Life with Dylan

Category: Nature

  • Treasures in the sand

    You never know what you will find when you walk along the beach. Sometimes all you see is sand and maybe some kelp that has washed ashore. Then there are those rare times when you find something special – something unique. I like to call these findings treasures in the sand.

    To some this is just a small shell and some pieces of colored glass. To me it is much more. This was once a home to a small ocean creature – a sea urchin – and the glass has been washed in the tide so many times that it is now smooth. The contrast of colors and textures speaks to me. The shell tells a story – the story became a photograph – and this photograph is now my treasure.

  • A tree is just a tree … Or is it?

    Lately I have been fascinated with trees. All kinds of trees, but mostly tall ones with intertwining branches. Something about looking up at a tree and seeing the light come through the branches – it makes me wonder. Is it just a tree?

    I probably photographed over 30 trees last weekend while visiting a local park. I couldn’t help myself. Each tree was different and the sunlight was casting shadows through the branches in such a beautiful way.

    As I was photographing the trees, my son and I had a wonderful conversation about the trees. We didn’t talk about what kind of trees they were, but rather what they trees would say if they could talk.

    How old is the tree? How long has it been here?

    I wonder if there are initials carved someplace in the tree, or if it is a climbing tree for an adventurous child? How many branches has the tree lost in heavy winds or rain storms?

    Do the old bending branches hurt the tree? Is the tree sad when nobody stops to sit underneath it?

    Do trees live in families like these that we found all grouped together?

    These may seem like silly questions to you, but for my son and I these are questions that will keep a conversation going for hours. Why? Simple – we love animals and what would the animal kingdom be without a tree to call home?

    This is a picture of “Nutty” – he’s the resident squirrel that lives in the big pine tree outside our home. He has breakfast with us almost every morning. So you see, a tree isn’t just a tree – it’s a home, a source of food for some, and a place to eat your food too.

    Have you ever wondered if a tree is just a tree?

  • The simple beauty of a flower petal

    Photography allows me to see the simple beauty in things that I never noticed before.

  • I spy with my little eye

  • Taking sunset pictures is a favorite summer tradition of mine

    One thing that has made this somewhat unbearable heat wave tolerable is looking forward to taking sunset pictures. I love how the sky takes on the warm colors of the sun. Pink, orange, red, and even purple sometimes.

    From a sky too bright to look at, to a large fireball sinking into the horizon – Seemingly falling off the edge of the world.

    I am still amazed and watch in awe as the sky transforms in a matter of  minutes.

    The other night it was just too hot to stay indoors. Yes, this sounds strange, but the air was so still that I couldn’t bear to sit at home. (I have air conditioning, but I am trying my best not to use it.) The Upper Newport Bay, known to locals as the Back Bay, is only a five minute walk from my home – so we headed out. Cameras and iPhone in hand, we were ready to see some magic happen in the sky.

    I love how the sun reflects on the waters surface
    and how the heat of the sun gives way to a rainbow of colored clouds.

    As I am writing this post, I am wondering why taking sunset pictures has always been a summertime tradition.

    Is it because we associated sunsets with the beach and we spend more time at the beach in the summer?

    Or maybe it is because the sunsets are so much more vivid in the summer – I might have to think about this one. Either way, sunsets are one of Mother Natures best creations.

    Watching the sun set over the water is one of my favorite ways to end the day. Once the sun is gone, the light reflects up on the water and everything is covered with pink.

    I know the sun sets 365 days a year and I have seen some beautiful sunsets in the fall, so why not make taking sunset pictures a year-round tradition? The October skies can be quite amazing too!

  • What is a Blue Moon?

    We’ve all heard the saying Once in a Blue Moon, but what is a Blue Moon?

    Folklore has many explanations – the second full moon in a month, the third full moon in a season with four full moons, and some believe the Blue Moon has mystical powers.

    Either way, a Blue Moon isn’t actually blue in color – but when you add a night sky filled with moving clouds, it is definitely magical.

    Last night was the first full moon of August and there will be another full moon on August 31, hence the Blue Moon. Since there is a full moon approximately every 29.5 days, seeing two full moons in one month is something quite special – something that doesn’t happen but Once in a Blue Moon.

    I did not crop this picture because I wanted to show just how bright the moon was. The sky was black with very few visible stars from where I was.  As each cloud pattern passed by the moon, the full moon illuminated them, creating shadows and depth – at times giving each cloud a silvery-blue cast.

    Mother Nature has a way of creating some pretty amazing things and the Blue Moon is one of them. Be sure to watch for the second full moon this month, the “real” Blue Moon, on the 31st.

    Oh, and if you think a Blue Moon is rare, just wait for 2018 when this phenomenon will happen not once, but Twice in a  Blue Moon. To learn more about the phases of the moon, visit the EarthSky website.

  • Nutty is a little nutty …

    Yes, we have urban wildlife at our home. His name is Nutty.

    What? You don’t see this every morning at your house?

  • The day Dylan saved the caterpillar

    On a recent visit to the San Diego Zoo my son did the unthinkable – well, at least to a parent. He ran out into the street just as one of those big tour buses was coming up the hill. Why would he do such a thing? He knows better. I knew the bus would slow down, or even stop because they don’t go that fast anyway, so I proceeded to run after him. I know, not smart.

    Before I could grab his arm, he was kneeling down on the ground. What on earth … and then I saw it.

    Of course. The only reason my son would run out in front of a moving vehicle was to save some sort of creature. How he saw it is still a question I can’t answer, but right there in the middle of the pavement was a beautiful caterpillar.

    One who was sure to meet his fate against the tires of the bus if Dylan hadn’t run after him.

    Lucky for us (and the caterpillar) some other people were still in the street by the Polar Bears and the bus had to slow down. Dylan gently picked up the caterpillar and we walked back to the sidewalk. Now that we were all out of harms way it was time to introduce ourselves to this little creature. This was the softest caterpillar I have ever touched and at the moment when Dylan let me hold him, I realized the reason he ran out in the street. 



    Once you hold nature in your hands, you are forever connected and the desire to preserve and protect becomes second nature. 



  • Summertime means Nature Camp at the ENC

    For the past three summers, Dylan has been attending Nature Camp at the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach and this summer will be no different. This is not your typical summer camp.

    The ENC offers a hands-on experience with nature that takes place in a traditional camp setting – without having to drive into the mountains. For anyone who has been to the ENC, you know that once you enter the main gate you are instantly transported from the busy city streets to the great outdoors.

    Campers will walk the trails, learn about the ENC grounds and how to respect the plants and animals who live there, make crafts at good old-fashioned picnic tables, and learn all about science and nature.

    During the ENC Spring Faire, Dylan had the chance to meet some of the special guests who will be joining the campers this summer.

    Each week is a different theme and includes a special guest or local field trip. There are eight sessions to choose from and surely one that your child will love!

    Session 1: July 2 – 5   Do It Yourself Camp
    Campers learn about everyday things and how to make many of them. Special guest – a real beekeeper!

    Session 2: July 9 – 12   Planet Protectors
    Campers learn how the benefits of recycling, reusing, reducing and more. Beach clean-up and visit to a landfill for older campers.

    Session 3: July 16 – 19   Wilderness Survival
    Campers learn how to prepare for the unexpected. Special guest – Coast Live Oak School, ancestral survival skills.

    Session 4: July 23 – 26   Under the Sea
    Campers learn about marine mammals, sharks, fish, and everything living under the sea. Field Trip to Crystal Cove State park tide pools.

    Session 5: July 30 – Aug 2   Outdoor Adventure
    Campers learn about a variety of habitats and the plants and animals that live in them. Special guest – Live birds of prey!

    Session 6: Aug 6 – 9   Incredible Inventions
    Campers learn about famous inventors and make inventions of their own. Field trip to Tessman Planetarium.

    Session 7: Aug 13 – 16   Outdoor Creativity
    Campers explore creativity in nature with drawing, painting, dance, sculpting and more. Special guest – Southland Opera Company performance of “Adventures in Song and Story”

    Session 8: Aug 20 – 23   Mad Science
    Campers enjoy safe, age-appropriate, hands-on experiments. Field trip to Discovery Science Center.

    Summer Nature Camp at ENC



    Who: Elementary students entering Kindergarten through 6th grade. The campers are split into small groups based on age.

    When: Nature Camp is Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with an after camp option that runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

    Where: Environmental Nature Center, 1601 16th Street, Newport Beach, CA 92663

    How much: Nature Camp is $175 per session ($157.50 for members) and After Camp is $80 per session ($72 for members)

    For more information about ENC Summer Nature Camp or to register your camper visit the ENC website.

  • Wordless Wednesday – View from a park bench

    While sitting on a park bench at Irvine Regional Park, I noticed the beautiful reflection on the water. A little ironic considering I was reflecting on my life.