Lavendar Black Forest Stream What do you do on a summers day in the bucolic German Black Forest?  Hiking?  Picnic?  Try to find a nice clock?  NO!  You go to a trial bike competition with the Bloecher family…… Gutentag Waiting in the Rain Up and Over Hummmmm Bonus picture:  This is what happens when you…

THANKS JIM – you are a rockstar for sending these. A friend we met on the dive trip, Rockstar Jim, sent these to me a few weeks ago and I wanted to post them here for everyone to enjoy – sea life in Palau was spectacular and these are just but a taste – no…

So our back neighbors – whom we have never seen – have been doing something to their kitchen – maybe it is an annual clean out – but the entire contents of their kitchen, linens, etc has been coming out on to their back patio for the past few days….this was the stuff that didn't…

Apart from the chipmunks that have the worlds most irritating squeek (and by the way, they can go on for hours without stopping) the second most common sound is from this @#$#@ bird – who has found a perch right outside our bedroom….anyone got a bb gun?  No, actually, I couldn't bring myself to do…

Trying to integrate some of the lessons from my class on taking close up pics of things….the things I had on handy were flowers on our balcony…. Yellow Pink

I was walking behind a guy headed home from work and took this… Going Home

The first time I saw the Jackfruit tree and the ginormous spiny green fruit hanging off of them…I thought to myself WTF??  Actually, come to think of it…..that may have slipped out of my mouth. Anyway, they looked weird but I had no idea how central they are to the culture.  Apparently, every single part…

Ahh well, I figured that I could use some more practical experience in sharpening my photography skills so I signed up for a weekend class taught by a local guy who does amazing wildlife photography. Side commentary first before launching into the day:  I cracked up when people pulled out their cameras…it was hilarious how…

What an amazing place!  Palau – an archipelago in Micronesia and about a 2 hr flight from Manila – is beautiful both above and below the water – the variation of blue was phenomenal.  Friendly people, great diving and fantastic local brew. It was a fantastic vacation – we even got our Nitrox certs! Ok,…