I use Instagram solely for the promotion of my art business and rarely do I post the same item here. Today will be an exception.  I just had the pleasure of painting these beautiful kitties when SIL Ellen commissioned the portrait for a dear friend. As has happened recently when I’ve put paintings in the…

There is no universal scale of trail ratings. What’s considered moderate in one guide is easy in another. It’s totally subjective. I sorted through all the “easy” ones in the book “140 Great Hikes in and near Palm Springs,” and am generally finding them underrated.  Recently we hiked the Bear Creek Canyon/Boo Hoff Loop Trail,…

A few more photos from Bryant and Sammy’s Las Vegas ceremony. They want to reiterate, as they assured us, that this was purely a legal ceremony and the real wedding is yet to come, one where they can say their own vows in front of friends and family.  Thanks to all of you who responded…

Samantha Wilson and Bryant Boesen  Married January 3rd, 2026 A Little White Wedding Chapel Las Vegas, Nevada We look forward to a larger celebration next year. Sammy and Bryant have formally entered the Wilboe clan. All three of our Boesen children have married a Williams or Wilsons.

Geocaching was introduced to me 19.5 years ago on the weekend of my first daughter’s wedding. Flying in for the celebrations BIL Greg read about it in an airline magazine, and considering my love of walking in the woods, thought I would like it. We bought a gps that evening and immediately started geocaching.  I’ve…

We had a nice California visit with all three kids and two partners until the week prior to Christmas. E went home to be with her family and the actual day was shared with M&KC, B&S.  Gifts were fun. This is what happens when both the purchaser and Amazon make a mistake: 4lbs of giant…

Docking at Falmouth, Jamaica, evidence of the devastating hurricane was apparent. Blue tarped roofs and uprooted trees showed the damage.  Our ship was one of the first back to a town that depends on tourism. We walked into town where some shops were closed permanently, unable to survive the four months without  business. A grocery…

It’s been 30 years since we were in the Dominican. The kids were 5, 10 and 12. Lots of good memories there. The first day in the Dominican in the oppressive heat we walked from the port, past three baseball fields, over a bridge and into the town of La Romana. It was a large…

The world gets smaller. On our last night at sea, admiring the moon on the water, the group of four next to us were talking about their post cruise plans. They were a Czech family, mom and dad and two grown daughters. We had the same plans and the conversation progressed. We were from Canada,…

1983 nautical mikes from Lisbon in the middle of the North Atlantic. No birds, no land, just ocean and sky. The sea depth is 5000m! I’ve done this route a few times in the past so I know the routine. Heading to the Caribbean, each day gets warmer. Soon we’ll see flying fish and an…