A Marriage of Mountains and Sea.
(and yes, it may have taken 20+ hours of driving, one-way…)
but there’s nothing quite like standing near these magical pink granite coastlines,
where the old-growth mountain forests kiss the edge of the sea.
(and yes, it may have taken 20+ hours of driving, one-way…)
but there’s nothing quite like standing near these magical pink granite coastlines,
where the old-growth mountain forests kiss the edge of the sea.
From the Coast to the Desert.
Three weeks of laptop-less bliss, wild-caught salmon meals, hikes through multiple biomes, and the warm laughter of old friendships.
Couldn’t have asked for a more restorative and health-giving post-PhD graduation trip to the PNW.
From the Forests to the Gardens.
Forest Park | International Rose Test Garden | Portland Japanese Garden | Oxbow Park | Tryon Creek State Park | Eagle Creek
Secret Seattle Summers.
A Summer Sea Dream.
“Ocean, are you listening?
The most beautiful part
of your body is wherever
your mother’s shadow falls.”
Portraits In The Valley.
One of my favorite memories of my recent trip to Colombia was photographing Julian and his abuelo on a hike at Cocora Valley. The day before, his abuelo had asked if he could join us, even expressing interest in hiking with us. He wanted to do it all. It wasn’t until later that I learned he hadn’t been back to Cocora Valley in more than twenty years.
Through It All, the Mountains and Trees Still Sit.
Once on horseback and another time on foot, I’ve been fortunate to experience the wonder and wisdom of Cocora Valley in Salento, Colombia. It’s become my place of refuge this month, a place where I’ve been able to both calmly reflect and seek advice and perspective during these difficult times.
Relationships and Place.
There are relationships that are centered around certain places,
sometimes remaining and laying dormant there for all time,
rejuvenated only when time allows presences to align.
An Empty New Year’s Day in Bogota.
A few months ago, a monk said to me, “It’s easy to be thankful for our friends, family, good health, and positive experiences, but it’s much more difficult to be thankful for challenging situations, difficult people, and other difficult experiences. Now you’re probably wondering: why should we be thankful for these things? Well, sometimes, difficult experiences and people who make us angry or sad can show us where we might need more wisdom.”
Reconnecting in Battambang.
A year ago, I moved to a really charming corner of the world called Battambang, Cambodia. I had previously been there one other time for my first 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, but this time around would be my first time actually living and experiencing a non-monastic life in Cambodia. I was excited to return and reconnect.