looking I heard the muffled clawing-like sound again. I looked closer and couldn't believe my find. Thinking, yes, this will be my blog photo, I went back inside for my camera. I'd been wondering what photo I was going to post tonight as I hadn't picked up my camera all day today. I started shooting this 4 inch long flying insect doing what I don't know, but frantically doing it. My presence didn't seem to bother him much, nor did the full force flash on the Canon Powershot A650.

Damn, why didn't I find this insect last week when I could have used this shot for the "Blue" assignment.

A day devoted to learning.

2009-07-18T22:50:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic day I had doing just what I wanted to do. I spent a large portion of the day reading, and practicing what I was reading, in Scott Kelby's The Adobe Photoshop CS4 book for digital photographers. This is the first time I shot raw photos and worked them in Adobe Camera Raw. Actually, that isn't true. I just learned that using Adobe Lightroom 2.4 in the Develop mode is a Camera Raw program.

I practiced on the photo below.

hmmmm. Our 3rd photo class assignment is "Curves". I wonder if this photo qualifies? Ninety percent of the photo should be curves so I doubt it.

Photos on the drive home last night.

2009-07-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

Connie in the back of Ray's car, making a call and leaving me a message on my home phone, while I'm in the front seat. Connie made a commitment to call in every day for 30 days and she wanted credit for the call yesterday. If you can't tell, we laughed a lot on the 3 hour drive back home from our meeting in Sherman Oaks.

On the drive home last night we had to slow to a crawl two different times for roadwork on the I-10 freeway. It was getting late - 11pm - and I got antsy. Out came the camera.

Ray teaching me the golf swing plane.

2009-07-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

Just as I was walking over to El Rancho, Ray called me over to the blackboard he'd just moved out of our meeting room and said, "Come here. I'll show you on this circle where the golf club face is supposed to go and where your club path goes."

I've always wanted a resident Pro and now I have one.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Half of me.

2009-07-15T23:29:00.001-07:00

The following is an excerpt from Scott Kelby’s Wednesday Guest Blogger featuring David J. Nightingale (aka Chromasa)!

“In early 2004, when I’d been blogging for a little over six months, and posting a handful of images each month, I came across Sam Javanrouh’s blog: Daily Dose of Imagery. One of the things that impressed me the most about Sam’s blog, other than the consistently high quality of his work, was that he was posting a new image each day, and I can clearly remember thinking two things. First, what a great idea, and second, it can’t be that hard to post 365 shots a year, can it? Well, for the remainder of 2004, 2005, and most of 2006, I attempted to do the same, and discovered that it was harder than I could possibly have imagined.

Now, if I’d had nothing else to do – like eating, sleeping, working as a full-time lecturer in a UK university, helping to bring up my young family, and everything else that goes along with being a human being – it would have been a piece of cake… Surely almost anyone can take one reasonable shot every 24 hours? But, in and amongst everything else, there were many days when I really didn’t have anything even halfway decent to blog, nor any time to shoot any new material. On those days I would sit at my computer and decide which was the least useless shot from a fairly bad bunch, drag it into Photoshop, and attempt to turn it into something more interesting.”

Because I haven’t gone out to shoot in the last two days, I didn’t have a photo for my blog. I went looking at my old photos for a photo I could maybe clean up and post. I found NOTHING I liked even remotely. None of the zillions of photos I have is worth saving. I even took a peek at some of last year’s photo class and workshop photos. Nada. I can’t even stand to look at my stuff.

This is a wakeup call. I need to pick up my camera and stop reading about photography and start shooting. I also need to start shooting in the EARLY morning light (which means I need to get up earlier than I’ve wanted to get up.)

Well, today, after 10am when the light isn’t so great outside, I picked up my camera fitted with the 50mm 1.8 lens. I got my diffuser out of the closet, stood by a window in the dining room that had some good light coming in through the glass doors, and shot half of my face. Why half of my face? Because my second photo assignment is “Halves”.

Here is the photo I shot.

I just need to be patient with myself, stop comparing my photos to the great photographers’ work, and just schedule in time with my camera.
While reading David duChemin’s new photography book titled, “Within the Frame”, I came across this sentence on page 156, “One of the most helpful parts of my process is an AAR, or After-Action Review. It consists of spending time at the end of the day, usually while looking at the day’s selects, and asking myself what went well, what did not go well, and what I shot today that I could shoot better tomorrow……………………Don’t let the knowledge you gained on today’s shoot go to waste if you can redeem it tomorrow for the images you really wanted.”

Interesting, this concept of AAR can be applied to life too. I even gave someone feedback who was asking for help to do the same thing by looking at the top of p. 86 in the B. B. “When evening comes……………”

I should listen to my own advice.

This quote below was also in David's Wednesday Guest Blogger post on Scott Kelby's blog.
"For me, though he was a psychologist rather than a photographer, Jean Piaget summed this up quite nicely when he said "What we see changes what we know. What we know changes what we see".

2nd and 3rd day of shooting Black Widows.

2009-07-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

It's the season, we have crickets galore and the Black Widows know it. Where they are crickets there are Black Widows.

Three days in a row now I have shot photos of Black Widows. The first night I shot a photo was when I pulled in the my garage after the Baby Meeting last Tuesday night and saw a huge BW in it's web just outside the garage. Then Our local newspaper, the Desert Sun, came out with a front section photo and article on Black Widows the day after I shot my first Black Widow. My competitive juices started flowing and now I am trying to see what kind of interesting shots I can capture of these Black Widows. The spiders aren't quite so skittish anymore. I guess they're getting used to me.

We have another two Black Widows living near the front gate too. They've been living there for a couple of years now. They live inside the drainage pipe that runs down the side of the condo during the heat of the day.

Saturday morning Ray found this BW, just outside our back door. It was in a ball, not moving and looking either very sick or dead. Looking dead that is until I used the pointed long end of a leaf to touch the spider trying to see if she'd move. I noticed some movement, but not much. I really thought she was dying.

Photo taken with a Canon 40D, 100mm 2.8 macro lens, hand held in early morning shade.

This morning Ray went out the back door again (to fill the bird bath with water (water evaporates daily in these 114 degree days). He came back in letting me know my spider was back and moving about in his web. I thought this can't be the same spider. The spider I saw yesterday was barely moving as it lay in a ball on the concrete. But Ray thinks it is the same spider. It was in the exact same area but I don't know if they are one and the same.
Photo taken with my small Canon Powershot A650, zoomed in only a tiny bit, set to manual macro, and shot in early morning shade.

My photo critique.

2009-07-12T07:46:00.001-07:00

These are the photos from the first of six assignments. This assignment is "Blue".
Carol Leigh is my teacher. Unfortunately she will no longer be offering these online photo classes I've been taking since January 2008.

Carol will be offering workshops and teaching where she no longer has to sit long hours at the computer typing. Check out her daily blog where you'll also find her other web sites.

CRITIQUE: Linda Jeffers
BLUE

1 BIG BLUE TRUCK

The first impression I get from your
picture, Linda, is ZOOM! Why? Because
of all the diagonal lines you've got going
on. The white line on the highway, the
angle of the truck, and the electric lines
above the truck combine to create a
strong feeling of movement. In addition,
your truck is big, and it begins close to us
there on the right and then diagonates
boldly inward, giving your picture depth
as well as movement.
Just as an aside, for future reference:
Look at how the diagonal line of the truck creates three (three!)
triangles. You've got a triangle in the sky, a triangle in the shape
of the truck, and a third triangle in the road lower left. We've
got a lesson coming up in triangles and once again you're ahead
of the pack!
I like your blue colors — the darker blue of the truck and the
blue of the sky. More than two-thirds of your photo consists of
blue. What makes the blue look even better are the little bits of
red along the length of the truck as well as at the back end. Blue and red are primary colors and
work very well together to create impact and boldness.
You chopped off part of the back end of the truck. Usually I point that out as being a
compositional no-no, but in this case it works. Instead of us wondering what's become of part of
the truck, wondering why it's been amputated, the gist of your photo is "forward movement,"
and so we get the feeling of the truck entering the frame. We also get a feeling of movement.
Those two concepts make us feel more comfortable with having part of the truck lopped off —
it hasn't finished entering the frame. We don't necessarily expect to see all of it.
There's a certain softness and glow to this picture that I'm not sure works. I sometimes will use
the Orton Effect in Photoshop to tweak a picture. That involves applying a heavy Gaussian Blur
to a duplicate layer in Photoshop and then choosing a
blending mode of Overlay or Soft Light. I tend to use the
effect for photos that have a feeling of nostalgia to them or
on flowers or sometimes on nighttime scenes. I use it to
create a sort of ethereal blur or glow. I wouldn't think of
using it on a truck. Why? Because trucks are hard, gritty,
tough, dirty, metal, MANLY things! That's why we see so
many subjects like this done in HDR — high dynamic range
— that emphasizes dirt and texture.
I'm rambling. What's my point? I'm thinking that if you added a glow or something similar to
this shot, maybe it wasn't quite appropriate. And if you did NOT do anything to this shot in
post-processing, then what the heck do I know! Disregard everything I just said!
Bottom line? This is a strong, bold image that conveys the color blue and the concept of motion
very well.

2 BLUE PENETRATION

You indicated that your husband named this picture. Ahem.
Well. The first thing I'd do is rotate the image 90 degrees to
the left. Look at what you have now! Instead of a mildly
pornographic image, we've got a southwestern, Monument
Valley-ish mildly pornographic image!
What I like about your shot is the combination of dusty
terracotta colors and dusty blue and grey colors. There's a
definite southwestern feel to it. And then when you add the
strong vertical element and the shadows and the mesa-like
shape behind it, to me the composition screams to be a
horizontal rather than a vertical. But why?
I believe our brains are programmed to try to make sense
of what we're seeing. We look at your strong vertical
segments in the photo and wonder what this is. The picture
is so abstract that we're confused. And so our (my)
inclination is to wonder if maybe it's hung on
the wall wrong! Maybe this is a landscape. I
mentally tweak it, then physically tweak it,
and aha! There we are.
Your composition, whether vertical or
horizontal, is strong in that there are welldefined
shapes and colors and look at where
you placed the focal point — perfectly in line

with the Rule of Thirds, which encourages us to
put the center of interest NOT in the center but
rather up or down or right or left as you can see
here.
I like your shot a lot. It might be too spare and
sparse and plain for some people, but I'm drawn to
it -- definitely more as a horizontal, however, than
as a vertical. As a horizontal it all makes sense to
me. As a vertical, well, go discuss it with your
husband!

3 PLANET BLUE

Hmmmmm . . . It's quite coincidental that you
would take this shot because I'm putting together
a lesson for my photomotivation series called
"Art From Art" and was trying to create a little
piece of art from an overall mural on Thursday. I
wasn't successful. You did better with this
picture than I did with my mural.
I really like this color combination of blues and
oranges (which are complementary colors) as
well as the texture. What's not working for me is
that I'm not seeing a focal point, a particular spot
of interest, something to tell me what I'm supposed to be seeing first.
So okay, there's no focal point. Sometimes we don't need one. In which case, we need some
strong lines or some strong shapes to lead our eye around. And I'm not seeing them here.
If you were to tell me this is a shot of a galaxy in outer space, I'd be impressed because those
shots are hard to take and who would imagine a galaxy could look like this? You could get
away with not having a focal point nor a strong design. But as a photograph or a painting, I
think a center of interest or some direction is necessary for the image to be interesting, to hold
our attention for an extended amount of time.
Overall? You did a good job. You were out there looking for blue, exercising your vision, using
your camera, practicing, practicing, practicing. That's what this is all about. Some photos will
work, some won't. And it will be this way the rest of your photographic life. Will you ever
arrive? Nope. In the words of Gertrude Stein (in reference to Oakland, California), "There's no
there, there." It’s just one long destination-less journey.
Carol Leigh
July 11, 2009

My buddy, LR.

2009-07-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

My buddy Lamont and his family. L>R Travis, Rhonda (Lamont's wife who looks so young and cute she could be taken for one of Lamont's kids),
Lamont (ie LR), and Keagan.

Photo by unknown photographer

Sometimes you meet someone and wonder how you ever existed without them. For me that person is Lamont or I as I call him, LR.

Lamont and I met on September 6, 1997, in Sacramento, in the restaurant of a hotel where he and I and 8 other backpackers met up with 2 instructors to go on an 8 day High Sierra Wilderness Outward Bound trip the next day.

Since that first meeting, when I joined LR while he finished dinner that night in the hotel, I knew we had a special bond and connection. We stayed in contact following our Outward trip and have become the best of friends. Not only is he a wonderful friend, he is my ROCK. My life has changed enormously as the result of that fortuitous meeting.

Thank you my friend. Thank you for everything.

I love this photo of you and your family.

Photo for the day.

2009-07-10T22:14:00.000-07:00

The sunset tonight got me out the door with my camera. But this was the shot I took.

I decreased the clarity slider in Adobe Lightroom 2 to create more motion with the water from the sprinklers.

Canon 70 - 200 at 200. 8pm on a tripod with self timer.

Found photo of and for Ralph.

2009-07-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

Ralph, Ray, Johnnie, Jay, and John.

Ralph has been asking me for the photo I took of him at the SFVAA Convention last January. Since then I've had two computer crashes and all my photos are no longer organized.

Today and tonight, while alone, I spent time searching, organizing and trying to make sense of the photo mess I have.

Enjoy Ralph. Sorry, the photo didn't turn out better. I must have been previously shooting in a very low light situation as I obviously forgot to change the ISO back down lower.

(Carol Leigh, don't look at these "Blue Photos") Truck shot while driving the car.

2009-07-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

I'd written an entire blog that disappeared.

So here are just the photos. I have to turn in 3 "Blue" photos for my online photo class. I have no perspective on what is interesting and what is not. So I'm looking for some help from you. Do you my friends like one photo more than the other two?

Shot while driving on the freeway. At least I wasn't filing my nails at the same time!
The windshield of my car was filthy.

Blue Truck

Blue Penetration

Planet Blue

Sleeping Black Widow

2009-07-08T01:12:00.000-07:00

Got back home from the meeting tonight to find Mrs. Spider in her web; probably fast asleep as she did not move when I approached her with my camera from a foot away. I wonder if Black Widows jump?

Anyway, I got a much better photo of her and her trademark red-spot-on-the-belly than I did the other night. (click photo to enlarge)

Uninspired, no time, not enough experience.

2009-07-06T23:10:00.000-07:00

That's how I feel about the intermittent stolen time with my camera today.

I shot more of the blue vase. Didn't like a one.

While driving my car inside the garage, I spotted a black widow just outside the garage on a wall. I ran inside for my camera and began taking some photos of the spider. She was big. Mrs. Spider didn't like the flash much. I was sitting on the ground hoping to get a picture of the red spot, when I felt something on my leg. I thought that something was Mrs Spider, or a relative spider. I got right up and figured that was enough shooting.

Soooo, no photos today. Well, I'll post proof I used the camera today.

Thursday after 10am is mine to go play with the camera and various lens.

How to Shoot Fireworks

2009-07-05T22:28:00.001-07:00

I did not go out to shoot fireworks yesterday. I wanted to, but when 9pm came around it seemed too late.

However, I'll share with you some great directions (I intended to try) for shooting fireworks posted by Scott Kelby.
How to Shoot Fireworks

Now take a look at these incredible firework photos taken by Laurie Excel: http://www.laurieexcell.com/blog/2009/07/05/its-good-to-be-back-home-again/

I follow both Scott and Laurie's blogs daily. Laurie is someone I would be thrilled to take a workshop with. The two workshops of hers I'm particularly interested in are the storm chasing workshop and the Alaskan bears workshop.

No pictures from me today. I slipped outside just as the sun was setting to shoot more of the blue vase photos. I'm giving up on the vase as a subject.

Hours trying to shoot a "blue" photo for my 1st photo class assignment.

2009-07-04T23:38:00.001-07:00

I had trouble with dust, spots, scratches showing up on the glass of this blue vase I shot. I actually like the composition and color of the photo. I don't know how people shoot closeups without seeing all the dirt, scratches, smudges etc. (If you click on the photo to enlarge it you'll see what I'm talking about.)

I used a 100mm macro which just magnified all these flaws. I also had trouble getting the vase in focus while having the back ground pillow fabric out of focus. I wanted to get in close to my subject so using the 50mm lens was out of the question as the closest I can shoot with it is 1.5 feet.

I won't be submitting this photo for the blue lesson. It will go the way of the other 50 shots I took today......into the trash. I didn't get a photo I like, however I did get to learn more about what I don't want to do, what doesn't work.

So, like posting my high golf scores, I'll be posting my photo rejects. And, the keepers of course.

Practice, practice, practice seems to be the mantra in all areas of my life these days.

Today's golf score.

2009-07-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

103

Today's golfing couples having lunch after our hot (temperature was the same as my golf score) game.

Hit some great shots, inbetween a couple of quadruples.
Three putted often.

Ray shot a 74!!!!!!!!!!!

First golf game with other golfers tomorrow.

2009-07-02T23:38:00.001-07:00

Ray and I tee off tomorrow at 8:15am. Wish me a good attitude and a few good shots.

We got home tonight from the Book Study in LA at 11:10pm.

Tomorrow morning I want to hit some balls at the driving range at 7am......which means I will have to get up at 5am.......that's 5 hours and 20 minutes from right now.

No blog tonight.

Gottago

A balmy night in the pool.

2009-07-01T22:27:00.001-07:00

Katya arrived last night around 11pm. It was balmy outside when I drove to the front gate to let Katya in. I was tired, but the pool was beckoning me. Katya brought her overnight bag in the house and we walked right back out to the pool. I brought my camera out hoping to get a blog photo for last night's entry. But we had too much fun, taking photos, playing in the water (I taught Katya how to squirt water from hands clasped underwater) and chatting. After the pool, after posting to Facebook, after taking my pills, writing out my food for the day to send to Xochitl, I was too tired to blog. It was 1am and I had someone coming at 8:30 to do step work.

Katya worked for me today. The job? To clean out my clothes in 3 closets, organize the remaining clothes into summer and winter clothes, and make notes of what I need to buy to make more outfits with the remaining clothes.

Around 2pm, after all the closets and clothes had been worked on we went out to buy shoes. 10 pairs of shoes, plus one purse, in one hour! Katya is fast and good. I never feel comfortable in shoes. I never wear high heels. Yet today I came home with heels and comfortable shoes.

Katya is one hell of a great personal shopper and wardrobe organizer. This is the second time she has helped me with my clothes and the second time she has succeeded in making me a very happy person (not always easy to do).

I'm sure LR won't mind my spending the money I did today. Right LR?

Canon 70-200mm 2.8 lens practice photos plus Canon Powershot A650 shots while playing golf.

2009-06-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

I recently splurged and bought an expensive Canon lens....the Canon 70-200mm 2.8 L series lens. It's soooooo heavy. Two days ago I took this lens outside my backdoor and shot some of the shots below, hand holding this almost 4 pound lens (fitted with a Really Right Stuff L84 tripod bracket for collared lens attached.)

All of the photos came out "soft" - not in crisp focus. Bummer. I intended to post the photos anyway, but couldn't. I was embarrassed. Here I spent all this money and couldn't even shoot a decent in-focus hand held shot in good light.

After a little thought, I decided, I am going to post these photos for the reasons listed:

First reason - so hopefully, some day I'll look back and say, "Wow, have you improved Linda."
Second reason- to help keep me accountable to practicing. I don't like looking bad in front of people, so I'll be posting practice photos to keep me on track with this out-there-for-all-to-see stated commitment.
Third reason - I need to get over expecting to get better without putting in the time and effort. I posted a great blog entry in Facebook today by a woman blogger I so identify with. Her blog was titled: "Work First, Tools later." My pattern is to buy the gear and believe by having the gear, I'll get better. Silly, I know.
Fourth reason - To be an example to my ladies that I only ask of them, what I ask of myself.

Yesterday, after a frustrating round of golf, with many good shots, but lots of triples and a quadruple or two, I mentioned to Ray that maybe I should start posting my golf scores in this blog. "Why, he asked?" And before I answered, he said, "Yeah, you should." He knows I try much harder and do better when I am accountable to people. Sooooo, I shot a 99 yesterday. Ouch!. More golf scores to follow in this blog as I play.

Ok, here is a photo I shot with the Canon 70 - 200 2.8, around 6pm. I had a lens hood on and was shooting almost in the direction of the lowered sun. What caught my eye, was the silhouette of the sunbathing bird in the reflected light on the water.

This egret flew as Ray hit his shot while playing on the Pete Dye course. Photo is shot with my small Canon Powershot A650, zoomed in some. As the bird flew off, I quickly tried to capture it by panning, following the bird with my camera. Obviously the shutter speed was too fast and didn't blur the background, just my cute little bird.

Shot outside our back door with the large Canon 70 - 200 lens. I tried moving closer but I could tell the bird's comfort level was decreasing with my approaching presence.

Canon 70 - 200 lens

Shot with my small Canon Powershot A650. Looked a lot better when I was actually seeing the reflection as we left the green.

Slowing down to enjoy my gifted life.

2009-06-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

I started this blog entry last Thursday, but forgot to finish it. (A friend emailed me asking if I was OK, as I hadn’t written a blog in the last 5 days.) My confession……………I joined FACEBOOK and have been so addicted to it; I neglected my blog (which doesn’t make me, or probably you, happy.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Since having recently canceled my month long July backpack, I know I made the right decision. Backpacking isn't doing it for me. Not to mention that backpacking is getter harder and harder for me every year. I have also resented not having enough free time for photography (and now golf that I am playing again.). Now I have the time. I am excited again.

Fortunately I have been gifted with this freedom that I am enough….meaning, I am not defined by the oohs and aws anymore that I'd get when I mentioned that I long distance backpacked. I don't have to prove my worth to anyone anymore. All I want to do is do what "I" want to do...And, finally I'm learning what I like, what brings me joy, what is fun. Cupcake once wrote in his CDT backpacking trail journal, "Where is the fun in the day?" I really want to slow down to find and enjoy the fun in my days. Only I stop me. I’ve always been graced with a life I could live anyway I wanted. I think I’m finally ready to retire, just like my husband did 3.5 years ago. Yeah, I too deserve to retire from my own self imposed, quilt driven, work ethic (to prove to you all that even if I don’t have a job, I work). Ray used to comment on my life by saying, "Linda, it doesn't have to be hard to be fun." I have raced through my life trying to be enough.

Even my photos record visually how I race through life. Below is an email I saved from my photo teacher, written after we'd worked together over a year or more. The email reflects her initial perception of me, before she knew me, after initially having viewed my Gottago's Adventure website photos before we started our relationship as teacher/student. So here is the email my teacher wrote after she'd had me in a number of her classes.

"You know what's interesting, Linda, is that when you signed up for

your very first online class and you gave me your website address, I

could tell IMMEDIATELY from your pictures that you needed to slow

down, to take a deep breath and think before clicking the shutter.

Knowing that when I did, so early in the game, I feel I've been remiss

in not pointing it out to you often enough throughout the online

classes and in the two in-the-field workshops you've taken. Better

late than never, I guess, but yeah, I can remember the "this woman

needs to slow down" flash going through my brain from the very beginning.

This doesn't just apply to you, however. We ALL need to slow down and

think before we shoot. Why are we taking this shot? What do we like

about the scene? What's the light doing? Are there weird things in the

background? Are there ugly hot spots that will ruin the picture?

Where's the movement in this scene? Am I including too much? Not

enough? Would this be better as a vertical? What's my ISO? Is my

exposure compensation dial accidentally still set to 3 stops

underexposed from the last shot? And much, much, more . . . Sometimes

I'm amazed we ever get around to clicking the shutter!"

I need help in slowing down. It’s NOT easy for me. I just signed up for another online photography class with Carol Leigh. Hopefully this class with keep me accountable with taking time and seeing.

American Junior Golf Players at Mission Hills CC.

2009-06-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ray volunteers each year at this AJG tournament. His job is the timer at the 16th hole of the Dinah Shore course.

Following the golf, we attended the dinner at the Club where the volunteers, MHCC members, AJG officials, the young golfers and their parents all gather. After dinner the junior golfers all go outside for their traditional water balloon fight. I missed it. Damn. But I did go outside and take some of these photos of the kids.

This photo was taken while everyone was in the buffett dinner line. These young players were very busy behind us on their cell phones playing some game that had them all giggling. Of course I was curious and after a bit asked if I could take their photo.

L>R Michelle Yang - shot a 74 , Demi Frances Runas - shot a 77, Rochelle Chan - shot a 77,
and Alison Lee shot a 74.

Michael Weaver, on the far left, was low scorer with a 65!

They are all looking left because another water fight had just occured.

I overheard these young girls excited about some text message that had just come through on one of their phones. The girl in the pink shirt is holding up the phone from the other girl.

And more phone related goings on. Almost every girl had a phone in their hands. I asked if they take photos of each other while they are playing and email them to their blogs. They said, "Yes."

We had fun.

Working on my golf swing.

2009-06-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

This musician ( http://www.youtube.com/user/carlosian2 ) composed this video for his daughter because she loves Taylor Swift.

Golf and photo taking after dinner last night.

2009-06-20T12:38:00.001-07:00

How I love these late night holes of golf on the Arnold Palmer course. We play without another golfer in view. I like the freedom to hit another ball so I can focus on practicing the swing changes I'm working on with Ray's help. Mike, who teaches Ray and I, is out of town. I am finally getting a sense of where I'm going wrong with the basically flawed swing concepts that are well ingrained in my muscle memory do to many previous years of swinging incorrectly.

Concepts/beliefs are funny things. A teacher tells me to drive with my legs......I do but then spin out because my legs and hips are open and ahead of my upper body and arms....I hit from the top throwing my arms out away from myself because I feel blocked. Another teacher tells me to stay behind the ball.......I try this but now I rarely get to my left side anymore, and again feel blocked. I'm not saying it is the teacher's fault, I'm saying my mind hears what it wants and believes I'm doing what I'm told. Geesh. I try hard, but if I can't see that I'm not doing what someone wants then I'm reinforcing lots of bad moves at the ball unknowingly.

Ray has been great at trying to get me to see I'm not getting the club up in the correct plane on the back swing and, that in the down swing, I am still hitting from the top, not letting the club fall on its own, close in right by my right hip. I have so much trouble giving up control that my hands death grip the club. Somewhere in this flawed thinking, I believe hand and arm strength will make the club swing properly. No wonder I have knots on top of both shoulders and a stiff neck. Trusting is hard. The day I give up fighting physics is the day I know I'll shoot in the 80's again.

Good news is I am finally able to feel where I'm going wrong. Bad news is making the right moves after years of doing the wrong things in the swing takes time and PATIENCE.

I brought my Canon D40 fitted with the 50mm 1.4 lens. Once the sky started changing color I had trouble deciding which I wanted to do more.....hit the ball or click the shutter. I see it's difficult with the wider open apertures and shallow depth of field to get a close up silhouette, like Ray, in focus. If I use a smaller aperture, I can't hand hold the camera for an in focus shot. Hmmmmm. I need to experiment and learn more about this lens.

A quick shadow shot of myself in the golf cart. I wish I'd taken more time and included the golf clubs on the back of the cart and had more separation in my leg on the dash and the steering wheel.

The evening sprinklers came on or we'd kept playing until pitch dark.
I'm thrilled to be so excited about something again.

Discipline, Structure, and Commitment = Consistency.

2009-06-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

I have avoided structure, discipline and commitment most of my life. I feared it. Hated it. And did what I wanted, when I wanted and how I wanted.

In the last twenty years I have made friends with structure, discipline and commitment beginning December 22, 1995 when I became accountable to a woman who is my sponsor. Evidence of consistency by being accountable to another person is all around me. I just don't always pay attention to it.

Today I noticed I've posted 366 entries in this blog. I looked back and found my first post - September 26, 2007. Not bad. Yes, I intended to post every day, but I'm thrilled that I posted rather consistently over the last 1 year, 8 months and 18 days.

This awareness of how consistent I've been with my blog started me thinking about where else I've been consistent.

Here is a beginning list off the top of my head: (As I become aware of other areas of consistency, I'll add them here.)

I have not had any alcohol since August 28, 1987.
I have been married to Ray since May 31st, 1990.
I met my friend and financial adviser LR and we've have had a life changing relationship since September 5, 1997. So not only did I gain a great friend, I have been financially responsible.
I have daily committed what I eat to a friend and have not had any sugar or white flour since December 4, 2008.....that's 199 DAYS!!!!!!!!!

Any help on where you might see my consistency in action is welcome.

Some photos taken the last few days......

I'm putting on the 12th hold of the Palmer Course here at Mission Hills CC around 6pm. My favorite time to play....no one is on the course and the light is incredible.

View of Mt. San Jacinto while playing golf on the Pete Dye course another day last week.

Ray was speaking at a meeting last Saturday night and we'd arrived early. While driving around the neighborhood we noticed these coyotes crossing the street.

Photos over the course (no pun intended!) of the past week.

2009-06-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

A few remaining photos from Woman to Woman last weekend...

Gina on our 6am hike up the fire road 6/7.

Quincy and me just before leaving Woman to Woman.

Can't go to Pebble Beach and not take a photo in front of the pro shop. My clubs are on the left and Ray's on the right. I'm becoming addicted to golf again. It's only been 23 years since the last time I was a golf addict.

Ray with his driver.

Our caddy, Roy, took this photo of me and Ray just after teeing off on the 18th hole.

Our, way too expensive, room at the Pebble Beach Lodge overlooked the 18th green. At night, looking out our window, we were surprised to see the pretty little cyprus tree and 18th green lit by in-the-ground lighting to produce a special look.

Playing with my new lens. Ray is a much more willing subject when I point the camera at him lately.

Ray using my 50 mm 1.4 lens.

We stopped to see the elephant seals further south on Hwy 1.

These huge seals are fun to watch. I especially like seeing them during the birthing season, December to March.

Home from the W2W weekend.

2009-06-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from a wonderful weekend at Woman To Woman in Brentwood. There were about 25 or more of our family lineage of friends who attended this workshop weekend. We laughed. We were silly. We shared. We ate. I hiked with Tina Saturday morning and Gina Sunday morning. I must say I think this was my favorite year of all the 17 or so years I've been attending the all women weekend workshop. Why was it the best year? Probably because I was in the now, I was ok with me, I was ok with everyone else, I didn't feel the need to do anything but what I wanted to do. In essence, I was not in care taking mode. I was there for myself. I even took a nap.....wait....no, the nap took me. I passed out once my head hit the pillow around 2pm.....until Sandi came in my room to enter her room through our shared bathroom because she had locked her room door.

I enjoyed all the women I know and love who attended this year. I watched them all, young and older (20's to 70's!), have a good time with each other. Age wasn't a factor in who spent time with whom. I was a happy mom. A proud mom. Not to brag, but I have the best family of friends and on down the family lineage ever. Sorry if this reference to family and family lineage doesn't make sense to some of you reading my blog. I am trying to not reveal too much about how we all know each other. Anonymity you know.

So I bought a new Canon Lens. I took the photos below with this lens. I am not familiar with how to use the lens and not real clear what it does. I'm just shooting away trying to become familiar with it. I wish Carol Leigh lived closer. I do much better when someone is explaining things to me or I watch what they are doing.

Anyway, whether the photos are good or not, aren't these ladies the most BEAUTIFUL ladies ever! Antonia wins the contest of easiest to photograph. She loves the camera and is completely comfortable having her photo taken. In the future, when I hopefully someday study studio lighting, I'd love to practice shooting her. I like photographing people.

Milly
Angie, Quincy, Sarah
Paula, Katya, Alima, Tina, Linda
Katya, Paula
Jaime, Katya, Antonia, Gina, Paula
Jaime, Antonia, Gina
Antonia, Gina
Debbie
Karen
Annette, Milly
p.s. I'm off again tomorrow morning with Ray. We're going to Pebble Beach. Next Thursday we return home after having attended our Thursday night meeting - JTBP.

View west from W2W.

2009-06-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Having Fun.

2009-06-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

Antonia, Jaime, Gina, Katya and Paula.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tina at W2W

2009-06-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Off to Woman 2 Woman

2009-06-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

In an hour I leave for a weekend workshop with lots of my friends.

At 9:30 this morning I had a golf lesson with Mike, a golf pro who teaches the
PROS! He says that I will be able to play golf and not hurt my back. I was hitting balls like never before. Now I need to make notes of all he taught me so I don't forget. I'm so happy.

Then my friend, who lives out of state, back east, is male etc., etc., (I was told not to mention his name) sent me some notes he made following a conversation we'd had yesterday on the topic of fear.
"1.In fear there are no rewards nor punishment simply consequences…in overcoming fears there are simply rewards.
2. Fear is indifferent, it does not care about being good or bad, fair or unfair, it is not personal…it just hates to be banished as demonstrated by its capability of "hanging around" or "changing shape".
3. Fear is habitual and can be taught, yet is unpleasant to be around if never learned.
4. Fear fends to be sequential, a leads to b leads to c leads to d. But d is never feared first nor can it lead back to a. The tour bus gets you to d as it would seem totally illogical to go there directly. Example of D…. "and then I will be pushing a shopping cart down the street muttering to myself about having no where to live or shower". Could start with A…."oh the market was down today".
5. Fear while seemingly large and powerful can be diminished with smiles, laughter, and conversation with another.

And the main thing about fear is all the pluses are on the other side."

Gottago. I'm late to pick up the ladies.

Susan's poem 6/1/09

2009-06-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

Susan is picking out songs for Rick's Memorial.

I found Susan's latest poem in my in box this morning:

My Beloved
by Susan Alvarez
copyright 2009

He reached out to brush my tears
And held my hand to calm my fears
He pulled me close into his arms
His eyes told me this time he's charmed
His smile was warming and brilliant and shined deep inside
No part of my being from him could I hide
He walked with me slowly to a meadow nearby
We laid in the tall grass, the birds heard our sighs
He opened my heart and I shone like the sun
Spirits united and God's work was done.

A welcome water source - the Whitewater River

2009-06-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Be Hope

May 30th

What was I thinking going out on a backpack to Big Bear when the temperature has been 100 degrees?

What was I thinking carrying a new, lighter weight (this means less frame structure) backpack on a trip when I had no idea how the pack would carry the extra water we needed and how my back would do? Oh, do I miss my McHale pack.

Be Hope and I hiked 18 miles today. We gained 5100 feet and descended 3100 feet. In case it doesn't register that's a hell of a lot of climbing and downhill.

At the Whitewater River (10 miles into hike)I started to feel real hot and extremely weak.

In the next mile, climbing to Tailwinds' favorite ridge, I knew I was sick from heat exhaustion. I just wanted to go to sleep. I've had this condition 2 other times - once with StoneDancer past Warner Springs. After taking two short breaks and not feeling better, I wanted to bail and have Ray pick me up.

Be Hope was great. He thought of all kind of options but first suggested we find shade (hadn't been ANY shade). After a 2.5 hour shade stop, and a nap, and somethoing to eat even though I didn't want to eat, I felt better.

We started hiking at 5:50am when Ray dropped us off at the PCT trailhead at the I-10 underpass. We ended our day at 5:45pm.

The good news:

I was able to keep hiking.

No blisters.

Plenty of water to drink tonight.

I found out what a good, thoughtful, caring partner Be Hope is.

I'm clean from the stream-side Mission Creek bath I had.

Tomorrow is Ray and my 19th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary Baby Cakes.

The bad news:

I have my car keys with me. How is Jason going to wash my car Monday?

One of my Aqua Mira bottles is empty. I am using my partner's Steri Pen to treat my water.

I forgot Advil.

My campsite up Mission Creek. I eventually went in the tent for the night as the mosquitoes came out.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Susan has written another poem even though she just wants to disappear.

2009-05-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

Hope
By Susan Alvarez
copyright 2009

The morning awakens, the shadows give way
Each day a beginning, each day a new day
The sun rises slowly as birds sing and dance
Each day a beginning, each day a new chance
Eyes open slowly and brain does engage
Each day a beginning of new pain and rage
I look all around, hither and yon
Each day a beginning where life could go on
I'm waiting for something to comfort my soul
Today's the beginning of getting me whole

My pack is packed and I'm off tomorrow morning.

2009-05-29T20:34:00.001-07:00

I picked my friend Be Hope up under the I-10 freeway at 4 pm today. He hiked from Anza over the San Jacinto Mountains and on down to the pass at the I-10.

Yesterday I bought a new Osprey EOS backpack. Today it is packed with 3 days' of food. Tomorrow, I'm joining Be Hope as he hikes the 54 miles to Big Bear.

See ya.

Be Hope, having just crossed the 3 miles of desert from Snow Creek, arriving at the I-10 underpass today.

Me trying to get a photo of my new pack without using a flash. Impossible.

11:50pm and home from another Thursday in Sherman Oaks.

2009-05-28T23:50:00.001-07:00

Photo of Ray on our drive home tonight taken with my cell phone.

Thursdays are always long. On Thursdays we drive in to the San Fernando Valley to meet up with our sponsees and attend our Thursday night Just the Black Print meeting.

Most Thursdays we usually drive in to LA around noon and return home 12 hours later. Ray had a dentist appointment with an oral surgeon in Encino at 2:30pm. Today we drove in at 10am. This earlier departure gave me just enough time to stop first at the REI in Rancho Cucamonga to shop for the Osprey EXOS backpack I've been wanting to buy. I tried the backpack on and liked it. I'm not sure there is enough cubic inch capacity for all I normally carry in my McHale backpack. But Ray bought the Osprey for me for as an anniversary present. Our 19th wedding anniversary is May 31st. If I find I can't get all my gear inside, I'll return it. But I'm excited because the difference I'll save in weight between my normal backpack and this new one is 2 pounds. Each year I say I'm going to carry lighter and each year the fear of not having what I think I might need (like way too much food), drives my pack weight up.

I'm anxious to try this pack out and see how it feels. On the way into LA I mentioned that I would like to make up the section of hiking I missed in 2007 from the I-10 to Big Bear (54 miles.) I went on a tour bus with this thinking and now I may join Be Hope and backpack this section to Big Bear with him. I left a message on Be Hope's cell phone today saying I would like to join him for a few days if that is ok. Be Hope is the PCT backpacker I dropped off in Anza a couple of days ago saying I'd pick him up when he reached the I-10 freeway. I had no plans to hike with him, only to assist him with his food resupply.

Anyway, Be Hope called and left a message from the trail tonight saying he was on Fuller Ridge in the San Jacinto Mountains. It appears he might be further along than we anticipated. Maybe he will arrive at the I-10 freeway under-pass Friday night. I'm supposed to meet him Saturday at noon. Now that I have it in my head that I want to join him on his hike I'm hoping he arrives on Friday so we have more time to hike the miles to Big Bear. I have to be off the trail Monday night. Ray said that he'd pick me up. I have to be off the trail on Monday so I'm ready to drive into the Baby Meeting in LA on Tuesday with others.

Like I really need to add one more thing in my day. Aren't tour bus rides fun?

To be continued......

Two, no three, no four highs today.

2009-05-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

First high: I have been on the site Classmates.com for a number of years now, always hoping I will reconnect with some old friends. Yesterday I received an email saying James Duncan had visited and checked out my profile on the Classmates.com site. Could this possibly be the same Jimmy Duncan that was my heartthrob at University High?......The same Jimmy that had the cutest 1957 T- Bird? The same Jimmy whose car long ago would be parked in our family driveway at the end of our late night dates....... the car that made my Dad nervous......the car that made my Dad remain standing looking out his bedroom window, until he saw his daughter get out of the car, heard the house front door slam shut, until he knew his daughter was safely home in her bedroom. Alone.

Great memories, first loves. I hope this is the same Jimmy. I am waiting back to hear. I responded with an email to James Duncan asking him what his first car was, before I open further communication.

James Duncan

School: University High
School
Los Angeles, CA
Class of 1960
Interests:

Second High: I found Laurie Excell's photography website as a link on Scott Kelby's blog. I want to do one of her photography workshops....the workshops where we photograph bears in Alaska or Chase Storm to photograph. I now subscribe to her blog posts and can't believe her life and her photography.

Third High: Again, I found out about this photographer, Eddie Tapp on Scott Kelby's Wednesday Guest Blogger post. Every Wednesday Scott has a guest blogger. I am blown away by Scott's guests' essays and photos. Eddie's blog was another uniquely informative essay.

Fourth High: "My" teacher, Carol Leigh, you know the photographer I have been taking online classes and workshops with the last year and a half, is such an example for me. I follow her photography blog daily and can't believe her commitment to practicing what she teaches, her artistry, the daily commitment to exploring her never ending, unlimited talents. She just keeps practicing seeing and produces the freshest, most uniquely-her-own, work.

Life is good and thanks to all who contribute to motivating me to get more and more out of this good life.

Into self and out of self...in one day!

2009-05-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

On my 6 am walk this morning, I found myself powerless over focusing on my shadow.

At 11:30am I picked up Be Hope at the Palm Springs airport (a current year PCT hiker who was getting back on the trail.) After lunch, after organizing and mailing off a Big Bear resupply box, and buying trail food and having a deli sandwich made (big enough to last for 2 dinners!), I drove Be Hope to the trailhead he had exited from when he had to go home and resume teaching his classes. Be Hope had started the PCT on March 11th. Personal matters will probably call him off the trail again, but hopefully not before reaching Kennedy Meadows.

Be Hope was filled with excitement. His excitement is contagious. I'd only met Be Hope a couple of months ago hiking into Warner Springs. I'd given him my card in case he needed help while on the trail nearby the Palm Springs area. Well, he called when he was ready and knew the date he wanted to get back on the trail. I offered to drive him back to the trailhead near the town of Anza.

He cached water on Hwy 74 and bought and left extra water for hikers where he got back on the trail at the Hiker's Oasis in Anza.

He was going to carry food from Anza to Big Bear. I suggested he let me pick him up at the I-10 frwy to spend the night, shower, clean his clothes and pick up the remaining food for Big Bear he left here once he knew he had me for his own personal trail angel.

Ray met Be Hope and was very impressed with what a nice man he was. I agree.

Happy Hiking Be Hope. You sure do know how to enjoy yourself.

I'm thinking of trying this pack out. Tailwinds used it and loved it. It's the Osprey Exos or something like that. I told Ray I wanted it and he said he'd buy it for me for our 19th wedding anniversary May 31st (Cupcake's birthday!).
There were 369 hiker's names listed so far for 2009.
Hiker's Oasis still has about 5 - 7 2.5 gallon containers of water plus 4 or 5 more gallons Be Hope left.
The smile on Be Hope's face made me smile. This man is happy to be back on the trail.

Be Hope is a trail name. It just dawned on me his trail name came from his real name.....Barney Hope.

Hiking the golf course with my pack.

2009-05-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

I have too many hobbies/interests. I need a lot more hours in the day to maintain balance and moderation in all areas of my life.

Comments on some of my interests and how I'm doing in the area of self care:
-Food/eating has to head the list of interests. If I'm not eating good, I'm not a happy camper. I have been excellent in the area of eating to live, as opposed to living to eat. I've been planning, shopping and making good clean food for Ray and me for 175 days now. No sugar, no white flour, writing down and emailing the 3 daily meals and two snacks to Xochitl every day for the 175 consecutive days and I feel good. I'm afraid if I don't send in my food, I'll go back to my old ways of eating. I've been feeling in balance emotionally as the result of changing my food choices and my relationship with food.
-Exercise. Hmmm. I could always do more. I've been carrying my backpack a couple of times a week hiking about 2 hours. I walk around Mission Hills CC a couple of times a week. Certainly not enough exercise to get me ready for the July 17th backpack I'll be doing. Oh, I'm also doing sit-ups nightly with the hope my stomach muscles will help strengthen my back.
-Photography. Not good here at all. I seem to have put practicing taking photos on hold. But I paid attention yesterday when I blogged that I hadn't picked up a camera lately, so this morning I clicked off the shots below and other shots this morning while climbing up and down the hills on the golf course. The golf club workers, getting the traps and greens ready for the 8am shotgun, were laughing at me climbing up to the tops of a hills, turning around, descending them, only to hike up the same hills again. The goal is to hit all hills on the fairways.
-I subscribe and am monthly automatically deducted for the cost of online access to photo lessons and don't even do the lessons.
-Golf. I've been going out with Ray a couple of times a week around 5pm where he helps me with my golf as we play about 5 - 7 holes. The weather has been really beautiful at that time. We've been lucky to have temperatures under 100 degrees lately.
I'm trying to get my old stiff back ready for our 4 day trip to Pebble Beach where we will use the two rounds of golf given to Ray by his sponsees a year and a half ago. Thank God I made and paid for the expensive golf room for two nights before the market crashed.

I do have a thing with taking photos of my shadow. Pretty place we live in isn't it?

A wonderful guest blog by Vincent Versace on Scott Kelby's blog.

2009-05-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

How well this photographer communicates what I am learning in life and hope to someday learn in my photography (If I ever make time for my photography!).
Here is the link to Vincent's guest blog: http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2009/archives/4757#more-4757

And yet another poem by Susan.

2009-05-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'm Dying
by Susan Alvarez
(copyright 2009)

I’m Dying

Moments of despair that crash like a wave
I can’t tell if I am sane or depraved
Thoughts of you run so deep through my mind
It feels so bad as if God were unkind

How could you leave me here all alone
You promised a life with God and a home
I can’t shake the feeling this is a mistake
Take me dear God just give me a break

The love that I feel it has no where to go
As if my world’s broken and the speed’s set to slow
I’m scared and I’m angry, I’m sad and depressed
I want to stay covered so deep in my bed

Please send me some strength so I can live on
I feel weak and so helpless I wish I were strong
This is a nightmare and I can’t wake up
It’s all an illusion, I guess that I’m stuck

The tears run so freely and stream down my face
I’m lonely and hungry for your sweet embrace
I can’t seem to find you as hard as I look
Where have you gone leaving me on this hook

Just break my heart open like an egg on the floor
Let the pain ooze out oh please let it pour
I think I am loosing my feelings, myself
My world was so full now I feel there’s no wealth

Another poem from Susan.

2009-05-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

I asked Susan to write daily. She asked, "What would you like me to write on?". I responded, "I can't, we can." The following day I received her poem in an email.

I Can't, We Can
by Susan Alvarez
copyright 2009

I can’t stand the silence of my barely beating heart
We could talk about it and find a place to start
I can’t stand the anguish that flows inside my veins
We could stand together and find a way to change
I can’t stand the loneliness that’s here to grab my soul
We could grab each other’s hand, ask God to make us whole
I can’t stand the anger that’s torn into my life
We can walk together and get through any strife
I can’t stand the sadness it will take me away
We won’t let you wander, you cannot go astray
I can’t stand the emptiness it’s hollow like decay
We can fill that empty spot return the night to day
I can’t stand to tell you I’m dying deep inside
We can see the darkness just behind your eyes
I can’t stand to ask you, I need you oh so bad
We can help you through this pain, we’d be very glad

A gift arrived today from my wonderful friend, Tailwinds.

2009-05-21T19:06:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I received a note from Tailwinds letting me know she was sending me a surprise. She wrote that she knows art is a very personal taste and that buying art for someone else is risky. She went on to say that she had no doubt that what she bought me was meant for me.

In the relatively short time Tailwinds and I have been friends we have shared extensively with each other in general conversations and during the 8 one to two hour long phone sessions sharing with each other the intimate self searching work and fantasies we wrote about in the task's section of the Artist's Way. During the 8 weeks of sharing personal thoughts and memories, She and I both probably mentioned at least 5 times that we would really like to live in a mountain cabin, by water.

Tailwinds is friends with the artist H. Lee Dempsey, Jr. While at his home not long ago, pursuing his dream in retirement, she saw him working on his latest ink and watercolor painting below. Tailwinds said that she knew immediately "That's for Gottago". I love this water color. I have never had anyone buy me art before. Everything about this work is me.

#13 HIGH CAMP by H. Lee Dempsey, JR. www.leedempseyart.com

Thank you my very special friend.

Last year's photo of Sandi's husband, Jerry (left), with Harvey.

2009-05-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

Sandi's husband has been in the hospital the last 4 days with another bout of pneumonia. Jerry is disappointed he wasn't able to sell Poppies with Harvey outside Pavilions today. Jerry and Harvey have been selling Poppies 5 days during the Memorial Day weekend at this location twice a year for as long as Ray and I have lived here in the desert.

While marketing, I ran into Harvey seated at the table outside Pavilions today. He's missing his buddy. Hopefully Jerry will get out of the hospital tomorrow and be able to catch a day or two of selling Poppies this Memorial Day Weekend.

Hope you feel better soon Jerry!

By the way, I have started a Twitter on this blog site. Look for it on the right hand side directly above Friends' Blogs. The idea to tweet (is that how you say it?) came to me when Jerry recently went into the hospital, again. I thought this would be a good way to keep friends up to date with current important on how someone is doing that has been sick, etc.

Ray in Chiropractor's office.

2009-05-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

Ray has a pain in his lower back much like the pain he had one year ago that Dr. Dawson cured.
Dr. Dawson says my pain problem is complex. Great.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Paula on 5:30am hike this morning.

2009-05-17T21:49:00.001-07:00

Look at the sweat on Paula's face. That's what caught my attention.
It's hot out there on our local killer hill. We hiked this killer hill called the Bump and Grind yesterday also, but at 6:30am, much too late to hike these days.

When it gets hot here in the desert around this time of the year, people try to be done with any errands by 10am.

Thanks for the two great hikes Paula.

1pm lunch break below Mangas mountain on Day 2, April 29th.

2009-05-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

(These two journal entries and photos from the trail would have been a lot more fun if they'd been sent from the trail. But what the hell, I'm kinda cute aren't I?)

Tailwinds spotted a cell station atop Mangas mountain so yesterday's journal will be sent off along with today's photo of me on our lunch break. Our elevation is 9268 feet. Being at this elevation takes my hunger away. Kinda.

Gotta eat now.

Gottago
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

CDT section hike - April 28, 2009

2009-05-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

I had blogged on my phone from the trail while on a CDT hike a couple of weeks ago but the blog entry wouldn't go through. Now home, I am trouble-shooting why my phone wouldn't send these phone trail blogs. After lots of failed troubleshooting, I just took the battery out of the phone and then put it back in again. I tested sending the blog entry and what do you know!!! - here is what I'd intended to send from the trail.

I will be posting this entry and and maybe one or two more here on my blog as I typed the first few entries on my phone and I don't know how to get the entries off my phone without posting them here. But I intend to post the 5 or 6 trail journal entries on my website under my CDT 2008 Adventure.

Tailwind before we hit the trail inside my jam packed car with all our gear.

Day 1 on the CDT with Tailwinds

Tailwinds graciously offered to backpack the 91 miles from Snow Lake to Pie Town I skipped last year when I was backpacking the state of New Mexico. Once I backpack these miles I will have backpacked all of New Mexico.

Yesterday, all day, was spent dropping off Tailwinds' car at Snow Lake. This was not an easy feat and because it was so time consuming. I hope I remember in the future that I don't want to skip sections on a long backpack again.

We also cached food and water for ourselves. Water is scarce on the trail in NM. Why we cached food rather than carry it for 6 days is simple....because we could.

Tailwinds and I left the Toaster House at 6:40am after having spent the night with Mrs. Gorp, Stumpknocker, Mike and Andy (north bound CDT hikers). Don and Nita, Pie Town residents, keep this second home of theirs for any and all hikers and bikers to stay in while on their adventures. The Toaster house is right on the CDT. Old toasters hang in front ot their home.

Neither Tailwinds and I are trained to do long miles carrying our heavy packs so we were overjoyed that our bodies held up today for the 16.4 miles we hiked. Now at our campsite (by 3:30pm!) we can barely walk without looking like we are terribly injured, but we are proud of the miles we did never-the-less. Our tents went up, dinner prepared even though it was only 4pm, and are now off our poor feet inside our caves for the night. I can tell Tailwind is already asleep. I'll close my eyes once I finish typing this journal entry.

Road walking is hard on the body. That was our trail today, a dirt backcountry road.

The weather was perfect, often overcast and breezy.

A highlight of the day was meeting a thru hiker named John. When I introduced myself by my trail name Gottago, John excitedly told me that my husband had given him a PCT bandana in Wrightwood in 2007. There are only a very few (maybe 30 or 40) CDT hikers who backpack the trail each year compared to the how many hike the AT and the PCT. What a coincidence to have run into John.
It's time for me to crash now.

Gottago

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A poem Susan wrote the other day.

2009-05-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

Susan's life mate, Rick, died of a masssive coronary heart attack a couple of weeks ago. Rick was Susan's love, her rock, her everything. Susan is lost.

Susan is a beautiful writer who doesn't usually write much, until now. The poem you'll read below, written by Susan in about 5 minutes the other day, is a sample of the gift of writing she has been given.

Photo taken: August 17, 2006

HOLD ME
by Susan Alvarez
(copyright 2009)

I wonder where the memories go
If they fade away
Deep within a subconscious tomb
Never to see the light of day?

Your face is growing hazy
My tears not brushed aside
I might be going crazy
Some part of me has died

I’ve never known this feeling
that burns inside my soul
I’ll never be the same
I wonder if I’m whole

I wake to find the morning
has come and leaves me here
In sorrow and in panic
It’s all so very clear

I try to plant my feet
so deep into Your ground
I know You have the answers
You know this pain I’ve found

God send me mighty angels
So I can rest my head
My heart so badly broken
Perhaps it’s me who’s dead

I know I must walk through this
and find the light again
I know your love is mighty
My God, my love, my friend

So keep me close beside you
and walk me through these doors
my empty heart is bleeding
and lying on the floor

I have no arms to hold it
or legs to walk myself
I’d rather be an object
and sit upon a shelf

But alas your love awaits me
and I will reach my soul
I’ll follow every bread crumb
you leave to make me whole

God thank you for your patience
for loving me in spite
of all the wayward journeys
I’ve followed in my life

Please wrap your arms around me
and keep me off that shelf
my world’s still full of wonder
about you if nothing else

Jim is 36!

2009-05-15T11:55:00.001-07:00

L-R Ray, Jim, Jim's brother, Matt, and Perry hidden behind.
Ray and I picked up Perry in Palm Desert and we drove into the San Fernando Valley yesterday. We met Jim and his brother, Matt to drop Perry off with them.
I asked if I could take a photo of everyone right then instead of at the meeting later. Ray has just given Jim Jim's 36 coin.

Matt, Jim, Perry and Ray

Jim and Perry. Perry had just given Jim his birthday card.

Perry and Jim

Gottago playing.

2009-05-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

Five and a half days of dirt washed away in seconds. Aaaah. Cold but wonderful.

I couldn't wait to finish our NM section hike at the exact point where my trail partners, Cookie and Paul, and I missed taking the creek to Snow Lake and hiked up the wrong creek the previous year. Long before I arrived at this spot I knew I'd strip down and get in the water at the confluence of Gilita Creek and the Snow Lake outlet/Gila River. I also knew I was going to ask Tailwinds to photograph me (once I was clean) holding up this year's PCT Class of 2009 bandana.

At the end of each trail day after setting up my tent, I would spend the last half hour of light looking around for some camera playtime. I looked up and noticed my shadow (I can't pass up taking a photo of my shadow) and knew I liked how my shadow looked on this tree.

p.s. Today was the day I could shower and get my sutures wet. Getting clean is such an attitude adjuster on AND off the trail. I'm over feeling sad about my face being cut on and feel hopeful my scar will be barely noticeable in the near future.

Endangered Mexican wolf sighting about 8 miles north of Snow Lake, NM.

2009-05-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

I still haven't had time to go through all the photos I took while on the backpack with Tailwinds two weeks ago. But here are 3 photos from the last morning of our hike. I'm posting some of my last day photos first because seeing a wolf for the first time was the highlight of our 93 mile, 5.5 day backpack from Pie Town to Snow Lake.

Our last day of hiking was a 9 mile section north of Snow Lake. This is where we heard early morning wolf cries, noticed wolf tracks on this two track jeep CDT trail/road, and early after beginning our morning hike, actually saw our very first ever wolf sighting.

This is what the two track CDT trail/road we were backpacking on looked like. For miles and miles in all directions, all we saw were grasslands. We first spotted our wolf on the right side of the road, loping toward and then across the road, heading east/left, from about as far away as the pictured tree. He repeatedly loped on a bit, stopped and stared at us for about 30 seconds and then loped off again. He disappeared out of sight as he loped into a ravine about a 1000 yards or more away. As the wolf entered the ravine, an elk hurriedly ran out of the opposite side of the ravine, obviously not interested in keeping company with the wolf.

The wolf gifted us with more entertain as he ran back out of the ravine, in our direction, but safely well ahead of us. Loping and staring just as before.

All in all we had about 30 minutes of prime time wolf viewing before he left our sight. The wolf was not only far enough away for his and our comfort level, but he was far enough away that capturing and in-focus, unblurred photo was impossible with the small Canon, Powershot A640 I was using.

Another cancer surgery!

2009-05-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

I'm paying the price for all those years in the sun sun bathing, playing tennis, paddle tennis, running, golf, horseback riding, hiking and backpacking.

I was a little freaked today (and so was Ray who was in the surgery room with me)after this surgery. The emotional stress knocked me out for the rest of the day after having been in the doctor's office for 3.5 hours. Much of that time was waiting to see if after the first cutting I'd need more cutting which I did need. But all the yucky cells are gone.

I came home and watched TV and slept the rest of the day. Ray brought some Tylenol home for the pain after the Novocaine wore off.

Last Friday and Saturday with Paula and Katya.

2009-05-10T09:36:00.001-07:00

Ray took this photo of Katya, Paula and me before leaving for dinner at Tipico's. Katya spoke at the ABC Club one block away from the restaurant. Katya gave a great talk.

So I'm eating clean right? As is Katya, Ray and Sandi (who joined us for dinner and the meeting). We're at the Mexican restaurant where the chips and salsa arrive as we are seated. On the food plan you get one grain or starch with dinner. Hmmmmm. I'm starving. I want to eat chips, NOW. But then if I eat the chips I can't have the tortilla with dinner. While going back and forth in my head..."Chips or Tortilla?"....I decide to lay out chips on the table in a circle the size of a tortilla to see how many chips I could have if I decided to choose to eat chips. Paula thought that was funny. I was quite serious! The tortilla won. Actually, I had two tortillas with my Fajitas dinner!!!!!

Katya feeling her oats heading up the Bump & Grind hill. Paula and I were dying in the 95 degree heat.

A nice lady took this photo of us on our way down from the top of the Bump & Grind hill.

Down from Bump & Grind, on the walk back to the car, I asked Katya if she wanted to carry my pack. She said, "Carrying it makes me walk funny."

My friend and backpacking partner has written on our New Mexico trip.

2009-05-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm cheating... Because I have not had the time/made the time to type up my journal entries I am posting my trail partner, Tailwinds', journal entry I've copied and pasted below from her trailjournals.com journal. Check back over the summer to read some more of Tailwinds' journal writing. Tailwinds is a wonderful writer.

Forgive me Tailwinds for letting you do all the work.
Here is the summary from Tailwinds' journal:
New Mexico is a special place for me. I spent one summer there in the 1980s and later bought 7 acres of rocks and cactus near Abiquiu just because I fell in love with the land.

So when Gottago invited me to hike 92 miles of the Continental Divide Trail with her from Pie Town to Snow Lake in central New Mexico, I jumped at the chance. I do not plan to thru-hike or section hike the CDT but this was an opportunity to get some on-trail pre-hike training for the PCT this summer and spend time with Gottago. It was also a chance to get back to New Mexico.

Gottago and I met at ADZPCTKO last year and hit it off immediately. She has thru-hiked the PCT and is currently section hiking the CDT. Through emails and phone calls, our friendship deepened and grew. Through the shared experience of hiking, the bond has strengthened.

The short version of my recently completed (April 28 – May 3) CDT section hike with Gottago:

Miles: 92

Trail tread: Roads, cow trails, cross country, rocks, blowdowns (Wagontongue Mountain)

Terrain: Grasslands, mountains, rocks, canyons, dry stream beds

Weather: Ideal for hiking. Low 30s at night (final morning was 32 degrees).

Animals: Turkeys (heard gobbling, saw giant turkey tracks), mountain lions (prints), bears (prints),coyotes, elk, deer, no rattlesnakes seen or heard, one Mexican grey wolf who played with us for about half an hour the last day

Other hikers: At the Toaster House in Pie Town we arrived the night before starting our hike to find Stumpknocker, Mrs. Gorp, Mike and Andy. Andy was from Holland, MI – just about half an hour from my home in Grand Rapids. On the trail we met John, northbound.

People encountered on the road: Don “Those Maps are No Good, You’ll Never Get to Snow Lake Using Those” – a local rancher who offered to put us up one night when it looked like thunderstorms were moving in; Marvin who gave us Gatorade; turkey hunters who gave us good water information; Barbara from Quemado; Peter and Jean Ossorio from mexicanwolves.org who offered help and information about wolves.

Best Thing That Happened: On our last day, Gottago and I woke up to hear a wolf howling in the early morning. The wolf tone is lower than that of a coyote with no yipping. We hiked off the divide where we had camped and into the grasslands leading to T-Bar Canyon. This route is recommended by Jim Wolf (no relation) for the scenery and is an area into which endangered Mexican grey wolves have been introduced.

We were looking at animal, people and tire prints in the dirt tracks when Gottago pointed to a lone grey wolf who was watching us. Curious, he watched as we approached, then he loped off to our right. A little later he crossed the tracks in front of us and disappeared into a draw to our left. An elk then ran from the area into the trees but the wolf didn’t bother pursuing it. For the next half hour the wolf played with us – crossing in front of us, once coming towards us, but never very close. Finally he tired of the game (those darned two-legged animals are so slow!) and we didn’t see him again. Last year I spent every day compiling Gratitude Checks for the goodness that came my way. Gratitude is too small a word for this event.

Worse Moment: Doing a face plant and spurting blood from a newly created hole in my nose.

Why I Love Gottago: Generous, giving, easy to be with, fun, disciplined, great energy, inspiring in every way, and best of all – always learning and growing.

Gear Review to follow.

-Tailwinds

I will be posting photos and posting journal entries at some point. Really. Linda

Day hiking on the PCT.

2009-04-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Too much socializing at ADZ.

Lazzora and I day hiked 6 miles to Boulder Oaks Campground. This will make a 12 mile day hike - the farthest I've hiked in a while. We met Nathan, a thru hiker from Seattle taking a lunch break.

I'm anxious to get on the road to meet Tailwinds.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Dennis Olga Salon

2009-04-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

A day of beauty before I get dirty on the trail.

Dennis does my hair. I'm trying to see if I remember how to send a phone photo in an email to my blog.

Here goes.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Heading back to New Mexico for a 91 make-up mile backpack with my friend, Tailwinds.

2009-04-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

Last year I backpacked all of NM except for the 91 miles I skipped from Snow Lake to Pie Town.

I will drive back to NM straight from the annual ADZPCTKO weekend I attend each year. I leave for the KO on Thursday morning. I haven't decided if I'll drive to NM Saturday night or Sunday morning early. Sunday I meet my friend and backpacking partner Tailwinds in Quemado, NM. We'll spend Monday driving to drop one of our cars off at the Snow Lake Campground and then driving back to Pie Town to the start of our southbound hike back to Snow Lake.

I'm not very well trained, but neither is Tailwinds. Tailwinds is a very special lady I met online. We've become good friends, mostly over the phone, so I am really looking forward to spending face to face time together.

Tailwinds is Suzanne Finney's trailname. She hiked most of the PCT last year and will be finishing up the remaining miles later this summer. She is an exceptional writer and is well into the process of writing a book of her PCT adventure.
Here is a link to her journal:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=212970

If I have reception in NM while on the trail I'll post some photos. Otherwise I'll update my trail journal from last year after I get home.

I'll be back home on or before May 7th. I'm leaving just in time. The temperatures are rising here in the desert.

Sleepy? Tired? Need a burst of energy? Click on this link.

2009-04-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjLCJKoot4U

How the hell did someone capture this fantastic happening?

Thanks to Carol D for sending me this link.

A balmy night walk around the block with the Canon Powershot A640.

2009-04-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

Ray probably thought he was safe going out for a walk at night with me. You see, during the day I usually stop and take way too many photos and Ray usually just walks on leaving me to whatever it is that has my attention.

Today it was near 100 here. We knew this morning we'd be doing our exercise after the sun went down.

The night was so balmy. The walk went by so fast. I was fascinated with shooting hand held photos of the night lighting when the shutter was open for a full minute. Trying to get an in focus shot was out of the question but I still was curious what the photos would look like. I had the ISO set to 800.

We're walking on Inverness Drive and I'm shooting back across the 15th fairway lake to our home (the house with the palm tree growing out of it!). I used a 100% sepia photo filter in Photoshop to hide a tiny bit of the noise or excessive graininess.

Ray is already back home when I shot this photo of our street. Our home is at the end of this cul-de-sac. I actually sat down on the street pavement trying to get as much as I could of the lighted tall palm trees.

I entered our courtyard and began shooting the lit cactus. Almost ready to go inside, I noticed my shadow. I never pass up a shadow photo op. I even posed, turning my head to the right to get a good shadow outline of my profile, while I'm holding the camera out away from me with my left hand, trying to check to see if I'm actually framing myself properly in the LCD. I'm glad the neighbors can't see into our courtyard. On more than one occasion I have been accused of self obsession. But the neighbors don't need to see it. After I got this shot and I came out of my shooting blackout, I looked to see if Ray had been watching me. Nope. He was at work on his new Lenovo Thinkpad T500 probably shopping for, yes, another putter. 'Cause you know, like a new camera will make me a better photographer, Ray is on a never ending search for the newest and bestest putter. Every day! Oh, Ray isn't going to like that I wrote this.

Look how long my pony tail is getting.

Yesterday's hike on the PCT looking for thruhikers.

2009-04-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hike: 8.5 mile hike/2251' elevation gain, accessed from Hwy 74 (Palms to Pines Hwy) off Fobes Saddle Rd (a 4 mile dirt road that goes to a trailhead that connects in 1.6 miles with the PCT at Fobes Saddle.

I planned this hike for the Saturday MHCC hike so I could, 1. check out snow conditions on the PCT and 2. run into some PCT thruhikers.

I have posted photos and descriptions of this hike on my Smugmug site.

The highlight: Meeting PCT Class of 2009 thruhiker, Neil from Seattle, WA. At the end of the photos he is pictured holding the new PCT Class of 2009 bandanna.

On the way home from our hike, we noticed 4 thrus at the Paradise Cafe, and two coming down the trail just before the gate at Hwy 74 where the PCT crosses the road.
Lots of early starters.

There were 4 empty gallon jugs of water at Fobes Saddle as of April 18th.

Fearless baby geese.

2009-04-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

Ray is in LA until tomorrow. He stayed over Thursday and tonight for two speaking engagements. Not having my normal routine....like making dinner...which I have no interest in doing when Ray isn't here...left me wandering outside around 6pm. I've wanted to see how close I could get to the Geese family. I got close. They obviously were already quite habituated to people.

I shot the photos below with my Canon 40D and 70 - 300mm lens on a tripod. I used live view and zoomed to 5X trying to get the geese in focus. Boy, you have to work fast with moving subjects. You also have to know your camera well to move fast. I see I need to go out more often with this particular lens and with my larger camera in general. Not many of the photos I took were in focus. I'm thinking I should never zoom all the way to 300mm if I want an in focus shot.

I was shooting just outside our condo which means I was on the 15th fairway. Thank goodness only one foursome of golfers played this hole during the half hour I was out with the geese. I hid behind a narrow tree as the golfers took their 3rd shots to the green. One of the golfers noticed me hiding behind the tiny tree in line with his shot and was polite enough to not curse me out for his duffed approach shot.

The night was balmy, just the perfect Palm Springs weather. I understand we'll be in to 3 digit temperatures by the weekend.