Tag: 2009 Travels

India At Last!!

Anne Nowell

As many of you know, it has taken me a number of years to have the freedom of schedule to return to India. At long last I have arrived in Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, on the southeast lower corner of India.

Since many of you have not traveled to India, in this first post I will share photos of the people who are providing services to make life possible here. Indian business is very specialized. One shop will sell only batteries, another will sell only light bulbs; one vendor has only fruits, another only vegetables. This, then, provides more jobs for more people, but makes shopping rather time consuming. However in India, time (and the necessary patience to get things accomplished) is understood as infinite. There is no hurry!!

Enjoy the photos!! Please click back and forth for a larger view. Remember I would love to hear from any and all of you with your comments.

Granite Rules!

Anne Nowell

When surrounded by nature, it has been easy for me to appreciate fully the wonder of our physical BEING. The vistas afforded by the Sierras are awe inspiring indeed. In the following photos I have captured (minimally) some of the grandeur of the granite that rules the Sierra landscape. Please click back and forth for a larger viewing.

As a student of yoga and eastern philosophy, I would aspire to appreciate the wonder of our BEING in the midst of the concrete and steel of a modern metropolis. The gridlock traffic, the impatience fueled by caffeine, the pollution given off by millions of bodies and energy producing modalities…. these are a necessity of modern civilization. Finding the balance??

As I retire to study in India for the coming 6 months I would hope to deepen my appreciation of LIFE, be it natural beauty or man made havoc. Stay tuned for news from southern India. I would love to hear from you all during this sabbatical.  Namaste

BEARS !!

Anne Nowell

Being in the mountains has many wonderful benefits not the least of which is exposure to the wildlife.  Watching the chipmunks grow from tiny to husky little creatures, in preparation for hibernation, has been a treat! The most famous animal in the Sierra’s is the black bear. All visitors are instructed to store food out of cars and in appropriate boxes at the hiking trials and in the cabins. Here are my photos of the bears I have encountered while hiking.  My sense of them is that they are gentle creatures and want to be left alone to forage. However with the enticing smells of potato chips and cookies they can become excited and therefore more aggressive in the search for food.

I have had several other chances to see bears here in Sequoia Park and I consider it a very real blessing. As I have mentioned in previous posts, to have the opportunity to live in the mountain forests is an extraordinary experience. My wish for all of you is that you will also have this opportunity at some future date.

Bear Hugs All Round !!


Photo Captions:  Click back and forth on photos for a larger view.
#1. Black Bear in the Lodgepole Campground
#2. Same bear. It is unusual for it to be out in the open in mid-day.
#3. Now this bear is lying at the log feeding on bees in the log.
#4. Black Bear in the Big Trees area. Look at the bottom edge of the tree.
#5. Same bear with his back to the camera at the edge of the tree.
#6. The most scary bear of all !!