New Orleans...

 

From the ridiculous,

to the sublime.

bb

Goin' to the Big Easy

 
It's my first time, and I'll be up to my eyeballs in a conference, but will have one day of leisure (I hope). Planning to cruise around the garden district, as I hear it's lovely--my friends recommended it to me knowing I'm not the drunken melee type. =)

Cannot WAIT to see those historic, gorgeous gardens/houses, and of course will share them with you upon my return. It's not for months, but I just made the reservations, so I'm excited and had to tell SOMEbody. =) (Yes, that'd be you)

Any of you know what bird or plant species I should keep my eyes peeled for while there? Or places near Canal Street with marvelous food? Is it worth a trip to the water? (like I could resist, anyhow) Hm, are there any nature/water cool places I could see native wildlife/veg in lieu of garden tour? Anyone? Anyone?*

DO tell. =)

Thanks!

xobb


*Name that movie reference...

good news and bad news (for now)...

    
Good news
So, for the first time ever on a flight during the day (this time returning from the Midwest) I FINALLY had my camera with me on the plane so I could reach it, even if the fasten seat belt sign was lit (I'm a total rule follower, esp. re: safety).

AND there were AMAzing views this time. I CANNOT believe my luck. Wonderful experience.

I took "lotsa photos."

Grain bin apparently apprehensive about the impending bad news...

Bad news
And now, I cannot find the cable that connects my camera to my computer.

To quote an earlier draft of this post: "But I REALLY hope that of ALL the things I might have left, I did NOT leave that cable behind."

Ah, yes. Well...

I have since determined, through skill and cunning (and an e-mail to our Midwestern host) that of all things (like, say, socks I'm sick of, or one of my 900 white field shirts), I forgot the cable.

http://www.sdims.com/site/sad/sad-face.htm

So, I just get to look at my Nikon (really, I try not to). And wait. Yeah. I'm so good at that.

So, please pardon the delay.

More good news
I WILL update you on the garden (which is in full "It's AUGUST!!!" crazy-greeness-swing) and share what I hope to be really cool shots from 30,000ft over the Southwest. Cannot (well, apparently I MUST) wait to see them!

Oh, one more GOOD news point. I am getting back into web-building/learning mode, so this site may benefit, as well as those of my "clients." We shall see!

xo

biobabbler

postcards from the not-edge

 
We're way into the interior today: the great Midwest.

One quick shot for you all =)

Toured 2 farm sites yesterday through which a tornado blew recently. Definitely TOTALING one house and damaging the other plenty. Lots of trees stripped, down, and/or random things in them.

May have more on that later.

With humidity and humility (both abundant here),

biobabbler

photo withdrawals...

 
My camera battery is d.e.d., and my spare is no where to be found (really hope it appears, this'll be the 2nd back up I've lost if it doesn't) so I finally admitted defeat this a.m. and took out the drained battery and shoved it into the charger.

So, that's why it's been not super visual around here of late.

I totally have withdrawal.

Consequently, I will have to dig through my 10,000,000 photos and slam some up here just because I like them. Hm, maybe I'll do it now?

Oh, why not?

So, a few more pics from last week's tour du Yosemite:

Half Dome view from Glacier Point.

Yeah, it's okay...

Amazing shrub/rock combo at Glacier Point.

yum.

Then we hiked to Sentinel Dome. Here's the "lid" of same.

Love that wacky stone landscape.

And SO amazed at the trees that can live there!

Dome to dome: view of Half Dome from Sentinel Dome...

... and, panning right.

If I was standing up tall here, or walked a bit forward (not too far...) I could see Vernal and Nevada falls in the right third of the photo.

Oh, kinda like here (from back at Glacier Point):

Fun thing about this view is that my visitors had hiked up to Vernal falls the day before, so then they got to see it from here. How cool is that?  Mind you they hiked up that far with 2 kids, the youngest being 6 years old. We were amazed.

Apparently this place inspires people.

Major bonus of having visitors: it gets me into the park! Love that. And there's very little work involved. Give them a place to sleep and bathe, a bit of food and the park does ALL the rest. And they're happy. Really happy.

Once had a friend visit and I had to work (back in my NPS days) so we dropped her off with directions to a place to hike. Picked her up 9 hours later, feeling guilty that I'd abandoned her. She had a huge, relaxed smile, plunked herself into our back seat, and the first words out of her mouth were, "I'm so blissed out." =)

Go, Yosemite!

biobabbler

P.S. will be hitting the road very soon, so postings may be very spotty (to nil) in the next week. However, I WILL be bringing my camera (of course!) with newly charged battery, so hope to return with plenty pics for you all, to show you another part of the world. VERY different from here.

P.P.S. I MAY be doing a spot of work while out there (which means time on the Mac) so MIGHT get to process and post some photos... we'll just have to see! =)

FYI, it's been a little crazy around here...

  
If my posts have been reminding you of the Los Angeles International Airport, lately, as in LAX, I've been a bit busy.

Today is 11th day in a row working, and working tomorrow, too. Soon I take off for 2 days, then return, and the following day I may and the next day I definitely will be traveling again, and then I'm gone till the following Sunday, and maybe Monday (depending on how psyched I am to drive 4.5 hours after a most-of-the-day travel/flight day).

 kitties travel cheap...

I think the almost-week I'm gone I'm in a place with no phone and no internet, so will be rather isolated. AND, that trip is not about me, so I don't get to dictate what we do, when.

Not that it won't be a TON of fun and I WILL bring my camera. This remote(ish) place is GORGEOUS. I expect it will be fabulous.

Just not really sure what kinda posting will happen during. =) So if it gets a bit dull here, please be patient and check in later.

In the meantime I hope you are all enjoying your own adventures, big and small, even if it's just looking at a cool bug on the potted plant on the porch.

xoxo

biobabbler