Going through the items in my “Treasure Box,” I can’t stop thinking about how silly and trivial many of these tiny bits of plastic are. Several are of mysterious origin, even to me, and I now have no idea why I kept them. But in among the fairly disposible stuff, I’ll find an occasional genuine treasure, like the handmade Christmas […]
One recent experience I won’t forget for awhile happened on the first leg of our return trip to Northern California from the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. It was the end of July, and Texas, much like California, had been in a drought for some time. The weather during our stay was relentlessly hot and fairly muggy. So when we […]
I nearly missed the Historic Life-Saving Station Cemetery even though I was on the alert as I drove along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Point Reyes National Seashore. I had seen a signpost on my way south, but traveling northbound the turn was unmarked. When I finally spotted it, the narrow lane took me over a cattle guard and up […]
Part of the fun I find in staying in an unfamiliar place is focusing on the small details that add to the atmosphere. Even if you may not notice them, these touches definitely add to the feeling of relaxation and serenity these short escapes provide. In this case, I was only able to stay for one night, and due to […]
Nothing tends to remind us humans of how small we are and how brief our time on this planet like a visit to a place like the Petrified Forest National Park. Walking among the desert environment that once was a lush forest, marveling at the brilliant fragments of rock that were once majestic trees really readjusts your perspective. These geological […]
As a rule, whenever I’m in San Francisco I try to avoid the more tourist-oriented spots and instead seek out more obscure treasures. I think this site must fall somewhere between those two extremes — I was joined by a handful of other intrepid climbers during my midday visit, but I had never heard of the Lyon Street Steps until […]
I had some fun last week playing around with some of the light fixtures in my old farmhouse AirBnB in Marin County. I especially liked this lamp and shade found in the bedroom; but after looking at the image on my computer, I realized it reminds me just a bit too much of this hilarious meme:
With so many awe-inspiring sights surrounding us during our two brief visits to the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, this spot seemed to really hit us between the eyes! There’s a great spot to park off the road and gaze at The Tepees — but both the Big Guy and I agreed that our favorite viewpoint was up the […]
Seen at the deYoung Museum in the Modern and Contemporary Art section. The artist, Elizabeth Catlett (1915-2012) created this beautiful piece entitled “Stepping Out” in 2000, using laminated mahogany.