Grab a Cup of Coffee... It's a Long Story

Disclaimer: This is going to be one of those rambling posts~ of which I actually haven't done in quite some time... so If you came by to see some pretty pictures, you may as well just move on now... honest, I won't be offended! :) While I started this blog for a digital media class over a year ago... I have kept it going as I have found it fun to chronicle this Journey on the road of this chapter of life. Sometimes I actually entertain myself while writing posts, and I love checking in to read your comments & visit your blogs... some of you I feel I know through following your blogs (and one of you I have met!) You entertain me with your humor, contemplations, wisdom, encouraging words, art, adventures & photography! I also found keeping a blog was a fun way for family & friends to keep track of where I am & what I'm doing. So, here's what's new!


I'm sure you all figured now that I was finished with my assignment in New Mexico, that I was headed to San Diego to soak in the sun & warmth of my family! Well, yes... BUT! It has been a busy time! Here's how it went~ I finished my job on a friday... packed, cleaned & headed out the following monday. It took 2 full days to drive home... then I was inundated by the things I had put off or didn't have the time to do while working. 4 of my 6 days in San Diego were spent either at the dentist (fillings, root canals & such) or getting my car serviced (I did my last post from the dealership-free wifi & donuts!) or putting new tires on (need that good tread for winter driving!) Once that was taken care of, I did have a couple of days to visit with family, which is always nice! BUT! I did have some pressing issues to take care of. You see, I have decided to make a more permanent move to New Mexico... but most of my things are in storage in Southern Oregon. Well, actually my things are spread out in 3 states... I left some things at a friend's in Santa Fe, I have a closet full at my Mom's in San Diego... and a storage unit in Ashland. Yikes! So I made the drive to Ashland... another 2 days of driving... & put my things for sale on Craig's List. I listed every thing at a very good price~ so Goodbye Stuff! I really didn't have much of an attachment to my things, except of course for my art stuff & camping gear, so it was kinda fun selling it AND I made just enough money to cover my gas from San Diego to Ashland & back! Here's a pic of my storage about midway through the process~

It only took about 2 1/2 days to get rid of everything except what would fit in my little Corolla!

So~ I am all packed & ready to go! Except for one small detail...

Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
38° F | 31° F	36° F | 31° F	36° F | 27° F	31° F | 18° F	31° F | 25° F
Snow 90% chance of precipitation	Snow Showers 70% chance of precipitation	Chance of Snow 50% chance of precipitation	Partly Cloudy	Partly Cloud

Ashland doesn't generally get much snow here in the valley... but Siskiyou Pass on I-5 can get pretty nasty, and I don't care for driving in the snow! So, I'll be on the weather watch... looking for a window of opportunity, hoping I'll get back to Southern Cal in time for Thanksgiving! Until then, stay warm & stay tuned... perhaps they'll be a snowy post in the near future!

:)

Museum of History in Granite

On my trips to & from NM to CA, I have often driven by this monument along I-8 just across the AZ border. The last time my mom & gram visited, they stopped & took pics here, and once I saw them, I knew I'd make the stop as well. You can see the church on the hill from the freeway... but if you ever get the chance to stop here, I'd highly recommend it. It's beyond interesting, and gives one pause to think...

The church itself is quite photogenic... with it's natural elements & manmade lines.

I took quite a few, 'cause there were so many interesting angles... but I narrowed it down to a couple of favorites to share.

Before you get to the church on the hill, there are ROWS upon ROWS of polished & engraved granite. It represents the History of the World. There is the rise & fall of civilizations, the invention of "money," the creation of the universe, world religions, representations from countless cultural influences, art ... you name it & you'll find it here. Below is a memorial to those lost in the Korean War.

Our galaxy & the birth of our Universe~

Even famous artworks, like this one by Michelangelo:

The Creation of Adam~

Below, the engravers tools. He was not around, the visitor's center was not open, and there was not another soul around to question about this place. Walking through, I had more questions than answers. Who decided to put this here? Why? Where did the money come from?

And as you can see, there is much more work to be done. Much of the granite slabs at this time remain unfinished... but make for interesting reflections.

There were many quotes engraved on the ends of the rows of granite. This was one of my favorites.

I've condensed this quite a bit! If you'd like more info, or would like to see more photos on The Museum of History in Granite, click here:

http://www.parafame.org/history_of_50_states.htm

Until next time,

I shall leave you with another of my favorite quotes~

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." 

~H.H. The Dalai Lama

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."

             ~Aristotle

The Freezing of Nambe Creek~ Click to Enlarge for More Detail

It's no secret that I find just about anything to do with nature completely fascinating and soul reviving. The seasons and their accompanying colors, the detail in the tiniest leaf or rock, the smells of the forest after rainfall, the wide expansive vistas and towering mountain peaks. It's hard to capture in Photography exactly how beautiful something is, or perhaps more importantly how it makes you feel, but I shall forever keep trying.

:)

P.S~ a little note... I'll be on the road & visiting with family for a bit... so if I don't check in regularly, I'm still thinking of all you out there!

:)

Take a Hike!

Finally, a weekend off! Yay! My schedule has tough for the past 3 months, in that I have worked every weekend, which makes it tough to get together with friends who work the normal M-F. My assignment ended on Friday, so my friend & I celebrated Saturday with a nice long hike in the Mountains above Santa Fe. I thought I'd share a few pics...

Our hike started out at the Ski Basin, above 10,000 ft... and a chilly 34 degrees!

A fair amount of the lower trail was icy as we had snow a few weeks ago and it hasn't gotten warm enough in the mountains to melt completely... just enough to start to melt & then refreeze, which made for some slow going & careful steps!

Penitente, Lake & Deception Peaks

The view as we climbed higher, looking towards the 3 Peaks.

(which is also a great hike, by the way!)

Climbing higher still, we make it to the saddle & look up toward our destination, Santa Fe Baldy @ 12,622 ft!

Yup, that's me... crossing the windswept ridge to the Summit. It looks so sunny & warm, but the wind was icy!

The views are amazing in all directions~ from rocky ridges & outcroppings...

to alpine lakes & mountains as far as the eye can see!

(Click to enlarge any of these for a better view!)

Looking down towards the ridge, it's time to descend...

back into the forest, with the sun casting late afternoon shadows.

Passing stands of Aspen that have lost all their gorgeous fall color... but still look lovely to me!

Leaves frozen in creeks display their own wintery beauty!

I did get a few cool "creeksicle" shots, but I think they deserve their very own post... so stay tuned! Until then, wishing everyone a wonderful week!

:)

Along the Rio Grande

I'm in love with the varied landscape of Northern New Mexico. Mountain ranges, open mesas, river valleys... all of it. I drove from Santa Fe to Taos the other day to visit my friend, and all I kept think was how beautiful it all was! On the way home, the sun was making it's gradual descent to the west, further highlighting the already dramatic landscape. 

Photographing facing the sun can be a challenge, so I'll often shoot directly into it, rather than try to avoid it... and it usually makes for an interesting shot anyhow!

:)

Sunrise, Coffee & Time

Don't ya hate it when you really want to catch up on your sleep, but your internal body clock is set according to your work schedule? Yep, me too! But the positive side to this, is that I had the chance to watch the sunrise this morning, over a leisurely cup of coffee... instead of catching glances of the sky as I'm driving to work. 

These were taken within a 30 minute timeframe. Really, it is amazing the subtle & not so subtle differences that occur in such a short period of time. I muse at all the things we miss on a daily basis when our present culture seems to conspire to keep us so busy! Today, I am just thankful for having the time to enjoy it.

:)