When it comes to wisdom…meet the two adorable owls that seem to have adopted us. The unusual part of their frequent visits is that they come to see us together…side by side. They land on the railing of the deck…on the edge of the gutter…or on their favorite tree limb. They seem very wise…so let’s see what they have to say today.

As we begin our journey in China, let’s look back on the words of Confucius who told us that ‘everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.’

I’ve been finalizing a workbook recently to accompany my new coffee table book that will be released in the near future…and here are a few thoughts that I’ve had. While reading them, let’s visit some amazing places.

As we go through the seasons…beginning in Yellowstone in winter…we know that beautiful places have the ability to transport our minds…stir our emotions…to spark creativity…to teach us about life if we listen carefully.

It’s a sensory rush…nature can fill us with peace and joy…it inspires reflections on life…it helps us to understand our place in the world.

Nature can be a mirror for the soul. Beauty is a universal language that speaks directly to the human spirit…not just a feast for the eyes…but a gift for the heart.

“Some people look for a beautiful place, while others make places beautiful.” Hazat Kahn

As we look at the incredible light shining through the Alaskan ice and snow, we are reminded that some people shine without a light..they posses a gift to make even the ordinary feel bright.

The noisy migrating swans of the Skagit Valley tell us that life may never become quiet…but that we can become quiet within ourselves…and maybe that is peace.

Early spring… with its new beginnings… shares with us the reason nature is so peaceful… because nothing is trying to be anything other than what it is…

and that maybe the whole point of life is to not always know where you’re at…but to trust that you’ll end up where you belong.

As we look at the beautifully lit cherry blossoms in Japan, I love this saying: ‘my new hobby is finding the beauty in everything.’

Yeats used to say that ‘the world is full of magical things and moments… just patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper’…

and the little things…the little moments? Well, they’re not little at all.

Reflection is a quiet act of wisdom…a moment to pause and let the light reveal what we’ve been overlooking. It’s said that reflection is the school of wisdom.

When I looked out over the live volcanoes and sea of sand at Mt. Bromo in Indonesia, I thought it was one of the most awesome sites that I had ever seen. I thought about how to go home and describe it and remember it… and here’s the thought that came to mind:

Helen Keller used to stand in front of a landscape and have someone describe it to her. She used to say that something beautiful didn’t need to be seen or touched…it needed to be felt. So I decided to feel the moment and when I wanted to remember this scene…I’d remember exactly how it made me feel…and it worked!

The adorable ‘jack ass’ penguins of South Africa…braying away like donkeys, are a souvenir in themselves. They were building little homes in the grasses surrounding the beach outside of Capetown…clustered in families and pairs with their heads together forming small hearts. They can’t fly…and have endearing qualities that are theirs alone. They are said to be remarkable survivors in this warm climate. Someone told me while I was there that ‘life is not about the familiar…it’s about the extraordinary…that they are here for the sole purpose of reminding us to cherish and observe what is unique in life.’ I think the penguins would like that description.

The other day I heard something that I think you’ll like:

even after everything we have done to this earth, she still gives us flowers.

and I’d like to add that:

‘when you seek out the beauty in all things…you become it.’

This is one of my favorite rainbow pictures as I took it from my deck when I lived in Colorado. Every time I look at it I’m reminded of a charming story that beautifully defines rainbows:

I was doing a school seminar with my children’s book some time back, and one of my images of a rainbow came on the screen overlooking the African delta. One little girl gasped and said: “oh, I love rainbows so much…they make you look for the happy in right now..” Who could say it better than that?

There is very little that is as soothing as water. Whether in a bubbling stream or in a thunderous roar such as Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. I used to sit on the hotel patio and listen to the roar from a distance…and as powerful as it was…it was absolutely calming and mesmerizing.

It’s a life lesson that when you begin to fill your mind with calming thoughts…life will start to change. Plato taught us that ‘contemplation of beauty can cause the soul to grow wings.’ Contemplation is highly underrated for it keeps the stillness within us. And what better place to find it, than to go out in nature.

This golden Hawaiian waterfall reminds me of the new term going around these days…glimmer. A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger…a glimmer creates colorful moments that bring joy. And, do you know what? When you begin to look for the glimmers, you will find them everywhere!

And as we ‘glimmer’ into Fall…Autumn has often been called a second Spring where every leaf is a flower. A second chance for change. Fall has wisdom and grace…it’s wise enough to know that change is inevitable, and has the grace to know that change is okay. It’s the way of things…nothing good can come without it.

Change can be mellow and kind. Even the ground can glow and burn with light.

Beauty often lies in the quiet of letting go. The stillness before winter. It can be a moment shared under a canopy of gold. A moment to find grace in change.

As we look towards Winter, once again, it’s a season for gratitude…and gratitude manifests itself into abundance.

So when life closes in…climb a mountain or two and look around…and if not a mountain, take a walk in nature. Try new things…very little needs to be decided all at once. Everything will look different from a different perspective…just don’t let your happiness be controlled by things that you can’t control. Take a look at what’s out there!

Life is such an adventure!

Oh, the places we can go…

and the things that we can see and experience!

Let’s close with a little story:

seeds and bulbs spend most of their lives looking like nothing is happening, but believing it will…

and look what happens!

the moon is still there…even when the sky forgets to show it…

the sea keeps returning to a shore that has never asked it to leave in the first place…

so believe like the trees believe…

for every year they keep growing new roots and providing for new life… because they believe that they will make a home for all of the things that they haven’t even seen yet. They just know they are coming.

Sunsets are here to remind us that even the toughest days can still end beautifully.

So we are back in Guilin in China…right where we began our journey. Maya Angelou used to say each and every day: “This is a wonderful day, for I have never seen this one before.” If you watch the news on a regular basis you might think that this world can be a terrible place, until you go out into nature. It’s free…it’s waiting for you…and as the wise owls told us: ‘It’s where you belong.’

Photographed On Location Around The World And In The Pacific Northwest…The Astounding Image Of The Cherry Blossoms Reflected In The Water Is The Meguro River In Tokyo…Where 800 Cherry Trees Bloom From Late March To Early April With Illumination Taking Place From Sunset To 9 PM

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For over 15 years Carol and I took our ‘guests’ all over the world for one of a kind experiences with our company, Creative Tours. Our philosophy was to introduce our fellow travelers to people, places, and events that they couldn’t have experienced on their own or with any other travel company. Our quota for each trip was small and intimate…usually not more than 12 to 16 people…Carol and I, or at least one of us, accompanied every group. Carol always said that while I was in the front narrating on the microphone, she would be in the back seat of the bus trying to figure out if we were making a profit…and she was amazing… dealing months ahead of time with all of the exchange rates and the personal contacts it took to make our trips so special each and every day. And I loved sharing stories about the history of the places we were about to experience, and the people we were about to meet.

Carol always seemed to find the right contacts in every country that would enable us to invite ourselves into private homes, collections, gardens… wonderful insights into so many different cultures. We met with celebrity glass blowers and artists and architects…we dined with a world famous private dining club in San Sebastian…we hosted a dinner in a palazzo along the Grand Canal in Venice (in the very room where Vivaldi composed The Four Seasons while a string quartet played it for us)…we rode horses at dawn overlooking the live volcanoes in Indonesia…and on and on. Every day was a new adventure.

So, here are a few ideas for your next journey…to make certain you experience the authenticity and excitement of the world…while creating your very own one of a kind memory.

Spain! Such a large, diverse country… Creative Tours spent 3 weeks there, taking in both the north and the south. One of the ways to soak up the colorful customs and atmosphere is to book your trip during a fiesta. And, that is easy to do since there is a major fiesta almost every month of the year.

Welcome to Madrid and the Fiesta of San Isidro. The perfect starting point for Espana.

As we traveled throughout this vast country, we found that the villages and country life spoke to us as well as the cities… as we walked in the footsteps of Hemingway and Goya…moving south into the land of Picasso, Dali and Gaudi.

Our first tip is to stay in as many of the paradores as possible. There are 98 of them throughout the country and they lend such a nostalgic atmosphere to whatever you happen to be. They also feature some of the best regional cuisine.

The interiors are lush and comfortable…and usually situated in well located areas for sightseeing.

Tranquil gardens and courtyards provide cool relaxing spots after a long day of touring.

We always tried to match our overnights to the exact atmosphere of the area we were experiencing. In the wine country, for instance, we stayed in a beautiful vineyard farmhouse where we could watch the vintner at work and do some tasting at the same time.

Dining is an exquisite adventure in Spain. We spent a couple of nights roaming the tapas ‘alleys’ of Madrid…taking our glasses of wine with us…trying many small plates…and dining until 11 pm.

And when it comes to great dining, the beautiful town of San Sebastian is known as one of the gastronomic capitals of the world; featuring one of the highest concentrations of Michelin stars. We were so fortunate in that our guide at that time was married to the leading Spanish soccer player. He belonged to a renowned private dining club, and invited us to be his guests for an extraordinary evening.

Dinner was spectacular…but yours can be also. Check ahead…especially with the concierge of your hotel…and book something special. Some of the world’s most famous chefs are in San Sebastian.

Consider taking a cooking class…it’s one of the best places in the world to indulge! Creative Tours did and it was amazing! We created an entire regional dinner and I still have my apron hanging in the kitchen pantry. You can go online and view a wonderful array of possibilities.

Staying in historic hotels, inns, and paradores not only give you a rich atmospheric feeling of the locale…but a wonderful space in which to enjoy a glass of sangria in the late afternoon shade…a place to get acquainted.

Don’t miss a stay in Seville as it is the Spain that you have always pictured. Stroll the streets in the evening and you will find music wherever you go…impromptu flamenco dancing in front of outdoor cafes…beautiful parks…Seville is Spain!

“I would sooner be a foreigner in Spain than any other country…the warmth of the people, the joy of the cuisine, and the allure of its culture.” George Orwell

Ah, Granada and the famed Alhambra. Did you know you can actually spend the night there?

Not to be missed! Dinner and flamenco dancing at the renowned Sacromonte Caves overlooking the Alhambra. Originally used by Romans as tombs, the caves became home to gypsy communities in the 15th C. The gypsy zambra dancing echoes off of the stone cave walls and creates an evening you will never forget.

Creative Tours spent a great deal of time in France. In The Footsteps Of The French Impressionists was one of our most popular trips as we began with Monet’s house and gardens…then traveled south to see all of the sites that the Impressionists painted… while visiting the studios of Renoir and Cezanne…then continuing on to the post impressionists.

Cafe life is a perfect place to get to know the Parisian’s…

and, of course, strolling the markets…

but consider taking a ‘food walking tour.’ We found this to be stimulating, fun, and a gastronomic adventure while you taste one specialty after another, coupled with an adventurous narration. When you go online there are numerous neighborhoods to choose from.

And if there was ever a cooking class with your name on it…it’s in Paris!

Weekends in the Luxembourg Gardens is Parisian life at its finest…just sitting in one of the cafes in the park…watching the children float their sailboats in the pond…

or merely ‘people watching’. I love how they still offer pony rides throughout the park for kids of all ages.

The Paris Flea Market right outside of Paris! Not just a market, but a day’s adventure. The Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen is open Sat., Sun., and Mon. from 10 to 6. Even if you’re not a collector looking for a treasure…it’s a must.

Some vendors actually set up their booths to look like lived in rooms. There is lots of food, great street entertainment, and easy access. Bus #85 leaves from Gare du Luxembourg and will let you off directly in front of the market. Don’t miss it!

Slightly off the beaten track, but a window into the lives of the elite French families from the Belle Epoch, there are two mansions to explore…both of which have wonderful stories attached to them. Park Monceau is a lush park to wander through and both houses are close by…one actually backs up to the park… and they are definitely worth a visit.

The Jacquemart-Andre home is filled with treasures…

and the nearby Nissim de Camondo house dating from 1911, was a highlight for Creative Tours with an amazing family history and story. There are 10 mansions throughout Paris to explore!

When visiting the Loire Valley, consider staying in a chateau. We loved our stay in one and had an evening cocktail party where Madam told us stories of the chateau during World War II. The chateau was occupied and her grandmother hid all of the family silver that we were using in gunnysacks… deep in the moat for safe keeping.

Classical gardens to stroll in, inviting you to sit and have a glass of afternoon wine.

Consider a barge trip through the wine country. We chartered The Caprice for ten days and it was a very leisurely way to experience the wine growing regions…with their picturesque towns…and plenty of tasting. You can even bicycle along the tow path.

Hillsides of vineyards… coupled with wonderful ever changing regional cuisine…France at its finest. We even had a cooking class on board.

‘The French waterways with their gentle flows…carry the essence of both wine and dreams.’

We’ve arrived in Provence and it’s time to walk in The Footsteps Of The French Impressionists. From this sunflower field with its ruined stone mill that was painted by van Gogh…it’s all here waiting for you.

In Arles, you can sip an aperitif at the same outdoor cafe that was painted in the Cafe Terrace At Night…and its a wonderful town to explore.

You can walk through the courtyard of the hospital in Arles where van Gogh was admitted after cutting off his ear…his little yellow house was destroyed during World War II, but his drawbridge and many other sites have changed very little.

A poignant afternoon walk can be spent in charming St. Remy at the mental hospital where he painted so many of his masterpieces while walking the grounds. There is an entire one hour tour around the perimeter with signs showing the paintings he composed… directly in front of the scenes that he painted.

The hidden gems of the French Riviera! From the town of Mougins…a getaway haven for the stars during the Cannes Film Festival…to the charming town of Vence…to captivating Eze…there are retreats off the beaten path that redefine private, exclusive havens. While you’re in the area…take in the pink Rothschild Estate and Gardens.

A destination on Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat that is too often overlooked, it was a wonderful afternoon excursion for Creative Tours, and is just waiting for you. Built for the Rothschilds in 1905, the house features over 5,000 art treasures and 7 different themed gardens.

We’ve just spent many glorious days in two fabulous destinations. From cooking classes to walking tours…we’ve gotten to know Spain and France in new and exciting ways. We feel closer to the people of both countries…it’s been personal ..it’s felt authentic. A wonderful tip is to hire a private guide for the day and have him or her take you to ‘hidden treasures’…to special places that you couldn't have found on your own.

Instead of staying in mainstream hotels, seek out the family run inns and bed and breakfasts. Maybe even rent an apartment in Paris for a week or two and live like a local…there are even companies online where you can switch houses with someone for a limited stay. Take time to stroll through the parks and sit a bit longer in sidewalk cafes. Contact the Tourist Bureaus ahead of time for suggestions of sites to see that you might not have come across on your own. Talk to the people you meet…think of yourself as a temporary resident…not as a tourist.

As Carol and I look back over our many trips…we have such cherished memories. Our favorite bus driver, Michel, in France. So handsome with the best French cologne…every lady wanted my seat next to him on the bus… they were always on time so they could sit close by. Carrying bags up the narrow winding stairs of small inns… by ourselves in the early days…then having ALL of our MANY bags go on many miles without us… because the train was running late and barely slowed to a stop to unload only the passengers at our destination. (French trains are always on time no matter what!) Then buying everyone ice cream and telling our fellow travelers stories as they sat lined up on the curb, licking their cones…while Carol tried to reason with a French train master who spoke no English. We were so lucky. Wonderful people traveled with us and a few of them went on every trip that we ‘created’.

So many wonderful memories…and now I’m sitting here anticipating all of the wonderful ones that you will make when you seek out your ‘one of a kind experiences.’

As we fly home out of Paris, I’m thinking about the saying that goes: we travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. It’s time to plan an adventure that will make your heart race and your soul sing. It was the Dalai Lama who said: “Once a year go somewhere you’ve never been.” And it was Dr. Seuss who said: “And, oh, the places you will go!”

Carol and I wish you happy travels.

Photographed Throughout Spain and France

Next Week: Beautiful Throughout in Beautiful Places

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It’s a ‘purple haze’ of beauty…it’s a heavenly fragrance that whiffs through the air on a warm summer breeze…

it’s August at its finest in a setting that is almost assured to be sunny…

and it’s only a thirty minute ferry ride from Seattle.

Last weekend was a magical surprise birthday celebration for my husband, Bob, and we would love for you to come along. Our daughter and her two friends arranged a two day itinerary that was a big surprise from beginning to end. It was centered around visiting the best of the lavender farms… still a brilliant purple in their second bloom. It was oysters and cider tasting… it was eggs Benedict for brunch…it was fabulous beach views and walks…it was laughs galore, even shrieks, at the Olympic Game Park…it was an unforgettable concert under the stars at Nelsons Duck Pond and Lavender Farm…..it was everything an August weekend on the Olympic Peninsula should be! It was the perfect reminder of why we are so lucky to live in Washington state.

The Sequim Lavender Trail is unique from beginning to end. Sequim lies in what is called ‘the blue hole.’ Lying in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains that form an invisible wall that blocks the moisture, Sequim has been called a miracle oasis with over 300 days of sunshine a year.

With it’s well drained, sandy loam soil that was deposited by ancient glaciers, it is almost exactly like the native Mediterranean climate that lavender calls home. It’s a phenomenon since 40 miles south, the Olympic Rain Forest receives over 200 inches of rain a year, compared to Sequims10 to 15.

People will tell you that there are days when it’s raining all around the perimeter of the town…and that if you were in a plane flying above… there would be one giant clear blue hole of sunshine directly in the center of all of the dark clouds. Pilots have talked about it for years.

The Sequim Lavender Trail has grown to include over 30 farms. There are excellent maps online that will guide you by bike or car to picturesque farmhouses…fragrant gift shops…outdoor areas for corn hole and hatchet throwing…and endless fields of beauty.

Barns are open so you can stroll and sniffs are free!

There are u pick areas and wreaths and bouquets to take home.

Apple orchards abound and are loaded with fruit this time of year…

which leads us to the Olympic Bluffs Cidery and Lavender Farm and it’s tasting flights of pungent flavored hard cider. The gracious hosts even made up a special bottle for Bob to take home as a birthday gift.

Adirondack chairs…usually lavender colored…are placed throughout the fields for a sunny snooze..and as a little sign said: “A lavender moment can heal a heavy heart.”

They say that this is exactly what heaven must smell like…

for it is said that ‘where lavender grows, peace follows.’

I am so intrigued by the Dungeness Split. It is the longest sand spit in the country and juts out an entire 5.5 miles into Discovery Bay…leading to a pristine lighthouse.

On a previous trip I walked the spit that is covered with driftwood. It gives you a feeling of actually drifting at sea when you are in the center of it…a very surreal experience.

The lighthouse houses a small museum with the original lens and other memorabilia from tsunamis. Volunteers do a wonderful job of explaining everything about its past, and you can book the entire three bedroom house for a whole week by going online. It’s quite a walk and you do need to take a snack and plenty of water. Be sure to check the tides. But, it’s a walk you won’t forget with its array of shells and rocks along the way.

There’s no way you can plan a weekend visit and not make time for lavender lemonade or ice cream…

we found ours at the B and B Family Farm…along with a wonderful gift shop.

They say that if you eat lavender ice cream and then dream in shades of lavender…you will wake up even lighter!

August is lavender and daisy month…nature’s way of saying that opposites attract.

And in between all the family farms and country drives, you’ll arrive at the Olympic Game Park. Laughs and shrieks galore…especially if you have children with you.

All of our big children were no exception. In fact I have a video on my phone that I’ve looked at dozens of times and will keep there for rainy days. The screams and laughs are overwhelming as the animals actually come up to the open windows, stick their heads inside, and eat specially baked bread…directly from your hand if you want them to.

For $5.00 a loaf at the gate to the park, the memories will long outlast the crumbs.

From llamas to buffalo to elk…your car may get a free carwash or your face could get licked by the biggest tongue you’ve ever seen.

As the sun begins to set behind the Olympic Mountains…it’s almost time for one of the most beautiful concerts in one of the most beautiful settings. Pictures and words cannot do justice when it comes to the moonlight concert overlooking a picturesque duck pond at Nelson’s Lavender Farm.

As the evening begins, Jennifer Thomas and Ryan Stewart weave a magical spell.

The first half of the concert is in twilight and as Jennifer began to play her lovely, haunting compositions…swallows began to dip down and fly in time to the music. And just as you thought it couldn’t get any more magical…a doe appeared. The night grew darker…we wrapped up in blankets…and colorful lit balls floated on the pond against an array of stars that filled the sky… the Big Dipper was right overhead!

I can’t say enough about these two extraordinary musicians…so I would encourage you to go online and see when their next concerts are scheduled…or when there is another event at Nelsons. There is a wonderful array of albums available, and I encourage you to listen to a bit of their incredible sound.

In France they call lavender the ‘soul of Provence.’ For more than any other plant, its gentle beauty and calming scent has a special effect on our minds, bodies and nervous system.

It’s been called the ‘soul’s perfume’ and it tells us ‘to breathe in lavender…and breathe out stress.’

And what a place to breathe out stress…while you walk the beaches and breathe in the salt air as well.

The Olympic Peninsula and Sequim provide the perfect setting to take in summer’s final performance…

while visiting charming family farms and elegant inns and bed and breakfasts.

Lavender has captivated hearts for centuries. Cleopatra always used the fragrance in her seductions. She would dab a bit of essential oil on her wrists and charm both Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. When King Tut’s tomb was opened, there were still traces of its fragrance…and lavender became known in Egypt as ‘a vessel of love, protection and remembrance.’

So, grab a container or two to take home to grow in your own garden…

drink a cup of lavender tea…how about a lavender shortbread cookie or a piece of lavender cheesecake?

There are so many ways for lavender to enhance our lives…

and one of the very best ways is to mark your calendar for a July or August visit…you’ll be booking a feast for the senses.

So, a big thank you to Courtney, Jocelyn, and especially Randall with two ll’s, who did so much of the planning. You outdid yourselves and put so much time and research into our August getaway. It was fun to arrive at the ferry landing and find a two day itinerary of celebrating Bob…by choosing the most outstanding farms, routes, restaurants, games to play, and tastings. You’re all the very best party givers…and happy happy birthday, Bob..it was one of his most memorable weekends ever!

The colors are still at their peak…and I know you’ll have a sunny time. It is said that when Adam and Eve got kicked out of Eden they were allowed to take one thing with them and it was lavender…said to be the wisest of choices. Even the French kings made sure their cushions were always stuffed with it and went out of their way to make certain it was brought, freshly picked, all the way to Paris. But for us…we’re so lucky…our lavender is only a ferry ride away!

Photographed In Sequim, Wa., On The Olympic Peninsula…With Photos Shared And Photographed By Everyone

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Mid summer in an English garden is so much more than beautiful flower beds and borders…it is a timeless experience of beauty and nature and creativity…for in England a garden isn’t just a place…it’s a journey.

It’s capturing a by gone era of wild romantic charm that seems timeless. A winding path through a cottage garden feels like a scene from a novel or a vintage painting…like Victor Hugo once said:

“A garden to walk in creates a place to dream in. What more could we ask?”

Borders and clipped hedges frame a profusion of climbing roses and cottage perennials…you can almost feel the gardener’s hands that have shaped nature into a masterpiece.

Drifts of color with each day reveals a new chapter. A sanctuary for the senses where you can walk and still smell the rosemary…where you can still stroll through the world as it should be.

As one of England’s own once told us:

“The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden.” Sir Thomas More

Whether a sprawling estate…

or an intimate pathway…

an English garden creates a timeless haven…

that connects us to the land and each other…

it’s where the wild meets harmony and the lush brings back memories of a gentler time.

The year I lived in London, one of the first things I did was join the National Trust. Every weekend I either drove or took the train in a different direction… visiting as many of the gardens and ‘great houses’ as I could. I took gardening classes…I attended fundraising teas and tours of private cottage gardens…I was a guest at various garden clubs…and I soon learned that gardening wasn’t a hobby, but a revered way of life.

After spending time with English gardeners…I never looked at gardening the same way again.

Even before the first frost, seed catalogues come out…plans are set in motion…starts of plants are potted in greenhouses…throughout the winter months there is always something to look forward to…to anticipate…it’s a way of life.

“Give me a sunrise and a garden where I can sit undisturbed…and I won’t want for anything more.” Walt Whitman

So let’s visit some new gardens that we haven’t strolled through before…plus a few that are worth seeing again in a different way… since no two summers are the same.

Let’s spend a moment in London and then drive through the countryside and take a look at some of the most beautiful gardens in the world.

Hyde Park…

was within walking distance from my flat and the gardens take you directly to the countryside cottage gardens as you walk down the pathways.

It’s a royal park and was created for hunting by Henry VIII in 1536 and remained a private hunting ground until James 1 permitted ‘limited access to gentle folk.’

The rose garden in mid summer is glorious and is close to a very famous spot where 18th century duels took place.

Today it’s considered one of the most beautiful parks in the world with stately horse back riders trotting up and down its pathways… letting you know it’s a wonderful summer day to be in England.

Not to be outdone…London townhouses and their own pathways of sweet smelling roses and perennial borders…city life with country charm.

One of the oldest garden sites in England…

Forde Abbey in Dorset…originated 900 years ago by the Cistercian monks…becoming a residence in the 17th century…and a Christie Award Winner as English Garden of the Year.

“A garden is never finished, but more like a chapter being constantly rewritten.” The Kennards…current owners of Forde Abbey

Let’s drive through the countryside…being careful to stay on the left hand side of the road…and visit some unforgettable gardeners that have shaped the ‘gardening world’ over the years.

I have written an entire blog on Vita Sackville West, one of England’s most famous garden writers, and talked about her famous ‘white garden.’ But it’s impossible to be in the neighborhood and not visit it once again.

Her famous all white moonlight garden was the inspiration for an all new approach to gardening…flowers as beautiful by night under the moon, as by day.

It created a whole new approach to gardening…

a dreamlike feel…so different from the herbaceous colorful borders that English gardens are known for.

Visiting Vita’s castle and ‘writing tower’ at Sissinghurst was a favorite stop for Creative Tours…not to be missed in the Kent countryside.

Rosemary Verey…it’s impossible to even think about English gardens and not make a date to spend an afternoon at Barnsley House in Gloucestershire.

Garden designer, lecturer, and renowned writer, Rosemary blended classic and cottage styles and even made ornamental kitchen gardens ‘a wonderful thing.’

This was her famous pavilion where she spent summer afternoons writing so many publications that changed so many approaches to gardening and country life…

including the introduction of grand garden elements, like her ever changing laburnum path.

‘Love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies’ Gertrude Jekyll

‘If you are in a peaceful cottage garden you will not be dreaming about palaces or heaven, because you are already in a perfect place.’ Old English Saying

It’s time to sit in a favorite garden corner and look back on a day of making the world a bit more beautiful…

as we walk down the pathway of another summer visit,

here’s to the garden teas and the long summer days of living life as it should be lived…

here’s to the afternoons sitting on a garden bench knowing that these are some of life’s better moments…

here’s to the gardeners who work every day…sunrise to sunset…bringing us a bit of heaven on earth…

and to the English pathways that still enable us to dream of sunny and gentle afternoons.

Cheers to the English gardens and their creators…

Happy August to all the English roses both here and abroad who bring so much needed beauty into the world.

It’s as Audrey Hepburn always said: “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”

Photographed Throughout The Gardens Of England

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Architect…dreamer…craftsman…a revolutionary genius who figured out how to build round concrete walls…

an artist who turned the beauty of the natural world into experiences…

and turned Barcelona into an open-air museum of colorful imagination.

Antoni Gaudi…it’s time to pay him a visit and listen to some wonderful stories.

Gaudi believed that nothing was invented…only discovered…that straight lines belonged to man, but his revered curved lines belonged to God. Three factors represented a lifetime of unimaginable creativity…nature, religion, and architecture.

“The great book, always open and which one must make every effort to read, is the book of nature.” Gaudi

What an exciting journey to experience the Baroque and Renaissance architecture that Barcelona was already famous for, and then walk down the same street and experience Gaudi’s Catalan modernism…

a true treasure trove in what has always been one of my favorite cities…a city not only of great design…but of beachside bars and paella..of open pedestrian only boulevards, of tapas, of a great Picasso museum…along with long leisurely days of Catalan sunshine.

Born in France in 1852, Gaudi had an unusual childhood as he suffered from rheumatism and it shaped his entire character, including a deep respect for anything related to the natural world. After graduating from the Barcelona Architectural School he exhibited at the 1888 World’s Fair in Barcelona and the commissions began. He devoted the last few years of his life to charity and went from ‘dressing as a dandy’ to giving everything away…so that when he was hit by a tram in 1926… he was taken for a homeless man in a hospital charity wing until someone discovered who he was. He was buried in a crypt in the Sagrada Familia cathedral that was such a large part of his life’s work.

The gate houses to the stunning Park Guell overlooking the city of Barcelona…at one time belonging to the ‘porter of the park,’ with one house being a residence and the other being an office.

In 1900 Eusebi Guell, a wealthy industrialist, commissioned Gaudi to develop a garden estate for 60 high end villas to overlook the city. Only a few houses were built and Guell became discouraged and decided to sell the land to the city where it has become a world famous park…inspiring everyone who walks its curved walkways.

Determined not to have a straight line in the park…stunning mosaics wind their way on the backs of benches creating an array of fantasies.

Salamander or dragon? Everyone throughout the years has had an opinion and it remains one of the many mysteries and legends.

Adding to the fantasy…the incredible chimneys of the park. From 1906 to 1926 Gaudi lived in the park and today his home is the Gaudi Museum.

One of the world’s earliest and most famous apartment buildings…La Pedrera…Gaudi’s last civic work between the years of 1906 to 1912. Commissioned by a wealthy family who lived on the main floor and rented out the rest of the spaces, it has been lived in by princes, diplomats, lawyers, actors, artists, spies and psychics…just to name a few.

Six thousand stone blocks were brought in for the exterior from several Catalan quarries, and the building even featured an underground garage…unheard of since cars didn’t really began to be mass produced until 1907.

The rooftop terrace is a masterpiece with its 29 chimneys. Every part of it has a purpose and adds a complete outdoor dimension to the function of the building.
In all of his designs, every need was anticipated and met and Gaudi left us with these words:

“Only when a building has everything it needs does it then have character and dignity.”

A center open courtyard gave each unit light and ventilation on both sides of the building and it was an amazing feat as it was built with metal elements and no load bearing walls. That way there could be open floor plans…similar to the ones that are popular today. It’s also interesting that the owner and Gaudi got into a disagreement over the funds and his fees. A court case ensued…Gaudi won…and donated all of the money that was awarded him to a local convent.

The penthouse apartment is furnished with pieces of Gaudi’s time…spacious and elegant with its large open spaces. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, he designed many pieces of furniture that went into his homes, but his originals would have had a much more contemporary look.

An exact replica is found in the arched attic of La Pedrera. Gaudi was considered a genius for his techniques of creating arches and vaults that were capable of carrying great weights. The world had never seen an attic vault like this until 1906!

Welcome to Casa Batllo…with its famous ceramic tile roof that is designed to appear like reptile or fish scales. Considered a masterpiece of Catalan Modernism, it was built from 1904 to 1906 and is affectionately called ‘the house of bones.’

The overall effect is a design that resembles a skeletal form with balconies and windows highlighted by bones intertwined with plant stems…organic in every way. Fantasy at its finest using building techniques that were almost impossible to comprehend at the time.

The stunning living room features tiles of light that were placed to create beautiful waves of water when the sun came through the windows. It’s a total work of art where design, color, and form all come together in one stunning package.

Over the years people said that the feel of the rooms had a Jules Verne vibe…and the large window overlooking the boulevard was purposely positioned to both see and be seen.

As we walk through the balconied narrow streets, we are headed towards one of the most famous cathedrals in the world…if not one of the world’s greatest architectural collaborations.

The towering basilica before us feels more like a celestial vision than a cathedral…a wonder of twisting towers and monumental facades and intricate detail…the Sagrada Familia with its decades of design, looms over the city and has become the symbol of Barcelona.

Eight different architects worked on the cathedral over 144 years, along with thousands of artisans and craftsmen. Gaudi took over the project in 1882 when he was 31 years old and virtually spent his final 43 years on ‘his masterpiece’…even sleeping on site towards the end of his life. With many countries and skills represented…it was finally declared finished this year! Just look at the incredible detail! You’ll never see anything quite like it again!

Gaudi was so admired that as the various architects became involved with the project, they tried to incorporate his ideas as much as possible. He wanted the ‘columns of trees’ to create a forest-like ambience that would fill the space with a light spiritual atmosphere, and it is stunning!

Looking up through the trees to the dome, branching leaf canopies reach for the sky…sequoia trunks rise with a twist of oleander…you can stand and look up through the branches and almost hear the choir singing Alleluia!

What an array of treats and delights…

classic Barcelona…

with it’s captivating facades of beautifully painted tiles.

The windows and balconies of Old Town…

not far from the fabulous windows and balconies of Gaudi.

Let’s stop by a couple of houses to see how his designs influence the design world in Barcelona today…

from curved ceilings to tile insets…Gaudi is alive and well and still has a vital role to play on the Barcelona art scene.

Barcelona is art and design through and through…which is why Creative Tours spent the last four days of our tour here. As I shot this image of Gaudi reflected in a modern day glass highrise, I was reminded of the fact that it was Salvador Dali who brought interest and life back to Gaudi’s work after years of the world beginning to overlook his genius.

Today his legacy lives on and is alive and well in every way. From organic furnishings to indoor nature retreats that feel as though you are outdoors…all in the heart of a bustling city…

where Gaudi style furniture still defines the curved lines of his imagination.

As you stroll the streets of Barcelona…old tiled walls and baroque balconies create a one of a kind contrast…side by side with color and fantasy.

So unique and greatly admired…hardly ever imitated…so many of his experimental techniques wouldn’t become commonplace, or even deciphered, until decades later.

Exuding a love of light and color his techniques were completely his own…including paper mache inserts that he often placed on the ceilings because they were lightweight. Today there are dozens of Gaudi sites to be visited…seven of which are protected by UNESCO… and in 2013 an annual World Art Nouveau Day was established in his honor.

Before leaving, we need to visit one of the most beautiful theaters in the world. We attended a Gershwin concert in the renowned Musica Catalana…built in 1905-1908 by another fellow architect.

With it’s exquisite mosaic columns, it is a hallmark of the Nouveau Catalan style.

When Creative Tours ‘did Spain,’ it was a 3 week adventure. There is such a decisive difference between the north and the south, that we wanted to take it all in. From Goya to Dali to Picasso to Gaudi, it’s a rich and varied journey. From Madrid to Segovia to San Sebastian to Granada, to the opening of the stunning Guggenheim in Bilbao…we wouldn’t have changed a moment…including our stays in historic paradores and our farewell dinner overlooking the harbor.

It’s hard to leave Barcelona for there are always so many treasures yet to be uncovered. The W hotel on the bay is a new emblem of the style and design that continues to make this city so fabulous…sitting on the waterfront like a sailboat ready to go to sea.

No, it’s never easy to leave, but what better way to say good bye than with a wonderful glass of sangria served on a terrace overlooking the Sagrada Familia. Barcelona is a city of great design…from the charming boutiques… some even with water features… to artistic window displays…imagination and creativity is everywhere. We will always need to return to this city by the sea…and Gaudi will be there waiting for us.

Photographed On Location In Barcelona, Spain

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Nature and art have always been intertwined…from cave paintings to contemporary installations…the natural world has served as both a timeless muse and as provocative subject matter.

As a photographer I have found that there are moments that I have photographed that are absolutely surreal…almost always having to do with spontaneous, incredible light. So, here’s a tribute to the beauty of raw nature, along with the beauty created by artists who view nature as their inspiration. Let’s lose ourselves in their work for the next few moments and be inspired by the visuals and even the poetry that comes from the world around us…here’s to the artists who view it not just as a backdrop, but as the living, breathing soul of their creative process.

It’s spring in the Hitchi Seaside Park in Japan, and millions of baby blue eyes are heading straight for the horizon where later today they will match the sky and the sea in a single expanse of blue.

“The power of nature is what art strives to be.” R. Rubin

The deep blue glacial waters of Alaska are telling us what Edvard Munch confided: “Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye…but like great art, it creates inner pictures for the soul.”

Light is the essence of photography. Light can transform a simple moment into a compelling experience…capturing it so that it fills us with wonder. It is the art of ‘painting with light.’

“This morning the beautiful heron

was floating along above the water…

and then into the sky, of this one world we all belong to…

where everything, sooner or later, is part of everything else…which made me feel for a little while… quite beautiful myself.” Mary Oliver

One of the world’s more memorable spots… the ultimate tribute to combining nature with the human spirit.

The Golden Bridge in Da Nang, Vietnam, features two giant weathered hands lifting us up and transporting us over gardens and trees and terraces and pagodas… up towards the clouds.

It represents nature offering its many gifts to the people who cross it…a breathtaking symbol of the connection between nature and humanity.

There are few places in the world that resemble a fine installation of contemporary art like the Antelope Canyon in Arizona.

It’s a display of some of the most beautiful canyon slots in the world. The narrow passageways offer spectacular light plays, vibrant colors and spectacular photography when the sun shafts filter through the multicolored walls and hit the canyon floor.

Just like in Arches National Park…

the natural wonders of these canyons are said to hold healing powers and ancient stories that have inspired generations.

For the Navajo, the canyons are seen as a reminder of nature’s power and the importance of our harmony to it. To visit is an unforgettable experience!

The alpenglow of the Dolomite mountains in Italy, are another surreal testament to the paintbrush of nature…colors from a paintbox featuring hues and lighting that are difficult to duplicate with an artist’s brush.

At the Hitchi gardens back in Japan…it’s Fall…and once again the seaside gardens glow with kochia plants…as far as the eye can see. They turn from green to pink to red and are a visual metaphor for tenderness and grace… a symbolic reminder of our precious fleeting moments of the seasons.

“Paintings should be inspired by nature, but made in the soul of the artist.” Emily Carr

Every spring there is a new presence where life begins again. There is a quiet anticipation…where what has been renewed is ready to bloom and announce its arrival into the world. Just look at nature’s palette…

now look at nature’s palette that man has gathered up and preserved…look at what man and nature have created together.

This is the incense village at Hanoi, Vietnam, where incense is not just a scent, but a bridge connecting nature and spirituality…a coming together of a tradition passed down from generation to generation…all natural ingredients including fragrant herbs, spices and essential oils…believed to be the perfect blend of man and nature.

This hummingbird is a creation so wonderful that it reminds you that there can still be bare feet on the grass…rain on your skin…napping outdoors…light playing with the branches…and the rich smell of the earth.

The color green reaches for the stream that leads to the forest. Did you know that the human eye can see more shades of green than any other color because we have always been surrounded by the forest, trees and moss…surrounded by the living earth that we call home. It’s our most important color…it’s in our DNA.

Sometimes nature is the consummate artist and creates something special without the human touch. Few things live side by side with us like trees do. I heard something the other day that goes: somewhere in the world a tree sprouted on the same day you were born. Just like you it’s been soaking up the sun…and not just moving through the world…but growing and evolving with it…just like you.

If there is an artist today that defines creating with and from nature, it’s Danish artist, Thomas Dambo. Using all natural recycled materials, his over 170 whimsical trolls, found around the world, span five continents…each with their own story to tell.

It was such a treat when he placed several hidden nearby in our area and we all followed paths through the woods, with various birdhouses as clues leading the way…anticipating what we would find at the end of our journey…never to be disappointed.

“In all things made from nature, there is something of the marvelous.” Aristotle

Bringing the sea to the forest! Giant waves wind through the trees reminding us of ‘the earth’s powers from the sea coupled with the vast mysteries of the forest wilderness.’

South African sculptor Daniel Popper creates total experiences as he weaves together ‘nature with humanity and the environment’ in his larger than life pieces. As he shares his beautiful works of art with the world are are reminded that when it comes to nature we all speak the same language…even when we don’t speak the same language.

It is said that of all the subject matter that touches an artist’s soul…the most captivating is a waterfall. For waterfalls capture the majesty of nature, symbolizing renewal, the passage of time and serene beauty…all in one glorious package.

And if there is ever a total experience that brings art and nature together on a massive scale, it’s Singapore. It is a city in a garden…living in and with nature in every way.

Art is everywhere in Singapore and everywhere you find art…you will find nature.

I don’t think anyone has figured out all of the secrets to happiness, but I’m pretty sure that it might involve the ocean and a sunset and not being in a hurry to get somewhere. That sometimes just to be surrounded by beauty and feel our soul is more than enough…and images that can take you there are synonymous with what art should be all about…about the emotions that YOU feel when you experience it.

And while we’re in a pink and purple mood…

here is a beautiful Vietnamese ritual…gathering hemp and applying natural dyes for the weaving of mats, along with the ritual of sitting in their midst and absorbing their gifts. It’s considered both a gathering and an inherited skill handed down through the generations…an age old tradition based on deep spiritual ties of intertwining art and nature.

‘Nothing is pretending, proving, comparing, or competing. The birds sing without concern over how they sound. The rivers flow without trying to get anywhere faster. The trees grow without questioning whether they are enough. Everything is simply expressing their nature.’

This is what a beautiful study of nature has to share with us…

Winter in Yellowstone is a perfect opportunity to see how nature composes her own ever changing watercolors. It’s fascinating to watch the vivid and dramatic colors created by a combination of microbial life and minerals in the geothermal pools change and evolve with the temperature, sunlight and the seasons…creating beautiful compositions.

If there was ever an opportunity to watch nature’s palette of ever changing natural colors appear as if in a kaleidoscope, this is it.

And when it comes to color…it’s impossible to miss the artistry of the renowned flower houses along a beach in the Seattle area. A summer display like no other takes place very year in two 1914 bungalows… sandwiched between two contemporary condominiums…complete with a swing for people passing by to use to glide back and forth in nature.

‘Look for me where the wild things are…

for I am the sunlight on the flowers around the lake…I am the hush between the pines at dusk and the skylark’s song on the summer air…

look for me there where the world grows quiet and my soul remembers how to be free.’ J. Sexton

And that’s how nature and art should make us feel. It rouses us with color and drama…it soothes us with calm and softness and pastels…it fills us with energy in the morning light…it brings us peace and rest at the end of a busy day…

it stimulates…it reassures…and the artistry that interprets all of this is priceless!

As we look at this surreal photograph, we are reminded that we live in a world when octopuses dream…sea otters have a favorite rock that they keep for life…elephants adopt orphans…and penguins propose with their favorite pebble.

As we look at another captivating Daniel Popper piece, we can hear Frank Lloyd Wright saying: “Nature is the inspiration, inside and out, for all that I am and for all that I create.”

It’s a wonderful thought that you yourself are an amazing work of art. The beauty you see in everything in this world is a reflection of the beauty in you. Isn’t it a wonderful thought that the same energy that brought trees and mountains and the sea into the world…thought it would be wonderful to have one of you, also. When you look around…all of nature is art. And in our own ways we are all artisans and one with it.

This post is dedicated to Carol…my wonderful partner in Creative Tours for many years. So many of our trips were art related and her insight and energy in sharing the world took us around the world many times and created priceless memories for hundreds of people!

Photographed Around the World…From the Pacific Northwest to Japan to Italy to Vietnam to Singapore and Beyond

NEXT WEEK: Gaudi’s Barcelona

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Put on your driving music…grab your hiking stick…take every snack along that catches your eye at a roadside stop…it’s a road trip!

As the sun rises on Mt. Rainier in late July, here are the perfect words for a painters’ dream: “The most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I have ever beheld in all my mountaintop wanderings.” John Muir describing Paradise’s wildflower meadows.

From 8 am to 2 pm when the sun enhances the colors behind Paradise Lodge…it’s a hike like no other. It’s an amazing tapestry of avalanche lilies, marsh marigolds, lupines, paintbrush…all set against the snow capped peaks of ‘the mountain.’

As the gentle up and down paths meander towards the base of Mt. Rainier…so many thoughts come to mind. One lovely comment was: “petals and peaks…it’s a field of dreams beneath the clouds..”

When I first took this trail, I had just recently moved to the Pacific Northwest from Colorado. I picked up a pamphlet that said, ‘just me and a million wildflowers.’ I had always taken wildflower hikes in Colorado, but nothing could have prepared me for the over 250 species that create a stunning landscape between now and mid August.

It’s not just a summer spectacle, but a finely tuned, short-lived and ecologically important part of the alpine garden…providing habitat and food for wildlife…such as this marmot that scrambled on top of a rock to greet me.

Even the morning mist as it comes and goes adds a surreal dimension to the array that cascades as far as the eye can see. Maybe it’s the short time that we have these blooms that adds to their mystique and beauty! And it’s no wonder that people come from all over the world to witness a ‘time of year when the wildflowers actually compete with the mountain.’

They grow in rocky-high altitudes…enduring cold wind and sparse soil…while still blooming with vibrant color and grace. They are a delicate inspiration that stays with you long after you’ve left the meadows. ‘The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.’ Mulan by Disney

While you’re in the park, make sure you take one of the many scenic drives and hikes…such as the trail to Narada Falls. There are surprises everywhere. I remember the first time I walked back towards Paradise Lodge after my wildflower hike…there was a black bear happily grazing in the meadow across from me.

Don’t miss this spectacular July experience!

We have left Washington state and are making a stop at the National Bison Range in Montana…18,000 acres that can feature 350 to 800 free roaming bison at a time. We’re on our way to Glacier.

Glacier National Park spans a stunning wilderness of over one million acres of towering peaks, crystal-clear lakes and diverse wildlife. It’s home to 26 remaining glaciers and has been said to posses some of the most spectacular landscapes in North America.

As the sun rises over the Going-To-The Sun Road…it’s an awe inspiring site…as this national landmark road, eleven years in the making, crosses the Continental Divide.

It’s a top of the world feeling and easy to see why Glacier is considered the ‘crown of the continent.’

You can drive the road yourself or take one of the nostalgic red bus trips…a reminder that the prominence of the park goes all the way back to 1910, when it became our eighth national park.

Lake McDonald, one of several lakes, strikes a dramatic scene with it’s ‘rock flower glacial erosion blue water’, and is almost 500 feet deep.

Steep glacial cliffs and walls are like fortresses… a dramatic backdrop for over 700 miles of trails. It’s a showcase of melting glaciers, alpine meadows and carved valleys.

I’ve enjoyed staying in both national park lodges in the park such as the Lake McDonald Lodge built in 1914, where you actually pull up to the back of the lodge because in the early days guests arrived mostly by boat. It’s the perfect end to a perfect day when you sit around their big fireplace.

Built in a Swiss chalet style, the railroad arrived in the early 1890’s and helped make the area an instant tourist attraction.

The Many Glacier Lodge is spectacular in every way. Built by the Great Northern Railroad in 1914, the lodge overlooks Swiftcurrent Lake with sweeping views of surrounding sheer peaks and glaciers, and was considered the showcase of their national chalets and hotels. Its many decks offer breathtaking sunsets and ever changing lake views.

“In every walk of nature one receives far more than he seeks. Glacier National Park is a love letter written in ice and stone.” John Muir

The lodge is a perfect starting point for a trip to Grinell Lake…either by boat or on a 6.8 round trip hike.

The incredible light and glacial silt makes Grinell a magnificent site and a bright surreal photograph with it’s unbelievable blue color…as well as being a prime area for wildlife…a good time for bear spray as moose and bear are often seen here and along the trail.

Rarely have we ever seen such an array of wildlife as in Glacier National Park…which is one of the reasons I decided to highlight it on our July journey. Literally at every stop or hike…everything from Dall sheep to grizzly bears to mountain goats to big horn sheep…it’s a photographer’s dream.

Hikes and trails…some easy and moderate…lead to breathtaking vistas…

as we climbed the slopes wildflowers appeared in abundance along with entire families of mountain goats…

deer grazed in meadows…

and, using an abundance of caution…

photographers, with their long lenses, got some wonderful grizzly shots. Bears are abundant in Glacier…

as I took this shot of an approaching storm on Lake McDonald… another grizzly came into site and stood directly on his hind legs and looked at me, and then scampered off…while a Mom and her cubs were grazing in a meadow over my shoulder.

Stunning Lake McDonald is famous for its rainbow colored rocks beneath its crystal clean water. They are a striking mosaic and said to be 1.6 billion years old.

Families of sheep peer down from rocky cliffs everywhere in the park…

glacial waterfalls cascade down granite cliffs reminding us that in 1850 there were 150 glaciers compared to the 26 remaining ones. It truly is the crown of the continent in so many ways.

‘Glaciers are the cathedrals of the natural world. Sometimes a glacier only moves inches a day and yet it carves valleys that can last for a lifetime.’

The Grand Tetons…sentinels of the West…

set against a brilliant July sky.

Photographed to look like a painting, I have to do a shout out for Yellowstone…the patriarch of our park system. Yellowstone deserves a post all of its own and we have talked in the past about Yellowstone…especially in winter when you have the park all to yourself. But, while we are in Montana we have to take a quick look at the Upper and Lower Falls as they cascade into ‘the Grand Canyon’ of the park…

along with the Hayden Valley. For the Hayden is the wild heart of Yellowstone…known for its abundance of bison, elk, bears and coyotes.

So, here’s to the many wonderful surprises that the national parks have waiting for us in July…from this big surprise at Glacier…

to the small unforgettable moments that tug at your heart…

July is the perfect time to explore what Ken Burns and Teddy Roosevelt have always told us…that the national parks are the best thing we have ever done.

We’re back home again..and what a beautiful trip it was. The wildflowers are still in bloom at Mt. Rainier and it’s time for another hike to a waterfall we haven’t seen before…there are dozens to explore in the park.

“The national parks are American genius…

and what is genius but the power to do well what needs to be done.” Ansel Adams

They are truly a necessity of the human spirit. It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said: “Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, and drink in the wild air.” Someone said the other day that a vacation is something you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking. It’s having all day to do whatever you feel like doing at the moment. Sound good? Guess what…it’s July! Let’s make the most of it…your national parks are waiting for you!

Photographed On Location In Or Near Our National Parks

NEXT WEEK: When Nature Is Art…An Exquisite Itinerary

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Let’s feast our eyes and wander through two of the most famous gardens in the world as we visit the studio and home of one of the founders of Impressionism…Claude Monet…the artist who changed how the world sees colors, nature, and light under ever changing skies.

It’s a warm summer day at Monet’s pink stucco farmhouse at Giverny, France, and every imaginable flower is in full bloom.

The countryside that he would immortalize for 40 years always enchanted him when he traveled in his little studio boat up and down the Seine River. One day he noticed that a house that he had always admired was vacant …and he didn’t hesitate. So began a legend that to this day enchants anyone who’s lucky enough to walk down the luxurious path to the green front door.

To walk up the pathway into his world…to step into the garden and smell the roses cascading down the walls…is like stepping into a painting itself… it’s so beautifully preserved. Monet always considered his gardens to be his finest masterpieces. “Anyone can paint a painting, but it takes an artist to create a garden.”

What was once an orchard became a vision turned into reality as he constructed the Grand Allee leading up to the house…where by midsummer rambling roses have scrambled up the arches completing a tunnel to the front door. Completing this grand entrance are seven foot high borders blooming in profusion with trailing nasturtiums meeting underfoot.

“I owe perhaps having become a painter to flowers.” Monet

Meticulous in his garden design, he was an avid reader of seed catalogues and laid out each bed so that there would be a profusion of flowers in every season. Each area was designed for color and texture and it’s easy to see how he considered these paths to be his greatest inspiration.

Born in 1840, Monet spent most of his childhood along the Normandy coast. There were difficult years in the beginning as his work was rejected by the esteemed Salon and money was hard to come by. After losing his first wife, he remarried and in both cases his wives became muses as well as often appearing in his paintings.

Women in gardens became early themes and played an important role in experimenting with light and color and texture. These were the days of warm summer afternoons and occasional morning mists… adding accents of multi-colored dew drops to the tapestry of color.

“More than anything, I must have flowers…always, always”

The immortal wisteria-covered bridge in the water garden…one of the most famous scenes in the art world. Monet had lived at Giverny a decade when he purchased the property across the road from the flower garden and created the lily pond…inspired by his admiration and captivation with Japanese woodblocks.

The pond was recreated in so many of his great works and was a mirror reflecting each nuance of change from moving clouds to approaching storms.

It holds the reflected images of the surrounding landscape while multi-colored lilies shine like multi-faceted jewels.

A charming story… he had the lilies placed in individual tubs so they could be moved around…creating various effects of color…ranging in hues of copper, pink, yellow and white. Wanting everything to always be pristine, he hired a gardener with a rowboat to move about on a daily basis, dusting and cleaning them.

Picnics and fresh vegetables from the garden became a central theme at Giverny. From late spring on, Monet was proud to bring in his early vegetables… and it was of the upmost importance that the produce was picked at exactly the right time. He would personally select the vegetables for the daily meals.

Luncheon In The Grass was painted in 1865…the same year that Monet was selected by the Salon…a turning point in his career. It was in response to Manet’s 1862 work of art and at one point he gave it to his landlord in lieu of rent…only to buy it back later and have to cut it into individual pieces due to a moldy residue.

The Musee d’ Orsay…the Paris train station… home to many of his Impressionist paintings. In The Footsteps Of The French Impressionists was one of Creative Tours most popular trips…and Monet and Giverny and the d’ Orsay were always a highlight.

Looking down on the glass domed center section of the museum, I am reminded of a wonderful story. It was 1877 and Monet had finally arrived on the art scene. He donned his best suit, straightened his collar, clenched his gold handled cane and strode into the Gare St. Lazare train station in Paris and asked for the director. He said, “I am Claude Monet and you are so fortunate. I am about to paint a train station and your station has twice the appeal as Gare de Nord, so you are the lucky choice.” The station was completely transformed for him…trains were halted…platforms were cleared…and one of his most famous masterpieces was completed. He loved the way the sunlight filtered through the smoke.

The Poppy Field…an early work in the Musee d’ Orsay that features his first wife, Camille, and their six year old son Jean.

Ah…the cuisine at Giverny! A true connoisseur who demanded that his asparagus always be a bit under-cooked, the salads be generously seasoned with pepper, and the meals served promptly. Much has been documented and saved about the amazing dinners served in the brilliant yellow dining room covered with Japanese prints.

Monet was a generous host, often entertaining many colleagues such as Berthe Morisot, Renoir, Alfred Sisley and Cezanne. He had the same cook for many years and used as many foraged ingredients as possible…along with his garden produce. There is a wonderful cookbook written by Claire Joyes…a member of the Monet family…called Monet’s Table that documents so many of the memories and family recipes.

A typical meal would include soup, followed by a souffle, then the main course, followed by a salad course…followed by cheese and desserts. It was always a noon meal and leftovers were served at dinner. Monet was very particular about meal times as he always retired early so he could rise with the sun and make the most of the morning light.

Everyone’s favorite room is the blue and white tiled kitchen…sunny and uplifting…a room so full of cheer it always promised happiness at the table. It was often said that the beauty of the kitchen rivaled his water lilies. A master of color, Monet knew how to pair his blue and white motif with an array of copper pots and utensils. It was the perfect space for his cook to prepare daily meals for he and his wife, his eight children and step grandchildren, and frequent guests.

Besides growing many of his own veggies, fresh fish from his pond was often on the menu…wild game, in season…and even his roses were used. His favorite venison sauce called for two cups of rose-hips from the garden, slivered almonds and lemon juice…along with mayo, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and fresh dill.

‘Monet’s table was as much a work of art as his paintings…a celebration of light, color and the beauty of the seasons…all highlighted by an incredible antique French copper collection.’ Architectural Digest

Monet’s studio/sitting room is alive with his presence…it’s as if he just stepped out the door for a moment to study the afternoon light. Fifty nine reproductions of his work, mainly completed between 1915 to 1920, cover almost every square inch of the walls.

It has been called a ‘beautiful moment that feels as alive as it did in 1915’…featuring enormous skylights and wheeled easels…all designed to carry out the grand scale of his late in life masterpieces. The studio would influence future generations and their thoughts about creative spaces.

Monet’s bedroom…complete with his array of Japanese woodblock prints…as great an influence as his gardens. A charming story: below his bedroom window he designed a garden exactly like the one at his aunt’s house that was under her window…so he could look down on his childhood days.

It’s well worth spending the entire day at Giverny as the village itself is walk-able and charming.

There is a wonderful restaurant called Les Nympheas near Monet’s home…

and a Museum of Impressionism that is worth a stop. But, my favorite is the Hotel Baudy where many of the artists that visited Monet would stay…including Mary Cassatt who shared memories of her days and nights here.

The waterlily panels at the Orangerie in Paris…the last of Monet’s masterpieces. When he was inflicted with cataracts later in life, his entire attention turned to the waterlilies in his Japanese garden. Often frustrated with the results, many were destroyed…but thanks to then Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau…these glorious panels were preserved.

As I photographed the pond for an artsy feel…my memories go back to The Footsteps of the French Impressionists and our travel company, Creative Tours. Georges Clemenceau was Monet’s closest friend throughout his final years. On one of our trips, my wonderful partner, Carol, somehow made it possible for us to visit Madame Clemenceau…the matriarch of the family…in her riverside chateau.

It was a day like no other as our group sat in her various rooms and she told us personal stories of Monet…insider stories…all in French…while one of our traveling companions interpreted. Monet had given the Prime Minister many small gifts, paintings and tokens, and they were all still there for us to admire. A very special day!

The soft, shifting light…the vibrant flowers…the tranquil pond…peaceful, enduring and inspiring! In many ways it’s as if Monet has just walked out the door with his easel under his arm…it’s an ethereal, kind of a pinch me feeling…a place where we will always picture him…his place in the sun.

As flowers were being brought in for the bouquets in the house, we are reminded that everything has a purpose in Monet’s world…a never ending study of light and color. Even the yellow and blue rooms in his home were colors chosen for a specific purpose…to study how light interacted with specific hues. Monet spent 8 to 10 hours every day of his life painting…outdoors until the light and color faded…then in his studio. He would work 3 to 5 hours on his smaller pieces…10 to 50 on his series…and 100’s of hours or even years on some of his masterpieces like the Rouen Cathedral.

But along with his fabulous works of art…what he left us with are two living garden masterpieces…riotous and lovely, no matter the season… just waiting for you to discover their charms…and just a little over an hour’s drive from Paris.

One final story to show just how special the home and gardens are:

After Monet’s death the property passed to his son…and was beautifully maintained by his stepdaughter. The family and staff lived there until 1940 when France was occupied by the Nazis. Even though many chateaus and residences were taken over and stripped of their art and furniture…his stepdaughter wrote a letter to the regime and asked that the property be spared. A sign was hung on the front door that read: “This Is Monet’s House…Forbidden To The Forces Of The Occupation. And, nothing was touched…absolutely nothing…and so it is…it’s all there today…just waiting for you to spend an unforgettable summer day!

“I want to paint the air around the bridge…the pond…the house…the rowboat…the beauty of the light in which they exist. I paint as I see, as I feel, and always with joy. I like to paint the way a bird sings.” Claude Monet

Photographed During Several Seasonal Trips To Giverny In France

Next Week: The Best Summer Vacations Throughout The West…Our National Parks

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In 2006 Norah Jones performed a beautiful piece of music called the American Anthem for a Ken Burns documentary called The War. It became the centerpiece of the film and is my favorite patriotic song. It was used in two inaugural addresses, but the most famous was President Biden’s address where he closed his remarks focusing on the lyrics…where he spoke about restoring unity and upholding the ideals of everything that has brought us here. I want to share it with you…never more appropriate than on this very special birthday!

For all that we’ve been given…

By those who came before…

The dream of a nation…

Where freedom would endure.

The work and prayers of centuries…

Have brought us to this day…

What shall be our legacy…what will our children say?

Let them say of me…

I was one who believed…

In sharing the blessings that I have received…

Let me know in my heart…when my days are through…

America…America…I gave my best to you.

Each generation…

From the plains…

To distant shores…

From the gifts they were given…were determined to give more.

Battles fought together…

Acts of conscience fought alone…

These are the seeds, from which America has grown.

For all those who think…they have nothing more to share…

Who fear in their hearts that there is no hero there…

Know each act of dignity is that which fortifies…

The soul of a nation that can’t be allowed to die.

Let me know in my heart,

When my days are through…

America…America…

I gave my best to you.

(At the end of the post there is a link where you can hear Norah Jones sing the American Anthem against a background of a waving flag. Highly recommended.)

From the wonders of Alaska…

to the shores of Hawaii…it’s impossible not to reflect on how a handful of colonies transformed a revolutionary idea into a world super power.

From the maple trees of Vermont…

to the golden aspens of Colorado…we are reminded that isn’t about the dates and documents…

it’s about the people, the places and their stories.

It’s how every era has shaped the present in some way. From the early colonial settlements to the westward expansion…from war and invention with each generation shaping what comes next.

From sea to shining sea, the essence of America was built on an idea where

you can come from humble beginnings and do great things…where a diverse melting pot creates a rich cultural mosaic…where all people are created equal.

It was Ben Franklin who said: “Where liberty dwells, there is my country.”

It was Harry Truman who said: “America was built on courage, imagination, and an unbeatable determination.”

And at the core of that unbeatable determination are the people…the spirit, the hard working, resilient, forward thinking American people.

And so it will continue with the next generation whose job it will be to also bridge the divide…honoring the past while charting a new course. But as Ronald Reagan use to say: “America is too great for small dreams.”

There will still be tea parties taking place in Boston…

there will be young Americans ready to take the helm…and even though it may not be an easy task…it’s good to remember that it never has been.

It’s a time to look back with pride and forward with purpose…

for it’s no small feat to have achieved 250 years of freedom!

So Happy Birthday, America. There is one thing we’ve learned for certain…that we, the people, are always stronger united rather than separated. That’s why we’re called the United States Of America.

Click below on the link to hear Norah Jones sing The American Anthem…

The American Anthem

PHOTOGRAPHED Across The Country Including The Gettysburg Battlefield And The All White Eisenhower Farm Adjacent To It…Now The Eisenhower Historic Site, Open To The Public

NEXT WEEK: Summer Days With Monet…A Feast For The Eyes

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Creativity has long been associated with the energy, the light abundance, and the renewal that the summer solstice brings to us. These qualities just naturally inspire and promote creativity because they symbolize clarity and vitality…along with the enlightenment that brings out the gifts and insights that have been lying below the surface all along!

The solstice is a gift of energy that embodies the inspiration that leads to an imaginative, one of a kind life. It enables vibrant colors to spark and appear brighter…it brings long hidden thoughts and dreams to the surface…which is why why so many cultures celebrate this time of year with music, dance, art, and great storytelling.

Just as this tree grows in an isolated arid canyon…it can’t be stopped…and just like the tree, you are one of a kind…always growing and expanding, no matter what. The longest days and shortest nights are a gateway to finding the light within yourself and spreading it into the world. It was Pablo Picasso who said: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose in life is to give it away.”

Creativity is a powerful force. It envisions new solutions to old problems…it dares to dream of a better future…it’s our most powerful tool to shape the world we want to live in. It creates the essence of the human spirit that makes life exciting and soulful at the same time.

Few things in life are as inspiring as nature. Nature shows us that creativity is not just about art or invention, but about our senses…our human spirits…our souls. Nature shows us how we think, feel and connect with the world. It encourages us to imagine and innovate…it enriches our daily lives while providing a softer side…whether it’s great literature or music or even a beautifully inspired garden…nature is the inspiration and core of so much of what we create.

Let’s take a look at some of the colors and sights and sounds that inspire…

and listen to a couple of wonderful stories that will encourage us to think outside of the box.

Let’s see what we can turn into something enduring…

by creating something that wasn’t there before.

It was Walt Disney who said….”with our imagination we instill hope again and again…”

for nothing new was ever made by following the rules. Sometimes when logic takes a break…creativity shows up.

Time for our first story…an interview I watched this week with astrophysicist, Neil de Grasse Tyson.

Let’s look at some beautiful images while we think about his words: His opening comment was: ‘ creativity matters more than you think.’

“I can discover something in the universe tomorrow…and if I didn’t, there would be someone after me who would discover the very same thing.”

“But in the arts, whatever you create… no one before or after you will ever compose the same thing. Science is discovering the pre conditions of nature, but art is the unique expression of the individual.”

When we take a look at the photo of Monet’s pond at Giverny…we can visualize so many possibilities. Beautiful watercolors…acrylics…even poetry. It personifies the expression that the ‘amount of magic in your life depends on what you notice.’

As we soak in the brilliant colors of summer, here is a story from a recent lecture given by Dr. Nawal El Saadawi…a famous journalist that became a political prisoner, was exiled…and lead an overall hard life of persecution. Her mantra has always been ‘all my happiness in life comes from creativity.’

When she was a political prisoner, the hardest part of her captivity was that she couldn’t write and express herself. She was told that being in possession of a piece of paper and a pencil were more dangerous to her well being than having a gun. Other female prisoners were granted certain privileges from the guards, but she refused to walk down that path. She did befriend one of these women who could bring her only one thing. She asked for nothing more than some paper and a pen.

She was given a roll of toilet paper with an eyebrow pencil and for three months whenever her jailer left for the day she would write. It felt like she had been released from prison…for 3 months she would write throughout the night until she was deliriously happy…even singing and dancing all by herself. She concluded the lecture with these words: “When you are allowed to express yourself…that is happiness.” Art needs no permission.

It was Picasso who taught us that ‘everything you can imagine is really real.’ The spark that transforms ordinary moments are the ones that create extraordinary possibilities…and those sparks don’t always come from knowing, but from wondering.

Anyone can create a chandelier…but light bulbs inside upside down umbrellas light up an entire day.

Coloring outside the lines can be life changing…but often those lines and edges aren’t real anyway.

I love the saying that our dreams are the canvas…and our creativity is the paint.

It has been said that the creative adult is the child who survived…and it was Matisse who urged us that true inspiration comes while actually doing and working at whatever we are meant to contribute. He used to also say that a negative mind never gives you a positive life.

So dream big during this solstice…especially these days when the inner spirit is so important in the world…

write…compose…if that’s your gift…

we may not all be great sculptors or artists…but each and every thought and creative endeavor is completely unique…something the world hasn’t ever seen before or will again.

Take a look at the surrealistic mind of Salvador Dali…immortal and head scratching to this day…causing people to think in areas where they have never gone before.

Look at the ongoing masterpiece of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona… whose design was taken over by Gaudi in 1883…and added onto by artist after artist over the decades… only to be finished this year. An incredible collaboration of masterminds and talents.