Southern California has had a few days of rain this week, but that didn’t stop the sun from shining through the storm clouds. Don’t let the big dark rain clouds fool you when a storm is passing through because no matter what, the sun always finds a way to brighten up the end of your day.
Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to take time to watch the sunsets.
So I’ve been away from the blog for a few days, taking some time to catch my breath and gather my thoughts. I know that life is going to get hectic over the next month with Christmas and the various holiday events. I felt the need to declutter and reorganize my life.
Not just the physical aspects of my life, but the mental too. I needed to recharge. So many changes occurred this year, for me and for Dylan. We started a journey that was only a dream for so long and now it is becoming a reality. I needed to slow down a little and get my focus back. Focus on what was important.
I started by tackling that shelf in the closet. You know the one where everything that doesn’t have a home gets put … we all have one. Then I spent about an hour cleaning up the files in my computer. Did I really need that word document from 2005? No, I didn’t think so either. To the recycle bin it went. Next it was on to social media. My twitter feed was so out of control, filled with hashtags and sponsored posts that I really have no desire to see. Away they went and I created lists – oh, how I love twitter lists.
I spent time going through the past 4 months of photographs – organizing, editing, and uploading favorites to Flickr. And of course the whole time I was doing this I was watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. Well, when I started looking at pictures and had Christmas movies in the background, I had a brilliant idea to design our Christmas card. I spent more time than I had planned doing this, but I am so happy with the results.
Although these things may seem like nothing to you, they were everything to me. Sometimes those little things that we don’t think are important really are. Why? Because those little things that we keep putting off begin to cloud what really is important. So now that I am recharged, it is time to start decorating the house for Christmas and get back to writing about what I love.
Life can get hectic during the holidays, so make sure you take time to slow down, recharge, and enjoy the little things life has to offer.
A conversation between a tree frog and a bromeliad plant. See, humans aren’t the only ones who talk to their plants.
Nothing says Southern California quite like the silhouette of a lifeguard tower on a beach at sunset.
Thank you Rebecca for sharing you beautiful sunset picture from Hermosa Beach, CA.
Do you have a favorite sunset picture that you would like me to feature here? If so, send me your picture and the location it was taken. After all, what good is a beautiful sunset if you can’t share it with others?
Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to take time to watch the sunsets.
*Please only submit pictures you have personally taken and own the rights to.
I learned something yesterday. Well, actually I realized something, because I believe I have always known that my way of living is different from that of others. I had difficulty keeping myself engaged in conversations because my thoughts and opinions were different than those around me. At times I felt like banging my head against the wall because nobody seemed to understand what I was saying.
I believe that everyone has the right to their own opinions about politics, the environment, and what type of job is best for them. I don’t believe that someone should be put down or made to feel inferior because their opinions may not be the norm. I live an eco-friendly lifestyle, love wildlife, love photography, and believe that in some small way I am doing something to make this world a better place.
I do my best to minimize waste and recycle everything I can. Seeing so many things go into a trash can that can be recycled hits a nerve that I can’t seem to get over. Yet it seems I have to walk on eggshells when voicing this opinion. Seeing plastic bags everywhere drives me crazy – people reusable bags are not that expensive and they won’t sit in landfills or pollute the oceans. In fact, most stores sell them for under a dollar. The food waste during the holidays is unbelievable. I won’t even get started on this one.
I don’t believe in giving a lot of materialistic gifts. We don’t need them and sadly, most will end up in a landfill at some point. Sure, I purchased a camera for my son as a gift this year, but he is passionate about photography and needs a camera that actually works to pursue this passion. For the third year in a row, I will be giving friends and family gifts that cannot be bought in a store. I will be purchasing wish list items from the San Diego Zoo and adopting animals to help save wildlife. These gifts come from the heart and I would be honored to receive such a gift. What difference does it make if my family spends $50 on a gift that I can probably do without or if they adopt an animal in my name for $50?
If a rhino is murdered in Africa, most people don’t give it a second thought. Me on the other hand – I sit here and cry as I’m reading the news story wondering what I can do to make it all stop. I believe in making a change for the better and that the results of my actions will last longer than my life here on earth.
Last night I was talking with a friend and she reminded me to keep following my passions. She said that the older generations dislike change and that the best we can do is keep voicing our beliefs and teach the younger generations. I already knew what she said was true, but it never hurts to be reminded that it is ok to be different – to march to the beat of your own drum.
I will …
Never give up.
Stay strong.
Be positive.
Why? Because …
One person can make a difference.
Everyone needs to do this. The art of doing nothing can do wonders for your mind and body. Take time to relax, take a walk through nature or just hang out and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.
Sometimes reading about endangered species can be difficult. Doing research to write about them is even more difficult. Oh, who am I kidding, it can be down right depressing. The word endangered “seriously at risk of extinction” alone breaks my heart. However, part of making a difference in this world is creating awareness; so I keep reading, I keep researching, and I keep writing.
Every now and then I come across a success story or read about how a species, like the mountain gorilla is showing an upward climb in population. This my friends makes all the difference. Then there are the stories that bring me so much joy and hope that I can’t help but smile for hours.
This is one of those stories.
According to the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo, the rhino was born at Florida’s White Oak Conservation Center on October 30 and weighed 132 pounds. Born on an unusually cold night, the calf struggled – he was slow to start nursing and did not establish a strong bond with his mother. When White Oak staff saw he wasn’t thriving, they decided to hand rear him. BioPark animal care staff traveled with the rhino from Florida and moved the now 169-pound baby into a behind-the-scenes area at the Zoo on the evening of Nov. 14.
The Southern White Rhino almost went extinct in the early 1900’s with numbers dwindling down to 100, but thanks to conservation efforts, captive breeding programs at accredited zoos and conservation centers, and reserves, the Southern White Rhino population has climbed to over 20,000 individuals today.
The fight to end rhino poaching isn’t over and there are still five other rhino species who need saving (seven if you count the Borneo and Northern White), but seeing this little guy walk out of a crate reminds me that there is always hope when dealing with endangered species.
One of my favorite things about taking pictures of the sunsets is sharing them with others. I also love seeing pictures that my friends take of the sunsets from other places. Don’t get me wrong, Orange County, California has some pretty amazing sunsets, but why not share the beauty of sunsets from all over the world?
This week’s Sunset Sunday picture is from my friend Katie who also lives in Southern California, but she lives in an area surrounded by mountains and wide open spaces. Katie has the most amazing view of an open field from her kitchen window and captured this beautiful sunset with her phone. What did we ever do before Instagram?
Do you have a favorite sunset picture that you would like me to feature here? If so, send me your picture and the location it was taken. After all, what good is a beautiful sunset if you can’t share it with others?
Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to take time to watch the sunsets.
*Please only submit pictures you have personally taken and own the rights to.
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?
After much anticipation and almost 35,000 votes the San Diego Zoo announced the name of the newest panda cub in a public ceremony this morning. Following the Chinese cultural tradition, the panda cub was not named until it was 100 days old. After receiving more than 7,000 submissions for a name, the possible names were narrowed down to six and the public voted in an online poll.
Today this “little one” turned 107 days old and was given the name Xiao Liwu.
For those that have been following along, watching the panda cam and squealing with excitement each time the zoo posted a video of the cubs weekly check-ups, today was another milestone.
Xiao Liwu is the sixth giant panda cub born to Bai Yun at the zoo and he certainly is a little gift to the world and the San Diego Zoo family. Finally, we can put a name to that precious little face.
Photo taken on November 13, 2012, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.
Life with Dylan 