Love, Life and Puppy Dog Tales

On a small beach below a fantastic restaurant, I spotted this Sea Lion. I was actually quite sad when I first spotted it and its companion, because I thought they were dead. I sat far away from them, trying to catch some pictures of the waves in the cove. Periodically I would look over their direction and sigh, feeling saddened by their loss, even though I had no personal connection to them. I decided to go to the other side of them to get a different angle of the surf, and as I came close.... VERY close, I realized they were breathing. I know that Sea Lions can inflict great injury, so I had a moment of visualized panic... I visualized Sea Lions moving faster than I could ever imagine they could move on land and me having a nasty bite or two or three that wouldn't feel good. So I tip toed. And then I spoke. I just said I was sorry to have interfered with their napping space, but since I was here, could I please take a picture or two. One of them just kept on napping. The

For those of you that know the area, that's Sawmill Peak in the background. I took this from the Skyway. Friday after work. Very long week. Driving home. Thinking about the weekend and the fact that there is still so much to do. Immersed in thought. Driving is a bit meditative for me. It probably shouldn't be because you are supposed to be paying attention to the world around you and how your actions affect others and how theirs affects you. But so much is rote. And so often my mind wanders. Around the corner I go and POOF in front of me is this PIECE of a rainbow. Due to all the things that make a rainbow happen..... light, moisture, refraction etc, because of where the sun and the clouds and the rain are, this all I get. BUT WOW! It is so beautiful and it takes my breath away. I HAVE to pull over and take a picture. Is it JUST another rainbow? Or is it a reminder to keep eyes open.... to pay attention... to realize that there is beauty in so so so many things out t

Quick learners are humming birds.... I watched several of these come in for an evening feeding and then decided I would go get my camera . After two pictures (and yes, the flash went off, I needed it!) they figured out that when I lifted the camera up, I was going to make it flash, so they zipped off. I was able to catch this one mid flight.

Nothing philosophical to say tonight. Just wanted to share a picture I took tonight. 2 hours, 147 photos, and this is the best one, I think.

When I saw this boulder, the resting place for this fallen tree, I got a clear image of the past. This tree, vital and strong. Then laying across the rocks, perhaps as a climbing post for small creatures scurrying up to the top of the rock. Rainstorms. Snowstorms. Sunlight. Time. Now, slowly broken down, piece by piece, bit by bit.... until it is a skeleton of its former self. Is that what will happen to me? Will my death, at some unknown point in the future, tell a story of my life?

I liked the bridge. There is a nice sign off to the side that names all the people that helped to build the bridge. There is a woodpecker that really likes one side of the bridge. This covered bridge is out in Oregon City. Which is in California. Its near Cherokee. Kind of near Oroville. But the road really doesn't go very far from here. There a school house near here that is an historical monument. I wanted to take a picture of the historical monument sign , but someone had a "For Sale" sign duct taped to the monument, selling their car that was parked up the road a ways. Which should tell you something about this place that is in the middle somewhere. Nowhere I'd like to live, but somewhere to visit.