Rick, Author at Just Enough Focus

December 11, 2015

Mount Edith Cavell Before Sunset

This is the view of Mount Edith Cavell from Jasper Park Lodge that I took one summer evening before sunset. I think it’s pretty amazing how long the days are in the summer up here. Its kind of hard to fathom, especially now that I’m writing this in winter when it gets dark many hours earlier. In the evening the angle of the sun is low enough to cast a soft light on everything. I understand that Iceland can be like that for months, I guess that’s next on my list. In any case, Mount Edith Cavell is one of the more iconic landmarks of the Canadian Rockies and having hiked up along side of it, I can say it is indeed massive, even when viewed from twenty kilometers away. A couple of days ago I wrote about the age of the trees in British Columbia. Well, these mountains are millions of years old. That really impresses me because just like the size of these mountains, their age is something I can never really wrap my mind around.

December 10, 2015December 10, 2015

We are never alone, even when we think we are

At times we need to be alone with the elements. Something about that reminds us that, in fact, we are never truly alone.

I recently read a book called The Light Between Us by Laura Lynne Jackson. It’s basically an autobiography of a person who grew up with a special gift to communicate with the “Other Side”. In it she details the struggles she overcame learning how to deal with that without having someone to help her. Nonetheless, she is one of a handful of scientifically certified psychics in the US and has helped many people bridge the gap between this world and the next as it pertains to bereavement. So, the moral of the story is we’re never really alone. The world we live in is just a subset of the real world and we are surrounded by many who love us all the time, whether we are aware of it or not.

December 9, 2015December 10, 2015

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

I took this iPhone photo of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona rather than with my normal camera. It was the day before I went inside and was traveling in an open roof tour bus. I used photoshop to remove the construction cranes towering above. I did it as an experiment to see what it would look like without the distractions. Little did I know the cranes have been there for years and will be for about another ten years until construction completes in about 2030. In the meantime this is my idea of what it might look like when complete.

Sagrada Familia Wikipedia

According to Wikipedia the chief architect Jordi Fauli announced in October 2015 that construction is 70 percent complete and has entered its final phase of raising six immense towers. The towers and most of the church’s structure are to be completed in 2026, the centennial of Gaudí’s death; decorative elements should be complete by 2030 or 2032. That is one long construction project. But perhaps, compared to some of the great cathedrals of old, it’s right on target.

December 8, 2015December 10, 2015

Cathedral Grove: A Quiet Path

Cathedral Grove Path — Quiet Path Through Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada Obtain a fine art print

Last year I stopped here at Cathedral Grove just outside of Nanaimo British Columbia. These are towering Douglas Firs, the oldest at about eight hundred years old though most are around three hundred years. Even with visitors, the lush vegetation dampens the sounds to provide a quite walk through the old forest. There are a lot of must see places on Vancouver Island, this is at the top of the list. I was here in summer when it was hot, even so the cover the canopy creates its own micro-climate and the whole place is about ten dregs cooler. The grove is reached by a highway leading over the mountains to the pacific coast. I was on my way there to Ucluelet, but even so when I came back I stopped here again. I took a ton of pictures both times.

December 7, 2015December 10, 2015

Beach Houses on Anna Maria Island

Beach Houses in Anna Maria — Beach Houses on Anna Maria Island Obtain a fine art print

Walking around the beaches of Anna Maria Island you’ll find houses along the water with a view of the gulf. Some are located on relatively isolated stretches so that even if there are a lot of people at the beach these sections are quiet. Walking past this area the beach was was quiet and undisturbed as evidenced from a colony of skimmers that nest and feed here. As I walked past they paid me little heed as they rested on one leg. I live only twenty minutes away but I keep telling myself that one day I’ll just rent a beach house and do a staycation. I think this remote strip suits me just fine.

December 6, 2015December 10, 2015

Fishing on Anna Maria Island

Fishing on Anna Maia Island — Fishing on Anna Maria Island Obtain fine art print

On Anna Maria Island I have some favorite spots to hang out that are a little bit hidden and frequented more by the locals. This is opposite Coquina Beach and it’s a little dock where fishermen come to launch their boats around dawn. I was here walking around and noticed this guy casting his net and so stood a ways back trying to capture him in mid-throw. I think he noticed me and stopped throwing the net, maybe he was self conscious. I wandered off to leave the poor soul in peace. Hopefully he caught something because there were a couple of egrets waiting for anything he might pull up.

December 4, 2015December 10, 2015

Gigondas Village

This is the village of Gigondas which is in a mountainous area in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur northeast of Montpellier. Like many places in this part of France, Gigondas is known for its wine. Some of the vintners here refuse to change the methods of production that have survived hundreds of years from generation to generation. The town is on a hillside over looking the vineyards and these narrow streets climb up to a church overlooking the village. I took this on the way back down after surveying the surroundings and wondering how it is that these people manage to live apparent tranquil lives without all the big box stores and high tech gadgets. I think I know the answer to that.

December 3, 2015

Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar

I live across the river from this Tiki Bar. Quite often I’ll walk my dog at night and stop to listen to the band as the music floats over the river towards me. This night the moon was just rising as it cast a glow on the water. It’s on a little point surrounded by water on three sides so you get the sense of being on an island. I don’t spend a lot of time in bars and such, but I have been here a couple of times and both times it was a lot of fun, especially the music. In any case, maybe it’s time to go back and check it out again.

December 2, 2015December 10, 2015

Another Sarasota Sunrise

This is a spot in Sarasota Florida that has a view of the city at sunrise. Sometimes I end up here for whatever reason. It’s also a spot that joggers come by all hours of day and night, so no matter how early I get here I’m never quite alone. I think having joggers at all hours is a good thing. I’ve seen that in other cities in North America as well as Europe. But I think the main reason they’re out early is due to the Florida heat, it’s almost a necessity to run very early or very late.

December 1, 2015December 1, 2015

The Harbor at Carnon

This is the harbor at Carnon in southern France. I stayed about a mile from the east of this harbor and thought I’d walk around to the west side. Only I didn’t realize that once I arrived on the east side there was no bridge close by and so I had to walk another two miles to get to the west side. By the time I got back home I estimated I walked about five miles and took five photos. So in reality I took one photo for every mile. That’s a very low miles to photos ratio.