Linville Falls Foray with an Out-of-town Friend

It's too bad that you can't pick the type of weather you will have when you're on vacation. Sometimes, it's rainy and overcast, which can put a damper on what you originally wanted to do. Although I think that during those times when plans don't work out the way we envision that we make some pretty wonderful discoveries anyhow.

One of my very good friends from back home came for a visit this past week. It's been about 4 years, since she's come up here, so this trip was long overdue! Unfortunately, the mountains didn't welcome her with the most favorable conditions. It rained all day long prior to (as well as the day before) her arrival. I hoped that it wouldn't be like that the entire time she was here, thankfully, it stopped raining on the morning she was heading our way.

While it was still overcast and foggy, at least it wasn't pouring rain. Even though Boone's weather was being uncooperative there were fun things that I could do with my out-of-town friend who was anxious to see some sights. I thought that a waterfall hike was the perfect thing for us to do because of the heavy rains we had recently received. That was the easy part, though. The hard part was figuring out which one we'd visit!

One thing that is a must-do for any friends visiting from out-of-town is to take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, even if the visibility isn't the greatest. That helped me to narrow down which waterfall I would take her to. Linville Falls, which is just off the BRP, seemed to be the best option because it is a rather large waterfall that isn't too far of a drive from Boone. It is probably one of the most popular falls around this area because of how easily accessible it is.

There are many different vantage points from which you can view Linville Falls. They have a main trail that takes you to several overlooks, which are fairly easy to navigate. During this particular visit, though, I wanted us to have an up-close view of the falls. This meant that we had to take the more strenuous Plunge Basin hike. The hike itself was only .7 miles to reach the gorge, but it took some time getting down there with all the rocks and exposed roots littering the trail.

Once we reached the bottom, I expected the waterfall to come into view, but I forgot since my last visit that you can't see it from the end of the trail. In order to get an unobstructed view of the waterfall, you have to do some scrambling around the rocks. It was a little iffy at times, but we ended up making it to a good spot.

I knew that my friend would be in awe over this incredibly beautiful natural wonder, the water was rushing like mad! We attempted to soak it all in the best we could before hiking back out. I attempted to take pictures, but wasn't super successful in doing so, because I accidentally left my fresh batteries in my other bag. Doh! At least, I have something to show for it, even if it's not the best photo.

Good thing I had the Sony WX9 on me, too! I ended up using the point and shoot to take a short video that you asked to see on Facebook. Well, here it is. If you want to view it in HD, click on over to Vimeo.

The hike out wasn't bad at all.
It did require a bit of a climb to get back out of there,
but it was (and my friend agreed) a great hike that was well worth the effort to see such a lovely sight. 

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Wintry Weather in Boone, NC

The carefully constructed layers we took 20 minutes to compile took mere seconds to remove. We were beginning to sweat underneath the heavy clothing from the tiring walk we had just completed. It ended in the nick of time, too, because as soon as we got inside the toasty house the wind picked up and blew even more furiously than it already was.

The snow, I love, but the wind, mmmmm not so much. Sometimes, I wish that I could pick the perfect snow day where the photo ops are plentiful and extreme weather isn't threatening to damage your photographic equipment.

On a perfect snow day, for me anyway, it would be bitter cold so that the snow was sticking to everything, and the flakes would be floating around like feathers as they made their way to the ground. It would blanket our valley and the surrounding hills; everything would be covered in a sheet of white.

There would be no massive gusts of wind knocking you every which way, and the snow wouldn't be coming in sideways pelting you in your frozen face. Yesterday was pretty unbearable in terms of going for a nice stroll in the snow like I did a few weekends ago. The wind was howling non-stop and forced us to walk with our heads down for most of our trek.

The rare moments where I did whip out my camera to capture some wintry images, I made sure my back was to the wind so that it wouldn't get too wet. A futile effort, for sure, but I still managed to get what I went out there for. At least I didn't get all bundled up and freeze my butt off to come home empty handed.

Snow days are exciting because you have no idea exactly what they will bring. The conditions can vary a great deal. I know that I'll get many more opportunities this winter to experience all that Boone weather decides to drop on us. Although I'm not sure how long my motivation to get out and shoot winter scenes will last, but I do know that I'd be more apt to sticking with it if this relentless wind would take a hike! Until then, I'll just stay indoors where it's nice and cozy :D

What are you doing to stay warm?!

Saturday Stroll in the Snow {Part 2} | Boone, NC

  

 

With yet another forecast calling for copious amounts of snow, Boone weather is steadily doing its best to test our ability to endure a true winter. It has caught many of the blue ridge mountain residents completely off guard, too, because it doesn't typically start this early. People are scrambling to get preparations in order and we are no exception. This past weekend, we finally winterized our windows to help keep our precious heat from escaping -- it makes such a big difference. Just thought I'd share some additional images from the snowy stroll I took last weekend. I'm really looking forward to getting out and capturing some more of the winter scenes the the Boone weather brings. What's the weather looking like where you are?

Related Links:

• Saturday Stroll in the Snow {Part 1} 
• WW has a Facebook Page now! Follow me here: http://www.facebook.com/wayfaringwanderer

Saturday Stroll in the Snow | Boone, NC

 

Yesterday, here in Boone NC, we had our first substantial snow of the winter season. When I say substantial, I mean a few inches, but it did snow all day long and throughout the evening. I managed to tear myself away from my movie marathon to take a walk along the Greenway Trail near my house.

The snow was steadily streaming from above as I attempted to capture the winter scenes. It wasn't the light and fluffy kind that gently floats down to the ground either. Instead, I had to endure being pelted by tiny balls of ice that were determined to drench me and my camera.

Since the conditions weren't favorable I had the entire trail to myself. I didn't pass a single soul during my walk through the winter wonderland. I could tell, though, that people had braved the snowy conditions at some point because I saw many sets of footprints during my trek.

It feels like it's been too long since I've set out to take any nature pictures. And it's been even longer since I've had the opportunity to get any pictures of snow. Hopefully, this season I'll have the chance to get out and shoot all sorts of winter photos.

While I am looking forward to copious amounts of snow and the changes that the season brings, I am also thinking about how I'll combat the inevitable blues that will ensue at some point. Taking snowy strolls with my camera in hand to capture winter pictures is definitely something I'll be encouraging myself to do more of, that's for sure.

What is your take on snow? Love it? Hate it? Have you had any snow show up in your neck of the woods yet?

Reflections of a Lazy Photographer

I was unsure about what to expect when I planned to attend Grandfather Mountain's Nature Photography Weekend. When I got to the registration table at 3, they simply told me to GO SHOOT! until the first program, which wouldn't take place until 8 or so. I decided to start my day at 'The Mile High Swinging Bridge', since it was located at the very top. From there, I would work my way back down to the museum where the presentations would be held.

Before I stepped foot out of the car, it was apparent that an unusual amount of people had tripods set up, and pointed in the same direction. There were the regular tourists visiting the mountain as well, but you could definitely tell who was there for the photography event. We also had these nifty little buttons that distinguished us between other visitors. I noticed early on that most people go off in their own direction to seek out that perfect shot, while very few shoot in groups. I eventually adopted a buddy for the weekend after my first day of shooting alone.



Unbeknownst to me, the most important event of the weekend seemed to be the photography contest between the participants. I knew that there would be a friendly competition, but I didn't realize that it was a big deal. Early on, though, I determined that there would be some pretty stiff competition between this group of well-seasoned photographers. They only had room for 165 photographers, and from what they mentioned the weekend sold out in a matter of hours. I felt like I was among a pretty elite group of photographers who had many years of experience between them. They also had some enormous lenses, too, lenses that cost more than my car, probably. I'm not so sure that I could carry a 600mm lens, much less have money in my budget to purchase one! Haha

Even though programs/talks would be going on until Sunday, photographers only had until 3pm on Saturday to pick out their 3 photos to enter in any four categories. Regular visitors were out numbered by the laptop toting photographers in the restaurant as they scrutinized and selected their favorite shots. I attempted to be as discerning as possible when dwindling down my picks. At the time, I felt like I chose images that I thought would work best for the contest, and not the ones that were personal favorites. As you can see, I sometimes favor the fuzzy and soft while others would most likely scoff at the out-of-focus image. In their world, bokeh is not the brilliantly, bright circles of joy I consider the effect to be. No, they are seen as circles of confusion! Well, if hunting bokeh is wrong, I don't want to be right :D

It's not that I can't produce, because I've beaten out higher odds with the annual Appalachian Mountain Photography competition, but I didn't feel as confident about this one as I do when I enter photos in that competition. Compared to what other photographers captured my images were far less spectacular, but I'm okay with that. I gained something much more valuable over the weekend than the recognition and award certificate passed out to the winners. I know, that's what losers say :D haha

The hard way, I learned that I have become a lazy photographer, and I really don't want to continue allowing that to happen. I'm capable of so much more. One thing I noticed was that I happened to be the only participant NOT carrying around a tripod, which is considered an essential to anyone who cares about shooting tack-sharp images, especially when I was using my 70-200mm lens. But, no, I didn't take my tripod out of the car once! Another crucial issue I came to realize was that I have grown very impatient when it comes to getting the best shot possible. I'm just not taking the time to compose a shot or search for a better image when I find something I think is worth capturing. There is definitely room for major growth that I plan to tackle immediately!



More than figuring out key areas I need to improve upon, I'm most grateful for this fresh (and much needed) dose of enthusiasm that was infused within me due to the inspiring photographers who presented and shared their mesmerizing work, as well as the stunning images captured by participants over the weekend. I hope that I can use this newfound excitement to get past this plateau and take my photography to new heights!

An Exploratory Hike to Gentry Creek Falls

Cherokee Nat'l Forest: Mountain City, TN: Gentry Creek Falls: 5 miles

This past Saturday we took part in a guided hike lead by PACT. Unfortunately, we didn’t attract the turnout we were looking for, but the few people who did join in made our walk through the woods very enjoyable. It was a special treat since Cody and I don’t hike with other people very often.


Throughout the trek we all took turns pointing out various plant and animal wildlife, and because I have such a curious mind, this was a big highlight for me. Our hike was more about exploring and less about keeping up a steady pace. Even so, we moved faster than if Cody and I had gone solo. It’s no surprise that I generally stop every few feet to take a photo! Okay, not every few feet......[Cody, stop shaking your head]….okay, every few feet!


As unconcerned as we may have been about reaching our destination, we finally arrived to the proverbial pot of gold. At the “end of our rainbow” lay a double-decker waterfall, both 30 to 40 feet high. It was magnificent! After a couple photos, we trudged to the top tier where we all sat down to have lunch and tune in to the rushing water flowing past us. Very refreshing, indeed!

(The photo below doesn't show the one up top)


Well worth the 2.5 miles it took to get to Gentry Creek Falls. Altogether, I would say that it was a very moderate hike with barely any gain in elevation. It did, however, take a little over 4 hours to complete, and the numerous creek crossings did present quite a few obstacles since we had to do it 13 times! After a while, you succumbed to soggy shoes!

These foot bridges probably have you thinking, "What creek crossings?",
believe me, we got our feet wet! I just didn't get any photos of it :)

I do hope to return in the future on an overcast/foggy day to get some better photos of the falls. Not that I am complaining about the gorgeous weather we were graced with, but it’s just not conducive to taking good waterfall photos. Note to self: Remember this the next time you don’t want to go for a hike on a rainy day!

Friday, I was thinking that I would share the results of our wildflower findings. I came home with a handful that needed to be identified and thought you all may be interested to see the little beauties that were springing up!!

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

Carrying the Weight of it All

Hope: Is in carrying the weight of it all

Endure the Darkness
The load will lessen with time
Resilient Spirit


If you can go through life without experiencing pain you probably haven’t been born yet.
~Neil Simon~

Literally and figuratively these words speak so much truth to me this week.
To say the least it has been a rather trying one for me to get through. My poor neck has been on the fritz for the past few days. Although when I feel like I have reached the edge I hear a whisper that tells me to keep on going. That this pain doesn't define my life. I have the power to overcome what I feel like is trying to take its grubby hold. I am confident that the buoyancy of my soul will prevail.

I chose this image because when I look at it, it makes me feel as though I, too, can carry the lofty load bestowed upon me. That when its time to bear the burden I am fully equipped to do so. However, I do get a lot of help from Cody. He is truly a godsend in my life. I really don't know what I would do without him (you). Thank you for sticking by me when I am not so sunny, I know it ain't easy :o)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and that your loads are
particularly light in the coming days.

Posted in: Haiku Friday & Photostory Friday

~Tiny Details~

One thing I spotted quite frequently along the trail were, mushrooms.
The conditions in the forest were perfect, especially since it had rained recently.
Beforehand, Cody and I decided that since he was hauling all the gear,
he wouldn't wait while I took photos. I stop waaaay too often!

At the beginning of the trail, I withheld from taking photos of the fleshy fungi.



By the second day in the woods, I couldn't take it any longer. I had to shoot the mushies.
I kept my eyes on the trail floor, making mental notes of the many mushrooms we passed.
I didn't take photos of every single one, if I did that, I may not have ever caught up with Cody!



However, I still paid close attention to what was sprouting from the earth.
I haven't attempted to identify any of them, so if you know, I encourage you to speak up.



And since we're discussing the details, I'd like to share this very inspiring video.
I've had it on my list for a while now. I'm was just slow to post it.

I was seriously blown away by this guys talent.
He's been around for a while, so it's nothing new, but
it's truly amazing.




So, how are you feeling about the details right now?
Paying close attention?

Hunt Fish Falls

Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina
Wilson Creek Area
Lost Cove Trail

Here is a more detailed shot of the waterfall from the overnight hike we did last weekend.
In the other post, I only shared the overview of the swimming hole.

I took this photo around 7:00am on Sunday morning.

I don't usually wake up that early, but in the woods I do.
Sleeping above the rushing falls lulled me to sleep.
Hiking and/or being near water definitely calms me.
Sleeping right next to it serves double duty.

I wouldn't say that I had a wonderful night's sleep.
Because I woke up several times throughout the night.
I was trying to find a more comfortable position.
Even so, I still awakened feeling refreshed.

This photo of the falls was taken in the late afternoon on Saturday.
The lighting was very different from the above shot.
One, early morning, and one, late afternoon.



I felt uneasy stumbling around the slick rock with my camera and tripod.
I took my time though and made certain that I had sure footing before taking a step.
The last thing I would want to do was take a tumble!

This was the small waterfall off to the side of Hunt Fish Falls.



It seems as though it is normally overlooked
compared to the main attraction,
but I thought it was lovely.
I think the recent rain had something to do with it.

I had to pull off some fancy maneuvers to get these photos.
I found myself laying on my stomach, sprawled out across the rock.
Thankfully, no one but Cody was around to see this!




I can't wait to see more waterfalls this autumn season.
We'll definitely be out and about as much as possible.
This weekend, we didn't do anything exciting, just watched a ton of movies.
So until we have some new and interesting stuff to show you, I hope you enjoyed
a close up of Hunt Fish Falls.

• To read a little more about the backpacking trip, click here.

• To see an overview of Hunt Fish Falls, click here.

Offspring

Haiku Friday

Your thoughts are like seeds
be mindful of what you plant
who knows what will sprout

Initially, this photo was dressed up with text like most of the other haiku's.
I decided against using it because I just like the original image.
It's so simple on its own, and I didn't want to complicate it by adding 'stuff'.
I followed the prompt from One Single Impression.....Seeds.
I know I went the literal route, but it is what it is.


Thank you all so very much for the kind comments on my last post.
I was surprised to find that so many others could relate, although I knew I wasn't alone.

I'm so grateful that tomorrow is Friday.
And I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

In Nature

For Lydia

Wordless Wednesday


Where do you find silence?

Glen Burney Trail

What we did last Sunday was far different from this Sunday. I sought out a hike from the NC Wildflower Hike book. This happened to be a trail that I had never heard about before. The sad part is, that's it's less than a 10 minute drive from our home, in Blowing Rock, NC. It is also very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, but not directly off the drive like most hikes we've been to frequently.

It was approximately 1.5 miles in and out, at the end, you just turn around and go back out the way you came. It's quite rare to go on a waterfall hike that has 3 different falls, which made this one a real gem. The elevation loss was about 520 feet so it was mild going in, although coming out was another story! It wasn't horrible, but I was on the edge most of the time, ready to pass out, but not quite there yet. Definitely well worth the extra work though.

The Glen Marie Falls was the biggest, even though it doesn't look so in the above photo. I could only get a good shot of the bottom half since the sun was so bright closer to the top. I would like to go back on a foggy day so that I can get the whole thing.


The bottom photo, is of the first fall we passed, and the most unimpressive. Maybe it's nicer after a good rain? The view of this waterfall was somewhat obstructed from trail because of the trees. From up there, a photo wasn't really possible, so we climbed down to th stream below. I took photos while Cody rock hounded.

Before we went on the hike, I was placing my purse in the trunk when I absentmindedly tucked my keys in the purse. It was immediately after I did this that I realized what I had done, I tried to stop Cody from closing the trunk, by yelping "NO!", but it was too late. The doors were also locked, DANG!? What are we going to do? Sitting at the trail head geared up to go on a hike, this mishap could have really put a damper on the days activities. But Cody, being Mr. Cool as a Cucumber, talked me into letting it go, and worrying about it once we were done with the hike. At which time we would call AAA to come jimmy the car. They really are lifesavers! We only had to wait about 30 minutes for them to get there, and about 30 seconds to break into the car.....everything turned out fine :)


*Update: This weekend we spent time on the house. Saturday morning we put a second coat of paint on the walls in the dinning room. Thank goodness it is done now. It looks 100x's better, I'm so happy with the way it turned out. We also mowed the lawn which took a couple hours. I was on the riding lawn mower, and Cody manned the weed eater. It's crazy, but my back is sore from steering, and the bouncing from our bumpy yard. Although it looks so nice when it's all mowed. We are getting ready to be bombarded with copious amount of blackberries soon, the vines are in full bloom right now, I can't wait. We also got the kitchen back in order, cleaned out the fridge, and went grocery shopping. I was craving a steak so we grilled out, and ate dinner in our new and improved dining room. It was great!

Dining Room Table - $0.00 (Handcrafted by Cody)
Chairs - $3.00 each + $5.00 for fabric to reupholster chairs
Paint - $0.00 (A full can that was going to be discarded!)
Total = Swequity (Sweat + Equity)

I hope everyone had a great weekend :o)

Through the Woods, and Over the Creek........

California : Big Sur : Limekiln State Park


To Limekiln Falls we go......

While making our big-time plans for Big Sur, I was dead set on camping at Limekiln State Park. But due to unforeseen events, this was not possible. Upon arriving at the State Park to go hiking one day, I quickly realized that it was actually for the best that we didn't get to camp there. My idea of camping next to the beach at Limekiln was completely different from the accommodations themselves. In my head, I was thinking, oh yeah, a nice sandy beach. But once we got there, it was more like, ooohh no, pebble strewn compacted dusty white dirt! Aside from the beach front camping, they had other sites that were within the surrounding forest. Although the path down the middle was the one leading you up to the trail head. My idea of solitude doesn't include strangers walking through the campsites while I'm cooking breakfast, or in our case, eating a granola bar. We totally dodged a bullet........I'm glad their wasn't any availability, and yet again, I'm glad I didn't make reservations prior to leaving for California. It all worked out for the best.





We went to Limekiln on Wednesday, the day after my vacation sick day. I still wasn't feeling all that hot, but I couldn't stand to waste another day sleeping. Once we started hiking I immediately felt like I had been bulldozed by this horribly unwelcome nauseas feeling which engulfed my feeble body. I sound like I'm being dramatic, but really, I felt so weak - it was ridiculous! At this point, I wasn't even hiking, I was pretty much dragging myself through the woods. Good thing it didn't stop me from taking my photos though.





One thing that I absolutely loved about this trail were the coastal redwoods. Even though I felt like death warmed over, walking through this enchanted forest gave me reason to keep chugging along. This forest had so much character, from the downed trees, to the clover-covered ground that lined the trails path..........it was straight out of a "Lord of the Rings" movie.





Cody pointed out, as well questioned my fascination with bridges.......I can't remember what mumbo-jumbo answer I gave him at the time.....but from the very first time I hiked a trail here in NC, I was hooked. Maybe bridges symbolize a connection in which I can understand, or more literally, that it's the juncture itself that I relate to........then again, maybe I like them because I don't have to wade through water to get from one side to the other?!?! Either way, he was just wondering, why the heck I have to take a photo of every single one we cross!! haha





It was such a sunny day. A photographers nightmare, really. I would have given anything to have hiked this trail on a foggy day.......then it would have been doubly magical. I feared that my photos weren't going to turn out the way my eyes relayed the scene to my brain. Your in camera technique will only get you so far on a blindingly sunny day. Looking at the photo on the tiny little screen is not a true representation of what it will really look like once you see it on a computer screen for the first time. My laptop would only allow enough time to unload my memory cards before I needed to recharge the battery, so I never knew what my photos looked like until the night before we were leaving (at Jimmy's house). I was really surprised at how well these shots turned out, with nearly no post-processing. Go figure, the group I would peg as my worst set of photos, end up being some of my favorites?!?!




Above is the path leading up to Limekiln Falls. The climb to the falls was a very gentle grade, and required very little effort (even for a sicko). The creek crossings did require some agile maneuvering at certain points, but it kept things interesting! Overall it was a mere .7 miles to get to the falls. Before you realize you're near the end, you pretty much come to a screeching halt when the 100-foot wall comes in to view. It was incredible. I remember telling Cody, that this was my most favorite waterfall.....EVER! Even better than the McWay Falls, which was pretty spectacular too, but this one was better because of how close you could get. It must have been those negative ions giving me that feeling of euphoria........

The park's name comes from the actual kilns that were used to produce lime in the 19th century. The Rockland Lime and Lumber Company would load the towers of the kilns with limestone and use redwood lumber to stoke fires at their bases to purify the rock before it was hauled out of the canyon and down to the coast where ships were waiting. The lime was eventually used in cement and other products.


(One of four kilns, which are still largely intact)

We were very close to skipping the actual limekiln's themselves because I just wanted to lay down. Thankfully I sucked it up, and trekked a little further to catch a glimpse of these rusty towers. To get to the kilns, we took a separate hike off the main trail once we backtracked from the waterfall. I can just imagine the bustling activity taking place there day-to-day, way back when. Big Sur harbors a lot of history, that I haven't even begun to fathom, but I'm learning more and more as I delve deeper into the trip.


View Large On White

Would you believe that there is actually MORE?! I mean, really, is anybody tired of seeing all of this stuff yet?!

Extra Details

• Aerial Shot of Limekiln: Link
• Panoramic View of the Limekilns: Link

Sunset Saunter

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
~Lin Yutang~

Aaaahhhh.......it's so nice to be fully immersed into my o so familiar surroundings that I missed a whole lot more than I thought I would. We had a very tough time making it back home, which in the end, made the reunion that much sweeter. I'll go ahead and get all of the ghastly details out of the way before I begin to chronicle our vacation.

The most adverse obstacle to overcome was the sad fact that I became sick on Monday.......and it's still with me! It started with a sore throat, then proceeded with a stuffy, and runny nose, but worst of all has been the congestion, and coughing (especially when it is non-stop at night). It's been such a long time since I have been sick, all for it to happen when we're on our vacation - I was a trooper though.

Tuesday was one long rest day, I couldn't really cope and just wanted to sleep it off since I was feeling so drained. That was the only "wasted" day; from that day on we didn't let it stop us from seeing and doing the fabulous activities originally planned. However, we didn't get to do everything, but that was to be expected.

We were supposed to get home last night, but good ole' American Airlines dropped the ball on that desire. Our flight from San Jose, CA was running late to begin with, which made for a really tight connection when we landed in Fort Worth, TX. As fast as we could get off the plane, we were ready to run since we only had about 10 minutes to make it to the other terminal.......as soon as we deplaned a lady with a list advised us that our plane was already GONE!! For once a plane actually leaves ON TIME!!

We went up to the desk to determine what options were available, but the snide and unhelpful counter person wasn't very congenial. We were dumbfounded to be told that, "There were no more flights going to Greensboro, NC until tomorrow morning.", TOMORROW MORNING!! But they could get us to Charlotte, NC?!?!? Um, our car is in Greensboro......how the heck is that going to help anybody?! Cody said, "I bet they could also get us to Albuquerque too, but that wouldn't help us out either!" Mr. Comedy Relief at your service - he's too funny.

The only thing she offered us was a voucher for a discounted rate of $45.00 at the La Quinta Inn, or a cot if we wanted to sleep in the terminal.....WOW.....way to go American Airlines lady, thanks a bunch!? After the unpleasant encounter, we trudged on, mad, and unsatisfied to the new terminal in which we would be leaving from the next morning. Once there, Cody, being the exceptionally remarkable partner he is, took it upon himself to do some damage control. Long story short, he came back about 15 minutes later with a smile on his face. What he accomplished was truly extraordinary, in his persistence he found a more compassionate American Airlines employee who actually helped us! And believe it or not, he was toting even better vouchers that the other lady said wasn't possible to get, and wasn't willing to let go of. Cody singlehandedly got us a FREE hotel room, and a $20.00 food voucher!!!! Isn't he AWESOME......thanks babe :o)

Before this gets too long, I'll wrap it up. The flight home was not that great for me, flying when you're sick is the WORST! Oh, and I hate to leave it on a gross note, but I blew chunks on our descent because of the congestion and pressure and whatever else was contributing to my nausea; thankfully it was a really small plane, and there were some really nice people sitting around me. Cody came through yet again with a barf bag, and cool, wet cloth for my forehead - I'm such a lucky girl. I even got to sleep on the car ride home.....

Boy am I glad to be home!!!

* Magical Effects *

The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.
*Sarah Ban Breathnach*

WOW! I am blown away by the wonderful comments and insights shared based on my last post. Those conflicted feelings are beginning to dissipate, and it is largely due to the tremendous amount of support you all have shown. I truly am grateful, and I feel so lucky to have folks like you to share my thoughts, hopes, and dreams with. THANK YOU!

A couple weekends ago Cody and I went to South Mountain State Park, that's where the above photo was taken. I have more to share from that day, and hopefully I will go through them tonight and have them to post tomorrow. I've fallen a little behind, but hope to be caught up before we leave next week, since I know I'll be coming home with like 1,000 photos from California!! Check out the {366} Photographic Journal Blog to see a couple more photos I posted last night. The fire one is pretty cool!! Yeah, I said fire.....check it out. (Link on the right)