What a joy to begin a new day and a new year with a liberal dose of Vitamin Sea!

I haven't been around much the past year or so (on social media) and even though I can't say that will change much in this new year, I'm grateful for the support I've always received by so many of you. I've made so many wonderful connections through photography. The shared joy of reveling in nature makes my heart happy in so many ways. 

Live in the moment. Start each day with gratitude. Laugh. Create meaningful connections. Focus on the positive. Believe it will all fall into place. Be generous of spirit. Be kind to yourself. Follow your passion. Choose happy.
Happy New Year!!!

Anyone who has spent five minutes with me knows how much I absolutely love and adore owls. I have been getting to know this pygmy owl over the past couple of years and she demands the utmost respect as the ultimate predator. I hope we have many more years sharing space together!

#wonderfuloregon
#wonderfulwestcoast
#owls 
#oregonexplored
#pnwroamers
#pnwmoods
#explorenxnw
#oregonisbeautiful
#Orlandscape
#oregoncoastexplored
#pnwadventuresquad
#coastexplorer
#thepeoplescoast
#westernnature
#traveloregon
#cascadiacaptures
#BestOfOregonCoast
#BestOfOregon 
#cascadiacaptures
#exploreoregon_tm

It is never enough and more than enough; these moments that dwarf me in their beauty. 

#oregoncoast
#thepeoplescoast 
#coastexplorer 
#westernnature 
#traveloregon 
#bestoforegoncoast 
#bevisuallyinspired 
#thatoregonlife🌲 
#thatpnwlife 
#pnwonderland 
#thisisoregon 
#oregonexplored 
#wonderfuloregon 
#moodygrams 
#depoebay

Once in awhile you just happen upon a moment that sets your heart at ease.

I might be biased, but the road I “have” to travel has got to be one of the most beautiful highways on this planet. Even after more than a decade, I am still wildly distracted by this incredible place I get to live. 😍🥰😍

How sweet it is to play in waterfalls again!

As we placed our feet on the train tracks that we wholeheartedly believed were abandoned, we smiled at each other and laughingly said “this is our ‘Stand by Me’ moment. Well, the train tracks weren’t abandoned and I can tell you that I know what it feels like to be so scared I almost peed my pants!  But what an adventure we had and we will do it again!

What a joy to rise above it all and get a new perspective. 
#oregoncoast #traveloregon #bestoforegoncoast

“They drove for hours to the ocean,
Just for the proof that they had been,
Then watched the sunset’s splendid colors,
Through the pixels of a screen.
Left before the sky had darkened,
And the night had learnt their names.
With their fingers tapping light,
That would have put the moon’s to shame.
Ten billion stars all tried to stop them,
To beg that they should see them more,
Instead of sleeping in hotels
That boast the fact that they have four.
But their only constellations were the cracks across their ceiling
As they sent their one word answers
As a substitute for feeling.
And with the traffic as a soundtrack,
They soon drifted off to sleep
And didn’t even slightly stir
When all the clouds began to weep.” ~E.H.
#oregoncoast #thepeoplescoast #bestoforegoncoast

Playing with fire and water.

#yachats #gemoftheoregoncoast #thepeoplescoast

I have waterfalls and waves on my mind!  I thought I'd get to take in more fresh water and Autumn color this weekend, but the rain is coming and so are big waves (or so they say). Either way, this world is incredible and I feel so blessed to immerse myself in all of the wonders of Oregon! 
#waterfallwednesday #silverfallsstatepark #traveloregon

Life has been so overwhelmingly busy, so I decided on the spur of the moment to just go play in these gorgeous Fall colors.  I think I made the right decision! 
#silverfallsstatepark #traveloregon #outinoregon

It's almost embarrassing to imagine how many times I may have driven right past these sweet falls when I lived in Washington.  Nonetheless, it was the perfect place to cool off while visiting family this past weekend!  I'll definitely return in another season.

#WaterfallWednesday
#DeceptionFalls
#washingtondiscovered

My delicious secret... #traveloregon #bestoforegoncoast #oregonwanderlust #pnwexplored #pnwphotographer #cascadiacaptures #upperleftcoast #oregoncoastexplored #wonderfuloregon #iloveoregon #coastexplorer #thepeoplescoast #westernnature #ourplanetdaily #pnwparadise

Go with the flow... #yachats #wonderfulwestcoast  #coastexplorer #pnw 
#seascape #seascapephotography #pacificocean #natureperfection #moodmagic  #gocapturethelight #fifty_shades_of_nature 
#naturephotography #createandcapture 
#pnwisbeautiful #bevisuallyinspired #justgoshoot #naturegram

The pathless places are calling to me more and more.  Solitude, trees and waterfalls.  Priceless!

#waterfallwednesday #waterfalls #chasingwaterfalls #pnw #pnwphotographer #wonderfulwashington #pnwmoods #bestofnorthwest #westernnature #hiddengem #cascadiacaptures

"She's got oceans tucked away in her hair, poems swim under her skin." ~ Bliss

#oregoncoast #yachats #gemoftheoc #coastexplorer #thepeoplescoast #bestoforegoncoast #photographysouls #moodygrams #nature_up_close #westcoast #tidepooltuesday #tidepools #oregonshores #pnwlife #pacificocean

Sometimes I feel as though I am wandering in a beautiful dream.  If that is so, please don't wake me.

#oregoncoast #thepeoplescoast #traveloregon #bestoforegoncoast #westernnature #coastexplorer #pnwparadise #youroregon #westcoastbestcoast #wildflowerwednesday #vitaminsea #seascapephotography #cascadiaexplored #discoveroregon #portorford #thisisoregon #wonderfuloregon #pnw #iloveoregon

I think I fall in love with each new place I visit and it half breaks my heart to leave.  Does anyone have just one heart place?

#waterfallwednesday #chasingwaterfalls #waterfall #waterfalls_collective

My beloved.  It is with owls that I have always had my most profound connection.  My heart and soul expand whenever I am gifted with a visit from these wise ones.

#greatgreyowl #owls #owllovers

My first glimpse of this waterfall stopped me in my tracks and I just kept exclaiming "WOW" over and over again.  I fell in love with the Gifford Pinchot Forest and can't wait to return!

#giffordpinchot #waterfalls #discoverwashington #wonderfulwashington #columbiarivergorge #westernnature #waterfalls_collective #washingtonstate #chasingwaterfalls #pnw #pnwmoods #cascadiacaptures #cascadiaexplored #pnwisbeautiful #theoutbound #pnwphotographer #upperleftusa

If given a choice, I will always choose wild. 
A big shout out to @mitch_schreiber whose photography always inspires me to venture into new places and whose generous spirit helped get me to this unexpected blaze of wildflowers!

“You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star. “. - Friedrich Nietzsche

#woodenshoetulipfestival #woodburntulipfestival #naturephotography #pnwphotographer #tulipfestival #sunburst #outdoorphotography #bevisuallyinspired #naturalwonder #traveloregon #natureperfection #ourplanetdaily #pnwparadise #upperleftusa #pacificnorthwest

"It is only when we decide that 'ordinary' is an insult, that we become the exquisite miracles we were born to be." ~Tyler Knott Gregson

My first Tulip Tuesday!  Went out to the tulip farm last week for the very first time and had an absolute blast!  I can't wait to tiptoe through the tulips again this week! 
#woodenshoetulipfestival  #woodenshoetulipfarm  #tulipfestival #woodburntulipfestival
#tulipseason #tulipsofinstagram
#tulipslover #woodburn #oregonlove #thatoregonlife #oregonbeauty #oregonphotography #discoveroregon
#oregonphotographer #oregonadventures
#sunriselovers #naturephotography #tuliptuesday 
#letsgosomewhere

The curse has finally lifted!  I can travel south of Yachats and live to tell the tale!  This trip to the redwoods was only the first in many more to come.  Those trees filled my heart and soul and I can't wait to get lost all over again.

#jedediahsmithstatepark #redwoods #treeporn #forest #divine_forest #trees #tree_magic #redwoodforest #photographysouls #mothernature #forestlovers #naturalwonder #treelovers #forestlovers #natureaddict #amazingdestinations

Running into snow on this trip to the #olympicnationalpark made me so happy!  Snow and moss just might be my new favorite combination!

#washingtonexplored #pnw #pnwphotographer #wonderfulwashington #pacificnorthwest #wanderwashington #upperleftlife #pnwdiscovered #thenwadventure #photographysouls #naturephotography #pnwadventures

I wandered my way up to the #olympicnationalpark this weekend for a quick preview of some places I'll be shooting in a couple of months.  What an incredible place this is!  I could spend weeks just roaming around and splashing in fresh water.

#wanderlust #wonderfulwashington #staircaserapids #naturalwonder #pnw #justgoshoot #pnwwonderland #upperleftlife #weekendinthewoods #pnwroamers #pnwmoods #pnwadventures #pacificnorthwest #naturechase #ourplanetdaily #letsgosomewhere #wanderwashington #washingtonexplored

I wonder if anyone other than photographers and vampires complain about clear, blue skies?  This is from my trip north two weeks ago.  It was the only day of my entire trip that I had clouds and I was so grateful for this 10 minute show!

#pacificcity #capekiwanda #oregoncoast #coastexplorer #cascadiacaptures #oregoncoastsunset #keepitcontagious #sunsetporn #naturalwonder #bevisuallyinspired #pnw #pnwwonderland #beautifuloregon  #wonderfuloregon #pacificnorthwest #fiftyshades_of_nature #bestoforegoncoast  #traveloregon #sunsetaddict #ourplanetdaily

Two years ago today I said farewell to the best adventure buddy I've ever had.  It still has the power to bring me to my knees, even though I smile every time he runs through my dreams.
Fourteen years ago you came bounding into my dreams, months before you were even born, nipping at my feet with your puppy sharp teeth and pulling at my hair, making it impossible to ignore you.  Months later, when our eyes first met and you wrapped your entire body around mine, our hearts laughed together, knowing the adventures we would share and the trouble we would get into.  We wandered the wilds together, your four legs running circles around my two.  Always intertwined.  You fearlessly chased bears while I fearfully chased you, knowing nothing more than how I would endanger my life to preserve yours, always.  You gracefully crossed icy rivers while I gracelessly fell in the swirling waters, and you had such a twinkle in your eyes, as I lay helplessly laughing once I drug myself to shore, for you knew the mischievous part you played in those follies.  You learned how much I loved owls and would draw my attention to the silent ones, gazing down upon our friendship, from the branch of a craggy tree.  And you instinctively knew what I feared and would stand upon my feet or charge heedlessly after that which drew my alarm.  For you knew nothing more than how much you loved me.  Your muddy little paws have left indelible tracks across my memories and my heart.  Now our paths have diverged, but I will always see your prints next to mine.  I love you always, my wild one.

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