Tree Branch Gazing

I'm so grateful for the arrival of the holiday weekend. It's been a very long week.

Besides enjoying a Monday off from work, I think I need a moment this weekend to just lie on my back (in what remains of the grass) and then look up at marvel at a sky filled with tree branches.

Have you ever spent time just gazing up under a tree's canopy? It's so peaceful. When looking up at the underside of a tree, the branches look like interlaced veins. While it is easy to find the base or start of each tree branch, the rest of the branches become a maze of tree limbs.

Tree branch gazing is fascinating and time-consuming. It's the perfect holiday weekend activity and definitely on my agenda this weekend, if the weather permits. Fingers crossed.

Family Links

Alex Haley, the author of Roots, said once about family:

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.

Sometimes, we get so wrapped up about genetics being our connection to our past and future. While our DNA may offer sign posts or warning signs to our life, I believe that its our environment that can create the most lasting impact. Our family is a large part of that environment.

Today, I will watch two of my dearest friends marry each other. I love people watching at weddings, because by observing those attending the wedding, you can get an inside look into how the couple became who they are. This extended family present -- which includes relatives as well as friends -- represent the people who have had the greatest influence on the couple to be married. As such, invited guests should be honored to be included in this special circle in the couple's lives.

Origins of Smart Grandchildren

When reading through quotations about family, I came across this anonymous proverb that made me laugh out loud:

One of life's greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn't good enough to marry your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world.

I have a feeling when I get to this stage in my life, my parents might be contemplating this dilemma as well.

Family Matters

I'm thinking a lot about family today, both the one we're born a part of and the one we form ourselves. In honor of family, the next few posts will feature thoughts by great thinkers about what it means to be a family.

Today's quotation was said by my favorite author, Dr. Seuss:

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

That's one of the best parts about being a part of a family whether by biology or design. Our family wishes us to be happy and we are happiest when we are ourselves. Anyone who asks us to change or doesn't support our authentic self was never really family to begin with. Dr. Seuss' litmus test for family is a good one.

Water Balance

While growing up, I thought I would live in California all my life. At the time, I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Then in my mid-twenties, I became bolder and itchy for change. I decided to uproot myself from comfy, familiar Southern California and journey to the East Coast and begin the next phase of my life in Washington, DC.

All of the cities I was considering for this move -- DC, Seattle, Boston, New York, and Chicago -- were within driving distance to large bodies of water. It was one of my prerequisites. While I was open to living in a new place where I might not know anyone, I was unwilling to give up proximity to water. Whether it was an ocean, great lake or mighty river, I needed to be able to near enough to see it with little effort. Watching the waves in Kauai earlier this year was one of my favorite activities during the trip.


DC definitely meets that requirement. I enjoy seeing the Potomac River on my way to work each day. Being near water is calming and therapeutic. I may have been spoiled by my California beaches, but the idea of living someplace where I can't marvel at the power of an ocean's waves or the strength of a quick river current is unfathomable to me. I don't know how people who live in the middle of the country or in deserts stand living without them.

Bluegreen Pool

Change is in the air this week, but it is so challenging to make change actually happen. Just ask President Obama, right? It is like swimming in a bottomless pool; you can't sense the depth and the current seems to strong to swim against.

My sister forwarded an email to me a few days ago that discussed how to make life changes. The email's author shared great wisdom about this topic and I wanted to pass it along:

You cannot hope to solve any problem using the same energy that created the problem. Whether it's the endless wars in the world or the unending quarrels and fighting in your own home, the problem is the same: conflicting energy. If you want to change the outcome, change the energy. The extraordinary aspect of this solution is that you do not have to wait for the other party in order to do it.

Some Beach

Somehow September has arrived and summer is officially over. How sad. Thank goodness I was able to get some beach time earlier this year during my March trip to Kauai. So now, I don't feel as badly about not getting any beach time this summer.

Wouldn't it be nice, if regardless of the time of year or weather, beach time was always possible? Island and beach dwellers are lucky in that respect; they can access the beach at any time.

One day, I hope I will be able to live near the ocean. To be able to walk along the ocean shore, sit on the sand admiring the surf and wake to the sound of the seashore would be an extraordinary way to live. While I don't like quoting country singer Kenny Chesney (long story), his "no shoes, no shirt, no problems" life philosophy is a good mantra. But, perhaps I would reword it to say "no shoes, no sleeves, no problems" for my life mantra, just to avoid any indecency problems at the beach.

Will Dailey & The Rivals Rocked Vienna for Family Farmers

Last night, I got a sneak preview of Farm Aid 26 when I went to see Will Dailey & The Rivals perform in Vienna, Virginia. Mixing old songs with new music, it was a great set. I felt lucky that the band included our neighborhood on their Road to Farm Aid tour. It was a great way to start off the week.

Before the band's set began, a volunteer from the local chapter of Food & Water Watch -- a grassroots organization working to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainably produced -- talked about their efforts to create a "fair farm bill" to replace the factory farm-benefiting Farm Bill hurting family farms. Like Will and the band, Food & Water Watch is also taking to the road soon, covering 20 states in 34 days to raise awareness and gains support for this important legislation.

Even though I won't be able to be at Farm Aid in Kansas City in person, watching the concert last night made me feel like I was still a part of supporting our family farmers around the nation growing the good food we so desperately need. I'm looking forward to getting another chance to see Will Dailey & The Rivals perform again via Webcast at Farm Aid this weekend. There's just nothing like good music and good food to soothe the soul.

In case you haven't already guessed, today's photo post is not a portrait of Will Dailey & The Rivals, but a friendly rooster I met near a taro farm during my Hawaiian vacation earlier this year. It's an appropriate image for today since both Will and this rooster share a similar rockin' attitude and appreciate family farms.

The Power of You

This week, I spent a lot of time talking on the blog about our capability to create change and impact the world around us. If it sounded preachy, it was not meant to be. Like you, I, too am a student of life, just trying to keep moving forward and embracing the person I am meant to be. No easy feat, but it is journey we must all travel.

This photograph captured a moment of perfect alignment in my life. I took this image standing on the Hanapepe Swinging Bridge in Kaua'i overlooking the Waimea River. Standing on that wooden bridge and surrounded by the blue sky, green mountains and sparkling river, I felt completely at peace and centered. In my soul, I knew that I was standing in exactly the right place at the right time and taking the right course of action. How many times have you felt that centered? That validated? I wish I could say that I experience that feeling all the time, but that would not be true.

Watching Oprah's final show this week, I was envious of her statement that every time she stood on her stage to tape The Oprah Winfrey Show, she had that validation of purpose. Over the past 25 seasons, Oprah always knew that she was doing exactly what she was meant to do in exactly the way she was meant to do it. That's impressive and powerful. We all can be Oprahs, perhaps not as wealthy or well-known or an influencer hundreds of millions of people worldwide. However, if we can tap into our own power -- the power of you generated through acknowledging and living our life's purpose -- we can also create impact and be Oprah in our own lives, homes, workplaces and communities. We can be like the sunlight reflecting off of the surface of this river. By living a life of purpose and taking actions wedded in our own aha moments, we too can create a legacy that illuminates the world around us and hopefully, like Oprah, inspires our children and others to live purposeful lives as well.

You might have noticed that I missed a few days this week on the blog. I'm planning to make it up to you over Memorial Day weekend by posting two photos a day in place of the three missed days.

For Good

I'm a big believer in reading the signs. Every moment of each day, we are presented with life's signposts. These signs can come in the form of people, conversations, events, books, weather, among others. Since so many different formats of signs exist, cynics would argue that by definition, everything is a sign. I would disagree. We know the sign when it appears. We might not like it or what the sign means, but if we are honest with ourselves, we know signs when we see it, or hear it, or feel it.

Today, I received an important sign and it came in the form of a song. Music can be a powerful medium to communicate. I've often included song lyrics in my posts on this blog as a way to reinforce my message. On "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and Fox's "Glee" shows today, the same song was sung. The song "For Good" from the Broadway musical, Wicked, was performed on both programs to illustrate the inner power we have to impact others' lives, good or bad. Our presence changes people. We change things by existing. We change our workplaces, our families and our communities just by being present. That power is a responsibility and should never be taken lightly. Imagine what we can accomplish when we dedicate our lives to bringing good change to others. I've witnessed the positive power of family and friends on my own life. It is a blessing I hope to give others each day of my life.

"For Good" from Wicked
Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share
And none of it seems to matter anymore

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood
Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better
And because I knew you...

Because I knew you...

Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good.

Close-up of Sleeping Cat

As I mentioned yesterday, this cat in Kaua'i was a very good sleeper. Look how close I was able to get without it stirring. I think the best animal photography happens when you can get really close to your subject. When you zoom in, you can focus on the animal's interesting physical characteristics, such as the way the cat curls its body while sleeping or how tiny its paws are. Its delicate white whiskers would not even be visible from a greater distance. While getting as close as possible to photograph animals is ideal, it is a challenging task unless you encounter this sleeping cat, of course.

Sleeping Cat

Oh, how I wish I could sleep as soundly as this cat! I'm not a cat person, but I couldn't help but take a few photos of this sleeping cat at a restaurant during my Kaua'i trip. Sleeping near a busy walkway in the restaurant, the cat never stirred throughout our meal. Not bustle of the kitchen, loud conversations of diners or even heavy footsteps on the restaurant's wood floor roused the cat from its slumber.

Sleep has been a limited activity in my life lately. A demanding work and social schedule have sadly reduced my sleep hours. When I sleep, it lacks restful depth. I miss really deep sleep. Even at night, my brain goes a mile-a-minute, so deep, restful sleep is always evasive. I need to learn to sleep like this cat, ignoring all those distractions and interruptions and just sleep, sleep and sleep.

Muse at Sunset

So, I've already talked about how the Hawaiian sunset evaded my camera during my trip. However, there were moments when I inadvertently caught a glimpse of a sunset in a photograph. Here's another example, featuring my Kaua'i muse Gladys. The Na Pali Coast is behind her with the final rays of the setting sun lighting the evening sky. We had taken a photograph with Gladys looking directly at the camera, but I really loved this image of her profile. Using non-traditional poses, such as this one,  can create more intriguing compositions.

Muse at the Beach

All artists, especially painters and sculptors, need a muse. And even though I am only a humble photographer, sometimes I need muses for inspiration and perspective as well. During my Hawaiian adventures, my friend Gladys became my muse. I can't tell you how many photos she ended up in during my week-and-a-half photo excursion. She complemented this tropical paradise and became a great addition to my Kaua'i compositions.

This photograph was the most unexpected. While hanging out at Po'ipu Beach, I was playing around with perspective and decided to point my camera towards the sky while lying on my beach blanket. All of a sudden Gladys, who was sitting in a beach chair next to me, appeared in the frame and I took this image. It contains all of the characteristics of a perfect beach scene -- relaxed sunbather, colorful beach towel, swaying palm tree and clear blue sky.

Hanalei Valley

Kaua'i is known as the Garden Isle, but I was unprepared for just how green it is there. After several months of the wintery East Coast, I had gotten used to bare trees and gray skies. Upon landing in Kaua'i, I went into sensory overload due to the island's lush foliage and green mountainsides. It seems as if the island just bypasses winter and fall and lingers in the spring and summer seasons all year-round. Along the central highway around island, there are several pullouts for visitors to stop and admire Kaua'i's beauty.

Today's post was taken at the Hanalei Valley Overlook, featuring the patchwork of taro farms that sprinkle the island. Taro is a food staple for Hawaiians and is grown as a root vegetable for its edible starchy corm, which looks like a potato, and as a leaf vegetable too. In Hawai'i, it is typically grown in pondfields, or lo'i, which provides consistent irrigation for the taro to yield the best crop.

Almost Sunset

This was the closest I got to capturing a Hawaiian sunset during my stay on Kaua'i. I took today's post facing the Na Pali Coast from the Hanalei Bay Resort. Due to the rain clouds in the sky, the sun's rays appear to be exploding as it dips behind the Na Pali Coast's cliffs. There are no roads along this coastline, so to see this stunning and rugged site, visitors must either hike through it, sail along it or fly over it. The fifteen-mile stretch of Na Pali coastline on Kaua'i's northwest shore literally means "the Cliffs," due to the sheer cliffs that drop straight down thousands of feet into the Pacific. It was such a spectacular sight watching this kaleidoscope of colors reflect off of the clouds, mountains and water to create this beautiful sunset painting in the sky.

Pink Plumeria

Growing up in California spoils you when it comes to tropical plants and flowers. While the state is not as tropical an environment as the Hawaiian islands, California landscaping includes such tropical flowers as hibiscus, bougainvillea, and orchids typically found at island locales like Hawai'i. As a result, I did not photograph many of these flowers during my Kaua'i vacation, since I am able to capture them in pictures on the mainland. Instead, I sought out unusual flowers which became quite a challenge to find during my stay on the island. After visiting Queens Bath, I came across these hot pink plumeria flowers near the parking lot. I loved how they seemed to soak in the sunlight and shine brightly in its high tree perch.

Wailua Falls in Kaua'i

Feeding the Wailua River near the East Shore of Kaua'i, Wailua Falls' claim to fame was for being featured in the opening credits of the 1970s television show, "Fantasy Island." While the pool below the  looked tempting, we avoided temptation and instead, marveled at these twin 80-foot falls from above. The trails to the pool are steep and slippery when wet and offers visitors a treacherous journey to the base of the falls. In ancient times, Hawaaian men would prove their manhood by diving off its cliff. Thankfully, no one attempted these feat during our visit.

The authors of The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed (which I highly recommend, by the way) measured the falls themselves and disagreed with the official 80-ft height measurement. They claim that the Wailua Falls are actually 173-feet tall. After seeing it in person, I would side with the shorter measurement, but regardless of the falls' actual height, it is still a breathtaking sight.

Hanalei Bay

Can you imagine a more beautiful backdrop for a wedding ceremony? When we arrived to our friends' wedding site at the Hanalei Bay Resort, my breath caught at the panoramic view of Hanalei Bay before us. Towering mountains with majestic waterfalls, lush foilage, and pristine beaches surround the bay and in the right light, the water sparkles. Although a rouge rain cloud dropped rain sprinkles on the wedding party, the scene provided such an incredible setting for this special ceremony. Watching my friends commit to each other enveloped by this heavenly-designed environment was so moving that I spent most of the time brushing away tears along with the rain drops. However, I never allowed my tears or rain to prevent me from enjoying the tropical scene around me.

Hawaiian Girl

During my Hawaiian vacation, I took photographs of almost everything. I used my camera to capture memories of this special trip. The only thing that I stopped short of doing was taking pictures of the food I ate. Even I have to draw the line somewhere.

While waiting to take my island hopper flight from Oahu airport to my vacation final destination, Kaua'i, I took photographs of the Hawaiian Airlines plane that would take us there. Of all of the airline logos, Hawaiian Airlines most typifies its brand and communicates to its passengers the beauty and peace of Hawai'i's aloha. Before even arriving in Kaua'i, I was already living aloha and feeling as Hawaiian as the striking woman illustrated in the Hawaiian Airlines logo on the tail of their planes.