California Trip Post #2

(If you haven't already you might want to read the California Trip Post #1. ) 

We drove back to San Francisco. 

On Sunday we went to Muir woods. If there is a place in this world where elves and fairies live, I'm pretty sure it's in these woods. They named it after the guy who discovered it (or something like that, I wasn't really paying attention the tour guide...) but I think it's a pretty awful name for a such an enchanting place like that. I didn't really take any pictures of it because I knew that a photograph couldn't do it justice. But here is a picture of me in one of the trees. 

Yes, it's huge. But I wasn't really that captivated by the massive trees. There was just something mysteriously enchanting about the place. Anyway, I'll move on. I could talk about it all day and you'd probably still not understand. So you'll just have to go there someday for yourself. 

The rest of the trip can be summed up by mostly pictures. 

One of the Cable Cars you hear so much about.
Notice it's number 16, and this trip was for my 16 birthday.  Kinda cool. :-) 

  

 

The Golden Gate Bridge. It's not really golden, and I was pretty disappointed about that. 

Alcatraz.  

All the windows in this building were filled with really old sewing machines. Awesome right?

And that concludes it. I had a wonderful time, but have decided that the city is not for me. It's fun for a little while, but in the end "there's no place like home." Yes, that phrase is totally cliche, but it's true. 

More blog post soon! I've got some pretty fun stuff to talk about. Like an amazing trip to Tennessee and a really awesome birthday present.

California Trip #1

I'm finally getting around to telling you about my trip. Yeah, yeah, I know... took me long enough, huh? But better late than never, right?

Day 1: 

We flew in to San Francisco, and drove as far as we could in the direction of Yosemite National park before night came upon us.

 

Day 2:

We woke up and drove the rest of the way to Yosemite. The drive was delightful. We passed orchards and vineyards and lovely countryside. After a while the road started ascending and getting pretty windy, and the scenery even more interesting. I was on the edge of my seat anxious to see what was around the next corner. Once we came around a curve and we saw this:

It was a beautiful lake with blue mountains behind it. I've never completely understood why mountains are sometimes described as "blue", but I do now. 

And then we finally came to Yosemite:

 It was amazing, beautiful, exquisite, breathtaking... 

One thing that I found rather interesting was this:

An enormous rock. It's called El Captitan. It's 3,000 feet high, and a favorite challenge for experienced climbers. It would take one of these experienced climbers about 5 to 7 days to climb it. 

Do you see that little white spot to the right of the shadow? Well, that's a person climbing. 

Sometimes, I'd look around me, listening to a tour guide tell me that it all just appeared by chance, and wonder who could actually think that. All that majestic beauty, mountains that made me feel smaller than the tiniest ant, even the little things like how beautiful the sound of water racing over rocks can sound. And this all just happened? I don't think so. 

That's all for now, folks. 

Coming soon: Sarah in the City. 

It's coming, I promise.

Well, you've probably figured out I haven't posted about my trip yet. It's because I left my camera charger at a hotel in San Francisco. :( I did call the hotel and they told me they would send it to me, but I haven't gotten it yet. I will call them today and see what's up.

Going to San Fran!

This blogger's about to turn 16 in a little over a week. And dad has a business trip in San Francisco next week that I get to go along on! 

I'll take pictures and blog all about it when I get back. 

So stay tuned! :)

Is That Fall that I Feel?

Did you feel it today? I don't know what the weather was like wherever you were, but here in Midland, TX it was pretty fantastic. What I felt as I sat on my rooftop writing in my journal today was the breath of fall rustling the leaves all about me. It felt so good. I really can't tell you how much I love it when the seasons change, but I'm going to try anyway. :) That time when Summer still lingers with bright sunny days, but Fall starts to slowly take over bringing cool breezes and lower temperatures every now and then. I start thinking of all the cute fall outfits I will wear, and do the flip flop where I put my summer clothes at the back of my closet and the warmer ones in front. And smelling the "Pumpkin Spice" and "Cinnamon" scented candles in every store I walk into.

But I know Texas. She likes to play tricks on you by sending days like we had today at the beginning of September to get your hopes up. Then just when you start to think about all those delightful fallish things, she brings back the 100 degree weather. But I have fallen for that trick before, lots before. I will  relish those cooler days by spending every possible moment outside like I did today, but I will remember that Summer isn't over yet and hot weather will come back--but not for long.

More Books!

My book collection is expanding more rapidly than I thought. 

Today, mom cleaned out the bookshelves, and she let me have all the books I wanted out of the "don't want pile" and I even persuaded her to let me have some out of the "do want pile". 

So there they are! 17 new additions!

I just love books. 

:)

A Collection of Classic Books.

Books are lovely things. Most of the time I think them most lovely on the inside, but some are almost as lovely on the outside as well. 

Now, I am not one to buy a book based on it's cover. But if I want a book, and it happens to have a nice cover then why not get it instead of one with a not so cool cover? 

     So today I decided that I am going to start a collection of classic books with pretty covers. Here is my first book for the collection:

Hopefully one day I will have a library with a big comfy recliner in front of a cozy fireplace, and with a window seat (I have always wanted a window seat) and shelves lining all four walls from the floor to the ceiling. And all those shelves will be filled with beautiful books. 

Here are some others that I want to add to the collection sometime.

I have not read this, but it is such a famous book that I feel I must read it. And of course it would look great in that library I will have one day. 

I just recently read my first Jane Austen book. I just recently discovered what I have been missing my whole life. My future library must have lots of Jane Austen books. 

Okay, confession. I don't really want to read this one. I mean it isn't on my book list at the moment, but I have this thing with watches, and a thing with black and white, and this would look great in my library. But, if I did buy it I would read it. But I want this one more for the looks than the content. 

So I am all ready to start on my classic book collection. Except for one small thing thing: money. But as I slowly earn money, I will slowly add to my library, and I will blog about each new addition. 

Bye for now, friends. I've got a Jane Austen book to look at-- uhh, I mean read. :)