Looking for eagles in Alaska

John got back from a photo workshop in Alaska last Thursday. He was there to photograph bald eagles, but the cold weather with snow and ice and snow made it quite challenging. Despite the difficult conditions, he captured some stunning shots of the majestic birds in their natural habitat. The workshop was led by Aaron Baggenstos, a renowned wildlife photographer who shared his expertise and techniques with the group.

While the tour was focused on bald eagles, one of the most memorable shots was with the sea otters, who had come out of the water to rest and feed the young ones.

As the workshop was winding down, John was part of a small group that set out to find the great grey owl, but after a day and a half, it remained hidden.

Despite the cold and challenging conditions, it was a great experience. John came home with great shots, new skills, and a continued appreciation of the Alaskan wilderness.

For Valentine’s, Olivia and John went to a Sting concert at the San Francisco Symphony. It was a great evening at an intimate venue allowing Sting to be a little closer to his audience. He had good stories to tell about the origin of and meaning behind some of his iconic songs. The symphony orchestra added a beautiful and unique element to the concert, creating a nice blend of classical and contemporary music.

Pre-Formal Dance in the Rain

The weekend brought more wind and more rain. We have reached what we usually get for the entire year, but everybody reacts with “we need it” when it is brought up in conversation. And while we have had damage two times so far, we’re delighted California is getting soaked, and the reserves are full.

On Saturday, we had 30 teenagers and 15-20 parents over for a couple of hours before the party bus took them to the Notre Dame formal dance. Very lively but well-behaved. The weather, unfortunately, wasn’t cooperating, and only one photo was captured outside.

John And Adriana prepared a bunch of balloons on Friday evening. Little did they know that they would start popping in the middle of the night and set off the house alarm that has a built-in gunshot detector… Luckily they didn’t all pop ahead of time!

Balloons galore!