It has been a while since I last posted, and I have missed it. Every day I have thought about sitting down to write, and the hours have flown by without a word written.
Frankly, I've been busy finishing my book's publication, When the Flying Nun Crashed. My first published book! I still cannot believe I did it and that my book is now available on Amazon. Dreams do come true.
The last few weeks, though, have been more like a nightmare. It has been devastating to learn that many of the places Jose and I had recently visited and I had planned to write about have been destroyed or badly damaged by the wildfires raging along the West coast. It is hard to get your head around the devastation. Lives lost, properties ravaged, families displaced, businesses ruined, dreams shattered, nature under siege. Climate change is adding to the fires' intensity, but human negligence has caused them too. It angers me to learn about fires started by people, like the couple using fireworks for a baby reveal party. Or those caused by faulty hot tub wiring or poorly maintained electrical equipment. And, worse, some fires may have been started by arsonists. These acts add insult to the injuries we've done to Mother Nature. Although fires caused by lightning tend to burn more acres, humans cause over 85% of wildfires and could be prevented.
Thankfully my family and I were never in danger, but the air quality has been horrible because, at one point, we had fires to the north, east, and south. Even with masks, we could not be outside. I stay away from the evening news because I can't bear to think about what those in the fires' path are going through.
I want to share some pictures of the places we visited since I last posted. Many of these places may be gone or indeed no longer look the same. I am thankful we were able to see and enjoy them before the fires. They are a reminder that we must appreciate every moment because everything can change in an instant. It has been said often, but 2020 has been a very difficult year. It reminds me life is fragile and much that happens is out of my control. We need to stay present every day, every hour, every moment, and not get too far ahead of our worries. This year and all its troubles will pass, and life will go on. Like the burnt forests, our lives are different, but with the possibility of rebirth and growth.
View of from a winery in Kelseyville in Lake County. I don't know if this winery was impacted but the area was evacuated.
View of Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County.
View of Lake Berryessa Recreation Area. Lots of homes were lost in this area.
View of South Lake Tahoe when the fires started. You could not see the mountains. We were staying at the Zephyr Cove Campground.
View from our backyard on one of the days when the Air Quality Index exceeded 350. Thankfully air quality is now in the teens and the sky is blue.