VPIERCE

picnic at santa cruz beach

2007-12-24T10:19:00.001-08:00

December 23rd and temperature was in the 50s and hardly no one was at the beach. We had picnic on the beach, watching waves and kids shaping the sand. Eventually the kids gathered enough twigs and shaped them in to a shelter. It was the only shelter on the beach.

Baywatch

2007-12-21T22:14:00.000-08:00

Mellisa her brother , Chris, and I combed the Monteray Bay state beach for marine lives. I could spent all day in this 9 acre lots. The sea water was cold and the hermit crabs were every where. A few different starfish species were the star of the find. We rescued the dried ones and avoided stepping on any of the enemonies .

Redwood Big Basin near Santa Cruz

2007-12-20T20:28:00.000-08:00

The tallest tree in the world is located in northern part of California. In the Big Basin, it was like walking in the sequoia forest. This tree was not the Father tree, which is the biggest, but Melissa and I couldn't even come close to wrap our hands around its trunk. Walking among the giants was great, especially when shared with friends.

Golden Gate Bridge

2007-12-17T23:31:00.000-08:00

My first bridge crossing in America was this bridge back in 1982. I was preteen back then. I drove over the toll bridge and walked across in awed of this giant structures.

Yosemite

2007-12-17T23:18:00.000-08:00

The Yosemite valley was a nice area, but the majestic view of the surrounding mountains were breath taking. Again, winter season had some pro and con side. The pro side was that not too many visitors were there. The con side was that the highest waterfall in NA was dried up and many animals were not there. Also many of the roads were closed thus, I missed the sequoia tree with a tunnel through it.

Sequoia Tree

2007-12-17T23:00:00.000-08:00

Now this park was my favorite place. The biggest tree in the world was very amazing. There were many for giant trees in the area. I was just a flea to them. The pine cones were smaller than my palm and needed fire to germinate. Many of the giant trees had burned scars on them but the 2+ feet deep barks kept the tree well protected; thus this tree is well in the 2,ooo yrs old.

Joshua Tree National Park

2007-12-17T22:43:00.000-08:00

The park was way, way out there and I was not very interested after I saw the trees. If I were to explore the area it might have been a more different but it seemed lifeless other than a few shrubs and cacti. Cold temperature discouraged me to stay longer. I camped the night and temperature was below freezing. It was cool that I got to see the Joshua tree (endemic only to North America) of this species in the world.

Friend's friends

2007-12-17T22:28:00.001-08:00

I had the privallige to explore around most of the well-known Los Angelas areas because my friend lives there. This picture was taken after our gathering at a Japanese restuarant.

Venice and Santa Monica Beach

2007-12-08T19:11:00.001-08:00

How crazy was this, I was biking on Venice Beach in LA, California. It was fun but not too many people like I saw in TV. I was looking forward to see ladies with biki skating on the path ...winter is not the time for that. Nothice, I was the only one in short and temperature was in the 60s.

Going to LA on HWY 1

2007-12-07T01:00:00.003-08:00

Going to LA again. I was in LA many years ago. This time, drove on the scenic rout, HWY 1. What a view but slow. There were many place to stop to photograph, which I did. I am sorry that I don't know how to place many pictures on this website. downloaded most of the pictures in my facebook. You have to have your own facebook in order to see mine.

Santa Cruz, California

2007-12-07T00:41:00.000-08:00

The Olmsteads and I went to a Light Train ride. Santa showed up and gave each kid a candy. Picture from back of the line: kelly, molly, abby, mike, and henry.

I became a father

2007-11-27T20:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, finally I became a father...God Father that is. Jasmine was baptized. She was wide a wake prior and after the ceremony. But during the church sermen, I guess the Paster's lecture was too long for her, she fell asleep. When the water touched her head, it woke her up. Imediately she was in her usuall mood, jolly and smiley again.

Jasmine

2007-11-23T22:48:00.000-08:00

Of all the trouble with airplane tickets overbooked, I finally got to Houston, TX. Oh boy! After playing with Jasmine for a couple of minutes, seeing her teethless smiles and drooling lips, it was worth all the trouble.

Rabbit Hunting

2007-11-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

Hunting snowshoe hare is like looking for a needle in the hay stack. Walking for hours in a cold, white environment can take a told for many people, but for me, this is where I like to be. I carry a gun but mostly shoot with an XTi Canon camera. Following the hare's tracks is quite amusing. Every bouncing step tells a story. Once is a while I see a pair of wings marking on the snow...a raptor was here. Watch out rabbit, I am not the one after you.

The Beech Tree

2007-11-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

A beech tree is just a beech tree for many people. As for me, beech tree is unique. In winter its dead leaves are the only deciduous leaves that still cling on to branches. Big beech trees are also a good place to look for signs of wildlife, such as these claw prints left by a nice size black bear. The claw prints are not from this year, because the claw wounds have been healed. Black bear climbs beech tree to eat nuts for its valuable energy.

Tai Pepper

2007-11-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

People called me "Hot lips" for nothing. No Salsa is hot enough for me, yet. I grow Tai pepper because its hotness ranks way up with the Habinero peppers. These little Tai peppers pack a punch and when eaten, the hotness lingers in the mouth area for a while. I like to eat my pepper fresh. When I bite into one of these, it bites back, Grrr! Just the way I like it.
Growing indoor is one of the best way to continue eatin them fresh, cuz Vermont growing season is very short.

2007-11-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

It took us 1 hour and 20 minutes roundtrip to hike Haystack. We wore orange cuz of deer hunting season. We saw hunter foot tracks but did not hear any gunshots. There was snow on the ground but we were warm. On the way back, the trail was more slippery.

How the car got onto my pumpkin

2007-11-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

On a Saturday evening (a week passed Halloween holiday), four of us sat around the table edging to do something, " We had enough pumpkins on the deck, lets do something with it." No theme to worry about (making it hard to get a subject to carve) most of us pondered for a while. I cut the bottom of my pumpkin and de-gutted, saving all the seeds for roasting latter. While reading the newspapers that were spreading under the pumpkin; "bingo," the car-ads picture was staring before my eyes.
The pumpkin was too small for this model. Better yet, my camera needed a fisheye lens.

RPCV REUNION in Vermont

2007-10-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

The "reunion" cames about when I made a promise to Chris and James at their wedding. I said that for the wedding present, I would provide a perfect get-away place. I also had mentioned it to Victoria that I have access to a cabin. Emailed were flying back and forth among us folks over many months...then, Wiola! It happened. Chris and his wife James drove from DC; Jay, his wife Megan and Tylor drove from Waitfield, VT; while Tim and his wife Vika flew from Burbank, Ca. On Oct. 4th to 7th, many old and new tales provided laughters to everyone.

2007-08-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

This is what Granny Smith Apple looks like! Grrr!

2007-08-31T11:10:00.000-07:00

Somewhere out there in Vermont is a place called Northeast Kingdom...I am there!

2007-07-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

Yike! A Mouse! A Deer Mouse! It went up and down on a tree and them jumped off and on to me. It did not bite and was cute, fuzzy, and in a hurry...to find a hidding place till darkness comes. It was caught in a Sherman trap that was set for Small Mammal study. I have to say...I din't need a zoome lense for that one.

2007-07-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

One advantage of living in country side is that nature comes to you. Blueberry is in season and they are at growing at the edge of my lawn. I eat them everyday. Rasberry is also coming into season...yummm!

Turkeylets

2007-06-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone, meet White and Dark [meat.] I am rais'n two turkeys from chick that I ordered form a store. They are cute but a little noisy. At night they are in a vacant room in the cabin to avoid predation, and they have access to night light for heat. During day light, they are kept outside in a rectangular structure that I put together in 5 minutes, but looks professionally done.
I don't know what my intension is for raising them. I thought it would be nice by having turkeys where kids might see them, since I live in a nature center facility. I was told that turkey can be mean...we will see.
Turkey chicks are easily identify from chicken chicks, via a little feather stub between their eyes [close to the beak.]

2007-05-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

Opportunity happens where least expected. American Robin must build its own nest, but on a hanging bike? Oh well...

Curling in Canada! Who would have thunk

2007-04-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

hotstove, reading, and testing the remote

2007-03-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

office view of Bald Mt

2007-03-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

what type?

2007-03-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

global warming and iceage

2007-03-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Red Squirrel

2007-03-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

waist deep in snow

2007-03-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

de-fleecing the sheep

2007-03-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

Ho!Ho!Ho! Dad & V

2006-12-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

Tall Grass Prairie: big bue stem

2006-12-02T11:14:00.000-08:00

Good Morning, Iowa

2006-12-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

bird program at springbrook: name this bird

2006-12-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

Youngest picture of me...which one?

2006-12-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

breaks repair in Canada

2006-11-20T11:48:00.000-08:00

Clashing Samurai at a Japanese restuarant

2006-11-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

I am 8 foot 6 inches tall

2006-11-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

Trees in Vermont

2006-10-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

Peaked display Fall Sept. 06, in Vermont

2006-09-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

Autumn at Westmore, Vermont

2006-09-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

view from my office (live on site)

2006-08-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

1 mile portage!

2006-08-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

Mt. Manfield 4393 ft VT highest peak

2006-08-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

New Hampshire

2006-07-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

blue-headed vireo with 3 fletchlings

2006-07-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Monarch Chrysalis

2006-07-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

Land Shark

2006-07-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

Female Monarch Butterfly

2006-07-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

Peace Corps Buddy's Wedding

2006-06-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

With helpers, Kim and Ashly

2006-06-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

Garter Snake: early shedding stage

2006-06-22T05:51:00.000-07:00

Luna Moth

2006-06-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Barred Owl: new to the Center

2006-06-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Bog Rose Mary

2006-06-02T18:57:00.001-07:00

Sundew

2006-06-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

Pink Lady Slipper

2006-06-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

Something good will happen

2006-05-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Brown Ash Basket Class

2006-05-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Abominable Snow Serpent

2006-03-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

Cross-crountry skiing at worksite

2006-02-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

Harvesting Rice

2006-01-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

bamboo raft

2006-01-24T11:48:00.000-08:00

Spinning silk

2006-01-24T11:42:00.000-08:00

oldgrowth

2006-01-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

What is this? A hybrid of dragonfly and butterfly

2006-01-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

Aunt and Uncle of Dad's side

2006-01-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

Flight to Cambodia 2006

2006-01-22T19:05:00.000-08:00

a butterfly

2006-01-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

an orchid

2006-01-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

house on a flooded area

2006-01-22T18:56:00.000-08:00

a market

2006-01-22T18:55:00.000-08:00

rubber tree plantation

2006-01-22T18:53:00.000-08:00

The rare irrewaddydolphin

2006-01-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

rice field

2006-01-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

country side

2006-01-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

a relative house

2006-01-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

a wedding party

2006-01-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

elementary school

2006-01-22T18:31:00.000-08:00

Tarantular tastes like...

2006-01-22T18:25:00.000-08:00

Daily scavenging for recycleable goods to make a living

2006-01-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

Udoung Mountain surrounded by water

2006-01-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

JoJo: new pet

2006-01-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

A world to yourselve

2006-01-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

Mini Niagra Fall

2006-01-22T18:04:00.000-08:00

Wideview northwing of Ankor Wat

2006-01-22T17:57:00.000-08:00

The Rupperts:Lyle,Savoeun,Steven & Alice

2006-01-22T17:54:00.000-08:00

Ankor Wat

2006-01-22T17:51:00.000-08:00

2005-11-30T12:42:00.000-08:00

On my way to Cambodia

2005-11-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

New York City

2005-11-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

No tickets available

first wet snow storm: 9 inch of snow

2005-10-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

First Snow, 10/23/05

2005-10-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

driveway to our cabin, only an overnight flood duration.

2005-10-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Neighbor's river house: summer rental

2005-10-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

was a driveway

2005-10-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

2005-10-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

how many bumble bees?