YOU ARE HERE (well, soon)

Okay, I know I said that the beach is my favorite place to be, but I have to say that coming in a close second (I'm talking photo finish) is Yosemite National Park. Pictures can't do it justice. You just can't imagine the size and grandeur of it . Why do I bring this up? Because my family is headed there this summer. The kids are counting down the days and frankly so am I. We all take our bikes and once we are there, we pretty much walk or ride bikes all over the valley. I'm surprised that I haven't run anyone over since I tend to be looking up and around, instead of where I'm going. There is a serenity there (once you get away from the tourists) that I can almost taste, and my entire being gets refreshed. There is no place to be in a hurry. There are no appointments. No pressures (aside from altitude). I feel like I can do anything when I'm there. Unfortunately, my body reminds me afterwards that well...maybe I did push it a bit - ouch. But sore muscles do heal, and would I have passed up the chance to climb to the top of a waterfall in exchange for comfort? Not on your life.

So on days when things get crazy and I'm tired and just want to escape. I look at a picture like this and think....soon.

PB and J

Nothing's better than

Peanut-butter jelly fish

Sandwiches on toast.

Caren E. Salas

My attempt at haiku. Just playin' :) You knew it had to be about the ocean, and well, it's almost lunch!

Now I lay me down to sleep...

...to sleep, perchance to dream, ah, there's the rub. Truth is, I don't dream very often any more, or at least I don't remember my dreams. I used to dream of flying, and I would wake up feeling elated, as though I actually could soar through the clouds, and sail far above the earth. My spirit would be lightened, and I felt as though anything was possible. So what I want to know now is...where did I put those dang wings?? When was it that I wandered beyond the boundries of Neverland? How do I get back? Perhaps the characters in my stories can.... Yes. Michelle, and Kessa and even Hagatha will be my happy thoughts, and my fairy dust. So...here I goooooo! The second star to the right, and staight on til morning!!!

(Thank you to Wm. Shakespeare and James Barrie for my inspirations)

Sunsets and Smiles

In this time of teetering economies and tightening of belts, I try and remember how much fun we can have without having to spend any money at all. My husband, Bill and I love to go down to the beach and just walk around, people watch, nature gaze and just act like kids. We love to take pictures of each other, the more embarassing the better. The benefit of digital cameras is that you don't even have to pay to get them developed. You just download them and enjoy them whenever you want (barring a power failure or computer crash.) Early in the morning we may search for seashells. At night we study the constellations. This picture was taken sometime around midnight in Huntington Beach. The lights of the city were beautiful and there were still people wandering around socializing and enjoying the warm Southern California night. How great is that? Gotta' love it.

Spring

There's something special about Spring. It seems to wake us up from the long sleepy months of winter. The days get longer and warmer. April showers clean up the atmosphere, leaving behind starched white clouds and an endless blue sky that makes us envy the birds. Everything and everyone around us seems to be in love. And why not? Love is one of those things, like Spring, that gives us youth no matter how old we may be. So, my friends, happy Spring! Live, love, try something new, or just look into the sky and dream of flying.

the Humming-thug

I have a humming-bird feeder outside the window of my bedroom and I love it. Everyday it is visited by humming-birds of all colors and types. There is one bird, in particular, who seems to think he owns the joint. He comes up and drinks a while, then sits on a nearby branch and chases off any other birds that try to take a sip. I call him Paulie (as in Walnuts, not "wants a cracker") I have to admit, he is gorgeous. At first glance, his tiny green body and black head don't look like anything special, but then he'll turn his head to look at me, and the sun hits the feathers on his head in just the right way to show that they are really a brilliant magenta. With a bright flash of color that seems to glow against the browns and greens of the garden, he darts back and forth to the feeder and back to his branch. Of course on the day I took my camera out there, he wouldn't stay still long enough to get a shot. Instead, he flew right up in my face, as if to say (Al Pacino style) "What chu lookin' at? You lookin' at me??" I flinched,as the image of being skewered by that needle-like beak, went through my head. I was, however able to get a few shots of those he "allowed" to stop in for a quick nectar martini at the Bada Bing!

A New Day

Hello! It's a new day. I haven't written for a few days, but I'm back from the dead and ready to go. I even have a plan. Granted, my record for sticking with plans I've made in the past, is sketchy at best, but I'm going to try one day at a time and see how far I can go. The "Ms. Consistency" award may never be engraved with my name, but I might just get the "Ms. She Tried Real Dang Hard" honorary ribbon...or something. Who knows?
You may have noticed...or not, that I'm a bit scatter-brained today. Not sure why. Just one of those days, I guess. I'm thinking maybe the soap bubbles from the cleaning products I've been using in my house have made their way into my head. They aren't popping because there would have to be something in there to bump up against. Feeling completely devoid of inspiration, but hey, this could work out. I'll just clean my house until I think of something great to write about. I'm sure that's how they came up with stories like Cinderella, or Winnie the Pooh. (I just rearranged the menagerie of stuffed animals on my daughters bed.)
A special hello to my favorite reader in Florida! Okay, my only reader in Florida....oh, all right already, my only reader period, but still my favorite! Hi Lorraine!