Rejuvenation

After an amazing weekend spent with my family in Sequoia National Park,which is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, I've returned inspired once again by our world's vast display of flora and fauna.

Within hours of leaving our home, we saw cacti, an amazing variety of wildflowers, plains, lakes, rivers, mountains, citrus trees, oak trees, redwoods, Giant Sequoias, a bear, numerous deer, snow, and sunshine.

One breathtaking view after another, wonderful smells, and the sounds of nature (accompanied much of the time by a range of music sampling the last 50 years and crossing several genres)...

It was such a feast for the senses that we barely thought about eating, but when we got hungry, we enjoyed our meals all the more for their addition to the completion of the total experience.

I could live for a long time on the road, I think, traveling and exploring our country's national parks. What a gift they are and how thankful I am to all of those responsible for ensuring that our parks are protected, cared for, and available for all to experience.