Years ago I went on an awesome camping trip with some friends. This wasn't a pull in and park kind of trip. We took a canoe across the lake that included a portage. Any canoe trip brings the possibility of tipping, so to avoid massive problems we went to great lengths...like putting ALL our belongings in special waterproof bags, and then tying ALL these bags together, and then tying all that to the actual canoes. Needless to say, it took a while to get on the lake. And of course we had the portage, so we had to untie everything, drag it across the land to the other part of the lake, re-tie everything and continue.

Once on our own awesome island, we still couldn't relax. Tents, tarps, cooking and cleaning. Never mind at the end of the night, before bed, tie all our food in a bag and swing over a tree to hang OR put all food in canoe and anchor out in the lake to avoid bears coming for our food. BEARS?? That's right...bears. As it turns out, if you really want to get away from the city, you need to travel far enough that you end up where Bears live.

Not only did we need to put our food in the middle of the lake, but we needed to include anything with fragrance, like deodorant or fruity lip balm. Don't keep that in your tent, that'll only attract a bear, or worse yet, a cub.

Since this was a real hardcore camping trip, we just didn't have room for comforts like air mattresses, and late night while I was feeling rather like the princess and the pea, I heard some noise. My head shot up, ears alert to what the sounds could be. After listening carefully and ruling out friends-going-to-pee and anything else remotely logical, I began to panic. Utterly convinced there was a bear just inches aways, with nothing but a flimsy tent in the way, I was imagining the simple swap of a paw that would rip away the tent and half my face to get to the nom-noms he smelled inside. What was it...did I forget a candy inside my purse...my shampoo?? This was the Worse-Case-Scenario about to unfold.

I was stone still, barely breathing and frightened for my life. Very slowly and quietly, I reached over and nudged my boyfriend awake. Not wanting to make any noise, I took his hand and placed it on my heart which was pounding out of my chest from fear. He got the message, all right. We both lay there, frozen and terrified until we didn't hear any more sounds.

And that's it. That's my story of how I was almost attacked by a bear. Knowing me, and knowing the chances and from what my friends said the next day, it is very likely that what I heard was perhaps a squirrel...maybe a chipmunk. But what do they know.

This video gives me hope for next time. And makes me laugh.

This magnificent willow tree had me stopped in my tracks, stunned. These photos do no justice at all to the actual beauty I saw. This tree is a baby sister to where the elves live in middle earth. It was the inspiration to the tree of souls for the na'vi. This willow tree seemed so huge and majestic, standing there stoic and lit by the setting sun. All the nooks along the trunk were emphasized. It made me fantasize that I was a wood nymph on the way home from skipping and frolicking all day to drink fermented syrup and sing spirited songs. Oh the good life.

Also look at these beauts...

I just can't stop...more photo's of spring. It's a tad out of control...wanting to capture the beauty of everything.

While with my sister today, I saw a beautiful bush caught in the sun with bright new green leaves and gushed at the sight to her. She said she didn't know how we were made of the same DNA. Not that she doesn't love beauty in nature, but it's been a long standing difference between us, how much I can love a rock...or some ol' pine cone. She likes the big ones, like the ocean and the Sun and how it sets. When I get excited about something down in the dirt, she just doesn't get it.

On my walk home I found a stick that I decided to take home and add to my vase of collected sticks, of course, and felt only a bit like a dog with a found treasure when I made a quick stop at the grocery store. I must have been a sight...hair all wild and bushy, camera hanging from my neck, stick swinging from hand. Personally, I firmly believe it was everyone else who was the sight...all manicured and proper, packaged meats in buggy, no found treasure from walk in ravine on gorgeous spring day!

Here's what they missed...

And here is what a seahorse and caterpillars offspring would look like if it mated with a tree...

Ahhh....Spring is here!
The air smells fresh. Everything is alive and vibrant.
It's a very exciting time. Every year I'm captivated by the bright new green of spring and want to get out there and capture it all on camera. By the time I blink it seems to be over. It happens so fast, the tiny buds unfolding.
Budding Blooming Beauties.