Photography

The forecast showed a cold front, rain, and dropping snow levels. Not a promising outlook for a backpacking trip. So Micah and I changed plans to car camping instead, and visiting Yosemite nonetheless. Stormy weather brings interesting clouds. And we saw a rare rainbow in Yosemite Valley, below the peaks. On one hike, we saw a bobcat and also came across a herd of stags with many points. You can’t truly understand biblical tales unless you’ve heard thunder explode through a mountain valley, which we did one night amidst a tremendous downpour. Our tent held firm and we were warm and dry. During the days, we only had sprinkles. ...

Rule #1: The Beach is the Best Place You never know when you might go to the beach, so always look for the signs of a car ride. As you jump in the back seat, be very excited and watch out the front window very attentively. When you smell the ocean, it’s time to start making little whelps. When the car parks at a beach, go wild! Rule #2: The Purpose is to Play Ball A beach is the best place to run after a ball. Ignore other dogs. The only thing that matters is getting your person to throw a ball. If no ball is available, get them to throw a stick. ...

On her first day in the Bay Area, Jacob and I took Kayla for a hike on Russian Ridge. After a short climb, we reached the top and could see both the San Francisco Bay and the Ocean. Over the Bay, you can see Mt Diablo in the background; it was a clear day. The ocean had a cooling layer of fog, and thus our hike was 10 degrees cooler than the temperature at our house. We hiked the Ancient Oaks trail, a shady path with gnarled trees. ...

On Sunday afternoon, Audrey and I went to see the summer gardens at the Filoli Estate. We enjoyed the most fragrant roses, boldest dahlias and biggest hydrangea. I recently got an e-bike. I was excited to test it out by riding the 10 miles to Filoli while Audrey drove. The ride is all on backroads through Portola Valley and Woodside, then along Cañada Road. I got there in about 35 minutes, which was an average of 17 mph. It was a beautiful ride. On the way back there is hill that lasts for several miles, and I definitely enjoyed the battery boost. ...

In Istanbul, we stayed in the colorful Galata Tower neighborhood. There were so many fun opportunities to take photographs of the local streets! One morning I wandered through an area where each shop carried one type of part, for example, a wheel shop or a rope shop. I met a guy feeding a cat from a can and saw many cats perched on awnings. Motorcycles cruised up and down the steep cobblestone alleys. And at night, when the storefronts rolled down their garage doors, they revealed wonderful murals. ...