Inspiration For Longevity

 I believe this was taken at a bird aviary on the east coast in 2010. So much fun to catch birds with their mouths wide open! Let's start with the bad news. I was about to make a right hand turn in the car this morning. Setsuko and I were in a bit of a hurry, so I was in a bit of an impatient mood. I looked to the left and figured that I could make the turn, but I would need to do it quickly because a car was coming. I did not pay close enough attention to the pedestrian who was to our right. As I started to turn right, the "walk" sign came on and the pedestrian started to walk. Fortunately, my reflexes were fast enough for me to slam on the brakes and stop before hitting the pedestrian. I then apologized to that person. A stern reminder for me to drive more defensively! Now the good news. I sent my final Lane County farewell notice by text and email tonight. I received 30 responses! Those responses were so gracious and kind and appreciative. Those responses are also not

  This is another cool shot of a hummingbird from our old Springfield home. I love the detail! As I think back on my 33 years of life in Lane County, I have been revisiting some of the gifts I have received. Below is a partial list. Almost 17 years of being married to Setsuko, my amazing wife.  Wonderful relationships with people I have met through tennis and my school teaching work. USPTA tennis teacher certification and work as a tester for those wanting to be certified as a tennis teacher. Assisting my wife Setsuko with gaining USPTA certification Work as a personal trainer and experience with strength training Part of a Hood To Coast Team that set the mixed masters course record Created community tennis programs in North Eugene, Springfield, Creswell, and Cottage Grove Worked with Setsuko to make a large donation to Willamalane from my mom's estate. That donation helped create four multi-purpose courts that are great for tennis. 14 years of work at North Eugene High School as a

  I love the challenge of trying to capture the beauty of streams and rivers and waterfalls. I was very pleased with this photo of a stream we saw during our Stehekin trip in 2018. It is sad to me that so many families struggle with family chemistry. My father went to his death bed not communicating with his sister. My mom had very little contact with her sister for many years. I was talking to a friend about his mother and father. He said that his father needs full-time care. His mother really wants to spend some time traveling, but her husband is not physically able to do that. The adult children are willing to help take care of their father so their mom could travel. However, the mother does not want to leave her husband for fear that he will die in her absence. She is not willing to relinquish that control, despite the fact that the control is causing her to be living an unhappy life. Ouch! I had an unpleasant interaction at the gym this morning. I could have done nothing and the u

  I took this picture of a Peregrine Falcon in 2013 at a bird rehabilitation place in Vancouver, British Columbia. I lucked out as the owners normally did not allow this kind of access. They made an exception for me. Thank you for that! My topic for today is defensiveness. My source is the following article. https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-defensiveness/? "The Four Horsemen: Defensiveness," by Ellie Lisitsa This article is based on the work of John Gottman, one of my favorite experts on relationships. The Four Horsemen are Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling.  It is interesting to me how quickly I can become defensive.  "The third horsemen in the Four Horsemen is defensiveness, which is defined as self-protection in the form of righteous indignation or innocent victimhood in an attempt to ward off a perceived attack. Many people become defensive when they are being criticized, but the problem is that its perceived effect is blame. It

  This scenic shot was taken from the road in Stehekin, a very remote location on Lake Chelan in Washington. A beautiful place! This past week has been filled with some memorable and difficult goodbyes. It is tough when people express sadness about our departure. At the same time, it is very endearing that we have had that kind of positive impact on many people. One of the teachers at North said that I think about other people, not just about myself. What a nice thing to say! I certainly know that I cannot please everyone all of the time. I guess I just hope that I please most of the people most of the time! I also know that I can only expect that I do my best. In terms of my teaching and coaching, I expect the same of my students. I refuse to accept mediocrity!

    https://www.athome.co.jp/kodate/6978698625/  This is the link for our new house in Japan. Unfortunately, I have not been able to figure out how to copy and paste a picture to this blog. I will take my own picture when we get to Japan. I will then post that picture on this site.    It is a four bedroom home with about 1000 square feet. It is in Chofu, a little less that nine miles west of downtown Tokyo. It is very close to the American School, an English speaking private school. I will probably contact that school about the possibility of working as a substitute teacher, helping with their tennis team, and/or helping with their reading and behavior programs.  

  Another one of my favorite shots of Mt. Rainier. We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day! This Fortune magazine article headline caught my eye. "Billionaire investor Mark Cuban says he sees one trait in all successful people—and it’s one of the only characteristics you can control." Any guesses as to what that trait is?  “The one thing in life you can control is your effort,” said the man worth $6.6 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. “And being willing to do so is a huge competitive advantage, because most people don’t.” They say that the number one reason people leave their jobs is their manager—but according to Cuban, disliking your boss can actually be a boon. KEY POINTS FROM THE ARTICLE If a person is struggling with their manager, learn from the manager's mistakes instead of quitting    "Disgruntled employees need to reframe the situation as a learning moment, grit their teeth, and get on with it."  "In college you paid to

  This is one of the classic shots of the Oregon Coast. I managed to take this picture between rain storms! I would guess that I have spent close to 50 hours sorting tons of stuff from the last thirty years. Why so much? I have been so busy that I have not wanted to set aside the time to do the sorting that I have been doing these past two months.  The million dollar question. Have I been too busy? I think not. I have prioritized doing my tennis and special education work to the best of my ability. However, I now realize that I am ready for a reduction in those responsibilities. I am ready to have more time with Setsuko's family and am ready to explore all of the interests I have. The bottom line? I cannot do it all!

  I am really enjoying the process of selecting photos for this blog as each photo brings back so many fond memories! This Mt Rainier picture was taken back in 2012. I love the black and white effects. As I was reading news headlines this morning on the Apple News page, the following article caught my eye. https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-most-dangerous-job-the-murder-of-america-s-first-bird-warden?utm_source=pocket-newtab The Most Dangerous Job: The Murder of America’s First Bird Warden When I think of birding and bird photography, I do not usually think of murder. However, that was exactly what happened to Guy Bradley in 1905. Bradley was one of the first people to be paid to protect birds. It was during this time period that bird feathers were worth a lot of money. For that reason, people would kill birds to get those feathers. According to the article, as many as five million birds were killed each year during this time period.    Although the Audubon Socie

  Another colorful shot from the slot canyons of Arizona! If only buying a car for Japan had the same sense of simplicity! Ah, the world of decision-making! Hybrid? All electric? Gas and Electric? What's best???? What about the production of the energy for these different cars? Use of coal? Nuclear power? Other? The following information is taken from this web site: https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/japan-transition-electric-vehicles According to that article (written in July of 2021), "Japan is transitioning to 100% electric car sales by 2035."  ENERGY PRODUCTION The following is taken from this web site: https://www.statista.com/statistics/745675/japan-share-of-electricity-production/ According to that article, written in January 4, 2023, the following is how electricity was produced in Japan in 2021. Natural Gas: 34.4% Coal: 31% Renewables: 20.3% Petroleum and Waste: 7.4% Nuclear: 6.9%

  I think this picture of a Common Merganser was taken in Florida in 2008. What a gorgeous duck! What is not so gorgeous are the concerns raised in this article I found about the experience of a woman of color in Japan.  https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2023/06/19/voices/note-people-color-interested-living-japan/ "Long-term, if you can tolerate, dismiss or ignore being the object of constant stereotype-laced presumptions, irrational fear or untoward curiosity — you’ll probably have a great time in Japan. If you’re not that person, you can still power through and reach your objectives. The students understood, sadly, it’s familiar ground to many Black Americans. It’s not the first time they’ve had to choose how to respond to ignorance. But, how do you process these interactions in a way that doesn’t negatively impact your self-esteem? Figuring that out will be your key to success here." That is some beautiful writing! At the same time, I am saddened by this state

  I took this picture of a Bufflehead in Seattle back in 2005! That was 13 years after the start of my relationship with Willamalane, the parks district in Springfield, Oregon. The first Willamalane Recreation Director I worked with was Rand Gerlach. What a treat to work with Rand! Today, I had lunch with the final recreation supervisor of my Willamalane career, Spenser Lind. Another gem of a human being! I said to Spenser that he reminds me of the famous Robert Kennedy quote, "Some men see things as they are and ask, ""Why?"" I dream things that never were and ask, ""Why not?"  Spenser is one of the people who sees possibilities. I am also one of those people. My history with Willamalane included expanding the outdoor programs, leasing covered tennis courts at the University of Oregon, running tournaments and other forms of competitions, running tennis camps, private lessons, and promoting special events scheduled to attract new players. Lastly,

  This is another one of my favorite photos from Rocky Mountain National Park. I certainly want to do what I can to preserve this kind of beauty!  I recently discovered a fascinating web site: https://greenamerica.org/I really like their article, "10 Ways You can Fight Climate Change.," https://greenamerica.org/your-green-life/10-ways-you-can-fight-climate-change Those 10 ways include the following. For more information, please check the "Environment" Page on this blog! 1. Eliminate Food Waste 2. Eat Plant-Based 3. Use Clean Energy 4. Participate in the Democratic Process 6. Improve Insulation 7. Use LED Lighting 8. Rethink Transportation 9. Recycle 10. Buy Less                  

  I believe this was taken in the summer of 2018 in the Lake Chelan area in Washington. I loved this roadside view so I shot it! Sorting all my personal things from the last thirty years has given me the chance to think back about my past. In particular, I have been thinking about how lucky I am to have had such a wonderful upbringing. Our parents gave me the support and love and encouragement that all children should receive. Despite the fact that both parents had very strong academic backgrounds, our parents told us they had one simple goal for us, "to be happy." What a gift! Another gift happened when my dad came to watch his fifteen year old son teach tennis. Despite the fact that I had no experience teaching, dad told me that I had a gift for teaching and that I would be doing that for years to come. I have now taught tennis for 51 years! Thanks dad!

  Jack loves tennis! His backhand may not be as good as the player in this shot from Wimbledon, but Jack can still hit a nice ball! I met Jack shortly after I moved to Lane County in 1990. As a tennis coach at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, I coached one of his former number one players. Jack and I "hit it off "immediately, in more ways than one! We started a tradition that included work on one of his rentals, tennis, and then lunch. Another part of our tradition was my attempt to hit 500 shots in a row. Those shots had to land within the singles lines, using five different position combinations. If I missed before shot number 25 for one of the five combinations, I could start over on that combination. Jack would try to make me miss! How rude! I guess his strategies worked, as I only hit the 500 goal three times in ten years! I worked with many of his players during the off season and also worked with some on a year-round. basis This collaboration paid off as Junction C

  When it comes to longevity, it is hard to beat the mountains and the sea! This photo was taken during a trip to Alaska in the late 1990's. What are the words from Blowing in the Wind? "How many years must a mountain exist, before it is washed to the sea?" I have a goal of living to be 100 years old. Other than a little bit of luck, the following is a list of some of the other factors for me to consider if I am going to reach this lofty goal. This information is from the illuminating book, "We Live Too Short and Die Too Long," by Walter M Bortz II, MD. Consistent exercise A healthy diet Plenty of sleep Work satisfaction and a sense of usefulness Happiness Social stimulation Intellectual stimulation

  At my peak as a competitive runner, I was pretty fast, but I was not as fast as this bird! While I was reminiscing about my competitive running career, I was listening to the Jethro Tull classic "Living in the Past." Ian Anderson could sure play the flute! When I was growing up, I had no interest in any form of exercise that did not involve a ball. However, that all changed when I started to run to work in Anchorage, Alaska in the late 70's. I did not have much money so I could not afford a car and the bus stopped 1.5 miles short of where I was working. To speed things up, I decided to start running that distance. Lo and behold, I started to actually like running. I found it to be relaxing and a good form of exercise. I ran recreationally until 1985, with the exception of a race I did with my sister in Portland in 1980. That was quite an experience. The night before the race, I thought I should get in shape, so I ran 5 miles as hard as I could. Not a smart thing to do!

  This is another shot from the Page, Arizona Slot Canyons. I converted the color picture to black and white. What you can do today with photo editing! I just discovered a fascinating web site: https://80000hours.org/  In particular, they have a section titled "What are the most pressing world problems?" Now that is a great question! Here are their top five. Risks from artificial intelligence Catastrophic pandemics Nuclear war Great power conflict Climate change The authors also cover how to pick and use a career to help solve some of these problems. I am looking forward to investigating this site in greater detail!

  Sometimes if you hang around long enough, you just get lucky! I was wandering the fields of a wildlife preserve when I saw this American Kestrel flying nearby. I decide to stay in the area. The bird landed and stayed on that wire for quite a period of time. I very slowly moved several feet, stopped and photographed, and then moved closer. Sure enough, I was able to get close enough to take this awesome shot! Several years ago, I had the good fortune to find out about an organization titled Eco-Generation. Here is their web site address: https://www.ecogeneration.org/ They are amazing! They host Recycling "Take-Backs" in Creswell, Cottage Grove, and Florence. You can also schedule a time to take recycling to their warehouse on 42nd in Springfield. While there is a fee for scheduling a drop-off appointment, the prices are very reasonable. What is amazing is that they are able to accept a huge array of products for recycling, especially when it comes to plastics and plastic ba

 I took this cool shot while I was spread out in the sand on the beach. I believe it might have been at Cape May. Nothing like getting down to the bird's level! I have been thinking about patience. Sometimes I have it, sometimes I don't! I have been riding my bike 11+ miles from Junction City to North Eugene High School. There is one long stretch that takes me a good 10-15 minutes. When I first start that stretch, I cannot see the end of that segment. It truly looks like it goes on forever! I feel the same way about sorting all the stuff in our storage unit. So far, I have put close to 30 hours into that endeavor! There are times when I feel like it will never end! However, if I am patient and if I persevere, the end will come, just as it comes on my bike ride to work. Now if I can just be patient when I am tired and grumpy!

  This is one of my favorite shots of Japanese Cranes. This was taken in Kushiro, one of the trips during my courtship with Setsuko. Fond memories!  PLEASE NOTE: THE FOLLOWING INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION. PLEASE START SLOWLY AND SEE A DOCTOR OR SPECIALIST BEFORE INCREASING THE DURATION AND/OR INTENSITY OF YOUR WORKOUTS! We need to keep moving! So says David Brown, the author of a fascinating book titled "Beating the Dementia Monster." David came down with early onset Dementia, but was able to stop and even reverse the symptoms. "I now believe that my life absolutely depends on the treadmill. I believe that daily aerobic exercise, more than any other factor, has turned my condition around, at least for the foreseeable future." In his book, David says that he works out on a treadmill 50 minutes per day, six days per week. He recommends a 10 minute warmup and then a workout at 65% of a person's maximum heart rate. 

  This is another one of my favorite shots from the Canadian Rockies. I was fortunate to have a photo guide in which the author gave very specific recommendations and directions. The first few times I went to this spot, the lighting was not good. However, patience is a virtue! I mentioned in a prior post that I am reading Zahra Biabani's book "The Climate Optimist." Wonderful book! In that book, she actually says that if you want to work with her, schedule a time to meet. I did that! We have an 30 minute meeting scheduled for this coming week. Exciting! One of the things she does is to put out a weekly "Earth Wins," in which she cites examples of positive steps being taken to improve the environment. This past post included Spokane's textile repair workshop. How cool is this! In May, Spokane had its first pop-up shop, named   Mend-It Cafe,   to encourage individuals to   mend their textiles instead of throwing them away . The local non-profits, Art Salvage S

  We take ducks for granted as they are so common in the Pacific Northwest. I think this is a Northern Pintail. Ducks may be common, but they sure are beautiful! This leads me to talk about a wonderful Ted Talk featuring Brene Brown. Her topic? Vulnerability.  Here is the address: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability/c She starts off by talking about the importance of connection. She says that shame and fear oftentimes interfere with our ability to make connections. She defines shame as the fear of disconnection. This really got me thinking about the times when I disconnect from others. What I think happens is that when others disagree with me on an important or sensitive topic or when I am tired, I have a fear of vulnerability and shame, so I vehemently defend my position. She then talks about a "sense of worthiness" and the "courage to be imperfect." She puts together courage and compassion and connection. "In order for connection

 This is one of my favorite photos of the glorious Oregon Coast. If Nature never stops changing, why should we? Below is a list of some of the changes I have experienced. I hated running and cycling when I was growing up. By the time I was 21 years old, I loved both those activities. I had no interest in playing an instrument when I was growing up. I have now been playing the piano for almost 50 years. I also play the guitar and sing. For the first 20-25 years of my life, I did not always pay attention to time and would sometimes show up late. I now show up 30 minutes early! For the first 44 years of my life, I loved action movies and thriller books. I now much prefer to read more inspiring works that have more intrinsic value. For the first ten years of my special education work, I also taught tennis and worked some very long hours. COVID changed all of that as I realized I wanted more balance in my life.  For many years, I did not think twice about driving here and there and everywhe

  This shot from the Canadian Rockies captures some of my true loves: the outdoors, the mountains, the water, and the trails. A perfect photo to help me as I contemplate the major changes happening in my life. I was thinking about the constants. Those include the following. Playing, teaching, and coaching tennis: 59 years Working with kids and young people: 51 years Running: 44 years Playing the piano: 44 years Serious commitment to good nutrition: 42 years  Serious commitment to recycling and environmental actions: 42 years Serious commitment to personal development: 42 years Strength training: 33 years Marriages: 28 years Cycling: 25 years Special education teaching: 16 years Serious commitment to quality reading: 15 years While I am very proud of those commitments, I know I am ready for change. However, no one ever said that change would be easy! When I really think about it, it is tough for me to imagine not being in a classroom this fall. It is tough for me to imagine not coaching

 This shot was taken from the rim of the famous Grand Canyon! I wanted to share this shot because it captures the key theme of this post, the weather in Tokyo. As it turns out, the "muggiest" time of year started yesterday! I will step into this when I arrive in Tokyo on June 30th! For more details, please check out the "Japan" Page.

  It is hard not to find inspiration from nature's work, as exhibited by this glorious shot of one of the world famous slot canyons in Page, Arizona. To get this shot, I climbed down a ladder into the slot canyon. The colors come from the light filtering down into the slot of the canyon. For many years, my web site has been titled "Inspire The Kids." It looks like this blog will take the place of that web site. However, the inspiration just keeps right on coming. One recent example is the inspiration provided by the captains of the North Eugene girls tennis team. They have done a wonderful job of providing leadership for that program. To  cap it all off, they have invited my wife and me out for a good-bye dinner. How is that for grace and thoughtfulness and true inspiration for the next generation!

  If only I could stay as calm and cool as this nice shot of the Oregon Coast sand dunes!  I wish I could say that I make all the right decisions when I am tired and frustrated. No such luck! I found the following suggestions from the Mayo Clinic web site. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/anger-management/art-20045434 Think before you speak Once you're calm, express your concerns Get some exercise Take a timeout Identify possible solutions Stick with "I" statements Don't hold a grudge Use humor to release tension Practice relaxation skills Know when to seek help Now if I could only find a way to apply all ten of these when the pressure is on! Unfortunately, when that pressure appears, I have a tendency to turn the situation into an intense competition, one that I have to win! Well, I guess I need to find a way to let go of that competitive perspective and find a way to empathize with the other person. A work in progress!

  This is one of my all-time favorite bird shots. This was taken in Kushiro at a feeding location for the Japanese Cranes. This was during my courtship with Setsuko. Sestuko actually invited me to Japan and even paid for my plane ticket. Wow!  Unlike some people, I am pretty fanatical when it comes to saying "thank you." Whether it is because that was how I was raised or because it is my way of forging a connection, it feels good for me to do that. However, that is not the case for many others. When doing some research on this, I found a fabulous article on the Greater Good Magazine web site: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_cultural_differences_shape_your_gratitude According to the author and the researchers, this actually can be quite complicated. To simplify things, they look at three forms of gratitude. Verbal gratitude: Saying thank you in some way. Concrete gratitude: Reciprocating with something the child likes, such as offering the person some candy

  This is a shot from the Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon. Ever since I discovered this view, it has been one of my favorites as it just feels so peaceful and tranquil and serene. As much as I love peace and quiet, I am also very comfortable processing issues and concerns. It can be challenging for people like me to interact with people who tend to be more quiet. When I did a Google search on this topic, I was taken to the web site for Dan Rockwell. He has some wonderful words of wisdom. Thanks Dan! https://leadershipfreak.blog/2013/02/05/10-ways-to-deal-with-quiet-people/ Never assume quiet is weak and loud is strong. Talkers want to talk it out.   Quiet people enjoy thinking it out. Honor their strengths Respect their ability to commit Give them prep time. Don't spring things on them. Don’t assume silence is disagreement or consent. Just don’t assume. Enjoy silence. Give them space by closing your mouth. Ask questions, after you’ve given them think-time. And all this time,

  To see this picture full frame, please click on "Read More" and then click on the picture. Believe it or not, this was taken in our back yard at our former home in Springfield. I was in the back yard when this hummingbird appeared. In hopes that it would stay, I ran and got my mirror-less camera and headed back to the yard. I was so lucky as this bird stayed in the yard for 20 minutes! Like too many people in the Willamette Valley, I struggle with allergies in the spring. It seems they typically really hit in early June, like right now! I have never paid much attention to the pollen counts, but I thought it would be interesting to gather some information. This first reading is from Pollen.com. According to the site, today's reading is 10.3. Yesterday was 9.7. It looks like the highest recently was on June 5th. Monday's level is supposed to go down and then Tuesday-Thursday are supposed to be similar to today. According to Oregon Allergy Associates, today's "

  This is a famous reflection shot from Lake Louise, one of the most prominent spots in the Canadian Rockies. Like so many of my landscape shots, this was taken at sunrise. I am currently reading an amazing book by Zahra Biabani titled "The Climate Optimist." She gives us hope that we can still save this precious world of ours!

  This is a picture of my Co-Motion, one of my two wonderful bikes. I feel so fortunate to have this bike; it was very expensive. However, I feel like I got what I paid for, as it is an amazing bike to ride! I have it set up for commuting, but it can be used for racing as well. The bags are made by Restrap, another excellent company. This morning, I made the 11 mile ride from Junction City to North Eugene in just over 34 minutes, an average of 19.2 mph! My average heart rate was 147 bpm, so I was definitely working hard!

 Japan and tennis! I am very much looking forward to playing tennis with Setsuko in Japan. We were fortunate to go to Wimbledon in 2017. I think I took 5000 photos in three days!  Speaking of tennis, we just had our final get-together for the girls tennis team at North Eugene. After 35 years of high school and college tennis coaching, this may be the end of that road for me. Wow! What a ride it has been!  This was an exciting season to end on, as we had two singles players and a doubles team qualify for the state tourney. In addition, we went undefeated during league play. What a thrill! As in the classroom, it was a struggle at times to get the girls to stay focused and to put disciplined effort into fundamental development. However, I feel good about our end result!

 Without a doubt, this is one of the most amazing sites I have ever seen! It is a rigorous hike that starts at 9400 feet and finishes at almost 12,000 feet! In order to get to this view at sunrise, I had to start at 2:00 in the morning. It turned into quite an adventure as I got lost in a rock field with an eighth of a mile to go! I realized that something was wrong, so I hightailed it through the rocks to some hikers who were heading up Longs Peak. They told me I had passed the turn! I then corrected my mistake and got to this spot just in the nick of time! Enjoy!

 This is the famous "Tunnel View" at Yosemite. This shot was popularized by the great photographer Ansel Adams. He took this shot in black and white. I probably took 400-500 shots of this view from different angles and different heights. It is a truly amazing site! I am very excited about the photography possibilities in Japan. The gardens and the temples and the landscapes and the spring/fall colors should be quite photogenic!

 This is another of my favorite shots from the Eugene Rose Garden. My visits to the Rose Garden are just some of many fond memories I have of my life in Eugene. In addition, I feel like I have learned so many great lessons.   As I reflect back on my 14 year special education teaching career at North Eugene High School, I am most proud of the fact that I never missed a day of work due to being sick. I have taken good care of myself and I have wanted to be there for my students. However, it certainly has not been a perfect process. The positive side?  A note I received from a senior who is graduating from an alternative school. "I also wanted to say thank you for all of your help over the years, I couldn’t have done it without you." It does not get any better than that! I have tried and tried to push students to achieve their full potential. I have had a small number of students who did not respond well to that approach and who asked for a new case manager. It seems those stude

                               This is one of my favorite shots from the Rose Garden in Eugene. The modern mirror-less cameras are so amazing! I was able to take this while hand-holding the camera with a chest harness and without a tripod! (Please click on "Read More" and then click on the photo for a better view of the photo).

 I am looking forward to sharing my photography with all of you! This is a gorgeous shot of the Painted Desert in Eastern Oregon. (Please click on "Read More" and then click on the photo for a better view of the photo).

    Welcome to my blog!  This is a new experience for me, so please bear with me as I work to make this blog as inspiring as it can be! This is one of my favorite bird photos as I love the effects. I took this on a hike when I was hoping to get some scenic mountain shots. However, the weather did not cooperate, so I started to hike back to the parking lot. On my way, I came across this gorgeous Yellow Warbler. For what seemed like forever, I tracked this bird as it flew from branch to branch. Finally, it stayed put just long enough for me to get this shot. Patience is a virtue!