Half Dome

From the Valley One of the most amazing monoliths in Yosemite is Half Dome. You can see it from almost any location in the Valley and it draws you in. It has a power that you don't realize or can even understand. Adrenalin junkies want to climb it, artists want to to photograph or paint it, and some just want to gaze at it. Even now I think about it and am in awe. And you have to see Half Dome in person, a photo doesn't have the same impact. So what are you waiting for? Get going.

From Mirror Lake

From Glacier Point

From Tunnel View

Our Trip to Yosemite

We spent four days in Yosemite this year on vacation. Let me say that this is one of the most amazing places I have ever been. We try to beat the 'summer rush' whenever we travel but I think Yosemite is one of those places that is always full of people (although I am sure not as many as say, July). We drove in from San Francisco and arrived at the park around 6:30 in the evening.

We wanted a more 'rustic' experience so we rented one of the tents in Curry Village. They were cheaper too : ) and included b'fast at the dining facility each day. We stayed in unit 716. The tent had a padlock on the door to lock up when we left. We had a double bed, a mirror, and a book case. Oh, and a bare bulb for light. We had to use public restrooms and showers.

We froze the first night. The temperature was in the 40's. We knew it would be cold and we brought flannel pj's, but they were not enough. The next day, we took a swing by the front desk and got some more blankets. We were fine after that.

This is what Tent City looks like from our front step. I did not think to take a snap of the food protection safe. Those green boxes in front of each tent are used for your food and anything that smells nice. You know toothpaste, shampoo. Anything that attracts the bears. You are not supposed to leave any food in you vehicles or tents.

The food in the dining hall was fine for b'fast. It was an all you can eat buffet. The dining hall is also open for lunch an dinner, but if you are not interested in buffet food, there is a deli, a couple of pizza places, and a general store where you can buy groceries.

If you're interested in parking your car for the duration of your trip or if you arrive via another mode of transportation, Yosemite provides shuttle service to most areas/attractions in the valley. They use a hybrid shuttle and it's a comfortable way to get around the park.

In Yosemite Village, you will find another general store, a recycling center, an employment office, a fire department, a garage, the Ansel Adams Gallery, the visitor center, and post office.

Village Store

Visitor Center

Ansel Adams Gallery

Official Trip Foto

A week ago today, I returned from a terrific week in Cali. We spent 4 days in Yosemite and 3 days in San Francisco. It has become a tradition to take a trip Foot Foto. This is Half Dome from Glacier Point.

I think the flip flops add the Cali attitude. Don't you agree? If truth be told, I had to take my boots off. I couldn't take one more step in them.

California Wildflowers

 

I have always loved taking photos of flowers so vacations provide opportunities to photograph flowers that I would not normally see. I especially love wildflowers. I am currently on a quest to identify each of these blooms. Numbering left to right, top to bottom (1)Unidentified (2)Unidentified (3)Unidentified (4)Unidentified (5)Unidentified (6)Unidentified (7)Unidentified (8)Red Ribbons (9)Snow Plant If you know the common name of any of these blooms, leave a comment. You can click the photo to enlarge and get a better look.

I Do

While on my journey thru the past, we made a run by the small church were my parents were married in June 1957. Only the center portion of the structure is original. Not sure when the additions were added. Location: 15th Street, Anoka, Minnesota.

Eared Coreopsis

At least I think this is what they are. I found this really great resource for Alabama Wildflowers. Now when I take photos I can look them up : ).

While I was driving home from work on Friday, there was a field full of these beautiful little flowers. I told myself that I would go back over the weekend and get some shots. I actually got myself out of bed early on Saturday to catch the morning light. TOM came with me as 'my assistant'. Got a few honks too. I never really understand why people honk. Are they shutterbugs too saying 'hi'? Anyhoo, it always startles me.

When I finshed, we headed to Home Depot for supplies for today's project.

You Can Survive Junior High

As I sit here waiting for TOM to get home from a week on the road, I decided I would revisit junior high, that's what we called it in the '70's, now they call it middle school. Anyway, I went to Fred Moore Junior High in Anoka, MN. Prior to that is was the high school from which my mom graduated in the '50's. It looks the same except for the electric sign out front. Hans Bakery is still open next door. Unfortunately, Hans is the reason for my first diet. My father still goes there every morning for a cup of coffee and a donut before work .

The Tornadoes still play football in the stadium out back. The home team fans still sit on the right side of the field as you enter the gate. Looks like it might even have a fresh coat of paint. I played flute in the marching band, but for some reason when I hit high school, I did not pursue a position in the football band. I guess it was because I was dating and working by that time. At one point, I really coveted that letter jacket. I so remember the cool, often cold, Friday nights at the game. There to see friends more than watch football. Pizza and beer after (or maybe a field kegger to go to), oh that was when I was in High School.

The building was dated even then. There was no air conditioning, no elevator, no pool. We did have windows (the new high school looked like a prison). I remember trudging up the stairs to class on the third floor carrying at least 15 pounds of books because we didn't have time to run to our lockers between classes (so why did I need to diet)? Book bags, on wheels...I don't think so. Kids today don't know how great they have it. This is my version of having to walk 5 miles to school in the 3 feet of snow :)

The last time I was at this school, before taking these photos, was my graduation from high school in 1977. I marched off that field and never looked back.

Feeling a Bit Nostalgic Today

I grew up in this house, at least the years between 10 and 18. I finished grade school here, made it thru junior high, and then high school. I left this house a month after graduation when I married tOM who was in the Army at the time. I have never looked back. On occasion, I wish I still lived closer to my family, but it just never worked out. TOM was career army and we traveled from base to base. So what do I remember most about living in this house? My dad doing sweat equity on the foundation and all the block work by himself. My mom falling down the stairs and breaking her leg. Sneaking out my bedroom window on warm summer nights. The day I hit a road sign on my way to school and smashed the windshield on my car. My dad never yelled, just asked if I was OK. A fight with my brother on Easter weekend. He threw a shoe at me and missed, but he hit the aquarium. Living within walking distance of the beach. Swimming all day, every day all summer long. A summer tan before skin cancer. Kegs parties. Riding snowmobiles in winter. Snow days.

What do you remember about the house you grew up in?

Remembering Millie

I just got back from a trip to visit my family in Minnesota. While I was there I made a stop by Millie's store, which is a couple of blocks from my parents house. This little store has been in this location for at least 40 years. This area was mostly a weekend summer place because of the nearby beach. (The beach is behind the store.) The sign says Ted's Store, but it was really Millie's. I first 'shopped' at this store when I was about 11 years old.

Millie recently passed on and there was a big memorial service right here at the store. About 400 people, who over the years stopped for 'pop', candy, and a quick gallon of milk came by. Back in the day, she even had a couple of gas pumps. Millie was a nice lady and she never forgot a face.

I moved away from the area years ago and had not stopped by in a long time. She was part of my childhood and a fond memory now. These tokens and notes prove that she was still loved by children and adults alike and that she will be missed.

I Have a Cold

I have not had a cold in three years. Why now? I have been eating right, getting enough rest, and exercising. I feel like crap.

Ditch Digger for Hire

Spent most of the day doing work in the yard. We have a drainage problem in the back yard and with all the rain lately, it was a muddy mess. It was also causing a problem with our septic tank.

We had been discussing putting in french drain for a while, but had not been motivated to do it. We finally decided we needed to give it a shot. When the rain stopped yesterday, TOM got to work. Because the ground was so saturated it made it easier to dig the trench, but some spots were still very hard as we got deeper. (Maybe we should have rented a ditch witch.) We had to dig a 140' trench. That was the hardest part and luckily TOM did not make me help with that.

Needless to say, it was back-breaking work. As far as we can tell right now, it appears to be working. The water is draining off (into our neighbors yard - sorry). We had to take it under the fence to a lower elevation. When TOM is finished they won't even know it's there. He was so funny tho (the neighbor), he kept saying 'your water is in my yard.' Well, officially, it's not our water, it's natures water. And the whole neighborhood is underwater, not just us. (He appears to have a problem in his yard too.) TOM should have talked with him before he started digging under the fence, especially since it will affect him.

I need to go get the tylenol now...later.

In the Yard

I love spring, especially in the South. I can get outside and enjoy all the blooming. I have been waiting about 8 years for this fence to be'properly weathered'.

It's Raining Again Today ...

... but we had a beautiful day yesterday. I cleaned up the kitchen and did a load of laundry. The sun was shining and I was getting ready to go. Where? It did not matter, just out of the house in which we had been locked for so many days.

After I managed to get TOM off the couch, we got dressed and hit the road. We headed to Pasaquan. Located near the Georgia town of Buena Vista, Pasaquan is one man's vision of what life should be like. It really is an amazing place. All created by this eccentric character, Eddie Martin, at his family farm.

I had a great time wandering around the grounds and snapping the 'vision'. The colors are vibrant, though faded. There is not a single space on any of the structures that are free of decoration. There is not admission; however there is a $5donation per person, children are free.

Here are a few of my favorite snaps of the day:

Pasaquanian Headdress A door The back door The garage The unfinished grotto Unpainted pathway and walls Entrance to the Bead Room The Bead House Addition to the main farm house The [Propane] Tank Room

Has My Head Exploded Yet?

And that is not just a rhetorical question. I have to say that I have had the worst day in my recent history. It actually started yesterday as I was leaving my place of employment. I am a writer. Sounds glamorous, right? Not really. I don't get to write the fun stuff. I save that for this blog. Anyhoo, I began working a project at the end of 2007. Yes, that's right, about 15 months ago. After research, meetings, programming changes, etc. I had the pleasure of writing a technical document that could be used by our clients to learn how to use the product. That took about 6 months and several false starts. Also, not the only thing I was working on. Finally, in October I hand this document over to 'the platform manager' for an edit. Now having to suffer the suggestions and corrections to a document is part of the job. It's not personal and it doesn't bother me. But this document was different. I put so much effort into this book it was like a child and I was quite proud of it. He took 6 months, almost to the day, to complete his edit. Unacceptable. Then he has the nerve to tell as I am walking out the door yesterday, that it needs some structural changes...what the f---!!! that means a lot more time invested and I thought I was almost finished!!! See somewhere in the middle of his edit we moved from one document format to another which is a pretty big deal. (His edit was supposed to be completed before the big change.) So now I have to make the changes. So, what really pisses me off is this: 1. Why didn't I just incorporate the new format (for the most part I am good to go) but I am missing one essential piece. My bad. 2. How come our managers can get away with crap like this? If I sat on an edit for 6 months I would be in the dog house, no pay raise, no promotion, yada, yada, yada. 3. I feel that his inaction showed a total disrespect for my work. I know he is a manager. He supervises several people and has to edit their work as well, but all he had to do was READ ONE F---N CHAPTER DAY DAY AND HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FINISHED IN A MONTH. And I wouldn't be sitting here feeling like crap right now. And on a Friday too! And then to top things off I live in a small community and for the LAST YEAR they have been working on a street scape project. Traffic has become progressively worse throughout the project and today was the worst. They are finally paving the intersection most affected by all the work. This is a major throughfare from my little city to the city where I (and thousands of others) work and as I come over the bridge today, after having a the most crappy day, I see everyone taking a sharp turn to the right. That is three lanes of traffic trying to turn right. No cop, nothing. Well, I'm smart. I decide to go up an extra block before I try to cross over, but I guess I am not the only smart one in the bunch. Lot of smart folks out here. Anyway, traffic is BACKED UP EVERYWHERE. ALMOST AT A STANDSTILL. You would think the cops would be out directing traffic during RUSH HOUR!. But no, I guess they are all at the local coffee shop eating donuts and getting fat. I have to admit (and I am ashamed of myself) that I laid on the horn when some idiot was trying to go straight across which held us up even longer. What an idiot. Take a right to get traffic moving and then take the next left to get where you need to go. I actually left work half an hour early but got home at the same time. Anyhoo, I have used it all up and I have to stop now.

Pizza Anyone?

I love pizza. I ate so much pizza when I was pregnant with my youngest son he won't eat pizza. I really don't know if that has anything to do with it, but it seems to make sense. Anyhoo, pizza has a lot of calories and I have come up with a very viable option (with a little help from WW). You will need whole wheat tortillas (I tried multi-grain tortillas, but they did not make a crispy crust), fresh oregano, fat free mozzarella, canned spaghetti sauce (I like Ragu), and your favorite pizza toppings. Place your tortilla on a cookie sheet coated with olive oil cooking spray. Spread about 2 tablespoons of spaghetti on the tortilla. Sprinkle with fresh chopped oregano. Cover with your favorite toppings. In my example, I have onions, canadian bacon, and portabella mushrooms. Cover with fat free mozarella cheese. The more the better I say. Drizzel with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Bake for about 10 minutes at 425. Eat. Enjoy.

Smiles . . . Priceless

My son has had a few difficult years, mostly involving his career in the restaurant business. It is a tough career choice. Those of us that just eat at restaurants really don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Long hours, low pay, little appreciation of the skill it takes to run a successful eatery. After losing a couple of jobs (I am sure he suffered a nervous breakdown) and a serious injury that kept him out of work for three months last year he has had a rough time. In any event, the bills were mounting and it would seem he and his girlfriend were never finding the way out of the tunnel into the fresh air. Over the last few months, they have been borrowing my vacuum cleaner on a regular basis. Not that I mind, but when I go to use it, it's gone. And they use it hard. Well, today we solved both our problems...we bought them a vacuum cleaner of their own. I should have had the camera. Smiling from ear to ear after receiving a household appliance. TOM and I are just glad that we can afford to help them with unexpected surprises occasionally. Smiles are the juice that keep the heart happy. According to my son, the best part is that the color is the same has his favorite college football team, UAB...the Crimson Tide...Go Bama!

Home Away from Home

You know we spend 1/3 of our lives away from our homes and families and it is important that the space you occupy for eight hours a day reflects your personality and the things you love. Fortunately, I work for a company that lets up express ourselves (to a point) we're not hanging bikes from the ceiling yet. So this is where I live when I am not at home. This is my cube window and many family photos. When sitting up properly, I have a view of the river and the train trestle. Turn to the left and I have my dual monitors, my overhead cabinets. One side with travel photos, the other with food and seasonal decorations. I also have the requisite toys that 'help me think better'. Having grown up in Minnesota I have a fondness for snowmen (forgt the political correctness) as you can see in the following shot. The cute little knit one is my current favorite and was a gift from my Secret Santa in 2008.

The Taxman Commeth...Not :-)

We dodged the tax bullet. I am not really sure how, but I may have to redo my taxes just to make sure. WE DON'T OWE ANY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES this year. On the advice of our tax person, last year we increased the tax deduction from my husband's military retirement and put gobs of money into our 401(k). Although we probably lost most of that in the recent financial debacle. But WE DON'T OWE ANY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES this year. Maybe if I keep saying it, I will begin to believe it. Thank you, Shirley's Accounting. This is the first year in 10 years that WE DON'T OWE ANY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES.