adventures of westwood

big springs (june 1, '09)

2009-06-12T10:28:00.003-06:00

'a kiss can be a comma, a question mark or an exclamation point. that's basic spelling that every woman ought to know'
-mistinguett

fun little hike up by big springs in island park, idaho

so i've noticed i don't really write very profound, deep, thoughtful things really. truth is as i'm hiking or taking pictures i've always got somethin running thru my head. that's kind of the reason i'm out walking. but i rarely remember what it is i was worrying about or mulling over. i think perhaps this hike i was thinking how incredibly freaking awesome nature is.

in the space of about an hour or so i saw a deer chompin on some foliage, a muskrat making a little house along the river bank, a few ducks swimming up the river, a school of fish just coasting around the springs, an eagle with a mouse wrapped in its talons fly over my head and a squirrel collecting a bunch of nuts and trying to carry them up a tree

the day before i saw hundreds of bison treading around the forest, a bald eagle feeding his little chicks, a funny looking raven hopping around scavenging for some food, a lone little fox prancing around an open feild, what else? i'm sure there was more. but how cool is the world. it's neat to stand on a mountain peak and look down. whether it be looking over a forest of trees and rivers and animals, a desert completely void of any living thing but decorated with the coolest rock formations, or the busy streets of a city with thousands of people going in a billion different directions. i think it's incredible that no matter where you are and what you're doing, the world is in constant motion and things are happening; rivers are flowing, trees are falling, animals are zooming around, people are fighting, babies are crying, cars are breaking down. it's kind of cool.

anyway... i'm sure you're not hear to listen to my weird thoughts as of late but rather look at the cool pictures :)

i hope you like them. i sure have a fun time taking them!!!

yellowstone (may 31, '09)

2009-05-31T10:11:00.000-06:00

'one doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time'
-andre gide

family trip to yellowstone national park

is it just me or does this geyser look incredibly tempting to go take a dip in. hard to believe that it's boing water with red hot lava below it ready to melt your skin off if you get too close

cool little bald eagle perched up in his nest

goblin valley / nw utah (march, april '09)

2009-04-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

'slow down and enjoy life. it's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why'
-eddie cantor

quick little trip down to goblin valley with j j baby. a little overcast and rainy. but absolutely gorgeous

we took some paint and a canvas a perched ourselves on a 'goblin' and painted the landscape. we sure were quite the artists :) if you say the masterpiece we created i'm pretty sure you'd want to buy it - just a guess

cool little abandoned house/barn thing up in northwest utah. somewhere near toole. not exactly sure

greece / turkey (march '09)

2009-04-01T16:20:00.004-06:00

-mom is becoming a little controlling

-what tipped you off? when she locked you out on the balcony again?
-that was half my fault. i thought i saw a graham cracker out there

-buster and michael bluth (arrested development)

this is just a goffy quote from my new favorite tv servies (which is now over - but apparently they'll be making a movie soon - sa-weeeeet!!)

okay folks - here are a few snaps from my totally awesome mediterranean trip (greece and turkey)
yes i did have my nice camera but i was too excited to actually be there that i did not spend too much time trying to get the most amazing shots ever. so some of these are pretty 'not-too-special'

the amazing blue mosque in istanbul, turkey

cool little street just off the acropolis in athens - i especially like the kitty walking thru :)

the acropolis with the parthenon

the lovely joanie - trying hard not to laugh as i took pictures of her in front of the sultan's palace in istanbul

just me chillin on the greek island of chios

provo river trail (feb 14, '09)

2009-02-14T09:46:00.001-07:00

'it does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop'
-confucius

click the picture and look closely - things aren't always as they seem :)

so this horse was quite happy that i was paying attention to him and petting him. when i tried to leave he started cursing mean things at me. horrible things. things i can't even repeat

ya... couldn't quite get the ducks to hold still. you know how it is :)

sand dunes (feb 7, '09)

2009-02-07T09:24:00.002-07:00

'ineptitude - if you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly'
-despair.com

nothing too exciting to report about this trip. just woke up one morning and decided i needed out of provo. packed up some snacks and a few CDs and took off south to the sand dunes in central utah. kind of a fun relaxing trip. but as you see, not much to take pictures of in such a desert

lake front / benjamin (jan 24, 09)

2009-01-24T21:10:00.017-07:00

'i'm trying to get a little squirrel to come over to me here. i don't wanna make any big sudden movements. i'll frighten him away'
-elaine marie benes

my cous jeanna and me went for a little photo shoot down by lake front and benjamin. two itty bitty towns south of spanish fork

so as we were driving jeanna-beanna noticed this hawk perched here on this fence post. how freakin cool is that. so we had to stop and get some pics. she actually took a bunch and got some really good ones. this is the only semi-decent one i got

an abandoned railroad track just off the benjamin exit. i've wanted to come take pictures of this train forever! i think i'll go back again sometimes cuz it's pretty cool

there she is bein all cool takin pics

i finally have a picture of myself on here. cous cous actually took this one... obviously

k... i don't know why but this is probably my favorite shot from this day. there really is no reason, i just love it. just some random part of the train that was tagged. what do ya think?

old beat up building. 'that door must be pretty cool lookin to be blocked by all those bricks!'

another random refelction picture. i always gotta get some random texture shot. this is just looking into a puddle. kinda cool

deer creek / sundance (jan 17, 09)

2009-01-17T00:23:00.003-07:00

'... other hearts are surrounded by an eight-foot high, chain-link fence with a padlocked gate. instead of daisies, the fence is topped with razor wire and patrolled by guard dogs. sometimes such formidable defenses develop because of years of hurt and betrayal'
-garald n. lund

this is looking out over midway up past provo canyon

deer creek in the winter. all these crazy fishermen braving the cold

i can't get enough of this one. isn't it like totally amazing :)
maybe you don't agree

can't have a posting without one of these random close-up detail shots. this is just snow on the concrete. pretty cool

a mini water fall up at sundance. super cool

takin these pics made me sad that i haven't been up on the mountain yet. grrr

park city (jan 17, 09)

2009-01-17T00:15:00.001-07:00

'we don't persist in prayer to change God's mind. we persist in prayer to change our hearts.'
-gerald n. lund

got up one morning and thought... shoot... i don't wanna be here today. i'm goin to park city.
so i packed up the camera, bought myself a hot chocolate and took off on an adventure. too bad i didn't see any celebs or anything. i guess that's what happens when you walk up and down main street during the festival at 9.00 in the morning :)

even though it was totally empty, it was very peaceful and fun to just walk around alone snappin photos

and i loved it cuz i think the few people that WERE there walking around thought i was some official festival photographer. they'd watch me set up for shots and i'm sure they were hoping they'd see themselves on the front pages of the festival news :)

and i was even wearing my 'professional photographer scarf' that makes me look all official

isn't this house like the coolest house you've ever seen

temple square (dec 6, 08)

2008-12-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

'look, in my opinion the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what-have-you. the right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass. that's the kind of person that's worth sticking with'
-mac macguff [juno]

weekend up at temple square to see the lights

this is one of the best from this night

and i found another random kissing couple right in front. i took a few pictures cuz they were awkwardly standing there with their lips pressed together. not really kissing, but just standing there. but ya. it looked a little weird so this one made the cut instead

about 100 paper bags decorated and displayed close by the temple, with a word in many different languages. this one is thai

hebrew

and czech

so you may have realized the vulgar quote doesn't really match the nice temple pics :) oh well. i don't think i'll be struck down for it. it's a good quote

south fork (dec 1, 08)

2008-12-01T14:48:00.002-07:00

'clothes make the man. naked people have little or no influence on society'
-mark twain

just a quick little trip up provo canyon after work. pretty freezing but i got a few nice pictures

ya, i don't really have much to say about these pictures. my brain hasn't been inspired with any real profound things the past few weeks. so i'm kinda lame on this post. sorry

grotto falls / bennie creek (nov 29, 08)

2008-11-29T10:52:00.004-07:00

'congratulations... i want to reward you with five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact'
-barry [baby mamma]

these pictures are incredible. i love them. these first 2 are reflections in the river before the falls. the bed was all green and mossy and i could see the trees in the reflection. now you know what you're looking at

this one too :)

took a little hike with some friends up to grotto falls in payson canyon

but you best be an experienced hiker if you plan on going. it took us all of about 15 minutes to hike this extremely treacherous mountain ;)

but after the intense climb it opens up into this little cavern thing with the little waterfall. gorgeous!

if you look over in the slate canyon pictures i have a similar picture with the phone. kinda fun

after the falls we just found a little trail called bennie creek. i think the creek was dried out cuz their wasn't much to look at. so we veered away from the trail a bit and found this one

at one point there was ice forming in the river/creek thing. nice

and this is where i almost fell in. don't worry. me and my cat-like reflexes made it out unscathed.

nebo loop (nov 28, 08)

2008-11-28T10:40:00.010-07:00

getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. you have to let go at some point in order to move forward
-c.s. lewis

another quick hike. this time up the nebo scenic route in payson canyon

and again, nothing much but rivers, and falling water :)

however, when taking this picture i saw 2 HUGE deer about 30 yards behind me. as i turned to take a picture they bolted. too bad. one of them had a huge rack ;)

mapleton canyon (nov 27, 08)

2008-11-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

'as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them'
john f kennedy

a mini little hike up mapleton canyon before the thanksgiving feast started

ya... mapleton canyon really isn't the most scenic of all the places in the world :) but it was a fun little hike

a cool abandoned bees nest. it was HUGE!

who would cross the trail of death must answer me these questions 3, ere the other side he see

what is your name
what is your quest
what... is the capital of assyria

and thus ends the adventures of the canyon of maple

fifth water hot springs (nov 22, 08)

2008-11-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

the course of true love never did run smooth
- william shakespeare

okay, this could very well be the highlight of the year when it comes to hikes and adventures

up spanish fork canyon a few miles and an incredibly gorgeous 2,5 mile hike

the river is just full of these amazing potential photo shoots

then you smell the sulfer and it almost makes you throw up, but when you see the hot springs and its really cool blue water you forget about it

the base of the waterfall where the different kinds of rock are being eroded away by the hot water. leaves a really neat rock formation

this is one of the few hikes where i went with people. some good friends that joined in the fun, but only decided to get their feet wet :) we'll have to take another trip up there and get in. but we'll be careful not to drop any cameras in this time

wow, blue water

and i love the blue water with the green rocks underneath

again, this could quite possible be my favorite place in utah now. i'll for sure go up again in the next little while. possibly when there is snow

spanish oak canyon (nov 17, 08)

2008-11-17T10:35:00.001-07:00

'every morning in africa, a gazelle wakes up. it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. every morning in africa, a lion wakes up. it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. it doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.'

-unknown

so don't tell anyone, but i was sick yesterday. i got all my stuff done at work and then went home at lunch to relax. but i sat there for an hour or two, staring out the window and realized i couldn't handle just sitting there while the sun was blaring on the world and i not out there to enjoy it

so i drove up to spanish fork canyon and found some mountains up by spanish oak reservoir

some fun nature and good places to get some pictures

and of course, the nice little reservoir made of cement. the man-made sandy beach is a nice touch :)

so i didn't get very many pictures. this trip was a super spontaneous last minute thing so my camera wasn't fully charged

but i did see some good wildlife :) hahahahaha

okay, here is the REAL wildlife

then on my way home i still didn't feel ready to go back to the house. so i drove up thru springville and found a random canyon. i don't know if this even has a name or not. it's just up behind some residential area. i worked my way back there. no trails or anything and bushwacked my way a ways up it. found a cool cliff up one side of the canyon and climb to the top and watched the sunset. amazing!

i also drove up to the 'dream mine' up in salem. my cousin and her husband gave me some fun details about it. i got up to the gate and then saw the scary threatening warning signs. i chickened out. perhaps another time :)

squaw peak (nov 8, 08)

2008-11-08T10:30:00.001-07:00

'courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.'
-mark twain

after about an hour of hiking i made it to the top. i've been to many peaks, and lookout points, and mountains in my life but for some reason this view from up here was more incredible than any other i had seen

i hung around taking pictures for about a half hour trying to get my ghetto camera to work and really capture what was out there

unfortunately i don't think any of these pictures really do a good job of showing the awesome sight of the sunset on utah lake and utah valley

after a while when the sun finally went down i realized i had that same hour long hike back, but this time, i had no sun. way to go! so i prepared myself to book it down the mountain. i guzzled a bunch of water, bundled up for the snowy trail back and sprinted down the mountain. the trail that took me a little over an hour to get up, only took me about 20 minutes to get down. really quite invigorating!

pond at provo amphitheater (nov 4, 08)

2008-11-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

'see, the thing of it is, there's a lot of ugly people out there walking around but they don't know they're ugly because nobody actually tells them.'

-jerry seinfeld

well, it was raining, cold and dark and i didn't have time to go anywhere far. so a fun little pond up the road from my house is where i ended up

i ran out of daylight. actually, it was A LOT darker than the picture makes out. my camera does a good job with night shots

this one isn't bad i'd have to admit. i kinda like the eerie light coming in from the left side

slate canyon (nov 3, 08)

2008-11-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

'there's nothin you can do that can't be done. nothin you can sing that can't be sung. nothin you can say but you can learn how to play the game - it's easy.
there's nothin you can make that can't be made. noone you can save that can't be saved. nothin you can do but you can learn how to be in time - it's easy

there's nothin you can know that isn't known. nothin you can see that isn't shown. nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be. it's easy.

all you need is love.
love is all you need.'

i don't kow why i wanted to put that song on there. i just really like it. i guess if you really dig you can come up with your own deep meanings for it :)

well, slate canyon isn't the prettiest of all the canyons in utah. but i tried to get some decent pictures

but as you can see there isn't much to take pictures of except dead trees and cloudy skies

and fallen tree bridges

and rusty fences

and more dead trees

and more dead trees

and more dead trees

and cloudy skies of provo

i do, however really like this picture. i was taking a picture with my phone to send to a friend and i thought to myself... 'man, i'm thirsty'... so i got my water bottle out - cool huh? then i took a pictue of this. :)

hopefully you caught the stupid humor and sarcasm in that

so i tried to work with my camera to get some focused shots with blurry backgrounds. i think i kind of got the hang of it. however, i need more practice on actual things to get in my shot. this is just a bush with the city in the back. nothing special

and old tunnel thing that had been tagged. i kinda liked it

battle creek falls part 2 (nov 2, 08)

2008-11-02T09:55:00.001-07:00

'you might not be able to choose how you feel, but you can choose how you act.'
-eric shumway

more water pictures. seems to be all i take pictures of lately

so, my sister and her 4 boys (and me of course) decided to take a little hike in the rain. when all of a sudden someone noticed a big white bottom poking out of the bushes pointed right at us

we watched him for a minute and then noticed his friend up a few yards perched on a ledge watching us. how cool is that? a mountain goat up on a cliff edge. i took a ton of pictures but unfortunately he was too far to get any good ones

my sis and the boys

i've been tryin to get some detail shots - as mentioned in my last couple of posts. i just suck at them. i really do need a better camera and some more talent i guess :)

any ideas anyone - or donations for a camera - or tips about lighting or photoshop or something

stewart falls (oct 29, 08)

2008-10-29T09:39:00.000-06:00

'maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: 'mankind'. basically, it's made up of two separate words - 'mank' and 'ind'. what do these words mean? it's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind. '
-jack handy [deep thoughts]

saw a nice little family of dear right at the trail head. i tried to move over all sneaky like i was looking at the trail map and slowly inch over to get a picture. i think they were on to me, cuz they started runnin

stewart falls. i wish i had more time so i could get some better pics. and play in the water :)

my lame attempt, again, at getting some cool detail shots with my camera. i sure need a lesson or something

k, i won't lie... this has probably got to be one of my favorite pictures i have ever taken. i shot like a million of these with different settings on my camera. and i finally got this one. doesn't it look like it could be from some tropical island or something

cascade springs (oct 28, 08)

2008-10-28T02:53:00.000-06:00

'the memories that last the longest
are the ones that take effort to create.'

up on the alpine loop up provo canyon

cascade springs - i had a vague memory of being here once

as i walked around taking pictures it got clearer and clearer

then my parents told me that i had been there once when i was just a little kid

i'm still trying to figure out the functions of my camera to get the best pictures. i need some practice

this area is SO cool. different levels and terraces of pools that flow into the next and so on

if i was an indian or some stranded mountain man i think this would be paradise right here

i tried so hard to get some good detail pics. this is the best one i got

i'll for sure come back to this place. maybe when i've got more time. it was getting dark and i kinda rushed thru all of it. definitely a must see for anyone travelling to utah - like the 4 ladies i met up there from california just out enjoying the mountains like me :)

Y mountain - part 2 (oct 27, 08)

2008-10-27T02:47:00.000-06:00

'but perhaps it is Godliness
that i learn to endure this pain
and simply know that she, for whom i hold this unconditional love,
is more in need and deserving of it
than i'

so, i was torn between 2 decisions last night. i REALLY was looking forward to a hike up to stewart falls. but i also was invited to go play basketball with some friends. i decided to go play ball instead. so i was limited to a short, close night hike.

i tried to get some night pictures... but i'm not too camera savvy
so this is all i could come up with

provo temple from halfway up Y mount trail

unfortunately provo doesn't have much of a skyline :)

bridal veil falls (oct 26, 08)

2008-10-26T02:41:00.000-06:00

'faith is the sense of life, that sense by virtue of which man does not destroy himself, but continues to live on. it is the force whereby we live.'

-leo tolstoy

the provo river at the base of the falls - i love this pic

the water falling off these rocks was so cool. i think this is a really neat picture

the hike up to to bottom of the falls isn't bad at all. maybe only about 10 to 15 minutes

the view from the top of the falls across provo canyon

battle creek falls (oct, 25, 08)

2008-10-25T02:35:00.000-06:00

'we all have our time machines. some take us back, they're called memories. some take us forward, they're called dreams.'
-uber-morlock, [HG Wells' the time machine]

early saturday morning. quick little drive up to a pleasant grove canyon trail-head

this hike is only about a half mile. but very pretty and the waterfall is amazing

the view of utah lake from the top of the falls

just to sit and watch the water fall off the edge is hypnotizing

next time i'll continue on past the falls. i wonder if there is more to see and explore further up the canyon

utah lake (oct 23, 08)

2008-10-23T02:28:00.000-06:00

'so many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future...
... God has placed [joy] all around us. it is in everything and anything we might experience. we just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living.'

-alexander supertramp

utah lake at sunset

the dock at the marina. quite the peaceful little spot to sit and think

i took a short little trip around the east side of the lake down by mud lake

i don't think i've ever been to this area of the lake

rock canyon (oct 22, 08)

2008-10-22T02:19:00.000-06:00

'el secreto de la felicidad esta en mirar todas las maravillas del mundo, pero sin olvidarse nunca de las dos gotas de aceite en la cuchara.'
-el Alquimista

rock canyon

so as usual i hike for a bit then find a nice cozy place to read.

i was getting a little chilly since the sun wasn't hitting the trail. but i noticed a little cliff up the left side of the canyon was getting plenty of sun

so i climbed up to it and found a fun little spot on the edge and got comfy for a little while

'Y' mountain (oct 21, 08)

2008-10-21T02:15:00.000-06:00

'cuando quieres algo, todo el universo conspira para que realices tu deseo.'

el Rey de Salem

hike for a bit while thinkin about whatever

then find a nice little nook and sit down and read for a bit

then continue on my hike

i liked this hike especially cuz i was the only one on the 'Y'

probably because it was like sub-zero temperatures and just about dark. who in their right mind would be up there at such a time :)

quotes of the westwood

2008-09-01T13:31:00.009-06:00

-mom is becoming a little controlling
-what tipped you off? when she locked you out on the balcony again?
-that was half my fault. i thought i saw a graham cracker out there
--buster and michael bluth (arrested development)

'it does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop'
-confucius

'ineptitude - if you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly'
-despair.com

'i'm trying to get a little squirrel to come over to me here. i don't wanna make any big sudden movements. i'll frighten him away'
-elaine marie benes

'we don't persist in prayer to change God's mind. we persist in prayer to change our hearts.'
-gerald n. lund

'clothes make the man. naked people have little or no influence on society'
-mark twain

it's not true that life is one damn thing after another; it is one damn thing over and over
-edna st. vincent millay

you are not one of them. You have great powers, only some of which you have as yet discovered
-jorel

music is one of the greatest gifts of all. it asks nothing in return but that we listen
-unknown

we are a plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! make you late for dinner! i can't think what anybody sees in them
-bilbo baggins

i do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday
-abraham lincoln

congratulations... i want to reward you with five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact
-barry [baby mamma]

getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. you have to let go at some point in order to move forward
-c.s. lewis

as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them
-john f kennedy

the course of true love never did run smooth
-william shakespeare

every morning in africa, a gazelle wakes up. it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. every morning in africa, a lion wakes up. it knows it mush run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. it doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running
-unknown

courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear
-mark twain

see the thing of it is, there's a lot of ugly people out there walking around but they don't know they're ugly because nobody actually tells them
-jerry seinfeld

there's nothin you can do that can't be done. nothin you can sing that can't be sun. nothin you can say but you can learn how to play the game - it's easy
there's nothin you can make that can't be made. noone you can save that can't be saved. nothin you can do but you can learn how to be in time - it's easy
there's nothin you can know that isn't known. nothin you can see that isn't shown. nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be - it's easy
there's nothin you can know that isn't known. nothin you can see that isn't shown. nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be - it's easy
all you need is love
love is all you need
-the beetles

you might not be able to choose how you feel, but you can choose how you act
-eric shumway

maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: 'mankind". basically, it's made up of two separate words - 'mank' and 'ind' - what do these words mean? it's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind
-jack handy [deep thoughts]

the memories that last the longest are the ones that take effort to create
-unknown

but perhaps it is godliness
that i learn to endure this pain
and simply know that she, for whom i hold this unconditional love,
is more in need and deserving of it
than i
-unknown

faith is the sense of life, that sense by virtue of which man does not destroy himself, but continues to live on. it is the force whereby we live
-leo tolstoy

we all have our time machines. some take us back, they're called memories. some take us forward, they're called dreams
-uber-morlock [h.g. wells' the time machine]

so many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future...
...god has placed [joy] all around us. it is in everything and anything we might experience. we just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living
-alexander supertramp

el secreto de la felicidad esta en mirar todas las maravillas del mundo, pero sin olvidarse nunca de las dos gotas de aceite en la cuchara
-el alquimista

cuando quieres algo, todo el universo conspira para que realices tu deseo
-el rey de salem