My brother, Kenny, took my "Sunbird" picture and made a handmade box for me of it with the picture in marquetry. Is this cool or what? The box is made of figured Maple with Bubinga insets in the corners. The sky is figured Koa and the sun is mottled African Satinwood with some yellow dye. The mountains are figured Walnut. Wow! What a special Christmas gift!!

Sunrise Hike in Dublin Hills Regional Park

I awoke at 7 am and threw on some warm clothes, grabbed a small water bottle and my camera and hopped in the car for a short 1 1/2 mile drive to the Donlon Point trail head of Dublin Hills Regional Park. Knowing that the sun would rise at around 7:30, I felt some urgency as I huffed and puffed up the trail.

When I rounded a bend, I got my first glimpse of the sun lighting up Mount Diablo and turning it red although the upper part of the mountain was shrouded in cloud cover.

Then I saw it. The sun was just cresting over the hill. I wasn't quite to the top yet to be able to look east over the valley.

Looking to my left, I could see that the sun was now casting its golden glow on the grassy hills around me.

Nearby was a coil of rusted old barbed wire, remnants of the portion of Schaefer Ranch that is now parkland.

There was also a pile of old fence posts from the old ranch.

Then there was the view overlooking the tri-valley area.

And below me the campus of Valley Christian Hill School. What a wonderful location for a school! No wonder they named the road "Inspiration Drive".

What an amazing, spectacular show I got to witness this morning. Millions of people in the Bay Area and yet this was a private showing; not a soul in sight. The price of admission? Simply to rise a half hour before sunrise, drive a short distance, and enjoy a 15 minute hike.

I felt myself feeling so thankful and praised God for the beauty of His creation.

I wondered to myself how someone could have the same experience and not believe in God; not be thankful to the Creator. I just don't have enough faith to believe that all of this beauty came about randomly.

Nice Clouds

We don't get clouds like this very often.

It was fun to watch them interact with the sunrise.

Even starlings have to scratch now and then

(see far right bird with his leg up in the air).

Montana Weekend

Along the side of the freeway

Sisters

Micro braids

For me?

Happy girls

Silly girls

Papa sure has big shoes!

Meskerem's first Shirley Temple

Kidist's first Shirley Temple. The cherry was their favorite part. Come to think of it, it's still my favorite part as well.

Birthday Memento

My brother and sister-in-law sent me a box of memories for my birthday this year. I pulled this out and couldn't quite figure it out. It's my mom's first initial and her last name. I asked my friend Wanda about it since she's worked in hospitals for a long time. Wanda: "What color is it?" Me: "Pink and white" Wanda: "Is it big or small?" Me: "Very small" Wanda: "It's the bracelet they put on you in the nursery so they'd know you belong to your mommy". Wow. I have to admit that gave me goosebumps and made me tear up over the significance of it. My mother passed away a number of years ago so I'm so grateful to have this special tangible memento.

Hawaii Trip

Del has a well-travelled hat.

Here it is in Hawaii, decked out with lei, on a tripod, in the midst of its beloved camera equipment. Del's hat loaned Del the lei for the evening. Diane got one, too. A gorgeous white ginger lei. Too bad blogs don't have a smell option. It was fragrant!

The view from our room in Wailea on Maui. If you look closely, you can see Molokini in the distance (the darker island in front of the larger land mass across the water).

Even the pigeons in Hawaii are exotic. Not suprisingly, this one is called a spotted dove.

Thought I'd throw another kind of bird into the mix (Bird of Paradise).

Myna. Remember the obnoxious character in the Lion King? They got it exactly right.

Francolins. Kind of like our California Quail, but without the fun top-knot.

Japanese White Eye

Her baby begging for food.

Red Crested Cardinal. Gorgeous!

Cattle Egret. Like our White Egrets but with tawny head and without black legs and yellow feet.

Eerie downward shot of pool from Waikiki Marriott 20th floor.

Upward shot of palm trees.

The obligatory Hawaii sunset shot. This was from the deck of Maya - a wonderful restaurant at the Wailea Marriot where we stayed on Maui.

Our favorite local band. The trio version is called the "Kailua Bay Buddies". We look up Mark Caldiera (the guy in the middle playing the Cahon) and whatever band he's in every time we come to Oahu.

Dinner at Alan Wong's in Honolulu. Yummm!

All in all, not bad for a business trip. Del was on vacation the whole time; I had to work two full days in the middle of it. I don't recommend that. It's hard to truly wind down. That said, we did really enjoy the beauty that Hawaii has to offer. It is a special place. Aloha!

The Grandkids - Meskerem and Kidist

Proud Papa

Meskerem helping Papa build her bed with Kidist being playful.

Mama Kirsten and Papa Del building bed with Meskerem looking on.

Meskerem and Kidist in Coloring Zen. Very quiet. LOVE IT!!

Kidist with antique baby stroller and Meskerem with antique horse passed down through two generations.