Atlanta Lights

We visited Atlanta over Christmas to see family, and while there saw the lights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. I only had my cellphone (not my DSLR) but tried to get some shots of the lights. This light-tunnel was fun to walk through.

The decorations were impressive.

The best part of the display consisted of hundreds of hanging strings of lights, changing colors in time with music.

You could get right up among them on a pedestrian bridge.

There was even a dragon.

It's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Our World Tuesday

Snuggling Dogs

Our dogs aren't best buddies, but once in a while they'll snuggle up next to each other, like in this cellphone shot.

Pets Forever

Saturday's Critters

Peak Moods (14) - Fiery

I'm back from visiting family - I hope that my readers who celebrate it had a wonderful Christmas. Here's another of my Peak Moods photos showing the various moods of Pikes Peak as seen from our front porch. This is a recent spectacular sunset.

Skywatch Friday

X-Mas Trees

I think these trees are wishing you a Merry X-Mas! And this will be my last post until it's time for next week's Skywatch Friday post as I intend to devote the next week to family.

Osaka Castle (1)

Everywhere we went in Japan we visited castles, and Osaka was no exception, as it includes Osaka Castle (大坂城 or 大阪城). The grounds were beautifully kept.

I could have walked around for hours.

But the castle beckoned!

Restoration (reconstruction) was completed in 1997. Inside it's a museum and photography isn't allowed.

Our World Tuesday

Cambridge 1979 (7)

More Bamboo Skies

Here's another Skywatch Friday photo from Kyoto's famous Bamboo Forest.

Kyoto's Bamboo Forest

One of Kyoto's famous sights is the Bamboo Forest. Last week I showed you a photo looking straight up.

It's exactly what it sounds like, with tree-size bamboo making an impressive sight.

It's one of the many must-see sights in the area.

Our World Tuesday

Cambridge 1979 (6)

Unique Skies

For Skywatch Friday, here's a preview of what I'll show you next week, as I'll post more shots from our Asian vacation.

Vegas!

For Our World Tuesday, a few cellphone shots of the Las Vegas Strip as we wandered around (we stayed one night to break up the drive to Los Angeles). It's Paris in the desert!

Here's the famous Bellagio.

The Mirage is always nice to see.

And finally, a random fountain near the Wynn.

Dogwalking Sunrise

I've been offline for a while - first we were out of town for a few days, and when we got back we had internet problems. To celebrate my being back online, here's a recent cellphone shot of sunrise, taken while I was walking the dogs. It's for Skywatch Friday.

Driving to Los Angeles

We had to drive to Los Angeles last weekend to drop off a car. On the first day we drove the 800 miles (1,300 km) to Las Vegas; it takes almost exactly 12 hours. It's all on excellent highways with two lanes in each direction, so it's easy to do. Parts are beautiful - here's a photo taken on the highway in Colorado. (All photos are taken with my phone, with a little help from my wife.)

There's a spot in Utah where you climb over an ancient upthrust - the highway snakes between these rocks. It's in the middle of a 110-mile (177 km) stretch with no services or towns.

At the top there's a place where you can stop and admire the view.

I feel like everybody should do this drive at least once if they get the chance.

The road cuts through a corner of Arizona, and it's spectacular.

Our World Tuesday

Cambridge 1979 (5)

Lake Dillon

For Skywatch Friday, here's a very low Dillon Reservoir, taken a few weeks ago.

Fushimi Inari Taisha (2)

Last week I showed you the main area of Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社). This shrine is most famous for it's 10,000 tori gates, presenting a truly unique beauty.

As you walk through the gates up the mountain you encounter many smaller shrines.

And the tori gates continue, an incredible number of them. Looking back you can see Japanese characters on them.

The whole area is stunningly beautiful.

This is one of the world's must-see sights.

Our World Tuesday

Fushimi Inari Taisha (1)

Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社) is one of the most famous sights in Kyoto, and indeed all of Japan.

It is the main shrine of the god Inari.

It is incredibly beautiful and no visit to Japan is complete without seeing it.

Next week I'll further explore this shrine, venturing beyond this gate to show you one of the world's most amazing sights.

Our World Tuesday

Cambridge 1979 (4)

More Colorado Fall Colors

Here's another Skywatch Friday shot from my Lilypad Lake hike a couple of weeks ago.

Nijō Castle (2)

Here are more shots of the Nijō Castle (二条城 Nijō-jō) gardens, which include some pretty lakes.

Everything's kept up beautifully.

There's an impressive gate...

or two.

And what would a castle be without a moat?

This is definitely one of Kyoto's must-see sights.

Our World Tuesday

Deer, Deer

I got my flu shot a couple of weeks ago. These little friendlies were sitting outside the doctor's office as I walked in, watching everybody come and go.

Camera Critters

Saturday's Critters