April Camera Practice

So I bought myself a new camera last year for my birthday, anticipating I would have an entire year to lean how to use it before Alaska.  As with all my plans this last year, that didn't turn out the way I thought it would. I still haven't had a lot of practice with the landscape modes but I did escape to Manito Park one day as a break from thesising and spent some time in macro mode.  If you're interested in the whole album, I have it here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/G4gBkuspdVYzQESZ9

Perennial Garden Bench

This is the most macro of the shots I took. I love this bench. Really, I love all of the stonework throughout Spokane and especially in the parks, but I come and sit here frequently. It is in the perennial garden under some beautiful flowering trees. I was too early to catch any leaves, but all the little bulb flowers around it were so colorful. It is a contrast in the different kinds of permanency in nature: the solid endurance of stone, and the tireless optimism of flowers that bloom year after year.

TulipRiot

This tulip was blooming all alone on a path around the conservatory towards the arbor where I like to sit and update my social media accounts. (What?) It was such a defiant riot of color, and so out of place for all the muted grays and browns around it.  The leaves on the bushes were starting to bloom and I knew in a few days the flower would be hidden and unremarkable for the wealth of forest around it. I admired the timing of the flower- to make a bold and beautiful statement in that sweet spot between winter and full spring. I also like how straight the stem is- no droopy tulip posture here!

Oh, macro, how I love you. These are babies growing on a spider plant in the greenhouse. The spider plant is enormous and the tendrils arch over the walkways almost like a canopy. I had fun trying to capture the shape and movement of the plant while holding the stem still. There was a nice breeze in the conservatory, and the plant kept shaking out of focus.

One of the most striking features of the conservatory is the wall of orchids to the right of the door as you enter.  I'm pretty sure everyone in Spokane has taken a selfie there, prom gown optional. I'm not a huge fan of orchids, honestly, but this wall is always an impressive stop. I always forget how many different kinds of orchids they are. This plant in particular was interesting to me- so many different colors and directions of movement. I played with different filters here for a long time, too- some of them look almost ethereal. I thought the more saturated tones of this one speaks to the jungley habitat the area simulates though. It reminds me of sitting in the Tiki Room and sipping on dole whips.

Disney Adventures 2019 - Kickoff

Well, here we are again- another milestone, and another Disney vacation!

This time I am adventuring to Alaska, with some dear friends, and celebrating the completion of my Masters of Arts in Theology and Leadership (MATL) and wrapping up Year 35 of Drae.

Graduation, Baby!

There are still a smattering of MATL posts on this blog, mostly from the first year, and I'll be backdating more as I have time later this summer for anyone who still cares to walk along that theological and leadership journey with me.

It was my tremendous honor to deliver the benediction, along with one of the PhD candidates, to conclude the ceremony.  I am still amazed and humbled that I was invited to participate in such a special moment, and I am definitely still processing what that means within my own theological framework. If you're interested in reading more about my reflections on the MATL and the graduation ceremony, those posts are coming soon.

Disneyland Christmas 2017

Further back are the Disneyland Countdown posts from 2015, when mom and I headed to Disneyland for the Diamond Celebration. I actually had a chance to swing past Disneyland in 2017 as well as part of a speaking engagement with the UCC. That probably deserved a blog of its own. I was there to see some of the Christmas decorations, which was such a fun parallel to the last Christmas visit waaay back in 1992. There were some elements which have been in place all this time, and the nostalgia throw-back factor was really something. Anyway, as I start to finish up the scrapbook and journaling, I will share some of that here as well. For now, enjoy this gorgeous photo of the castle.

As ever, Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/castelter/) is the best place for short photo essays and stories, and sometimes FB or Twitter, but I will try to keep a more detailed trip log here.  The catch, of course, will be access to reliable internet. Theoretically the three days in port should have internet, but we'll see.

Anyway, this adventure kicks off sailing with Disney Cruise Lines on the Disney Wonder. We will visit Vancouver, Dawes Glacier, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau. I will tell you right now: there will be a lot of food photos, and probably a lot of pictures of ice and trees. Well, and ear selfies, because we can't just toss all Disney traditions out the window just because we're on a ship, now can we?