Pretty Leaf

Look! I found a treasure while walking back from the bank this morning! I guess it's my luck day:)

Springtime is Here!

A few shots from our beautiful Sunday morning hike up Saint Joseph's Hill.

Lingonberry Juice

A fresh taste of the Arctic.

While I was up in Alaska, I had the opportunity to meet some of the folks living out in Wiseman. Wiseman is located about 15 north of Coldfoot Camp.
While visiting I was offered a cup of homemade lingonberry juice. I had no idea what a lingonberry was but they were hand picked in the surrounding countryside, so I couldn't turn down such an opportunity! I said "Sure!"

Lingonberries are like cranberries except they are smaller and grow closer to the ground. They are the same pretty color though. They are common in boreal forests and the Arctic tundra. They are popular in many Scandinavian dishes and recipes.
Jack, the guy who we were visiting, said they also make a delicious bread. He hand picked and reduced the berries in water to make the juice all himself.

It was served in a coffee mug, with a spoon. It was very similar to cranberry juice, except with much less sugar than the commercial stuff. But the best part was the pile of berries at the bottom. For those I used the spoon. They were so tender and tart and yummy! 

What a neat opportunity hu?

Trees: Portrait

Here are a couple more tree photo's I took in Yosemite!

The Trees Knees

One of the things I've observed on my travels into the wilderness is that I notice things I don't normally. One of the main things that I always am amazed by are the trees. I know I have them around my house, and they are pretty much everywhere I go, but for some reason I feel that in the city I don't see trees really.
But that is not in the wilderness. Perhaps it's because they are the only thing to look at besides rocks, but I notice them more, the different varieties, the subtle differences in the shape of leaves and needles, the texture of bark, the million colors that fall somewhere on the color wheel between red and brown.
Even dead they are magnificent, like fallen Titans. Their colors and insides are a patchwork of shapes, and patterns. Their twisted and gnarled roots are more graceful and artistic than some of the best sculptures I 've ever seen. You don't know how many tree stumps I wished I could pick up and carry home with me! They were just so beautiful.
Here are a few of my attempts to capture the artistry that nature so nonchalantly scatters about the high Sierra!

Big Basin State Park

 The Mighty Redwoods of California!

Tree Envy

I am sure everyone has them. You know, those restless days at work when you feel trapped and have to battle against the overwhelming urge to escape. Where you want to scream "Freedom!!!" like Mel Gibson did in Braveheart and race out the door into the sunshine....and back into life. You know what I'm talking about right?
Well, I am having one of those days today, and for no particular reason that I can think of either. It's just another regular day. Almost every time I feel this way I find myself gazing out my office window at the tree across the street. It's not the prettiest tree. It is wedged behind a restaurant and some garbage cans, and has been hit by delivery trucks at least three times that I've seen. But for some reason on days when I'm feeling restless and trapped indoors, I find myself watching it's leaves shimmer in the sun, and can't help but feel a certain amount of envy.
Like I said, I don't think this is a particularly fortunate tree, but at the same time it will never have a day "at the office" in all it's life. When it's sunny and cheerful outside, it gets to be a part of it. When it's crisp and windy out, it's branches get to dance in the breeze. When it's stormy and gray, it gets to soak it all in. Sometimes (but not always) I wish I could really enjoy every day like that, and be a part of the weather the way plants are.
Don't get me wrong. I am not saying I'd prefer to be a tree over human being. I'm just saying that sometimes, on days like today, I feel a little anthropomorphic jealousy towards them that's all.

The Sort-of Secret Garden

The garden (or back yard) of my Aunt's house is really beautiful. And although it's much bigger, it kind of reminds me of The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett. You know the story about Mary, Dicken, and Collin, and the garden behind the stone wall where they played and tamed the wild roses and watched crocuses sprout from the earth in delight? It has that ancient half wild half refined feel to it that is really romantic and charming. I would love to have a garden like that!
The space is bounded by two ancient stone walls on either side, the house at the front, and the river at the back. When my Aunt and Uncle moved in they had a landscape architect design the layout and style. The right side was left "wild" to natures tangle of bushes and plants, while the middle was planted with a few fruit trees and a beautiful Holly tree that looks spectacular under a fine dusting of snow. And the left side was sculpted into little gardens of  roses and other plants, stone walkways and even a little arch. It's quite relaxing to take a stroll around the yard, and look at all the plants. And it's pretty no matter what the weather. Even in the rain! If I lived there I'd probably do it every day. And in the summer I imagine that it would be lovely to sit in a lawn chair by the river. The "beach" and little boat ramp always remind me of the VonTrapp home in The Sound of Music. It's very European.
This particular winter was very mild, so many of her plants had already begun to bud. And then on my second to last day there it finally snowed! Her back yard that had been so green the day before was suddenly turned to white, and I felt a familiar longing for Christmas. Here are a few photos so you can see for yourself!

Ode to My Crown of Plumeria

My  original crown and I at the Polynesian Cultural Center

While vacationing in Hawaii me and my BF went to The Polynesian Cultural Center. It was a fun, but hot, day and we had a good time learning about the different island cultures.

Crown with new flowers from parking lot.

One of the gift stands, in the Tahiti village, I think it was, was selling hats and crowns made out of palm tree leaves and flowers. They were really beautiful. I believe they were primarily made for kids since they also had toys and other children's items near by, and many of the hats and things were small. But I didn't care. I really wanted a crown of pink and white plumeria. One of my worst criticisms of being a grown up is that we stop playing dress up. It's ridiculous. Dressing up is so fun, so why on earth would I stop doing it? So anyway, I got my crown, and I wore it all the rest of the day...and pretty much every day after. I got up in the morning and put it on before I made coffee. I wore it to the grocery store, I wore it to watch football. The original flowers died of course, but the beautiful thing about being in Hawaii is that there are tons more of them all over the place! I picked up some off the ground, I used ones that fell on my rental car overnight. If one flower went limp and turned brown I just found another and replaced it.

When we had reached the final day of our vacation I was saddened by the fact that I knew I couldn't bring my crown home with me. There are rules about bringing fruit and plants to/from Hawaii, and unless those items come with special papers, they won't let them on the plane with you. I couldn't bear the thought of my beautiful crown being confiscated and dumped in the trash at the airport, but I was equally dissatisfied with the idea that it should end up in the garbage at the hotel I was staying at. But what to do?
On our last walk along Waikiki beach, on our last morning on Oahu, I finally found my answer. Near the sidewalk, there was a huge statue of a surfer named Duke, and on his arms and at his feet people had left lei's and flowers. It was the perfect place to leave my pretty crown that had served me so well, and I hardly felt sad at all to leave it there among all the other flowers, in a beautiful spot where it would be admired and appreciated. I like to think that it is still there now, resting at Duke's feet.