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Tags: 19, 62

It’s nice to be back…but also weird. Going from being completely alone in Nature for hours at a time to having constant noise and people around. Wowsa. The drive was long (duh). My wonderful car, Ginny (yes, as in Ginny Weasley) made the 2400 round-trip trek with nary a problem! I’m so proud of her. It’s the longest she’s driven. I gave her a fancy bath at the Car Wash today and she seems very pleased with herself now. She’s showing off in the parking lot now.

It’s been a bit of a challenge to wind down. I’m more tired today than yesterday (got back Wednesday night), but I’m taking it very easy. I want to be truly refreshed and relaxed when I go back to work on Monday (or, rather, as much as possible) and that, of course, meant not working or even doing work email in my two off days in town. I think I’m finally getting to the point where I can close my eyes and NOT feel like I’m still cruising down the freeway at 80 MPH.

I have, however, managed to upload all of my pictures on Flickr; just follow that link and look in the Columbia River Gorge and Sequoia National Park groups. There’s probably over 500 pictures, though, just so’s you knows.

 I’ll post some directly on here in the next few days along with some stories about them, but I haven’t decided which ones to use yet.

But just to tease you a little, here’s one shot of one of the stags I saw while in Sequoia. I have tons more, and I’m not sure if this is the best shot or not, but here it is anyway.

There were 3 of the stags together, so that was pretty neat. I also have pictures of the three bears (sans Goldilocks, dunno what that bitch was up to) who crossed our path on a hike. VERY SCARY…but neat. 2 cubs and a mama bear. Needless to say those pictures aren’t as clear cause I didn’t want to get too close.

I’ll be back soon with more pics and more stories!

So if I didn’t bore you to death with my Green discussion the other day, Miss Zoot has posted about the same thing! Not exactly the same thing, obviously, but it’s nice to have other writers/humans be concerned about the something I am. And it always makes me feel less alone to know that someone else is relatively new to it, too. So go read it!

I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Granted, my concept of “world” is quite small since I’ve never traveled outside of the U.S. (except for TJ and that SO doesn’t count!).

See, I’ll prove it. This is my view of the sunset on Friday night:

Isn’t it lovely? I know, I do realize how insanely fortunate I am to live here (also to have such a wonderful camera that takes such purty pictures! Yay!).

I also walked around The Cove this weekend, which is always a treat.

And, to be totally cheesy, all of the beauty got me thinking: why aren’t more Christians concerned about protecting and conserving the environment? I get that some are worried about turning into Tree Hugging, Bleeding Heat Liberals (that may or may not be a direct quote from my dad), even though I personally don’t understand freaking over a political label when such bigger issues are at at stake. BUT even the most conservative Christian can’t deny that there are specific instructions from God to take care of the earth. I guess it’s just one of the issues that gets lost in all the Biblical Discussion on the pro’s of an Orwellian Government.

Actually, though, shouldn’t the Religious Right be the ones who are most active on this front? How many verses are there that refer to mankind’s duty to replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28), and explain how the earth is not OURS, but God’s and we should therefore treat it with respect (Romans 8:21, Psalms 148)? How can we justify the destruction of something God created and something that brings Him glory in a way that only creation can? In Revelation, it even talks about the punishment for those who destroy the earth. I don’t know how much more clear this can be…

Sorry. Guess I got all worked up. But look! More pictures!

It just breaks my heart to think that sights like this:

won’t exist if something doesn’t change.

“If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40)