Some random bits.

Gentle readers, apologies for my lengthy absence! I have been out in the world actually seeing things and adventuring (I even made it to two National Parks!)... much to the chagrin of this blog (since I haven't been paying attention to it). So many adventures have taken place! Here is a smattering of some recent, and not-so-recent photos of aforementioned adventuring. Here we go!

One of my favorite photos from the Solvang trip from a few months back. Even though the place is a gigantic tourist trap, there were still lots of little shops, a boat trip on the lake and oh-so-much-wine to be had. I don't know what I love more about the Los Olivos/Santa Ynez region -- all of the wineries the valley's landscape or the actual scenery itself. Either way, I'm so glad to live as close as I do to such breathtaking beauty.

So the above photo is obviously, totally, not any of that landscape, but the underside of a really neat structure off the beaten path in Solvang that I took to. It was beautiful! Below are some photos of the good stuff...

I mean, it doesn't get much better than this, right?

From our lake adventure...

Some local flora... (couldn't quite get my focus right on this one)

And now for something completely different, Pacific Park! I walk along Palisades Park to Pacific Park every Sunday with my mom, it's kind of our "church" these days. Having grown up Catholic, the ritual of doing something familial every Sunday morning is deeply entrenched in my bones and in the way my family interacts. So instead of being sedentary and going to boring church, my mom, sister, and I have decided that we'd rather be outside, in the beautiful city of Santa Monica, and do something for our health! So below is another smattering of photos, from a recent trip to Pacific Park. (What?! It DOES have Park in the name, right?)

Another image of the gorgeously photogenic ferris wheel.

And an image of the sign. This is not as centered as I would like, but you get the gist, right?

So many more adventures to come, National Parks, Julian, I'm going on a Mission trip this weekend... stay tuned!