Memorial Day Hike

7:30 a.m. and we were off on our Memorial Day hike up to the KATY Trail and back. Here are some of the things we saw along the way.

Flowers and a visitor bee

Shady part of the KATY Trail

Towering trees

A tree that grows sideways

A nice bench to sit on at the end

We decided that it will be a Memorial Day Tradition. Pan cakes at McDonald's after the hike too.

Remembering

Many have served and died for a simple idea - individuals should be free and be responsible for their own actions, not dominated by fear, tyrants or oppressive ideologies. This photo is a reminder to me of the many individuals who have been willing to sacrifice for these ideals that benefit the whole community of nations.

Portrait of a chicken-literally

Look at the detail in the face. I now understand the name given to those jagged, rocky, towering geologic formations frequently found in the high deserts and plateaus of the West called cock's combs .

Modern, green, California Style home.

In San Marino, California. The cars are also very nice.

Egret in Long Beach

This beautiful egret was at the Long Beach, California aquarium park. The feathers are long and delicate - more like cotton candy than feathers.

Photo Note: The 400mm lens focused perfectly even though there was a chicken-wire type of a screen between me and where the bird was feeding. The photograph shows nothing of the screen that was outside the zone of focus even though I was shooting through it. I learned something about the use of the long lens.

We finally made it to Pasadena

Weather, The Corner Bakery and the next three photos are the big attractions for us t0 travel to Pasadena.

Sitting in the fig tree

He's one hundred percent boy plus handsome.

Portrait of blue eyes

Taking time for a photograph at her school's open house.

Light for the night

While most sleep, there are important people who do great things at night: just to list a few, nurses, policemen, moms with sick or scared children, midnight shift workers, drivers and Teancum (a Book of Mormon Navy SEAL)

What's Going on Here?

Choice Number 1: The formal event just got out.
Choice Number 2: It's a protest as part of the Arab Spring.
Choice Number 3: The Singing Nuns are in concert.
What do you think?

Perspective

As these three photographs of the same flower illustrate, perspective, or how you view the event or subject, is key to understanding it. A flower viewed from above is a much different perspective than is gained by viewing it from underneath or focusing upon a single unique feature of a many faceted organism.

Life, often, is about gaining perspective. For example, my view or perspective of what happened to us in the airport in St. Louis a week ago has changed considerably from that moment when we go up off the floor covered with dust and glass. Then, and I still do, I felt that the Lord had protected us. Now, in addition, I perceive the great wisdom of inventors who designed safety glass and engineers who designed sturdy building features. I now have a greater sense of the fragility of life and how important spouses and families are. My perspective of what happened to us is dramatically changed by the photographs and stories of those who lost lives and homes in the recent tornados and storms, not only in St. Louis, but throughout our Southern States. My perspective now is that we had an experience, they suffered a tragedy.

There are many angles. You can look down, across, around, from underneath, from the heart, from the point of view of others, or from a selfish point of view when considering a subject or event. Perhaps, our goal is to come to view life and its events from our Heavenly Father's perspective. What a work to expand our understanding and view of things! Then, we are gaining true perspective.