Bishop Mini Get Away

This was actually a last minute trip. Before coming to Bishop, we had reservations at John Muir Lodge in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. However, there were 3 wildfires developing in these 2 National Parks. The day I had to cancel our reservation ( guests could cancel at least 72 hours for full refund), the Rogue fire north of Grant Grove was not threatening the area yet, and all of the roads leading to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park were open. Despite no closures at that time in the park yet, I canceled our reservation since I wanted to be safe. I know, I can always pursue my dream to shoot the Perseid meteor shower and Milky Way with the giant sequoias ( world's largest trees) at some other time.

some places we explored around Bishop

After canceling our reservations last Wednesday, I tried to look for an alternative location to shoot the Perseid meteor shower and Milky Way. Of course, there is Anza Borrego Desert State Park, the one closest to San Diego. However, the desert this time of the year is very hot. I am not yet at that level of braving the desert heat in the summer. I looked at the weather forecast for Big Sur, since I thought the Milky Way and the ocean would be so perfect. Though I live close to the ocean but the city does not have enough dark light to allow residents to gaze at a beautiful starry filled sky. Sadly (though I expected it ), there were no more vacancy in all of Big Sur being a very popular and world known summer destination.

I thought then of hiking in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. I called Bishop Chamber of Commerce if they have health hazards warning in the area from the Rogue fire in Kings Canyon National Park, which is in the western side of the Sierra Nevada. The lady told me their mountains are not affected by fire and they do not get health warnings yet. I asked then for sky quality for possible Milky way photography in the night, and she told me the southeast sky is very clear, so should be very okay. After that call, I checked availability in Bishop, and felt so thankful I was able to book 3 nights, Saturday-Monday nights.

When we reached Bishop about noon time Saturday, the sky was very blue and so clear. I was like, "wow! great! I would have a grand time tonight!" To escape the heat in the desert valley ( the town of Bishop is in the desert valley, its mountain however is about 20-30 degrees cooler due to high altitude), we went up Bishop Creek Canyon to do some hikes. Since it is our first day hiking at high altitude, we chose a short one for our acclimatization hike. We hiked North Lake to Grass Lake.

Grass Lake and North Lake at Bishop Creek Canyon

I am Koalafornia Dreaming.

Koala @ San Diego Zoo

One of my favorite exhibits at San Diego Zoo are the koalas, I simply can't help but stop by their exhibit whenever I go to the zoo. I find them so cute and so fluffy that I wish I can give them a hug or carry them in my arms. The San Diego zoo koala exhibit has the most number of koalas outside of Australia. The koalas can be found at the 3-acre Australian exhibit that features aside from the koalas, wombats, wallabies, and other Australian animals and birds.

Nature and Exercise

La Jolla Shores from Up the Cliffs to Land

Nature makes me high. Thankfully, enjoying nature makes me exercise as well. Though exercising alone would be very tough for me to do probably despite I know the great benefits our heart, body and mind gets from it, simply because I do not have the motivation to do so had I not found the joy of being out in nature. But with nature, I am motivated. I am motivated to lace up my shoes and hike. I am motivated to put on that very hard to wear wetsuit to endure the cold water to swim with the fishes for hours. And each time I go home from enjoying nature I always have something to take home, such as priceless memories and some pictures from my cell phone. :)

photos from Torrey Pines State Reserve

Or some videos from my cell phone and point and shoot camera(if underwater),

One Fine hiking, snorkeling and tidepooling day at La Jolla Shores

Oh before you get scared for us swimming with the leopard sharks, they are very harmless species of sharks that are bottom feeders whose very small mouth are not capable of biting or endangering humans. If in case you are in La Jolla Shores, some kids may scare you shouting, "shark...shark...", and when you show a frightened face, some kids are quick to tell you, "oh, they are very friendly sharks, you can swim with them!" Not all sharks are born equal, just like whale sharks, leopard sharks are harmless to humans.

Anyway, all pictures above from last weekend's wanderings in nature, where we get not only nature inspiration and therapy, but also exercise, rejuvenating body, heart and mind.

"Wholesome exercise in the free air, under the wide sky, is the best medicine for body and spirit." -- Sarah Louise Arnold

Thankful Thursdate with Myself: Alone But Not Lonely

 

I love having a date with myself. :) I think I have been doing this since I was a kid. Though I love the company of my brothers, but I always would find a chance to spend time with myself even just outside the house, watching the leaves flutter with the wind, watching the passing clouds, or if it as night, watched the twinkling of the stars. Actually, since I was a child, my favorite praying place is my playing place, outside.

When I was in college, I started dating myself far from home. I would take time out to go to the nearest beach. I enjoyed my time alone, walking, eating, listening to the waves. It's during those times actually I problem solved complex problems I was working at school, or simply writing essays. 

From the nearby beach, I started going to the mountains by myself, as I love the sound in the woods and in the river. It's during those times I found I could come out with very good ideas for my thesis writing. Though I always need to go back to school for the experimentation part of my research, but when I need thorough examination and processing of data, I would prefer out from school, and to the mountains I go.

But I don't seek out a date with myself only when I need to process deep thoughts. I go out alone when I am happy, when I feel celebrating, when I am full of thanksgiving, when I feel sad, etc. My favorite date with myself is at the beach since somehow the powerful sound of the crashing waves sets forth a deep sense of peacefulness within me. 

Thus, I am okay alone, life is good! I am okay with friends, life is good! I am okay with family, life is good. I am okay with husband, life is good! Life is good, for God is good, all the time!

So yesterday was one of those many days of summer I go out on a date with myself. :)  Hubby is at work, while I am still in summer break. 

I started my date of course with a stop at Grill City in Mira Mesa, which is a Filipino eatery that serve grilled sea foods and meat, and the more common Filipino vegetable dish. 

from top left going clockwise: grilled milkfish or grilled bangus, mango slush with boba, laing or taro leaves cooked in coconut milk, and grilled squid

After a very heavy early lunch, I went to La Jolla Cove. First thing I did was to take a picture and texted hubby, "enjoying life!" :) Of course, I am a tease!

first picture I took to text hubby, @ the La Jolla Coast Walk

On Kids and Nature

Child and Wave

I recently saw Nature's Valley commercial about kids being out of touch now with nature, having a different childhood experience from their parents. That was sad to watch and listen to, but at the same time, I believe kids do what are being offered to them. If the adults around them only expose them to technology, then kids would be like those kids in the Nature Valley Commercial, describing 13 hours of their day into playing computer games or into social media/texting communication. Then, there are parents who bring their kids outside, let them explore, let them learn from their experience of their surroundings.

Father and Child Tidepooling, could you see the happiness expressed in the little girl's smile?

My childhood days was totally different from these days. Back then, it was so much easier for the kids to enjoy nature without the constant presence of our parents. Our playground was nature, our treasure hunt was finding wild vegetables to bring home such as amaranth, watercress, mushroom, and many more. When my nieces and nephew were growing, they already had a different childhood than us, there's technology, and then, there's nature. Did we choose one or the other? No, we combined both.

Play More, Spend Less or Nothing

from last week's play @ La Jolla Shores

I oftentimes get mistaken that just because I have time exploring the outdoors, I have a lot of time on my hands. :) For me, it's just all about priorities in striking a healthy balance between work and play. There's always something that we do that others don't do, and something we don't do that others do. For me, I set aside a time to do things I love doing such as relaxing and rejuvenating in the great outdoors. I probably belong to the very few who do not know what are the popular shows in TV or what are the current box-office hits because watching TV and movies are sacrificed in exchange of spending time with nature. With so many choices we have, we just have to choose what matters more to us.   

During the last day of school, some of my students asked me if what very special thing I would do for the summer break. I told them, "enjoy life in San Diego." A few responded, "sleep in, sleep in, watch TV, and Netflix." I said, "Nope, I would be very tired with that lifestyle of sleeping in, TV and Netflix. For me, enjoying life means Hiking, Hiking, and The Ocean." When I said that, a lot of my students gave me  two thumbs up, and said, "see you at the trail, Mrs. L", or "see you at the beach".

 So, what have I been up to this past week? Well, what else, but hiking and the ocean. :) Below are some of the pictures from last week's play.

Hubby's After Work Wednesdate

Fridate @ La Jolla Cove

Fridate's Finds ( at La Jolla Cove's tidepool )

Saturday and Sunday was rainy and wet for us. We badly need that gift of precipitation since San Diego and all of California is actually in severe drought this year. Very thankfully, we are seeing the promise of a wetter year this year. So, thankful about that.

Anyway, now that I am in summer break, I get to enjoy also one of the free things I love next to playing outdoors, that is blogging about the outdoors' priceless gift of relaxation, mental stimulation, spiritual healing and more. Each day I am out playing in the outdoors makes me more highly in love with God, life, and every simple gifts there are in life. Each time I am out I feel there is so much to be thankful for. Thus don't blame me if most of my posts here are about nature, for in nature I thrive, in nature I feel most at home. In nature, I feel like I am a kid, hungry to learn about everything that is around me. In nature, I am very grateful and thankful for all these priceless gifts given to us to nourish our hearts, our minds, our bodies and our spirits.

In nature,  I lose no money only weight and worries. So, what are you waiting for? Come discover that free spirited joy, of being out. Play more, spend less or nothing.

I may have traveled far to explore the other natural wonders, but my most favorite vacation is always at home

Let me end this post by sharing to you this quote,

“Life will always get busy, make time to do the things you love.”  ― Lailah Gifty Akita, Beautiful Quotes "