Lately (Spring)

The giant rose on our patio table

These orange blossoms on our trees

This baby orange!

Fresh herbs

The colors of a ripe papaya

This results of strawberry season

The hue of rose petals in the rain

Dear Moms

Lyn - So glad to have a second Mom in you!  Thanks for the amazing man you raised and thank you for accepting me into your family.  I love my Maine family!

Grammy - Your wisdom and spunk is an inspiration.  You never fail to inspire me with your cooking advice, your incredible book collection, and your deep love for God.  I hope that my Bible will someday look like yours!  Love you lots!

Mom - Thanks for your enthusiasm and all the incredible effort that you put into your children each and every day.  Joel and I are so incredibly privileged to have you in our lives - we would not be the people we are today if it weren't for you.  Thank you for teaching us to work hard, communicate often, and live an unselfish life for others.  Wish I could be with you, Joel, and Grammy today!

ps.  For a beautiful (and more detailed) tribute to my Mom, read my brother's post.  It's amazing.

Death Valley National Park - Sabbath Afternoon

This is nearby a stream where Joe showed us rock that was actively forming and only a couple hundred of years old.  He described it as, "some of the youngest rock you will ever find."  Pretty cool!

Salt flats - looks like snow!

The group - believe it or not, this was not posed.  I just told them to look at me from where they were already standing and that was that!

Driving through a dust storm!

Perfect vehicle for Death Valley -- not ours!

Golden light while driving up into the mountains to camp.  It was cold!

(Click on picture to enlarge panorama)