Sitting by the fire at Lake 11 with Zoie lying near

 

 

 November 2021 - Manzanita Lake, Lassen National Park

Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park 10/2020

We enjoy hiking and exploring the areas we find to camp for a few days at a time. This photo captures the beautiful Mt. Lassen behind us. This was taken October 2020. 

Here is another view of Mt. Lassen from a vantage point along the trail at Manzanita Lake as we hiked. The weather was beautiful for a late October day. 

Here we are on another day hike during our camping trip. There is so much beauty around us. I love to take the time to explore the world around me. 

 

 

Lake 11 with great photos!

August 2010 Lake 11

Here are Woofer and Sadie during a fetching session! They had just returned the Frisbee for me to throw when I caught them for a photo!

Steven and I decided to try out the sled! We really are kids at heart ~

This is my Yoga spot Steven created for me as a gift for Valentine's Day in 2007 ~ It looks so different with snow!

Here is a family photo snapped at Christmas time this year....

Here is the whole gang on Christmas 2009!

Okay -- this is not a photo I took. I found it and loved it so I posted it here for all to enjoy ~

Woofer and Sadie investigating the creek...

The hot tub is 109 at this moment the photo was taken. I had removed the covers to cool it down so I could soak. Notice the smoke still billowing out of the chimney... I was able to climb in when it dropped to 105. It was lovely....

This is a huge Manzanita on our property. I love how the snow looks when it covers just part of the branches... Thought it was an interesting photo subject....

Here is a photo taken yesterday when the snow was coming down hard! You can see the flakes in the photo as they are falling...

Steven captured this photo of me on Saturday, the day of our sledding adventure!

Hawaii July 09

  We went to Maui last week. Had a wonderful visit with all of our children. Slept in, ate home-cooked meals, snorkeled, tanned, relaxed, etc. Yes, it is all good ~ Steven and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary on July 16. We took a dinner cruise to celebrate ~ It was lovely...

Enjoying life...

We have been playing lots of chess in our household lately... Steven has a couple of chess clubs that he moderates during his work week and has introduced the game to us. I am still trying hard to strategize better and have begun to study "Chess for Dummies" to get a better handle on the game! There are so many different ways to strategize. It is a very complex game that will take years to truly master. We are enjoying challenging each other ~

Flyin' high above Chico and surrounding areas

I had an opportunity today to fly with a close friend of ours here in Chico. I used the opportunity to photograph from the air many of our local landmarks. We have a vineyard just down the road from our home. The rice fields were exceptionally beautiful today with the sky being so clear. It was a wonderful flight! 

Hope Begins with Me -- Great Reminder...

Hope Begins With You

Dwelling on the troubles of the world may make you feel heavy today, which may be because you feel that there is little that you can do to make things better. While your feelings are natural, you might remind yourself that it is not really possible to save the world, but it is possible to contribute positively to the world through your thoughts and actions. Perhaps you can consciously incorporate “right action,” a spiritual practice in which you make a point to do no harm to another being, into your day today. As you try doing right action, you may notice that there are small ways in which you can have a positive impact on the world around you, such as by helping a stranger, recycling, or making more conscientious choices. If you can feel that you are part of the solution for a better world, you may find that your concerns about the larger issues in the world dissolve.

Right action is a powerful way to live our lives. So often we go about our day unaware of the effect our actions have on other people. We might, for example, gossip about someone else or unknowingly rebuff another person. The more we recognize our actions, the more steps we can take to transform what we do in order to put more constructive and nurturing energy out into the world. Changing the way you interact with others today will be a catalyst for greater positive transformation and hope for the world as a whole.

Lassen National Park 2008

We hiked Mt. Lassen Volcano on September 5, 2008. Steven takes annual hikes with his class each year within the first 3 weeks of the new school year beginning. This year, we hiked with 63 5th graders, 7 of whom have special needs. Everyone was at the peak within 1-1/2 hours! It was an incredible day... As you can see from the photos, the sky was clear as a bell and the temperature comfortable through the hike. There was a little breeze (just enough to keep us cool) and the sun brightly shining! It was a great lesson learned by all -- Never give up, no matter how hard something might seem...

New Discovery...

Steven and I spent some time recently at a newly discovered hot spring that we were told about by a friend of ours. It is a place where silence is golden and I found my reset button! We soaked in the mineral water and lounged near the pool most of the day discovering that being quiet is one of the best ways to rejuvenate ones soul. I found myself energized and yet, at the very same time, deeply relaxed. We fixed our meals in the community kitchen, sipped wine and enjoyed mingling with others while preparing our meals. It is a truly enjoyable and unique place!