Living In The Moment

Not very long ago I was listening to a podcast…and I can’t remember which one. It was about traveling. They were talking about taking photos and how sometimes you should just put the camera down and be there in the moment instead of trying to take the perfect picture. I didn’t think much of it because I usually snap the pictures and put the camera down because I am not a very good photographer. But then I thought about how sometimes I look at a place and think about the picture it could be and even I can get caught up in the picture instead of the moment.

Anyway, on Saturday when I was in Yellowstone, I saw this concept in action. We made it back from our geyser walk just in time to see Old Faithful erupt. We were to the side and had a great view and did not have to be packed into the main crowd. Everybody was standing there with their phones up and ready. Once it erupted, I took a few pictures and then put my phone in my pocket. We watched for a bit and then started to walk away and I noticed that almost everybody was watching the geyser erupt through the screen on their phone. What? We were watching this amazing part of the earth and they saw it through a lens instead of being there watching it live. Some of them were using the video function and just held their phone and looked around it but I still seems like they were not really focusing on what was happening and instead on getting it recorded.

My goal is to make sure I see things and enjoy them in the moment. There is nothing wrong with taking the picture, but I need to make sure that’s not all I’m doing. I still remember my trip to the Louvre and how there are only a few things where I stopped and actually saw them. The rest of the time I was snapping pictures. If I ever get the chance to go back, I will remember to leave the camera in my bag.

A Little Roadtrip

I took Friday off work and my mom and I did an impromptu trip up north. She wanted to go to Jackson, WY so that’s where we stayed. That part of the trip we had kind of planned out beforehand. I didn’t let her leave super early in the morning so we got there and checked in the hotel in the afternoon and then walked around the touristy town square.

Castle Geyser

 Saturday morning we got up and went to breakfast and then started driving towards Grand Teton National Park. Those mountains are so beautiful. But since we had a full day and we were so close we headed up to Yellowstone instead. I haven’t been there since I was a kid. We decided to do Old Faithful and walked around the geysers there. It was fun. And crowded.

Old Faithful

Lewis Falls

Then we drove back to the Tetons and saw a few of the lakes. Jenny lake was so crowded people were parking on the highway so we skipped that one and went and saw Menor’s Ferry historical sites and then drove over to Mormon Row, which is some old barns and houses still standing from an old Mormon settlement.

Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake

Sunday morning we got up and got ready to leave and stopped for donuts and went back up to Jenny lake.  It was a little cold that morning and I was the idiot who forgot my jacket. Most people there that early were there to hike and they were all dressed up in coats and hats. LOL I had a t-shirt and sandals on. I’m glad I didn’t miss it though. It was so nice. 

Jenny Lake

Grand Teton

We are thinking it might be fun to do a family trip up there one year instead of the Oregon coast.  My mom actually has a national parks pass that she’s never used. Dad had her get one, maybe thinking they would go somewhere, but they never did. She had it with her so it was nice to get into the parks with the pass, especially since we could go back the next day when things got crowded.