Barry and I have been attending Forest Falls church about a 30 minute drive from Loma Linda. The church is in a canyon (I'm actually not sure whether it's technically a canyon. Maybe more of a small valley between mountain ranges...) town called Forest Falls up towards the base of the mountains. It's small and friendly. The members love to sing and many bring their instruments, ranging from cellos and violins to electric saxaphone-like instruments. It's a lay-run church, so we never know what we're going to experience each Sabbath. We've really enjoyed the friends we've made, the enthusiastic singing, the real Christianity, and the weekly potlucks! Another thing we enjoy is the close proximity to the mountains. It's just another 15-30 minutes to some of the most beautiful hiking in the region.
Three weeks ago we went hiking with one of Barry's classmates who also goes to Forest Falls. She and her husband (a 3rd year medical student) live in the canyon. He was off on a medical rotation so we invited Nellie to go hiking with us. Or, rather, bushwacking. Barry and I have gotten in the habit of finding pull-offs along the winding, mountain roads and forging our own paths up the small canyons that we find. We've found several beautiful creek hikes that way and we decided to take Nellie to one of our favorites.
Nellie and Barry, trying to get me to come down from my precarious photography perch. There were dark thunder clouds looming....
The tree I was taking a picture of--
The valley we were traversing.
Driving back down the road, we noticed that the lighting was incredible. Sunlight was straining through the dark thunder clouds, casting an ethereal, yet ominous, glow. I was never able to get the exposure just right, but this is somewhat close.
While we were stopped to take pictures, a whole horde of mini's charged by. There must have been 20 or so, and I wish I had taken a video. Alas, this is what I got...
If you were to face the opposite direction from the ominous looking thunder clouds 2 pictures above, this would have been what you saw. The forested mountainside was enshrouded in glorious sunlight and fog. It was beautiful!
Sunlight filtering through a rain-drenched bush. I know it's fuzzy; I like it :)
Smoggy sunset on the way home.
3 comments:
Yay! I'm glad you've made some good friends already and found a great church. :)
The Loma Linda area looks beautiful.
I know Nellie!!! She was my A&P TA long, long ago. She's really sweet :)
And... I love the picture of the lone, leafless tree!
PS Your fuzzy rain-bush looks like it could be a rather good impressionist painting :D
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