In the spring and summer on a clear night, the Milky Way can be seen prominently in night sky. I hope to bring the peace and beauty that can be seen on these nights.

In the winter if you disregard the cold and venture into the night, take a moment and soak in he night skies. When your eyes adjust you will find the sky to be vibrant with a multitude of stars.; Among those stars, Orion the Hunter takes a prominent place among them. While not readily apparent within Orion, the sky is rich with chaos of stars being born, and in the process of dying.

With light pollution only 15% of the worlds population are able to see the night night skies in its full grandeur

As the day turns to night and then back to day, the stars move through the sky. Well, technically we move but it seems like the stars are moving. With cameras if we leave the shutter open we can see the stars from the motion of the earth.

While the stereotype of the southwest is cacti and sand, the Southwest is much more, with canyons, spires, mesa’s and arches. Come summer, the monsoons develop and lightning abounds, illuminating the canyons. In the winter, snow falls contrasting the pristine white against the red rocks.

The American Southwest is often associated with dry deserts, which there is, but also in the high mountains, the Aspen’s abound. Come autumn, these Aspen turn the landscape to a brilliant yellow.

While the deserts of the American Southwest are often thought of hot and dusty (and they can be), in the winter, the snow falling on the patched earth brings important moisture, and as the days progress, leads to the desert set a bloom in flowers, before they become dry again until the summer monsoons arrive.

While the cities of Europe may have the old world flair and charm, as night descends upon cities and they light up, a whole new dimension is added. Cars drive by leaving trails of light that illuminate their journey. In Washington DC, the lights illuminate the memorials and are reflected in the pools. In New Orleans, the river boats alight and the streets become alive and in San Diego is selected into the Bay.

While the landscape may be peaceful, there is charm in the cities. The old world European Cities especially have this charm, from the romance of Paris, to the misty castle on the hill; of Edinburgh and the seafaring Stockholm to the mosques of Istanbul. The first time I went to Paris, was because of a woman, but we went our separate ways and I found solstice in wandering the streets. Since then I have found beauty in wandering the streets of the cities of Europe. On days I can, I will wander seemingly aimlessly, having a lunch at a family cafe of hot smoked salmon with roasted potatoes with a glass of red wine, watching sunrise and set on landmarks, wandering the back alleyways.

The Mountains have always held a special place in my heart. The first mountain I climbed was as a teen and was the majestic Mt Rainier which stands over Washington State. I have spent a lifetime in the Rockies and Sierras, the the Alps and the Japanese Alps, The South American Andes and the Himalayas. Each are unique, beautiful and majestic.

The sea has always played a part of mans history. This is in celebration of those that work on the water. For me, I have spent a part of my life with the sea on one side of me and the mountains on the other. I especially love the working boats. As a freshman majoring in Chemistry and Biology, being bored one of my professors let me study at a marine research institute. While there in the midst of winter I spent time on a boat; not a lot, but enough to respect those that do.

For a large part of my life I lived with the coast on one side of me and the mountains on the other. While someone who has the mountains in my heart, I find the the tranquility of the coast, with the sound of waves against the shore to be an integral part.

There is beauty in the simplicity of black and white. Without color there is only shapes, shades highlighted by contrast.