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Thirsty Thursday: Big Sur Coast

Rambler: Beth

Drink at Hand: Hot apple cider

Hey Welliver Photography fans! Thirsty Thursday here again, time to pour something yummy and make those weekend plans.  I found some warm-looking photos in the summer archives from an afternoon spent exploring the Big Sur coast. Figured some warm weather photos wouldn't be bad on a chilly December evening. Enjoy!  

McWay Falls

McWay Falls

Searching...

Clover

Big Trees

Hiking

Pfeiffer Beach.

Hurricane Point.

Bixby Bridge.

Thirsty Thursday: Frozen

Rambler: Terry
Drink in Hand: Hot Tea with Cinnamon

I don't know where you are today or this weekend, but in Iowa it is freezing. Temperatures are in the single digits. In addition, the power is out here on the farm and we are on generator. Thus, this post is from an iPhone as there's no Internet on the MacBooks. So, here's to the cold weather and hoping that where you are is warmer than here! Still it's good to see family. Happy Holidays!!

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Things are a Changin'

Test test. One. Two. One. Two. Is this thing on?

Yeah, we're playing around with a new website. Terry told me to do a test. So this is my test. Complete with a holiday photo of us. Call it our Christmas card. For a long winded explanation of this photo and our Christmas card, scroll down. Or don't. No big deal. I just have to demonstrate to the Welliver Photography IT Department (i.e. Terry) that I can work the new blog.

Lower Conness Lake. Mt Conness in the background. Twenty Lakes Basin. 

So here's the story about this photo. Terry and I were out and about during our weekend backpacking trip to the Twenty Lakes Basin last summer, exploring the Conness Lakes area. I think this was our 13-mi trail day. At one point we bumped into to this adorable old couple (they had to be in their 70s) who were also exploring the high country.  They asked us to take a photo of them and of course we obliged. Then the sweet old lady asked if we wanted them to take our photo, so we said sure.  She snapped the loveliness you see above, then she exclaimed, "You guys are wearing green and red, that will be your Christmas card photo!" We laughed and exchanged thank yous and parted ways. We came home and downloaded this great picture and were very appreciative of that cute old couple miles out on a trail who took our photo (most people get freaked out by our cameras and don't want to touch them). 

Now, the second part of the story. When we first started dating the tv show Friends was pretty popular (still is in our house). There's an episode in which couples Christmas cards come up...Monica and Chandler were dating and Monica suggested a Christmas card, Chandler said, "no way, its too soon!" Maybe our first or second Christmas I told Terry we should do a Christmas card and Terry said, "No way, its too soon!" Ten years later, that's our own little Christmas joke...still too soon to send out a Christmas card. This will photo have to do. Merry Christmas and Happy Assorted Other December Holidays! 

Massey Monday: Happy Mas!

With everything that is horrible in this world, it's so nice to see a happy Massey! Pure joy. . . makes you feel better (or at least, it makes me feel better).

Thirsty Thursday: Thanksgiving Picnic

Rambler: Beth
Drink at Hand: Don't ask...it came in a box and claimed to be wine.

Thirsty Thursday here again...time to pour something yummy and make those weekend plans. Over the long Thanksgiving weekend we went to Lone Pine, CA to do some "wandering about with camera in hand." But just because we weren't at home didn't mean we couldn't have the Thanksgiving dinner experience. I made some last minute Stove Top stuffing, whipped up a batch of my secret recipe cranberry sauce, tore apart one of those rotisserie chickens from the local market and out the door we went!

So after a long day of hiking and exploring and scrambling over cool rock formations in the shadow of the highest mountain in the lower 48, we pulled out the cooler and enjoyed our Thanksgiving feast...complete with some pretty horrible boxed wine. At least we drank the wine in our super cool Kleen Kanteen stainless steel pints! The Alabama Hills provided what was quite possibly the best Thanksgiving dinner view I've ever enjoyed. Next time I'll try to remember silverware so we don't have to use the random chopsticks we found in my car.

I even made pumpkin muffins for dessert before we left home. Terry felt the need to photograph his muffin. Don't worry, Massey also got to enjoy quite a healthy portion of chicken for Thanksgiving too.

Get out there and find your own spot for a feast this weekend!

Thirsty Thursday: Manzanar

Rambler: Terry Drink in Hand: 2009 Ventana Pinor Noir

Manzanar. If it weren't a historic site, you would drive right by the place. There's not much left. I won't pretend to know about the history of Manzanar. The most I really know about the place is what I read in the visitors center and online. I'm sure I read about it in a history class or two. Of course, at that time in my life, I'm sure I didn't really pay that much attention. But there's something about visiting a place with a history like this that leaves an impression on you. I suppose what I feel is something to the effect that "I hope we don't do that again. . .I hope we can see something like this coming." I'm not sure if it's sadness or regret or disappointment or maybe hope. . .that we will make better decisions. It's almost the same feeling I felt when we visited Hiroshima several years ago.

All the shots below are from the cemetery. . .the "Soul Consoling Tower". In the middle of the valley, below the towering mountains, I was reminded of Japan. The prayers hanging around the tower and the peacefulness of the place reminded me of the shrines from over there. The lighting was harsh, but I hope I was able to capture of those feelings.

Thirsty Thursday: Arch Hunting

Rambler: Terry Drink in Hand: 2009 Ventana Rubystone

During the long break last week, instead of fattening up on turkey or pie or both, we spent the week/weekend wandering around the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, CA. We were actually hoping that the weather for the trip would be quite miserable. In our heads, we have somehow translated miserable weather into quasi-cloudy skies which become fantastic sunrises or sunsets. But, alas, we had fantastic weather (good for the Massey) with no clouds in sight. This seems to be our lot in life lately. The clouds seem know when we want to shoot and just disappear (darn those high pressure systems). Although we didn't have any clouds in the sky, we had a fantastic time hiking around the hills, watching the Mas tear it up (a future Massey Monday), and just trying to find those keeper shots. The first day was all about looking for sunrise/sunset spots to shoot and, of course, hunting for arches. We'll have a future post full of the sunrise shots, but for this post, here's a few hunting for arches...and maybe a few of the gorgeous mountains.

Thirsty Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving

Rambler: Terry Drink in Hand: Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz Wine Cube (a.k.a., a "wine juice box")

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I'm sure you're wondering why I (correction, we) are drinking a "wine juice box". Well, if you weren't, you are now. This year we decided to do Thanksgiving differently. Instead of the grilled smoked cajun turkey, sweet potato goodness, and cranberries to die for, we opted for a non-turkey dinner (at least maybe) trip to the Eastern Sierras in hopes of capturing views that let you appreciate the awe and the beauty of nature. We'll see if we can get something, but to hold you over, here's a couple of sunrise shots of the Hoover Wilderness trip. Eat an extra plate of goodness for us!