Story

You were definitely my favorite outfit that I saw at the Lady GaGa Concert. You basically only had on underwear and caution tape. Not including the sunglasses and the soda cans in your hair. It was amazing to see how willing people where to bear all in front of a massive crowd of strangers in the name of their dedication to a musical artist. Whatever your motivation behind this outfit, I enjoyed it. Also, kudos for putting yourself out there, maybe it would be best to do it in a slightly different way than walking around basically nude. Still, kudos 😀

It’s been a long time since I’ve gone backpacking with any of the kids, and this fall it’s Nick’s turn to enjoy the great outdoors with his grizzly dad. We’re headed to a new hike for me out in Sequoia National Park. We drove out early in hopes of getting a permit for one of the nicer areas. We decided on the Lakes Trail route out to Alta Peak for the first night, then over to Pear Lakes for the second night. It was a dusty hike with a good amount of climbing, up through Panther Gap and on to Mehrten Meadow. Unfortunately I didn’t anticipate that Nick might get hit with altitude issues, so we took it easy and setup camp in the Meadow. It was a tough night for him getting up every hour or so. ...

I couldn’t really tell what your float was about but the people on it with you were very interesting. Your mask was enchanting something utterly demonic about it and at the same time it was almost childish. It matched your tattoo very well on your arm. You seemed like a stoic protector over your float. Like a silent ghost set down there, you hardly moved, just stared forward with your mask unmoving. You captivated me, thanks for being there, and thanks for the mask.

There were also big begonia floating parade boats that people created. They showed them off as they slowly tooled down the river to be judged. There were some very nice ones that I really enjoyed like the octopus float. I also enjoyed the none to pleased looking mermaids on the float, especially the little mermaid inside of the clam. The others were really cool as well and the people manning them were very interesting as well. ...

This was the first year I got to attend the Capitola Begonia Festival. This first part consisted of the Sand Castle Contest. Some of them were quite interesting. My favorites where the giant great white sand castle, and the giant sand sculpture of Poseidon and the BP oil spill. This one was definitely the best, it had a message about the BP Oil Spill and of course the quality of the sculpture was amazing. The eyes and teeth made out of shells where so amazing and life-like. The seaweed oil spill was an interesting and unique touch as well. It was the last one on the beach and looking out over the whole crowd was quite a spectacle. ...

There is a relationship between all living things, a dependence, a connection that you have to look very closely to find. Yet at times it is so obvious you would have to be blind not to notice. A bee’s romance with the flower it seeks life from. A child’s connection to its mother as they grow old together with a bond that surpasses that of genetics. Or the look in an animals eye as it looks upon a potential predator but neither make a menacing move. It is a dance, a balance between one beings life and another’s. Can you see it, the connection, the relationships of the world around you. If you can’t now, start looking before it is too late to look at the harmony in the world around you. It is beautiful.

In my earlier travel update on our trip to Yellowstone this summer and the black bear we saw walking right next to the road. I wasn’t very smart about it and was running down the road after him to get good pictures along with a missive crowd of people. This are the best photos of him that I thought were worth re-posting on their own. So here he is.

Out in Cooke City Montana there is an old house. It has new glass in the windows, it’s doors hang on rusted hinges, the inside was long ago torn out and slowly accumulated junk within, and the house itself has been weathered by time so much that it now more resembles an old haunted house. I love this house. Every time I see it I have to take a picture. This year it was different. The ground around the old broken down house was covered in purple flowers. Slowly but surely all that was old becomes new and all that is new will soon be old. It just takes time, all things change in time. You will only see it though if you are willing to wait. So wait for change and bring in the new from the old and maybe even the old from the new.