On The Fly

In this episode, Pushing the Pause Button: Stepping Off the Treadmill Hello, friends — If you're reading this, I'm already off the grid. Today begins a much-needed vacation, and for the next few weeks, On the Fly is taking a break right along with me. For a long time, my inner voice has said, 'Keep every commitment, no matter what.' That's meant early mornings, long days, and a calendar packed with posts, podcasts, and projects I couldn't seem to say no to. I've been trying to be the tireless workhorse—but that kind of grind doesn't end well. Lately, I've noticed I'm not quite myself—shorter fuse, louder sighs, and a few too many grumbles (Lori deserves a medal). That's when you know it's time to hit pause before the spark burns out. So, I'm stepping back to rest, recharge, and remember what it feels like to not live by the next deadline: no tech, no to-do lists, just some space to breathe. Thank you, truly, for all your support and ...

In this episode (178) – Doing Nothing . . . I'm lost - it's our first morning, Monday, October 24, 2022, at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park. For those who follow my blog, you know I'm an early riser; yes,  up at 4:30 daily, with no alarm clock, wide awake and ready to start the day (five a.m. is my idea of sleeping in). However, let's do a reality check, an essential part of vacation is Lori's time to sleep in, and rightfully so. Sitting on the porch of the community building at Camp Curry with Nothing but my thoughts as if a bolt of lightning struck me; most people in the twenty-first century are allergic to silence and a lack of something to do. It's as if they're afraid of their thoughts. Don't believe me? Just look around; people on their phones, working on a project, watching TV, playing games, surfing the Internet, reading a book, preparing a meal, cleaning the house, flossing their teeth, you get the idea. They are always doing. I'm a...

In this episode (173) – Goodby Summer 2022 . . . Wow!  Can you believe summer is over? This year (2022) has flown by. It's early morning, and already I'm noticing the sunrise arriving later and later. Siri tells me, "The Sun will rise at 6:43 a.m." The shorter days bring cooler weather. Soon we will don our jackets for an early morning walk. Me, I enjoy the warmth and comfort of my blue flannel shirt . For you sky watchers, the Hunters Moon is your gateway to fall; it will be visible on  Sunday, October 9, 2022, at 16:55 EST , based on the data provided by  NASA . Legend has it that Native Americans inspired the Full Moon's name as they prepared for the winter. They would start gathering provisions to get them through the winter. The October full moon is the first full moon after the Harvest Moon. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the moon occurs when the season for hunting many game animals begins. That crisp, fresh, colorful time of year. Autumn is a ti...

“Let’s do it, this morning drive to Glacier Point , the weather is beautiful today, no plans, just spend some time exploring.” Little did we know that the trip would provide an experience we would fall in love with yet again. For our 30 th anniversary, we were drawn once again to the tranquility of Yosemite. Exploring the National Parks - exquisite solitude, exhilaration, and the delight of re-discovery. Once we arrived, no set agenda, just go wherever nature leads you. This year, we arrived in Yosemite early October; the gold and crimson colors were clearly evident. The vibrant colors of fall, mixed with the stark coal-black recent fire damage, tiptoed up the mountain walls. Early mornings, a slight mist hugged the meadows at Wawona, illuminated by a soft diffused light. The air was crisp and cool – many would say downright cold - clean with the fresh scent of wet pines carried on the breeze. Temperatures dropped into the 30s at night. Our vacation home this year...

“Do you think I’ll need my gloves?”  “No doubt,” I said to Lori as we prepared to make the trek up the Mountain from Bishop, CA , on route 168, to the Bishop Pass trailhead at South Lake (elevation 9,620 ft). Bishop Pass Trailhead It was cold late October weather. 36 degrees when we parked the truck and stepped into the brisk, fresh Sierra mountain air.  The golden yellow fall colors of trembling Aspens surrounded us.  We never passed a single car driving the 20 miles from downtown Bishop past Parchers Resort (closed for the season) to our roadside parking. My first thought - where is everyone? Wonder if the trailhead is closed for the season? Nah, can’t be. The parking lot was gated . . . why? “ Last time I was here we couldn't find a place to park. There were bicyclists, people trout fishing Bishop Creek, and the resort was teeming with activity - this year no one. Weird!” Undaunted, we layered our clothes, strapped on our day-packs, adjus...

Time - It’s all relative, or is it? In the Special Theory of Relativity Einstein determined that time is relative - in other words, the rate at which time passes depends on your frame of reference. This got me thinking about the Cubs, Doc Brown, and Back To The Future . How do you determine your frame of reference? Here it is almost Christmas, oops, I mean Halloween (it just looks like Christmas at Home Depot where all the decorations are already in place). Soon we lose daylight savings time (November 1st) then its back to darkness at 5:00 pm. Honestly, it seems like we were just there. Doesn’t it to you too? But on the bright side, it’s 2015 and the Cubs are in the playoffs. October baseball. That hasn’t happened since the Steve Bartman incident in game six of the NLCS 2003 - has it really been 12 years? I’m thinking he’s watching the playoffs on TV. Can you believe it was 30 years ago that Back To The Future II predicted the Cubs winning the World Series in 2015! It ...