Wednesday, June 30, 2010

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Every day I think of Sue and when I do I burst out in tears.

I am still shocked and stunned by the whole ordeal.

I am so sad and I miss her so deeply.

Life is busy and beautiful and full,
but Suzy is not here.

I wish she was.



I love you so much Sue.
I mean it.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

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We drove down to the Monterey Aquarium.

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The leopard sharks were cool.

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Why the long face?


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Such interesting and beautiful creatures.

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I'm free fallin'

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Moon Jellyfish.

So glowy and beautiful in person.

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I think this is Pacific Grove.

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The blues in the ocean surprised and delighted me.
So so gorgeous.

I am sorry Gulf of Mexico. So very sorry.

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Such varied and interesting landscape.

Hwy 1 and near San Jose.
All photos taken with 35mm lens.


Gosh, we have been blessed with so much in this country.


"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."
- G.K. Chesterton


Encourage one another,
Donna

Monday, June 28, 2010

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Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world.

~Ada Louise Huxtable



Encourage one another,
Donna

Saturday, June 26, 2010

On the third day of our California vacation,
we rested.

My knees were just killing me, I could barely walk.

So we hung out in Walnut Creek.
My camera battery was dead and I needed to buy a battery charger.
I had finished The Help the night before and wanted a new book so
I found a Barnes and Noble just a few buildings down from the Camera store.

What a beautiful little town. Swanky.
We did not know it was so upscale.

The Tiffany's on the corner was a clue.

I was sad to finish The Help because I liked the characters so well.
It was a wonderful book to me.
The only way it could be better is if it was really real.

Finally I have a book I can say to my friends and family, 'read this book'.


I purchased Major Pedigrew's Last Stand.
Mainly because I love the cover and Dana @ Hiddenart recommended it.
Helen Simonson is a first time writer and I think she is super talented!
The book reads like Elizabeth Goudge.

Major Pettigrew


I am tickled to have found two books in a row that i really like.

It's been a good book drought around here for the last year or so.
Even John Irving's newest book was a flop in my mind.


For Lunch we went to a local place in Concord called Kinders.

Kinders BBQ

This is the second place I would go back to.
The bbq beef was stuffed into a piece of 'french bread' but it was not sliced and had a hole in
one end. The meat did not squish out when you bit your sandwich.

Even tho the meat was a bit salty, I liked it anyway.

Emma had the vegetarian sandwich at the butcher shop.
She thought it was delicious.


After that we went to see Toy Story 3.

Everyone liked it.
Except me. I was a little bored.

I want more classic toys and less darkness.
I am not a fan of evil toys.

Bonnie Hunt's part was minuscule.
boo to that.


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The only pictures I took on our day off were these interesting flowers.

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This one says Mid Century Modern to me.

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This one is hatching.




And that was our day of rest.



Wishing you a beautiful weekend!!

With all the rest or adventure you little heart desires :o)


Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday, June 25, 2010

Into the Woods


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Even tho we did not make it to Sequoia Nat'l Park we found redwood trees very near San Francisco.

Just over the Golden Gate Bridge is Muir Woods.

My dear, sweet, fun friend from high school met us there.
So to tell you the truth, it was nice to see the trees, but nicer to see Karen.
Sue and Karen were best friends.
Karen and I were best buddies. :o)

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I tried and tried to take pictures that showed how tall the trees were....
It was not easy. I found the light conditions very tricky.
And even with a full frame camera and a 35mm lens...I never shot a whole tree.

But I did get a picture of this lovely couple.

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This one is my favorite.

I told Emma to look up. But then we were looking up her nose.
So I had her look in a different place....and it was much better.

Beak up.
Beak down.

Emma said she was not looking at the tree and I said it was only the illusion that she was looking at the tree.


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They were beautiful. I would go back to walk around at Muir Woods.
But only if I could park in the parking lot.

Trees make nice company.

When the children were small we found an old growth of trees that did not burn during the Peshtigo Fire.
It was called Harmony Hardwoods. We liked going there. It was a small clump of trees but it had it's own
magic.


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We drove out of the woods and went to Muir Woods Beach.

It was beyond windy.

Katie is watching her letters get washed away.

I think she is gesturing.....HEY!!!

I know sign language.

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It is mandatory to throw stones in the water.
Look at the girls going for a run.

:o)

Patrick's girlfriend was with us and she did not want her picture taken.
I say too bad :o(
You will have to imagine her. She is very pretty.

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Emma.
It killed her to be on a beach.
That was cold.

She couldn't quite wrap her mind around being in California on a beach and
freezing her little tootsies off.

Back in the car we went.
I was too tired to go to the Headlands. I really really wanted to...but couldn't.

So we went to see the Painted Ladies.

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Foolish me. I thought I was the only silly person who wanted to see the Full House street.
The park was filled with people who came to see the famous houses.

It was up a hill!
I walked hanging on to Patrick's arm...
I felt like Grandma Glyman....holding the crook of some one's arm for support.

Emma was mistaken for Katie's mom THREE times.

You can start calling me granny any time now, but please don't,
it will make me cry.


After successfully making it back down the hill to the car we tried to find
a diner that was recommended by Guy Fieri. We drove all the way down Mission Street and never found it.

So we went to a diner on Market street. (Sam's Diner)
It was average. Don't bother.

But I did drink the most refreshing Cherry Italian Soda ....or what ever those things are called.



*****

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir


God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Martin Luther




Encourage one another,
Donna

Thursday, June 24, 2010

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Off we go....


I loved the public transportation in San Francisco.
Just look at that 'bus'!

Buses from all around the world chug along, full to the brim down by the waterfront.
I would like to take lots and lots of pictures of these 'buses'.

(Fare=2.00)

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I liked these better than the Trolley.
But I am grateful for the Trolley we rode to Grace Cathedral cause man it was straight up.


But back to the bottom of the hill first. The Ferry Building again.

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I like this sort of place.


After meandering around the shops we went outside to look at the Bay Bridge.

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Then up the hill to The Grace Cathedral.

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I promise, I did not do a thing to that sky.
We lucked out and had the most beautiful weather on that Thursday. Last Thursday,
It looked very much like Norte Dam from this direction minus the flying buttresses.

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So pretty.

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The labyrinth. A place to ponder.


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Diane uses a Olympus E500. She takes beautiful pictures!

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This was what intrigued Katie.

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The needlepointed kneelers were my favorite part.

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These were stitched by parishes from all over Northern California.
They depicted the wildlife from the area.

Scriptures were stitched into the kneelers.


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Then we walked down the hill to China Town.
Walking down the steep hills was scary.

I felt like I was going to fall down and start rolling all the way to the ocean.

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With some searching we found...The House of Nan King.

We all loved it here! It was the best food I ate all week. Really!
All of the dishes we ordered tasted different from one another.

Now that may sound odd, but around here, everything tastes the same at the Chinese Restaurants.
No matter what you order...it tastes the same.

Not at the House of Nan King.

Great food. Fun experience!

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Look! The famous TransAmerica building.

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The view from Coit Tower. Telegraph Hill.

No parrots. No strange man.

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Than we sat and rested and visited and drank cool refreshing drinks.

Ah.


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Don't you love the way I am holding my bag?
Oh good gracious. What a dork.

We love the palm trees.



And that, my friends, was our day in San Francisco.
It could not have been more perfect.

(We also walked out on Pier 39 to see the view. It was spectacular. You can see Alcatraz from there ;o)


Now I need to rest from writing this post!


Thanks for coming along and reading my travelblog :o)

Encourage one another,
Donna