Life with Dylan

Category: Nature

  • Contrasting colors in nature

  • Cactus Skies at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

    I love the simple beauty that Mother Nature provides us with.

  • Photographing the little details in nature

    Nature has so much to offer – so much beauty. Sometimes I am in too big of a hurry to notice the little things, but when I do I am always amazed. Last week I took some time to test out the macro setting on my camera and this is what I discovered.

    Flowers live within flowers …

    Ants live very busy lives …

    What looks prickly can still be beautiful …

    One of the things I realized during my ah-ha moment was that I want to spend more time taking pictures. More time learning about photography. Ultimately sharing my pictures with people as another way to create awareness about the world around us.

    You can see more pictures from this day by visiting my Flickr account.

  • My ah-ha moment was almost too simple to see

    What started as one of our regular visits to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park – see some wildlife, take some pictures, and get my rhino fix – turned into something so much more than I had planned. I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised because every time we visit the park I leave feeling a little different, a little better, a little more at peace with the world than I did when we arrived.

    We didn’t follow the normal route this day. Instead, we decided to take the back way up to Condor Ridge before the sun got too hot. The smell of the trees as you walk up to Condor Ridge is so refreshing. Add to this the sounds of babbling brooks and small woodland creatures rustling in the bushes. Before you know it, you are transported to a land of pure beauty where nothing bad can happen.

    Surrounded by majestic trees and rolling hillsides … the view literally takes my breath away.

    I could sit up here for hours just soaking in the beauty. I realize that I am in the midst of what some call an ah-ha moment – I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Just then my son sits down next to me on the bench and says, “Mom, isn’t it nice to just sit and watch nature?” My heart fluttered a bit and I felt a tear roll down my cheek. How could he know what I was thinking?

    Yes, it was a wonderful moment. One that I believe we both needed. In our own ways, we both came to a place of peace. Surrounded by the beauty of Mother Nature, watching rhinos and giraffes roam the hills in the distance with my son, everything seemed to become clear to me.

    My ah-ha moment was almost too simple for me to see.

    When I stopped running in circles and took the time to breathe, I realized that the important things in life are not on Facebook, or Google Plus, or Twitter.

    The important things in life are right in front of me …  

  • The simple beauty of a tree in winter

    I will admit that I have become a little obsessed with trees lately. Something about the cool crisp air we have been having and the bare trees takes my breath away. Good thing I always have my phone with me to capture these moments.

    Crisp afternoon skies
    And then there are those times when I just have to pull over – even if it means I will be a few minutes late to work. 
    Silhouette sunrise 

  • I’m thankful for what Mother Earth has given me

    As the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaches I sit her thinking about what I am thankful for this year. I’ve watched friends post numerous things they are thankful for on Facebook and twitter; some of which I am thankful for too.

    Yes, I am thankful for my health, my home, my job, my friends and family, and the ability to put food on the table – but looking at the big picture there is so much more. It can be easy to get caught up in the materialistic things in life and we sometimes take the most important things in this world for granted.

    The very things that make this world a world – the gifts from Mother Nature.

    I am thankful for the trees that give me shelter from the sun and create homes for Mother Nature’s creatures.

    I am thankful for the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that give me serenity each day.

    I am thankful for the men and women who are fighting every day against wildlife trafficking so that my children and grandchildren will have the opportunity to see all the beautiful animals of this world. Not pictured in a book, but in real life.

    I am thankful for the many parks and nature reserves that allow me and my son to connect with nature whenever we feel disconnected.

    I am thankful for this blog so that I can share my love of nature, animals, photography, and conservation with others.

    I am thankful for the countless zoos and aquariums that give people the chance to see so many different animals and that teach us about conservation.

    I am thankful for friends who inspire me to keep exploring and learning more about the world around me.

    I am thankful for the mountains, the deserts, the oceans, and the rainforests. All of which provide infinite beauty.

    What are you thankful for?

  • Sunset Sunday – Going Home

    Sometimes it is good to look down instead of up when watching a sunset.

    As the sun sets on another beautiful day in Orange County, a family of ducks swims home to the banks of the bay for the night. 
    Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to take time to watch the sunsets.

  • Sunset Sunday – Stormy Skies

    Beautiful sunsets aren’t just found at the end of a summer day …

    Even stormy skies, like the ones we had last week, can give way to a beautiful sunset. The clouds may hide the sun from the horizon, but the reflection of light is still there. It’s all in the way you look at it.

    Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to take time to watch the sunsets.

  • Stop the presses! Rain fell in Southern California

    After what seems like forever, Southern California finally had its first big rainfall of the season.

    I can only think of one thing that gets us Southern Californians talking more than a storm and that is earthquakes.

    You see, we don’t have a very visible change of seasons. We pretty much have blue skies and sunshine year round.

    I’m not complaining about the weather, but you can understand why we get so excited when the rain comes.

    I was in awe of the clouds today and the past few days leading up to the rain. In fact, if you follow me on Instagram you might think that I am a tad bit obsessed with clouds.

    Storm clouds are coming.

    It rained – stormy sunrise
    That’s one big rain cloud!

    We didn’t get tons of rain – but enough to wet the roads, clean the car, and get people talking. Oh, and there was thunder and lightening too! I love the sound of the rain – it totally relaxes me. I’m looking forward to more rain and the bright green hills that the rain leaves behind.

    Beautiful skies over the ocean. The worst was yet to come. 

    Do you like the rain?

  • Seasons Change

    I believe that Fall has finally arrived in Southern California. 
    When I was younger, Summer was my favorite season of the year. Spending days at the beach playing in the sand was the best. Now that I am older, Fall has become my favorite time of the year. Cool breezes and colorful leaves are something I will never get tired of. Not to mention my Pumpkin Spice Lattes. 
    What is your favorite season?