I woke this morning thinking about the devastating fires that have once again burned so much of the West coast this summer/fall. I wrote parts of this post several years ago when the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, a place of my heart and much of my youth were on fire. At that time Yosemite, and the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir which provides most of the water for The San Francisco Bay Area were at risk of being badly damaged. People were being forced from their homes and the loss of wildlife was unmeasurable.

This year the fires have impacted my home town of Morgan Hill and the Santa Cruz Mountains along with so many other treasured places in California, Oregon and Washington States. Now, like then many very brave firefighters been providing round the clock efforts to tame the wildfires while risking life and limb to do so. I have been a constant consumer of the Calfire briefings this year as the fires directly impact family and friends.

Santa Cruz West Cliff Area

As I return to my blog I am compelled to dedicate my first post after a year off to the beauty of this region of the world. I ask that we all consider how we impact this planet every day…what care do we take to honor all that surrounds us?

John Steinbeck wrote:

The Redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always…from them comes silence and awe.” The most irreverent of men, in the presence of Redwoods, goes under a spell of wonder and respect.”

California Redwoods

Valley floor Yosemite

Mom and me atop Yosemite Valley with Half Dome as a back drop

Hannah with one of the many water falls of Yosemite as a back drop

Nature is mysterious, beautiful and wise. We are blessed to be included in the great web of all life and have a responsibility to be good stewards of these gifts we have been given. We cannot live without them but they can live without us…humbling and true.

Let’s all imagine a world or wonder and awe that we pass along to our children and their children and their children!

Walk gently and leave things better than you found them as you go