Cali Trip Day 3- Pismo Beach, Dinosaur Park, Morro Bay, and Pacific Grove

I wanted to get an early start Saturday morning to avoid any traffic in LA and to reach our first stop in time for a brunch break. I planned this road trip taking the advise of Rhonda Glenn (Nomini), who I did gymnastics with as a kid and now lives in the San Francisco area. She texted me so many ideas! I started google mapping them out and then looking up Airbnbs so we knew where we could rest our heads.

Our first stop was Pismo beach.

As we got closer, Zoe googled best brunch place and that is where we headed. When we got there about 10 am, there was a line out the door.

After brunch we walked down to the shoreline. It was a cute typical beach community. A lot of families on vacation.

They were having a clam bake off on the boadwalk.

Was busy by the bake off. But not too much activity in the sand.

A very small community. We walked back to the car and picked up some amazing cinnamon rolls along the way. They were so good, we stopped on our way back to LA to pick up more 🙂

I read about Dinosaur Caves and it was only about 5 minutes up the road from Pismo. We pulled into the park and were amazed by the views.

We hiked down a trail that led us to several other viewpoints.

It smelled badly from the birds who made their home on the rocks. I wondered how I would feel if I was a millionaire and owned one of the beautiful homes in this small community but had to deal with the stink.

What an amazing place to live. The sound of the water hitting the rocks was more peaceful than coming up along a sandy beach.

Picture perfect. The textures and colors. Then we noticed the fisherman and wondered how the got down there.

Then we found the staircase but decided not to take the time to go down. We had several more stops before reaching our overnight place of Pacific Grove. Looked like another cave below to explore if you dared.

I didn’t want to leave this place and wished we had the time to just sit for hours.

I kept noticing how the sea guls were unafraid and were quite the posers.

We took off and wandered through the mountains to reach another small beach called Avila.

We walked around a bit and then headed out.

Felt like we got a little flavor of how the beach towns differed.

Next stop was Morro Bay which I read had sea otters. I didn’t know much else. Zoe and I were quite surprised by the massive rock which looked literally like an alien hide out of some kind.

We parked and walked around. Was a gorgeous day!

Another poser. The man sat down in perfect timing of me taking this shot of the bird. I loved them together.

The sea otters were so cute to watch. They were tough to capture in photos. But they floated on their backs and were constantly playing with each other.

The rock was massive and tough to capture in photos.

I made Zoe go stand by the sign to try to give it perspective.

As you rounded to the backside of the rock, people had made a stacked rock playground of sorts.

Zoe put together a stack of her own and posed by her creation. Everyone was leaving their marks.

The waves were quite dangerously crashing up along the shore and I worried for the ignorance of tourists who were getting too close.

I loved discovering this place. I would love to come back when time allowed.

Zoe mastered the selfie and tried to teach me. I’m still not the greatest but I love that she still believes I can learn.

This bird found the perfect perch. On this side of the rock were many families picnicking on the beach and even some swimming.

We continued driving down a one lane highway through the gorgeous mountain scenery. I kept saying how I had no idea how beautiful this state was. Its absolutely majestic naturally.

The colors of the tan mountains against the bluest of skies.

I hadn’t seen landscape like this before and was desperately trying to capture it through my passenger side window.

Then there were the farms. Miles and miles. Occasionally we would spot crop pickers wearing their sun shade hats bending over with their baskets. As if we were back in time. I wondered how their bodies endured such hard labor in the sun.

At one point I think Zoe got tired of my oohing and awe-ing

The layers. Who is the artist here. How can we not respect the source.

We finally arrived out our Butterfly Hotel in Pacific Grove. It was an adorable motel.

Was about a mile out of the main down town area. So beautifully decorated and cared for.

I wished I had packed a swim suit. They had a sauna and hot tub. Would’ve been great after this days long drive.

The sun was beginning to set and we saw the coastline was only about a mile away so we walked to the beach instead of driving.

Again stunned by the beauty and the rocky shoreline.

The waves and their chaos along the rocks was mesmerizing.

I didnt know when not to take a photo. Every way I turned was landscape I wanted to remember.

We kept walking toward the bend in the coastline. We had originally planned to drive and hike at Big Sur along the way, but were both so glad we decided to get here instead.

I enjoyed watching Zoe appreciate it as much as I did. Its nice that the apple did not fall too far from the tree in regards to adventure and love of nature.

The lighthouse was closed but the view from the beach was perfect.

As the sun set, the clouds offered their part in the reflection.

The birds created their own addition as they flew across.

Was so worth it. We felt so fortunate to have caught it.

I captured this older couple and then showed them the photo of their affection.

The sunset and the clouds. My new muse ever since Lake Waynoka.

Walking back the sky turned pink as the sun went under.

I could see myself here one day. Or at least for a few months. Even if all I can afford is vanlife.

This was the view of the golf course as we left. Players still finishing their game. I wondered if they appreciated it as much as we did. I wondered if those that live here continue to see or if they simply expect. My wish is that I never stop appreciating the miracles in nature.

Cali Trip Day 2- Los Angeles: Jean Basquiat Art Exhibit, Angel’s Flight Incline and Grand Central Marketplace

Friday evening Zoe purchased tickets for us to go to the Jean Basquiat art exhibit. I was super excited to be able to see his collection. We decided not to fight for parking and instead decided to ride the bus into downtown LA. It is literally a quick walk to the bus stop from Zoe’s place and a direct drive into the city.

I was completely entertained by the bus driver’s continual screaming trying to get everyone packed in. We were riding with kids coming home from school in their uniforms. They also allow dogs on the bus which is interesting. The driver was screaming warnings about the dogs saying they better be on leashes and asking the kids where they were headed. Everyone seemed to just ignore her. She yelled at me to let the people seated below me off, which of course I was going to move for them. It was an experience. I enjoyed it.

As soon as we got off the bus I was taken back by the architecture.

The movement of this building against the blue sky was amazing to me. Capturing the colored reflections in its windows. I nearly lost Zoe as I stopped in awe at some of the sites.

The Disney Opera house was equally interesting in an opposite fluid way.

This building was across the street from the gift shop when we exited the show.

LA is so different from NYC. It has so much more space around its skyline.

The entry into the exhibit. The exhibit took you through 4 different rooms where you were introduced to him as a person, not an eccentric artist, through the videos of his family and seeing his childhood art development.

His beautiful soul was revealed which I believe was the intension of this collection.

Was interesting to see his art which is still current. The struggles he revealed sadly still an issue in our society.

Zoe and I wandered separately interpreting it all differently from our own points of view.

I enjoyed his art and seeing inside his creative mind. He tends to cross things out which only makes you want to read it more. In a way chaotic.

Jean Basquiat was advised to keep one of every collection he painted, as an investment and that is what he did. A legacy his family continues to show.

After the art show we went to Otium right beside the Disney Opera House.

Not lying when I tell you both Zoe and I agree it was the best meal of our lives. Seriously go there if you are ever in LA. We shared a roasted chicken and curry carrots with coconut foam.

When it was time for dessert, Zoe noted that everything we had was the best ever, so we had to try the dessert too. And sure enough, it was by far the best dessert I’d ever eaten. Such an amazing mix of textures and flavors. Was called Somoa pudding.

After dinner we decided to walk off our bellies and wandered a bit.

We ended up on a rooftop of an interesting intersection of buildings.

The sun was setting and we admired the view of the streets below.

With wandering we discovered an incline. So we decided to take it to see where it went.

Was fun we were the only two riding on it.

The view looking up from where we started. There were several people at the bottom waiting to go back up.

It was a fun little discovery that neither of us had heard of before.

Directly across the street was the Grand Central Market. Had all sorts of food and beverage choices.

We walked through to check it out. Would’ve been more fun if our bellies were not already full.

We grabbed a draft beer and sat and listened to a music trio for a bit. Then decided to head back via the LA metro/subways. I loved seeing the public transportation. So proud of my kiddo who has figured it all out in order to survive out here without a vehicle.

Going down the escalator I captured what I found to be a beautiful geometric view.

Inside the actual station was surprisingly clean and empty. It was a quick ride to Zoe’s neighborhood and an easy walk home. We wanted an early night since at 6:30 am tomorrow, we were heading up the Northern coast of Cali!

Cali Trip Day 9- Silver Lake Brunch, Venice Sunset

Well the hike to the Hollywood sign did not happen. But we walked to this vegan restaurant instead in Silver Lake to get some exercise. We met up with Tiffany, Zoe’s coworker from New Jersey. She’s also a transplant to LA and works at BET.

Was another one of those cute joints with amazing food.

I love all the inclusion messages throughout California.

They are adorable and I’m so happy to have met her while I was here.

That evening we decided we would go to Venice Beach to spend our Saturday night. We headed to a beach bar that Zoe had heard of and wanted to check out. It felt to me like a spring break kind of place where I was certainly not necessarily needed 🙂 It was also Halloween so you can imagine the costumes.

We took a table outside to avoid the crowd and sticky floor. It was awesome people watching on the boardwalk.

We decided to walk the beach to catch the sunset.

The most beautiful lighting and moments. We were feeling it was our last few days together out here.

Honestly I love California. There is so much here to see and explore. I hope at one point I can spend more time.

We decided to head back to the shopping area where the SoCal Cidery was.

We decided to stop into a high-end cocktail bar where I partook in a mocktail. I was so tired and knew I’d be the one driving back to the city.

The outdoor seating area was entertaining.

Baby A with more energy than me. Oh to be in our 20s again.

I ended up dropping Zoe off at a friends house who lives nearby. They ended up going out late night, since it was Halloween weekend after -all. I drove my tired old butt back to her place but had to circle the block for 20 minutes to find parking. I was losing my mind. I crashed hard once inside and she came back after brunch the next day. We had big plans for Sunday. My last full day visiting CA.

Cali Trip Day 5- Hike in the woods, Avenue of the Giants, Ferndale and Arcata

After waking up in the beautiful treehouse, we decided to explore the area before we took off again. Zoe was the one communicating with the owners of this Airbnb and confirmed there were hiking trails on the property.

The sun was doing its best to shine through which we took as an excellent sign after our rainy chilled day yesterday.

It was nice to explore not knowing what views we would discover.

The sun peaking through the trees as if to tell us She knows we are there.

When there was a clearing we soon discovered we were on top of a mountain.

We had no idea since most of the drive was in the dark rain. It was amazing!

We saw intricate cobwebs throughout the hike. They are tough to capture but this one was perfect.

We also discovered red mushrooms and banana slugs.

Wasn’t too keen on the mountain lion warning sign, but I guess always good to be aware.

We had a long drive ahead with the goal of reaching our final destination of Arcata today. As we drove out of the farmer’s drive, we were chased by some dogs and squawked at loudly by the geese, but the cows in the road were the cutest.

We wondered if they would move when we got closer.

I dropped a pin to remember our location. I was low on gas and headed to Bodega Bay to fuel up. We didn’t spend much time there, but it was an adorable little town. Gas pricing was not so adorable there 🙂

We were on country roads for quite some time. Passed a ton of wineries.

Zoe took the wheel while I again oohed and awed out the windows at the scenery.

We started to hit the tall tree lined areas and felt covered in peace.

I kept leaning to take photos out the front windshield. It just didn’t seem to capture it.

I read that the drive up was worth it even if you didn’t stay to hike. I totally get that now. But couldn’t wait to get out and immerse myself in it.

Bucket list. Not that I actually have one, but this was for sure something I have always wanted to experience and so glad that I made it here.

So tall and majestic with their wisdom of what they have endured and witnessed.

We finally found a slight curbside place to pull over and we went straight into touch these trees! The smell of the forest is so fresh. Check out Zozo vs the giant.

This all was just along the drive called “The Avenue of the Giants”.

I was inside the tree taking a photo out.

Zoe and I went our separate ways at times.

Perspective of who we are in this world. These trees are said to be thousands of years old. We are lucky to live to 80.

I loved watching Zoe look up and feel small.

Leaves on the forest floor were equally beautiful. I still have my same hiking boots from my first road trip two years back.

My perfect capture of the energy and moment felt.

We hiked a trail that had a lot of fallen trees which was interesting to see their girth and length.

I ordered a free map prior to our trip of this area and kept losing it along the way. I finally smartened up and took a photo so I could see it later to determine our next move.

We exited the Avenue of the Giants and headed to a historic town called Ferndale.

The main street took pride in its fun decor.

I walked into a small shop and instantly fell in love with these shoes and had to get them. I almost gave up until Zoe found this pair in my size in the display window.

Adorable shopping here. Highly recommend a stop if ever in this area.

A historic inn. Every small town needs one.

A beautiful bed and breakfast in a restored Victorian home.

We still had another hour to drive to reach Arcata. Immediately upon arrival at our Arcata Airbnb we googled and found a cidery just a couple blocks away. Sounded like a perfect end to our non stop day.

Great little set up which sells pies during the day.

We both did tasters and then went back for more.

Baby A. How lucky am I to have her in Cali to give me the excuse to road trip there. I can’t believe I haven’t explored this coast sooner in life, but so glad she is.

Cali Trip- Day 4 Monarch Sanctuary, Bike Tour Carmel by the Sea, Treehouse in Bodega

We woke up early to start another full day of adventure. A bike tour was scheduled at Mad Dogs and Englishmen in Caramel by the Sea at 10:30 am. I got up and around and left the motel to check out the Monarch Sanctuary which was located on a small trail directly behind where we were staying.

Now I understood why our motel was named the Butterfly Garden Motel.

These spikey looking fuscia flowers caught my eye. A new plant I was unfamiliar with.

I was fortunate to have seen a man with a very long photo lense pointed up in this direction. He informed me these were the butterflies even though they appeared as tan leaves in the trees. He explained that they get their coloration from the sun. They were not quite “ready to fly yet.

I thought it was interesting but wished I could’ve been there a few weeks later when they were fluttering about. Would have been fascinating to see their flight.

When I got back to the motel Zoe was ready to go and we drove along the coastline on our way to Carmel by the Sea. It was overcast and looked like it was going to rain. We stopped by Sunset Beach where I parked parallel next to a van, blocking it in. An elderly woman jumped out of the van, with no teeth and asked how long I was planning to park there. I told her we were just taking a look and would only be a couple minutes. That satisfied her as she wasn’t planning on taking off until later that day. I saw my future in her van-life demeanor.

Loved that Zoe was wearing the overalls I made as part of my senior project in college.

I can see so much inspiration coming from this coastline.

It was the perfect season to go. Seemed desolate. I wondered if it was always like this.

We only walked a little way before hitting privately owned property. We headed out and saw many surfers lining up to catch the turbulent waves. Would have been a fun day to watch them conquer today’s surf challenge.

We google mapped our way to a pretzel shop Rhonda raved about. It was an adorable bakery. We purchased a few pretzels along with breakfast and sat and watched the Sunday crowds.

There was a quote above this photo that basically said that if the founders of Carmel by the Sea returned they would not be able to afford it anymore and would be mistaken as vagrants. This was written in 1962 so you can only imagine now with the million dollar homes, the judgement that would be cast onto them. I loved the reminder and the fact they placed this on their historic walls.
My understanding is this community was originally started by artists, who are never in it for the income, but simply following a passion.

Zoe found our bike tour on Airbnb but we soon took the conversation off their site and booked directly. Interesting how businesses use websites to help promote but don’t want to endure the fees when booking through them.

We were paired up with a group of 8 who all knew each other. As the tour progressed, we learned that they had all met on a vacation many years ago and get together at various locations every year since. I felt a little tension between some of the members and it was tough maneuvering our playful way amongst them.

Our first stop was to a Hansel and Gretle house which explained the original historic architecture of this city. According to our tour guide, this couple was one of the first to settle here and the woman had a doll collection. Her husband designed and constructed their home to look suitable for the dolls. He became a popular architect and his style is seen throughout the town.

The Hansel and Gretle home is now a historic landmark. They upgraded the house behind it to be livable and up to current codes.

It started to rain and it was fun but cold. Reminded me of Phuket and driving my scooter in the rain. We stopped by the courthouse to hear how there was no take- out allowed in this city prior to Clint Eastwood becoming mayor and changing a few rules, allowing ice cream to be eaten on the streets and to- go coffee lawful.

Interesting to hear how long this city kept community and eating inside a restaurant a priority.

I would stop occasionally and snap a photo and then catch up with my group who was pedaling way to slow to my liking. This was another home from the same architect. Hugh Comstock was his name. Of course one of the members in our bike tour’s house was designed by him. I was starting to see the wealth we were surrounded by and now understood the dynamics better.

Even though it was pouring we all voted to go up to see the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course. People were playing in the rain. Figured they were probably equally frustrated that they booked their tee time on the one day it was cold and rainy. We were told it only rains during the evenings.

We had gone quite a distance. I was beginning to wonder when the tour was going to end. It was definitely a great way to see the city and learn about it, but I was getting bored with the pace and started to get chilly.

Went down by the shoreline to see the infamous Frank Lloyd Wright’s ship home. This was one thing I wanted to see.

Surprisingly I much preferred this “Butterfly House by **Francis W.** **Wynkoop**.

I wish I had time to walk on the beach but in general felt I didn’t quite belong here.

Then we peddled up to Mission Ranch where there was a restaurant overlooking the bay. I am sure it would be beautiful on a normally sunny clear day. But the view was limited with the mist and overcast storm clouds.

It was peaceful and I can only imagine the history inside these walls.

This is a group shot of us by the shell mural. On the way back to the bike shop, one of the older ladies, who I suspected had slight dementia due to her coordination and inability to keep up- could not make it up a hill. The entire group rode on and I stayed back while Zoe got the tour guide to come back and help. None of the others knew how to directionally get back to the bike shop, and were stopped debating. I said I knew, but they started arguing, so I just pedaled ahead and at this point didn’t really care if they believed me or followed me. I got there. Eventually they did too.

Zoe and I drenched by the end of the tour. Had to change my pants in the back seat of the car in the parking lot. That was challenging.

In dry clothes we walked around a bit and shopped. I spent 40$ on a baseball hat to hide my wet helmet hair.

I started appreciating the thatched roofs and curved architecture I learned about.

And hearing how you should always wander down the alleyways.

We decided to grab lunch before taking off toward Bodega Bay where our treehouse was located. Good thing we did, because there wasn’t much to get along the way.

With occasional green broccoli like trees.

It was raining just enough to not be able to see and have your wipers on. The sun set quickly and next thing you knew I was driving down one lane windy country roads with no street lights or road lines. My stress level was sky rocketing. I was thankful the google maps was still working.

After going through three password gates and up a gravel road, we waited for the farmer to meet us. He then drove his truck down a narrower path over a creek and eventually to the treehouse. It was dark, wet and slippery. I just wanted to get inside.

He asked if we had a light, we admitted possibly not being properly prepared. We may not be cut out for this rustic stay. Inside there was no fridge or wifi, but remarkedly a shower and toilet. The kind accented host showed us a lantern we could use and how to use the electric heater.

We got into our warm jammies and sipped on the ciders and beers we packed while nibbling on the extra pretzels we bought earlier. Beer and pretzels- dinner of champions. We got under the covers and Zoe started reading a book she brought along. She read it out loud for my entertainment and I have to admit it was such a beautiful moment. Being read to. By a child I used to read to every night. I feel asleep to the words of her murder mystery.

The next morning was damp but the sun was coming through. I took a few photos to remember the place by.

It was so well done and such a fun stop along the way.

Zoe waving to me below. A memory for sure. One of many we are creating on this trip.

This was the quote we put onto the pint glasses we handed out at my mom’s celebration of life. Feel appropriate here as I continue to create road trip memories with my daughter.

Cali Trip- Day 1 Venice Beach, So Cal Cidery

Feels good to have a Saturday to just simply catch up on what I want to do. So I’m blogging about my absolutely fantastic trip to Cali last month. I teased Zoe that when I get older and senile, she can just set me up with a self reading program and put my blogs on from the beginning and I will be completely at peace listening to all these fantastic memories coming back to life. Its why I do it. For me. For my memory. I often still go back and read just to relive the journey. (and occasionally fixed those type-os I missed ) It keeps me looking and photographing in attempts to keep capturing those moments.

Thanks to the dollars brought in from my towel freelance work, I was able to afford another trip out to California to visit with Zoe. This time I was flying and careful about my rent a car dates in attempts to not repeat the costly mistakes of past. I am sure I will make several new mistakes, but repeating past ones is something I try to avoid in life.

I haven’t flown since last year and it felt good to be back in the air again.

The view from the window seat was awesome as we started to hit California. You could see the cloud coverage so clearly defined. America is truly beautiful. The change in landscape is so severe and magical to me. There are so many places I have yet to explore.

Some of the views from this high up in the air feel like heaven. I was happy to have a window seat, since lately you get random seating based on the price you pay for the flight and I seem to always end up in the back with my carry- on bag having to be checked in. May be worth the extra 50$ in the future to just pay for an assigned seat.

It felt great to be in the sun again. The nights in LA get cool and the days are just golden and bright. I honestly could see myself living out here one day.

I loved being back in Zoe’s studio apartment again and walking the neighborhood. She showed me how she walks to fill her water bottles and it somehow reminded me of Phuket life.

Zoe doesn’t have a car out there. Since I had a car, we wanted to explore as much as possible. We had a road trip planned up the coastline beginning early Saturday morning, but after work on Thursday we drove to Venice Beach. I hadn’t been there before and it is one of Zoe’s favorite spots. Whenever I check out her location on Life 360 she’s usually at Venice Beach or Santa Monica.

She took me to SO CAL which is her favorite cidery. We ordered a flight of mead and ciders and there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch. We sat facing the street and people watched for about an hour.

This place had such cute decor. Umbrella lined ceilings.

Cute instructions on making their ciders.

A beach vibe going through the hallway to the outdoor area.

We took a growler and a 4 pack of the Mexican Lolipop home.

We walked to see the beach. A shame it gets dark so early now.

This is a vegan burger joint with a play off the traditional Mickey Ds.

A very different vibe than some of the other beaches I’d been to. More youthful, fun, playful. Like a spring break feeling.

Tried to capture the beach but it was too dark. I wondered how they controlled the homeless beach bums as there didn’t appear to be as many as I expected.

Its quite a large beach and we only covered a small area.

We ended up grabbing a table here at the Great White. Highly recommend. Excellent cocktails and food.

After eating we nabbed a couple Lime scooters and rode our way back to the car. It was so fun. Just being out and enjoying life. Seeing new things. Breathing it all in.

Flat woods Trail- Clarksville, Indiana

Working remote has its perks. But it also has a tendency to keep me indoors at my desk more than I’d like. I mow the grass at George’s just as an excuse to get outside and exercise.

Saturday, I decided to go for a hike after having a productive morning. (booking my flight to Germany for January, buying ballet tickets for my girls Christmas gifts, ordering family holiday pjs, working a little freelance- its the little things to get crossed off your list that make you feel good sometimes)

I googled a trail within an hour drive and off I went and ended up in a recreational area in Indiana.

Found this on AllTrails of course. I still haven’t paid for the upgrade, even though it pops up so frequently I want to purchase just to stop saying no.”

I prefer loop trails whenever I can. This one was the perfect length for an afternoon hike.

Fall is here and temperatures are starting to drop. I put on the scarf Kang Kang gave me for Christmas last year and a flannel to stay warm. I struggled to find the right way to begin but eventually found a very well marked trail with an orange F showing where to go.

The trail head started along a disc golf course and there were a few people playing.

The trees were so tall and this trail was in the thick of it.

When I pulled up there were a lot of cars, but not a soul on the trail.

It routed along an open field and I stopped to admire the different levels of greenery against the super blue sky.

Eventually it opened up along a golf course. No one was playing. It felt so empty.

As I walked I fought fear. I’ve been super anxious lately. Any little thing can trigger me to tears or cause me to oddly internally shake with worry. Its not like me and I blame it on menopause. I recalled being on my first desert hike in West Texas alone and having an unfounded fear of rattlesnakes. I stopped then to touch a flower to rid of the fear. Here I laid my hand on a tree and asked for help.

The scenery was so nice. Peaceful. Fallen leaves path. I felt back in my element. Remembering how the lake house reflections brought me to the same security. How could I have lost that feeling so quickly settling back into the reality of life.

I spotted these beautiful mushrooms which looked like modern flowers along the base of the tree. That brought me back to the wonder I’d lost.

I started spotting the colors amongst the fallen leaves.

The trees crocked branches always remind me to keep going. Things may bend you out of place physically or emotionally but there can be further heights to reach by continuing.

For some reason this felt like an art composition.

The feathery leaves created an inviting pathway.

Was proud of myself for getting out on my own as I continued on this walk and fought against fear of being followed or something bad happening. I never used to feel this way when alone. Heck, I slept in my van in parking lots and woods across the country alone and never once felt fear. Its a new emotion for me. I’m learning how to confront it.

Seriously how does this not ground you to what life is about and the creator behind the masterpiece?

Believe I was rounding the loop. On the opposite side of the field.

Appreciating the composition of colors and berries which reminded me of Debbie. Christmas in October.

Almost felt unreal like I was walking in a fairytale story.

And this photo reminded me of a painting. Ironically we had a team building work event and we spent two hours painting a fall foliage scene the day before.

The trees were so comforting. This trail was really wonderful. I was a little sad there were not more people appreciating it.

The squirrel blended right into the fallen tree root, but you can see still see his tail.

On the drive back to La Grange, the clouds peaked my interest. So low. So perfect. Like they were out having a party across the sky.

Cincinnati Observatory- Saturn Viewing

I purchased tickets to see Saturn at the Observatory upon my return from the lake house and invited Sedona, knowing Ki usually works Saturday evenings.

Neither one of us knew what to expect. Our tickets were for 8 pm and we decided to get there a little early and just walk around until the official time. Getting there early was actually a blessing because we were able to view the moon through all the telescopes prior to Saturn making her appearance.

Sedona captured this great photo of the observatory as we pulled up.

The sky was perfectly clear and the moon was 1/2 full and bright as can be for the first day of fall.

They opened the dome and we waited in a short queue to look through this 1900s telescope.

Was fascinating to me. How old this was yet still fully functional.

No matter where you are, remember to look up.

Such an amazing history at this place. Sadly we learned how the light pollution, due to the growth in this area, has hindered this place’s ability to still function as a research facility.

Cincinnati has a lot of hidden treasures and history.

At 8 pm we were able to hear about the history of the newer telescope. It was fun to see how easy it was to maneuver and how opening the dome was as simple as pulling a nearby rope. They built this building to fit around the telescope.

There were three smaller telescopes outside positioned for viewing. Wondering what the differences were between them all, we took turns waiting in line to see if one had a better view than the other. They pretty much all showed the moon in fascinating detail. You could see the craters up close as if they were touchable. I’d never seen anything like it except from a photograph.

As the night sky grew darker, the telescopes started focusing on Saturn. Obviously this planet is much further away than the moon so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

We climbed the ladder to take a peak. It was so cool to be able to see this planet, with its rings clearly around it. But it was small like a sticker.

We both enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to anyone. It makes you feel small. So much of this world we don’t know.

As we were outside, we saw a stream of lights moving across the sky- about 10 in a row. I had no clue what it was, but there was an young engineer who explained it was Space X’s Starlight satellites. I’d never seen such a thing and wondered who owned space. Apparently billionaire Elon Musk who was now throwing things up in the sky too.

I am much more comfortable planted on Earth. But truly enjoyed looking out into the other world of possibilities.

Lake Waynoka Sunsets- Sardinia,Ohio

There are no words to express the gratitude I feel for being able to sit at a lake house for 10 days during the most beautiful time of the year, all in the name of dog sitting. Working remote has its perks and being able to work from anywhere is the most important one of them.

Stephanie was off to Hawaii on an escape of her own and needed a pet sitter for her precious Bella. She offered that I stay at her lake house during that time instead of trying to maneuver around her adult children’s schedules.

I picked sweet 13 year old Bella up and off we went. Bella was decked out in a pearl collar complete with rhinestones and hot pink bows in her ears. A perfectly ferocious attitude hidden beneath that deceptive feminine mask. We were going to get along just fine.

After work, I sat out on the swing and enjoyed hanging with Bella.

This was the very first night watching the quiet lake as the sun set.

I felt a connection to saying goodnight to Her. And made this my daily habit.

Inside I set up my computers along the dining room table where I could view out the open sliding doors to watch the lake all day long. As my time there progressed, I spent parts of my day under the umbrella working outdoors as long as my computer battery would last.

I learned patience. It was the first time I recognized that the sunset was like watching a waterfall. It was ever changing and filled with wisdom.

My daughter Sedona and her husband came out for a day after I received some bad news about a good friend of mine and needed some company.

While they were there, they noticed some goose eggs along the shore. I kept watch but never saw any geese come by to sit or nest with them, so we later threw them in the lake. (at the request of the owner) To my surprise they oddly floated.

Sweet Bella and I got along great! We took walks every day and she hung by my side as I worked. She had a thing about throwing pillows off the sofa which I found humorous.

Over the weekend I did some self help reading and journaling. A much needed alone time to regroup on my priorities and recenter myself.

I felt like a kid every time I watched the sun set. Wondering what art Mother Nature was going to display this time. Clouds always add to the mystery.

One morning the lake was perfectly still and I ran out to capture the reflections.

I mean seriously. The clouds now became my muse.

I loved being here during the week when there was very little activity.

I couldn’t help but feel like this scenery was just for me.

When you are alone, you literally feel it. If I was there with a crowd, I more than likely would’ve missed capturing this temporary moment of visual wonder.

George came out for a couple days and on Sunday we watched my Bengals lose to his loved Ravens. We literally sat out on the outdoor cushioned sofas all day long.

That night, I ran out to capture this beautiful shot that I almost missed. A moody reflection.

Just another sunset on the lake brought to you by the Universe.

I woke up one morning to this bold deer starring at me.

After spotting me she went to protect her baby.

Loved the blue and white sky behind these woodpecker infested trees.

A boat passed by as I was capturing this sunset and the ripples only added to the beauty.

A local blue herring fishing from the fire pit.

It was after photographing this sunset that I knew I needed to make a photo book for Stephanie. I know she appreciates this Oasis of hers, but what she has gifted to me was priceless.

I knew nothing could top that last one, but every night I went hunting.

Living in the city, it is not often I can get to a location with a view of the sun going down without something getting in the way.

My hope is that I will inspire you to admire the reflections, colors and clouds next time you are near a body of water.

No wonder humans are instinctually drawn to water.

Such a beautiful retreat. Thankful to have been given this opportunity.

My last night with Bella. My freckles officially came out from all the sun chasing:)

Goodbye beautiful Lake Waynoka. I am so happy to have seen you smile on me this week.

Bubbles at Sixth Street Park- Grand Rapids, Michigan

After dinner Zach and Leslie mentioned a free event going on downtown.

*Side note: I’m excited they set a date for their wedding!!

We trailed each other from the New Holland Brewery Pub and headed to Sixth Street Park to check it all out.

Grand Rapids is such an amazing city. You are close to the beach, the river, downtown is nice, and breweries everywhere. I really love that I have family here and can continue to come back to visit.