A drawing..

Okay so this is a drawing a did a little while ago. Sometimes I feel like drawing something but I don't what, so I'll browse through magazines looking for ideas. So it was with this particular drawing/sketch. I was flipping through a national geographic magazine and this pic caught my eye. I thought "Hey, I've never tried to draw a picture like this..." so, here it is! The gun was challenging, but I had fun doing it.

Hiking

When my brother came to visit on President's Day weekend with his two friends, he insisted for me to take the day off work to spend the time with him. I obliged and we had a very fun time spending the day hiking in the desert.

The weather was perfect: overcast, and a little chilly. Not only is that refreshig weather to hike in, but considering the nature of the desert, it took the threat of rattlesnakes away. We started out the hike looking wistfully at a marked trail head, but that is all of the credit we gave the wooden weather-beaten sign marked 'Moonlight Trail'. Without much talk about it, we all turned from the sign and blazed our own trail. Our goal was soon a small hill in front of us.
Without much ado we soon were atop the hill and ate a small snack of granola bars. Going back down was a bit tricky, as the many rocks had little to hold them stable. My dad and I chose a wash to descend, which seemed quicker to us at first. It might have been the faster route except the the reliabilitly of the rocks we did have to choose from were very few. We both ended up silding most of the way down, and me taking about half the hill down with me. My shoes were just about worn to flimsy pieces of rubber by the time I got down...

During the hike I enjoyed looking at the landscape. Cactuses are an amazing thing. They have a defense system to protect them during the long years it takes for them to grow. Every bit of moisture in the air is precious to them. They bloom beautiful flowers in the spring; the bright colors vastly contrasting the dull gray and tan desert. Barrel cactuses are filled with drinkable water inside. The desert may be desolate, bare, and empty compared to ubundant forestes with underbrush, trees, ivy, moss - any type of greenery- covering every square inch, but the gems of the desert musn't be belittled. The life is rare, the moisture dear, and the toil hard. I have a lot of respect for desert vegetation, though forests are beautiful as well.

Update

Yes, it has been a while.
Things that have happened...

My brother got married in December and I have a delightful new sister-in-law. This was my first time being a bridesmaid, and it was fun. The reception went wonderfully smooth and everybody seemed to enjoy it a lot. I had the opportunity to meet a whole new array of charming people.

Christmas was fun, as it always is; though the family missed the abscence of a sibling due to her work. Last Christmas I appreciated even more the irreplaceable meaning to the celebration. I was thrilled to have a chance to go to church on the actual day. A fleeting thought crossed my mind, and I wonder how Chirstmas would be with no presents? I think that I would rather like it. I suggested this idea to the family in the midst of last minute shopping, stress, company and the usual hubbub, but the few ears that caught the quiet suggestion dimissed it. Mom said that she agreed, though I doubt the popularity of the idea of presents would allow my radical idea to take many steps. Maybe I'll follow through with it when I have a family.

For Christmas we were delighted to entertain my dad's brother, his wife and three children. Grandma came for New Year's, which we were equally happy about.

That is a basic update. :)

I Voted

I voted in the special elections on the 8th. I always feel very privledged to be able to vote in this country, and I took advantage of the opportunity.

Performance

Spare time is becoming more and more slippery.

Yesterday the Women's Chorus that I am in had a performance. We did very well, so I've heard. It is kind of hard to tell what we sound like since I am in the middle of it. It was the first performance of the season, and we have three more next month. I am a 2nd soprano.

Two days ago I finished the book 'Jane Eyre' by Chorlotte Bronte. I enjoyed it alot, and it was suggested to me by my mom. Now I am reading (besides the Scriputres) 'Mere Christianity' by C.S. Lewis.

the Midway

Last weekend my dad's sister and her husband came to visit for a couple days.

Of course we had to do something special (besides staying up late and playing games) so on Saturday we spent the day in the San Diego harbor.

We toured a retired Aircraft Carrier - the Midway. It was absolutely fascinating. While going through the tour, we recieved the inforamation that always accompanies these trips in a different way than I have participated in before. We each had headsets. As we entered into a new area, such as the Galley, it would have a yellow sign posted within sight bearing a number. The Galley was 17. We would then press the numbers one and seven on the digital headset and a voice would narrate the information, and interviewed sailors would share a memory on the subject. They had numbers 1-38. I thought this was very clever, and easier to learn, rather than one straining their ears to hear the tour guide and missing half of what they said. Also, we basically had free roam of the vessel, with of course the exceptions of the restricted areas.

After that we boarded the Suprise, (from the movie 'Master and Commander') but some of us had been on it before, so we did not stay long. However they had some actors and actresses whom had just boarded, and they were re-enacting 1800's dancing. We watched that for a couple minutes, then moved on.

The next item was a Russian submarine, and this vessel was very interesting. It was small and in order to go from one section to the next, you had to duck through a smallish circle, probably about four feet in diameter. I was excited about this authentic experience.

We left promptly after a quick stop at the gift shop, and arrived back home after picking up pizza and talking about what game we would play first. The interesting and enjoyable experience we had there was behind us as quickly as the Aircraft Carrier receded behind the once battle ready jets after take-off.

Labor Day

My Labor Day was enjoyable. I visited my Grandparents with some of my family and had a good time.While I was there, I learned how to can peaches and pears, which was kind of interesting.

Monday was fun but I was slightly disapointed that I couldn't go to my classes that day, because I like all my Monday classes. At least there are plenty others to look forward to.