Sunrise and the Elvis Chapel

This morning, I jumped out of bed, grabbed my cameras, hopped in the car and raced eastward. I was dying to get some sunrise pix of the mountains today. I was about a half hour late; however, the cloud cover gave me just that little bit of extra time to be able to get in a few good shots. (see them here at smugmug) There was no destination in mind, other than east. I didn't have a clue, a road map, and once on the road, realized I didn't have my cellphone either! oops!

I stopped and filled up for gas before I turned off the main roads; there were a few bikers just finishing up a break, or morning coffee, so I headed the way they did, and turned on Mountain View Road. It was just what I needed! As I was nearing the end of my excursion, I stumbled across the Superstition Mountain Museum (of course, at 7am, it was closed!). But there I found this cute old chapel, and of course, snapped a few pix. When I got home and looked it up, its a famous chapel!

• The Elvis Presley Chapel is a movie memorabilia museum showing the movies that were filmed at Apacheland. Survivor of two fires, one in 1969 and one in 2004, which decimated Apacheland Movie Ranch, the Elvis Presley Memorial Chapel was donated to the Superstition Mountain Museum by Sue and Ed Birmingham.
• The chapel was taken down piece by piece, nail by nail, has been reconstructed on the museum ground. The Apacheland Movie Ranch Museum is a special museum of western motion pictures and television that were filmed there over a 45 year period, including “Charro,” which starred Elvis Presley. Among some of the better known motion pictures filmed at Apacheland were: The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Arizona Raiders ,The Haunted, The Gambler II and Blind Justice. Television series included Have Gun Will Travel, and Wanted Dead or Alive.
• It will also serve, as it has since it was first constructed, as a wedding chapel and reservations are being taken.

Just goes to show, you never know what you're going to find in out of the way places...
have camera will travel!

"Love Me Tender" HUGS to everyone!

Why a Librarian?

Classes have started, and both of my classes are librarian related: one is on the technology that keeps libraries (and their media centers) efficient and popular. The other is more about what it means to be a librarian in the ever-changing techno world. Both classes are going to be interesting for sure! Our first assignment: "Why a Librarian?" [Describe your experiences as related to libraries]

I have always had a love for boooks, and reading; and can't ever remember NOT having a library card. I was 8 when my family moved, and delighted in finding out the Bookmobile parked across the street from our house every other Monday. I loved Mondays! It didn't take me long to learn that I could get more of the books I liked by telling the nice librarians on the bookmobile.

Our high school library depended on the students enrolled in the "business education" section to help them. Back then, business education was really typing and office skills, which meant once a week we had class in the library, typing up card catalogs, shelving books, and once a year we helped with the inventory process. Nothing was computerized, there were no scannable bar codes, and checking out a book meant removing the 3x5 card from the special envelope inside the front cover, signing your name and dating it, and giving that card to the librarian!

What puzzles me most is why did it take me this long to come full circle and realize this is my passion? I stumbled across MCC's computer ad accidentally, clicked on it, and here I am. Life sure does take some unexpected turns along that way. I'm glad it did.

HUGS to everyone from "the stacks!"

Keep Dreaming.....

"It’s not about how to achieve your dreams, it’s all about leading your life. If you lead your life in a right way, karma will take care of itself. And dreams will come to you." says Randy Pausch. That being said, one of the dreams I have always had is "my own house with a white picket fence". And maybe that was more symbolic than literal.... the house doesn't HAVE to have a white picket fence... or does it?

Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent things such as ideas and emotions .... when we see a heart, we think 'love' (or is that just me? lol) And while I may not have called it symbolism, I'm very big on attaching meaning to things, and things to meanings. I do the same with music, too. Most of the time, I call it being sentimental. But I know now that some of it is more than sentiment, it is symbolic. Anyways, that's just how I am. I realize it more lately ... sometimes on my own, and sometimes with the help of someone else.....

My MrBig, in all his wisdom, knows that we should never give up our dreams. And he conveyed this to me in a unique way, and sent me a package recently. (Thank You, again!) And I have to admit, when I saw the size and shape of this package, I was totally confuzzled! What on earth could be in such a box? It was over four feet tall, maybe a foot wide, and three or four inches thick. With a bit of trepidation, and a lot of anticipation, I cut through the tape and opened it up; nestled there in the shipping popcorn was a board. A board? Strange.... !!! So I picked up and read the note that explained it all..... It is a picket .... a symbol of my dream!!!

"Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly"
~ Langston Hughes

I have a perfect spot
for this picket,
this symbol of my dream,
that I will never give up!

Dreams take all shapes and forms;
they change with time,
experiences and maturity.

Today I hung this picket
in a place where I will see it
every day
and it will be a reminder to
never give up hope, and to
Keep Dreaming!

Hopeful HUGS to everyone!!

I tried it!!! - Incoco Dry Nail Applique

For my birthday, my mom bought me something called "Incoco dry nail applique". As most of you know, I'm not much of a girly girl. If I'm polishing my nails for a special occasion, you can be sure its off, gone, within days if not the next day! SO not my thing! But being a good sport, I let my sister and my daughter decorate my nails up. Let me tell you, I AM IMPRESSED! The package describes them as 100% nail polish; it all comes as a kit. There's a file, a cuticle stick, polish removal cloth, and these color strips of enamel. Patiently, my daughter applied them to my left hand, and I have to admit, they looked really good. She used a color called "Diva", which is a pearlescent pink. These little strips of color apply like a piece of 'tape' to your fingernails; they lay down easily, and yet remove easily as well if they're positioned incorrectly. Smooth them down, away from center and using the file, you smooth off the excess over the tip of your nail. When mine were finished, I felt .... girlified!! One of the reasons my polish comes off quickly is that in my job, the tips wear off, and/or the polish chips, before the first few days are up. NOT SO with these magical little strips. They last a good 14 days. And let me tell you, if they last that long in my job, they'll work for anyone! My hands are washed at least every hour, get covered in gunk, maybe even harsh chemicals at work, and not a problem! The only trouble I seem to have with them is when I'm taping packages closed... the tape really wants to stick to my nails! Minor inconvenience for me!!

Here on the west coast, we can only get them at Walgreen's. Which means a special trip to a different store for me... very rare, but I've already been and bought a new set :)) So they must be good, because it's not often I make a special trip to buy something like this! These little jewels remove just like regular fingernail polish, and then Ta-Da! You're ready for the next set. I put on 'french tips' a week ago, and they still look good! Hm. Should have had some help, they're not easy to do one handed. They're not on perfectly, but they look perfectly fine! So the next time you're in a hurry, and there's no time for a manicure, check out Incoco's appliques. These were $4.99 for regular nails, $5.99 for french tips.

girly HUGS to everyone!!!

Photography isn't just a picture

With camera in hand, once you step into the outdoors, you become an instant observer. The thrill of taking pictures of nature, working with the ever changing light and an amazing variety of subject matter is what makes it all worthwhile. The smallest details open our eyes to the miracles of life and the intricacies of nature's creative hand. You can't help but be moved by what outdoor photographs can reveal: patterns, designs, and forms. When you add in the different kinds of light, there is always something new to explore every time you go out.

When it comes to photographers ... hands down, my favorite is David Plowden. The only book my local library has of his is entitled "A Handful of Dust: Photographs of a Disappearing America". I think I've checked it out three or four times already! And am anxiously waiting to find a copy of his other books locally: The American Barn ; Small Town America ; Imprints ; and Vanishing Point: Fifty Years of Photography.

You hear it all the time: everyone sees something different, even when looking at the same thing. No wonder photographs are so interesting; it's someone else's vision, and quite often, a different way of looking at something, finding things we hadn't noticed ourselves.

The next time you're heading into the outdoors,
grab that camera,
start observing, and snap a few pictures!

Astronomy 2009

IYA2009: "The International Year of Astronomy is a year-long celebration of astronomy. It takes place in 2009 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo Galilei, and also the publication of Johannes Kepler's 'Astronomia nova.'

"In 1609, Galilei first turned one of his telescopes to the night sky. He made astounding discoveries that changed humankind's understanding of the Universe. This included mountains and crates on the Moon, a plethora of stars invisible to the naked eye, and moons around Jupiter. Kepler's 'Astronomia nova' describes the fundamental laws of planetary motions." [Wikipedia]
<-- (Galilei's sketches of the moon phases)

Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences. Astronomers of early civilizations performed methodical observations of the night sky, and astronomical artifacts have been found from much earlier periods. However, the invention of the telescope was required before astronomy was able to develop into a modern science. And astronomy, along with other fundamental sciences, has had a big impact on our daily lives. Steven Hawking says, "Galileo, perhaps more than any other single person, was responsible for the birth of modern science."

So whether you are an astronomical enthusiast, or someone like me who likes to gaze up at the stars and wonder about the bigger things in life.... take a moment the next time you're out in the evening and ....
look up .....
gaze at a few stars .....
contemplate the cosmos .....

StarGazing HUGS to everyone!!

The Happy Dance!!!

I moved from California to Ohio for love, with the added bonus of being stay at home mom to six kids. Yes, SIX! Aging in range from 5 to 16. Ohh boy. :) But I gotta tell ya, those were the best years, and so many memories! I arrived over Thanksgiving, and was thrust right into the whole routine that was already ongoing. It wasn't until after a long, hot, "I'm bored" summer that I fully grasped the meaning of Back to School. Yes, a totally important thing for the kids. But more important, for us Mom's!!

Sharon lived up the street, and quickly became a very good friend of mine. We bonded instantly, partly because of the stay at home mom thing, I'm sure. But also because we shared similar ideas about life. The Happy Dance, however, was one she had to teach me! Living on the corner of our street and a busy thoroughfare, her home was the neighborhood school bus stop. Every morning at 7:15, me and the youngest kids would walk up to the corner; Sharon and I watched them pile onto the bus. And usually stood to chit chat as the bus made its rounds up Millville Avenue and back down again, where it turned the corner and headed toward the school. We'd watch and wave at the kids as the bus came 'round our way again, then it was time to head back home and get busy on the day's chores.

However, the first day back to school was the day we did our Happy Dance! After being home with nine kids (my six, her three) and trying to keep them busy, it was a relief to see them have something constructive to do for a change! We stood on the lawn after the last of them loaded on the bus, and as the bus roared away, hands out in front of us, making happy circles while our feet danced up a storm! We chit chatted until the bus came 'round the corner, repeating our Happy Dance and waving at the kids as they headed for school, huge smiles on our faces.

And almost, but not quite, ready for their day to be done as soon as it began .... so they could tell us all about that special first day when they got home again. :)

Happy Dance HUGS to everyone!
as Back to School begins again!

PS: Even I am excited, its Back to School for me in one week! yippee!

Time to vacuum!

Today, I read this incredible quote written in a fictional story .....

When dreams turn to dust, it's time to vacuum!

and my first thought was "whoa!!" The story involves a woman who's life changed drastically -- she turned 50, her husband left her, and she had no idea what to do with her life. So she packed up and drove from Texas to New Jersey, found a cute little town and thought to herself... "what the heck, I love to quilt, I should open up a quilting shop." And that's what she did. After the newness wore off, it was tough making ends meet; and to top it off, she got breast cancer. It was in a moment of self pity that her best friend told her that line. Of course, that was a turning point in the story, and things are getting progressively better.... (now I just have to finish the story!)

And I got to thinking about that line.... How many of us have had dreams that went zzzzpppttt and turned into dust? I'm sure it's easy to think of the obvious ones, the kind where as a kid we wanted to be a teacher, a fireman, or policeman. But what of the other dreams that tend to drag us down? Not the really big dreams... but the little ones, the day to day kind of dreams, the wishes that never happen? When do we face reality and know that they won't happen, so we can choose new dreams?

I know that we should never stop chasing dreams; when life knocks us down, we should get back up and continue, create a new dream, and go after it. But some days, its harder to be the one who jumps up instantly and gets busy with life (damn this getting older stuff! I'm not as young as I used to be!)

And harder still: finding that new dream to replace the old one (that never goes away). I thought I'd found it once. And I let it build in my mind; and when nothing came of it, I reached a wall of acceptance, finally, and let go of it. Mind you, I reached the wall; I'm still not over the wall and on the other side. Every day can be a struggle. Which of course, can often dredge up that dream. Even subtle changes in your daily routine, maybe the way you drive home, or the pattern you have when you get there, can make all the difference in seeing things in a new way, a new light. So if you're stuck in a pattern that isn't going anywhere, try a few subtle changes so you can look at things in a new way, and find a new dream!

HUGS to everyone!

"Here in my car.......

... I feel safest of all" sings Gary Numan from way back when. And lately, I haven't been feeling too safe in my car. Anything over 45mph, and there's a shimmy from the front end. Which of course made me nervous to drive on the freeway! But then... when it hit me that I wasn't driving freeways anymore, I thought to myself "Dang! That's just like a little old lady!! And I'm too young to be that damned old!!!" hahahaha Sooooooo, I had my car in the shop on Wednesday for some outer tie rods (part of the steering to wheel mechanisms). They didn't finish it up til Thursday morning, so I only worked half day today. Hit me up for $400 +/- , but now its all done, taken care of and I can get out and about on freeways again! YAY!!

Driveable HUGS to everyone!

Going "home" ...

When was the last time you went "home" ? I was amazed at how much came rushing back as I drove over the last mountain's crest and dropped into the valley. Street signs full of familiar words; each leading to some place I'd been in the past ... 680 to work, 280 to Stanford, 101 to San Francisco, and 17 to Santa Cruz. But the best sign was San Tomas Expressway. I think I drove that road in one way or another every day of my life in California.

And here it was again... leading me home.

"Where we love is home,
Home that our feet may leave,
but not our hearts."

~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr

The details might have changed on the buildings; trees are definitely much taller. But most of the streets are still in the same place they were when I left. (Thank goodness, or I might have gotten lost!!) It's amazing what the brain remembers and reacts to, like knowing which lane to be in, how soon you'll be at the next exit. Coming home this time was much different than in the past. My body may be a little more kinked and cramped (especially after a 13 hour car ride!); my hair may be a little grayer than it was the last time I was here .... well, underneath the color, anyway. hehehe. By the time evening rolled around, supper was done, had a shower, and was finally relaxing with a glass of wine, my ears quit ringing after the road/car/talking/music/noise from the trip ...... it was definitely good to be home :)

"Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of confidence. It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts. It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule." ~Frederick W. Robertson

Last night I had this crazy dream....

Or so the song goes. But I truly had another strange one. It started out with a notice about a compliance test (work related, I'm sure, since I'm in charge of the haz mat portion of work). It was being held at the San Francisco Presidio, which I've never been to, and is a long way from here, but we drove. I don't know who the other person/worker in the car was, but my daughter came along for the ride, because she wanted to see SF again. When we arrive, we're on time for the test, and they lead us into the room where this test will be. Of course, I can't find my pencil.

There are many other people here to take the same test. The test starts late (hating things that are late is a pet peeve of mine!) The one thing they didn't tell us, though, is that the test is "hands on" and we have to show how to clean up a haz mat spill. A grey haired older gentleman is assigned to our group, and gives us the first test: cleaning up fish oil (in walmartian, that is not a haz mat item). Talk about a smelly chore though! Seemed to take forever (as stuff in dreams always do!) The next test was two more items being brought in: One is a glass gallon jar of dill pickles. While this 'testing' is going on, of course, my daughter is in the car, impatient to get on with some sightseeing, or shopping, not sure which is more important! hehehe The pickle jar is dropped to the floor, glass breaks, juice is everywhere, and a customer comes over, pushing a baby stroller, and asks where the pet gifts aisle is. The last test is cleaning up baby cream. (lotion? some sort of food? unsure)

*shakes her head* where does this stuff come from? Are there hidden messages in something so crazy? When dreams wake me in the middle of the night, I grab my pen and pad next to the bed and jot notes down to help me remember the next day. In big letters, I wrote ICK! lol

I know there are places to look up some words related to dreams; but they're usually more generalized than specific. Obvious questions would be: Is this related to the future? to some past event? A little of both even?

Taking a test, not finding a pencil, seems easyfor me: I do NOT like being unprepared. Perhaps there's something I've forgotten that I need to prepare for?

Fish oil: something smells? something's slippery? slipping away? swimming away? *tries all kinds of words here*

Pickles in a jar/ pickle juice: Something's broken, unfixable? In a pickle *ie: quandry?* dills can be sour ... Of course, if I'd been dreaming of popcorn, I could relate it to my son fixing himself a snack in the middle of my night! hahaha but pickles? something that smells like pickles??

As for the woman with the stroller, asking for a certain aisle in the store, we're supposed to take care of customers first: was the test to see if we took care of the customer before dealing with a safety issue? And why is there a Walmart customer in the SF Presidio? *baffling*

Either way, I'm not sure I'm taking much from this. But if something goes *click*, I'll be sure and let ya'll know!!

Dreamy HUGS to everyone!

The Redwood Trail

Stately trees
standing tall
ever growing
yet never changing
reaching endlessly upward
Living forever


Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California's oldest state park (est in 1902). The Redwood Loop Trail is easily the most explored, and perhaps most celebrated, trail in Big Basin. I walked this trail as a kid, with my kids, and now with my granddaughter .. full circle!

The roots of a coast redwood are very shallow, growing only four to six feet deep, but spread out from the tree as far as 125 feet. This isn’t much support for a tall, heavy tree. But the roots of individual redwoods frequently grow intertwined with those of their neighbors. By "holding hands" underground, the roots form a network that allows the trees to withstand even great storms. Redwoods will sprout from their stumps or roots, usually in response to some sort of trauma When the original tree dies, the surrounding shoots may develop into mature trees, growing in a circle around the parent. These groups of trees are known as "fairy rings."

Anyone can read up on these magnificent trees: the facts, how they came to be; but there's nothing like the wonder one feels standing next to a tree so old, so big, some damaged but still alive; and knowing the insignificance of our time here on Earth.

Treehugger HUGS to everyone!

Melancholy & Meditations

Coming home from vacation can be a let-down (and in some ways a relief to be back in your own bed!) But I came home with a sense of wishing I'd had more time to do more things, and more time to spend just lazing around doing nothing. It was a terrific vacation, however, and well worth the time and long drive. And nothing to say I can't do it again in October (My fav time of the year!)

After getting caught up on chores yesterday, this morning I got up, determined to enjoy the gorgeous, cool and very unusual weather we're having here. I dashed to the bank, then over to the local Water Preserve for a nature walk. I enjoy walking in this park, there is always something different to see, and hear. So many dragonflies were out early this morning; I paused at the water's edge to watch the birds finding food and heard a croaking bullfrog; the egrets were calling out in their high squeaking squawks to one another; and there was the usual duck quacking. Further around the next corner, two hummingbirds, one quite smaller than the other, so perhaps a mother and baby. The smaller one seemed to have trouble controlling its flight as it tried to stay still and feed off a flowering plant. I watched a father teaching his young son to fish, heads bent together as they watched the line land in the pond.

There's nothing like a solitary walk in the early morning hours, no road noise, no people conversations, just you and nature; listening to wind sighing through the trees, your footsteps crunching on the gravel path the only manmade sound in your ears. Tis the best kind of meditation for me ... feeling at one with nature.

Quiet, peaceful HUGS to everyone!!

Go to your Happy Place!

You hear it often enough in movies... something not so good is going to happen, and they say "go to your happy place". Well,, for me, that's the beach, preferably in October when the sun is golden, the sand isn't too hot, and there's no local morning fog along the Santa Cruz coast. But I'll take it any time I can get it, now that I live so far away from it.

I traveled to the Bay Area the last weekend in July, and had been watching the beach forecasts all week -- most of them in the low 60's. But no matter what, I was getting to the beach. We went on the very first day I was there. My sister drove, that way we could all ride in one vehicle (Nice ride, Sis!). I was in heaven -- the morning fog had burned off by the time we got there. Thanks to a stopover at Big Basin Redwood State Park. And a side trip to Ocean View Park for some letterboxing.

It was so good to be on the beach again; sand curling under my toes, the smell of the water, even the decaying seaweed on the beach, with its not so pleasant odor was OK. Amazing how smells can bring up memories. It didn't take me long to divest myself of the things I was carrying; to dig out my camera and start snapping pictures. And into the water I went, toes feeling the first sting of the cold water (which is about 58 degrees). Maybe it was too cold for the others, but me and Bree were right there in it. After the first few waves, we were holding hands and braving the higher waves (ok, so they were only about knee high... hahaha).


While the rest climbed on the rocks, looking at the tidepools, I had a few quiet moments to myself. Time to sit and listen to the surf, the waves pounding against the rocks, let go of thoughts and feelings and just absorb what was there for me. (Now if only I had a whole week of this..... )

Our visit to the beach was over all too soon; and it was on to the next activity.
To get a feel for the weekend, see Fifty for my 50 :)

Vacation HUGS to everyone!

My Sister

Time passes,
not much is said;
it doesn't matter.

Once again together
Sister to sister
memories flow like
wine in our glasses,
water in the hot tub,
out under the moon and stars.

Love ya, Sis!
HUGS!

Fifty on my 50

What I did on my 50th Birthday:

1. Drove 737 miles
2. Answered a million and one "Are we there yet?" questions
3. Learned to count to 10 in sign language (so I could answer the million and one "How many more minutes?" questions
4. Drank *three* Diet Cokes
5. Saw two hawks
6. Took 50 pictures.
7. Drank two glasses of wine (AFTER arriving home, of course!)
8. Slept straight through the night
9. Drove Highway 17 through "hippie town"
10. Passed by Mt. Cross (a childhood haunt)
11. Walked the Redwood Trail at Big Basin, CA
12. Took 50 pictures.
13. Went to Ocean View Park
14. Found a letterbox
15. Frolicked in the cold ocean waves at Natural Bridges, CA
16. Climbed on the rocks
17. Looked into the tidepools
18. Saw a seal
19. Took 50 pictures
20. BBQ Dinner at my sister's
21. Margaritas and hottubbing under the stars
22. Slept like a rock
23. Letterboxing at Santa Clara Library
24. Drive Melanie to the recycle center
25. Went to the library (to use the computer!)
26. Went to the mall (EEEKS! me? the mall???)
27. Had lunch at Acapulco (enchiladas and margaritas!)
28. Napped!!
29. BBQ and tater salad at Mom's for dinner
30. Lots of family time, stories, and laughter
31. Took 50 pictures
32. Went to a club to go dancing
33. Drank a Corona
34. Listened to a good band!
35. Slept like a baby
36. Early morning picture excursion to Mission Santa Clara
37. Make a birthday crown
38. Take more pictures (wearing the crown, of course!)
39. Letterboxing at Mission College
40. Swimming at my sister's
41. Grab groceries and fill the gas tank (tomorrow we head home)
42. Dinner at Mom's
43. A visit from my daughter's friend, Jet
44. Load the car
45. Sleep (not so good this time)
46. Up early, time to head home
47. Tearful Goodbye's
48. Drive into the foggy foothills, into a beautiful sunrise
49. Answer a million and one "Are we there yet?" questions
50. Drive 737 miles