It's as if you could walk straight out of the river and not stop till you reach the top of the mountains behind
The mixture of greens and autumn reds, golds, and browns really makes for a striking layering effect. On top of that, the featureless white sky behind made the day feel somehow surreal
Crawl upstream, back into the bamboo thickets and you never know what you'll discover
At the place we stopped for lunch there were three trees lined up next to one another. The first had dark green leaves and light pink flowers, the second a darker flower yet, and the third looked to be ablaze with autumn colors. It was an unusual idea to see such a combination (also notice the tiny bee on the top light pink flower!)
The fiery leaves of the third tree
When you stop to think about it, this is really quite a unique twist
The three trees together
More photos below...
Great photos! I especially like the one with the autumn leaves and the flower in full bloom--or the photo of the teacher that caught the salmon with his bare hands!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a fun day-
Mom
Love the crawl upstream pic.
ReplyDeleteHey Sam,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your photo's a lot, but I am a very visual person. I was just asking your mom tonight about your great camera! We talked about doing a skype at chips and salsa! We were also talking tonight about the connection the internet gives us. In many ways we are able to live a bit vicariously through your experience as well as the other Rotary kids. When I went to the Rotary meeting the other day, I talked about that. In the last 5 years the experience has changed, the reality is you...and we...have to adjust to the balance between connecting and living. Selfishly, we get to reep the rewards of the endevors of many of the Rotary kids, without really having to deal with the hard stuff. I am reminded of the first year I lived in Boston, when Justin was in grad school. I joke about how I moved there in September, and I got a friend in May. 8 months before I found someone I could say.."hey want to grab coffee??" You know me, I am a pretty friendly person. I came to realize, it was just different. They did not need me like I needed them. They had their own rhythmn, schedule and pattern. So on the one hand we are so connected, and yet on the other...we are so separate in our own space. I look back on the years I moved to Baltimore alone, and then Boston, and they are without a doubt some of my most difficult...and most lifechanging. For better or worse, they shaped how I see things today, those years very much affect the type of friend I am today. You are a lucky young man, as you are being given a prism so unique, you will view situations, and cultures, and people in a special way all your life. In that experience, it is ok to have moments of ?what? is going on here...or moments of sadness, lonliness or grief for what you imagined all of this to be. So my encouragement is to stay true to Sam, find joy in each day (as you seem to do) but also be honest with the all the joy...and tough times...that come with being a 19 year old finding their way in a turbulunt world.
We will continue to enjoy the journey with you, and look forward to the day when we can give you a big hug...and that is coming from someone who doesn't love to hug!!
Kristin Stets