Yellowstone

Of all the places around the world to which I have traveled, Yellowstone National Park is the most spiritual place I've ever been. For me, it captures the whole arc of creation, from birth in the primordial ooze of the hot springs, through death in all its forms, to resurrection and rebirth. It is a place very much alive with creative, transformative energy. It is a place that periodically destroys itself in order to restart and renew the cycle. With every visit, I experience more of the ever-changing subtle details and the underlying mystical message. It is a living prayer, deeply one with and a full manifestation of the Spirit.

Emerald Pool, Black Sand Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Lake Yellowstone from Storm Point, Yellowstone National Park

Lower Falls of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park

Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Prismatic Spring, Middle Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Pronghorn Fawns, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bison along the Madison River, Yellowstone National Park

Big Horn Sheep, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Marmot near Storm Point, Yellowstone National Park

Lake Yellowstone from Storm Point, Yellowstone National Park

Late May, Grand Loop Road near Lake Hotel, Yellowstone National Park

Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park

Trumpeter Swans, Firehole River, Yellowstone National Park

Bison near Storm Point, Yellowstone National Park

Lake Yellowstone from Bridge Bay Campground, Yellowstone National Park

Near the Northeast Entrance, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Elk in Bridge Bay Campground, Yellowstone National Park

Algae, Middle Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bison near Madison Campground, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Sapphire Pool, Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Big Horn Sheep, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Morning in Yellowstone National Park

Pronghorn, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grizzly Bears, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Algae, Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Algae and Pool, Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Coyote, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Algae, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park

Liberty Cap, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park

Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Spouter Geyser, Black Sand Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Black Sand Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Black-Billed Magpie, Yellowstone National Park

Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park

Algae, Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Lake Hotel, Yellowstone National Park

Glacier Lily, Bridge Bay Campground, Yellowstone National Park

Harlequin Ducks, Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Clear Lake and Wapiti Trails, Yellowstone National Park

Basalt Cliffs, Calcite Springs Overlook, Yellowstone National Park

Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bison, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bald eagle, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bugling Elk, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Pronghorn, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Morning Dew, Bridge Bay Campground, Yellowstone National Park

Mountains

Mountains are nature's cathedrals that lift up my spirit. Majestic and strong, yet fragile and changing, they connect us to the forces that act imperceptibly over time. Join me in some of my favorite cathedrals around the world.

Lower Water Fowl Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Sunrise in the Tetons, Wyoming

Swiss Alps from the Schilthorn

Bow Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Peyto Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Mirror Lakes near Milford Sound, New Zealand

Southern Alps, New Zealand

Lake Manapouri, New Zealand

The Eiger, Swiss Alps

Magic Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Sunrise on the Tetons

Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Waterways

Water gives life. It creates peaceful contemplative spaces and turbulent forces of change. The places in these photos are among my favorite experiences of both.

Sabbaday Falls, White Mountains, New Hampshire

Near Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

Sunrise on the Nile, Luxor, Egypt

Porto and Gaia, Portugal

River Shannon, Ireland

Morning on the Potomac River, Washington, DC

Blue Pools, New Zealand

Finger Lakes, New York

Twin Falls, Snoqualmie Pass, Washington

Near Regua, Portugal

Thames River, Oxford, England

Castel Sant'Angelo, Tiber River, Rome, Italy

Athabasca Falls, Jasper National Park, Canada

Along the Upper Douro River, Portugal

Great Falls of the Potomac, Maryland-Virginia

Along the Douro River, Portugal

Passau (on the Danube), Germany

Along the Nile River, Egypt

North Ledge, Quahog Bay, Maine

Water Cove, Maine

Flora

Creation provides an infinite variety of flowers, trees, and plants. Whether gracefully curved or angularly spiked, drab green or the brightest colors of the rainbow, they give us much on which to meditate. I share with you some of my favorites from along my adventure.

Springtime Fern, The Chasm, Near Milford Sound, New Zealand

Cherry Blossoms, Tidal Basin, Washington, DC

Mateus Castle, Portugal

Snake River Outside Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Buttercup, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Walnut Block Winery, Marlborough, New Zealand

Blue Asters, Christchurch, New Zealand

Quince Tree, San Anton Gardens, Malta

Poinsettias, Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania

Kew Gardens, London, England

Magnolia, Kew Gardens, London, England

Kew Gardens, London, England

Cherry Blossoms, Chestertown, MD

Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece

Water Lily, Kew Gardens, London, England

Molino di Bordone, Tuscany

7th Heaven Orchid, Washington, DC

Olive Tree, Pont du Gard, Provence, France

Pistachio Tree, Megalochori, Santorini, Greece

Callaway Gardens, Georgia

Cherry Tree, Kyoto, Japan

U.S. Botanic Garden, Washington, DC

Molino di Bordone, Tuscany

Near Muckross House, Killarney, Ireland

Sunflower, San Anton Gardens, Malta

Tamkang University, Taipei, Taiwan

Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox, Chestertown, MD

Garden, Chesterton, MD

Poppy, Ephesus, Turkey

Molino di Bordone, Tuscany

Flower Market, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

St. Francis Winery, Sonoma, California

U.S. Botanic Garden

Artichoke, San Anton Gardens, Malta

Raulston's Allspice, Manteo, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Molino di Bordone, Tuscany

San Anton Gardens, Malta

Petunias, San Anton Gardens, Malta

Landmarks

We live in a world full of iconic landmarks, some natural, some made by people. They mark changes in technological advance, and changes in the human struggle. Some are beacons of hope, others of despair. One thing is for sure--a visit to any of them creates stories to tell that become markers of time in our lives. What stories do you have from these or others you have seen? Will you always have Paris?

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Ronda, Spain

Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol (in Scaffolding)

Hungarian Parliament Building, Budapest, Hungary

The White House, Washington, DC

USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawai'i

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

Masada, Israel

Swiss Guard, Vatican City

Mount Vernon, Virginia

Belem Tower, Lisbon, Portugal

Women's Rights Historical Park, Seneca Falls, New York

Burnside Bridge, Antietam Battlefield, Maryland

Alhambra, Granada, Spain

City Wall, Cordoba, Spain

Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain

Chapel Bridge, Lucerne, Switzerland

Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Italy

Grand Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan

Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Vicksburg Battlefield, Mississippi

Il Campo, Siena, Italy

Grave of Boston Massacre Victims, Granary Burying Ground, Boston, Massachusetts

Dome, Medici Chapel, Florence, Italy

Castelo Rodrigo (UNESCO Site), Portugal

State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia

Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

The Magazine, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Francesco I de' Medici, Medici Chapel, Florence, Italy

Mateus Castle, Portugal

Diamond Head and Honolulu, Hawai'i

Governor's Mansion, Williamsburg, Virginia

Molino di Bordone, Tuscany, Italy

Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC

Galileo's Tomb, Santa Croce, Florence, Italy

Civilizations

We are stewards of time and place. All around us is the evidence of the stewards who came before. What they left us we must preserve so that the story continues. Come and see the snippets of who we are and from whence we came.

Pont du Gard, Provence, France

Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre, Giza, Egypt

Parthenon, Athens, Greece

The Great Wall of China, China

Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt

Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Delphi, Greece

Poulnabrone Dolmen, The Burren, ireland

Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor, Egypt

Library of Celsus, Ephesus, Turkey

Palace of Knossos, Crete, Greece

The Pantheon, Rome, Itlay

Kaymakli Underground City, Cappadocia, Turkey

Temple of Minerva, Assisi, Italy

Erechtheion (on the Acropolis), Athens, Greece

Helmet of Militates (Battle of Marathon), Olympia Museum, Greece

Hagar Qim Temple, Malta

Amphitheatre at Epidaurus, Greece

Amphitheatre, Ephesus, Turkey

The Forum, Rome, Italy

Akrotiri Ruins, Santorini, Greece

Frescoes, Rome, Italy

Harem, Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey

Sleeping Lady, Neolithic Hal Saflieni, Malta

Sacred

Sacred spaces have been created since the beginning of human history. Mysterious and majestic, they represent some of the greatest examples of artistic and architectural creativity on earth. Come, be still, and experience the sacred.

Chapel at Callaway Gardens, Georgia

Capernaum, Sea of Galilee, Israel

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel

The Tomb (Traditional Site), Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel

St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Nice, France

Church, Goreme Open Air Museum, Cappadocia, Turkey

Santa Croce, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel

Stonehenge, England

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel

St. Peter's Square, Vatican City

Agios Nikolakis, Mykonos, Greece

St. John the Evangelist Monastery, Patmos, Greece

Museum of Lamego, Portugal

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, France

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

Temple of Isis, Philae Temple Complex, Aswan, Egypt

Pulpit, New Cathedral, Salamanca, Spain

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury, England

Westminster Abbey, London, England

Dome, New Cathedral, Salamanca, Spain

Gallarus Oratory, Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

Tuscany, Italy

Mezquita-Cathedral, Cordoba, Spain

Statue of the Immaculate Conception, Seville, Spain

Shrine, Eze, Provence, France

Clonmacnoise Monastery, County Offaly, Ireland

Cathedral of St. Mary of the See, Seville, Spain

Church of St. Francis, Valletta, Malta

St. Tola's High Cross, County Clare, Ireland

Masjid As-Syakirin, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Museum, Old Cathedral, Salamanca, Spain

Mosque on Nile Shore, Aswan, Egypt

Blue Mosque Interior, Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy

Cloister, Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal

Orlier Altarpiece (Martin Schongauer, 1470-1475) Detail, Unterlinden Museum, Colmar, France

St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta

Shinto Priests, Meiji Shinto Shrine, Tokyo, Japan

Apse of Cathedral of St. Mary the Royal of La Almudena, Madrid, Spain

Archbasilica St. John Lateran, Rome, Italy

Le Celle, Cortona, Tuscany, Italy

St. Michael Window, Freiburg Minster, Freiburg, Germany

Hagia Sophia Interior, Istanbul, Turkey

Nativity Scene, St. Michael's Church, Budapest, Hungary

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Church of St. Titus, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Babulnath Shiva Temple, Mumbai, India

Detail of Cathedral, Siena, Italy

Abbey of Sant'Antimo, near Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Church of the Annunciation (Traditional Site), Nazareth, Israel

Duomo, Florence, Italy

Detail of Upper Facade of Duomo, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

San Francesco, Assisi, Umbria, Italy

Santa Chiara, Assisi, Umbria, Italy

Dome of Annunciation of Our Lady, Mdina, Malta

St. Lawrence's Church, Vittoriosa, Malta

Wrist Bone of St. Paul, St. Paul Shipwreck Church, Valletta, Malta

St. Paul Shipwreck Church, Valletta, Malta

Valletta, Malta

Church of the Beatitudes, Galilee, Israel

Traditional Gethsemane Site, Church of All Nations, Jerusalem, Israel

Nature

The power of creation and the cycle of life are gracefully, sometimes brutally, visible around us, often in the midst of incredible beauty. Come with me and reflect on nature, in solitude, in quiet, in meditation.

Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington, DC

Oia Sunset, Santorini

Vitaleta Chapel Near Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Desert Near Jerusalem, West Bank, Palestine

Fall Foliage Along the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Fairy Chimneys, Cappadocia, Turkey

Along the Nile River, Egypt

View from Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy

Winter at the Dixon Center, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Sandeman (Quinta do Seixo) near Regua, Portugal

Appomattox Court House NHP, Virginia

Near Twin Falls, Snoqualmie, Washington

Dead Sea from Masada, Israel

Under Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Along the Cle Elum River, Suncadia Resort, Cle Elum, Washington

Theodore Roosevelt Island, Washington, DC

White Mountains, New Hampshire

Wilson's Cove Trail, Near Harpswell, Maine

Near Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Castelo Rodrigo (UNESCO Site), Portugal

Mediterranean Sunset, Tel Aviv, Israel

Lake Hayes, New Zealand

Vineyard Near Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

"The Lovers," Cappadocia, Turkey

Pigeon Valley, Cappadocia, Turkey

Wilson's Cove Trail, Near Harpswell, Maine

Decugnano dei Barbi Winery, Near Orvieto, Umbria, Italy

Fauna

We share this earth with wondrously diverse creatures. From those that soar high above us to those whose lives are spent underground, all of them enrich creation. Meet a few of those I've encountered along my way.

Black Bear, Upper Waterton Lake, Waterton Lakes NP, Alberta, Canada

Erect-Crested Penguins, Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

Osprey, Manteo, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Kea, New Zealand

Bald Eagles, Upper Waterton Lake, Waterton Lakes NP, Alberta, Canada

Peacock, San Anton Gardens, Malta

Elephant Seal, New Zealand

Black Bear, Upper Waterton Lake, Glacier NP, Montana

The Dead Sea, Israel

Flying in Formation, Nile River, Egypt

South Island Robin, New Zealand

Osprey at Sunrise, Eastern Shore, MD

California Quail, New Zealand

Romney Sheep, New Zealand

Tree Swallow, Eastern Shore, Maryland

Swan, St. James Park, London, England

Great Horned Owls, Manteo, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Peacock, Buen Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain

Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Shore, Maryland

Double Crested Cormorant, North Ledge, Quahog Bay, Maine

Cities

Like people, cities have unique personalities. Each is different, and a vibrant mix of past and present. The blend makes for interesting experiences, and keeps the city story alive. Here are a few of my favorite city places.

City Hall, Arles, France

Ronda, Spain

Castelo Rodrigo (UNESCO Site), Portugal

Istanbul, Turkey

Baeza, Spain

Cordoba, Spain

Sao Francisco Church, Porto, Portugal

Osaka, Japan

Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Le Jardin d'Eze, Eze, Provence, France

Baeza, Spain

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Cairo, Egypt

Cathedral of Mary of the See, Seville, Spain

Marche aux Fleurs, Nice, France

Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem, Israel

Jaffa, Israel

Muse, Clarendon Building, Oxford University, Oxford, England

Restaurant after Earthquake, Christchurch, New Zealand

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Rossio Station, Lisbon, Portugal

Marina, Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat, Provence, France

Megalochori, Santorini, Greece

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Provence, France

Braga, Portugal

Monteriggioni, Tuscany, Italy

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Church of Bom Jesus, Braga, Portugal

Salzburg, Austria

Mdina, Malta

Braga, Portugal

Pecorino Cheese, Pienza, Tuscany, Italy

Passau, Germany

Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy

Cemetery, Castelo Rodrigo (UNESCO Site), Portugal

Lace Maker, Rabat, Malta

Bratislava, Slovakia

Pinhao, Portugal

Great Market Hall, Budapest, Hungary

Cairo, Egypt

Colmar, Alsace, France

Tile Scenes, Porto Train Station, Portugal

Porto Train Station, Portugal

Salamanca, Spain

Montepulciano, Tuscany, italy

Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Alexandria, Egypt

Senglea, Malta

Santorini, Greece

Cortona, Tuscany, italy

Dhobi Ghat Laundry, Mumbai, India

Roanoke Island Inn, Manteo, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Mumbai, India

Siena, Tuscany, Italy

City Flag, Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy

Artist in Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Grand Harbor, Valletta, Malta

Assisi, Umbria, Italy

Cortona, Tuscany, Italy

Grand Harbor from Ursulino Valletta, Valletta, Malta

Parruccan Cakes, Rabat, Malta

Door Knocker, Mdina, Malta

Valletta, Malta

Coasts

Perhaps it's because we came from the sea--I like to think that's why coasts are such attractors for me. Their variation, from flat, wide, and sandy to jagged, rough, and rocky, is reflective of how life itself is. Journey with me along some of the beautiful places where the land and sea meet.