Walking on rocks barefoot, feeling the slimy surfaces of rocks, during low tide, relaxes me. It reminds of hopscotching during childhood. It's one way I get a glimpse into the sea without actually diving into it. Crabs, lobster tails, shells and seaweed float between the cracks. Ocean life, seen and unseen, swim around. I am one with nature, at peace.

With sand in my hair,
sand in my ear,
sand everywhere,
I can smell summer in the air.
I look up and all I see is blue skies,
with seagulls soaring high.

Tide ebbs and flows ever closer,
washing ashore the secrets of the sea.
No where to hide,
no where to die,
and be out of sight,
I am confronted with what's inside.

Life after death,
death without life,
I see pretty, pretty seashells,
crab legs and lobster heads.
Scars remain; they remain.
I am forever changed.

Seagulls are beautiful in nature. I feel like the luckiest girl when I watch them take flight. What ease and grace! They remind me of birds I once owned. So much love. So much sadness.

They exist in their own world. I feel like I am almost intruding into their peace and paradise when I visit them, but we've learned to coexist. They are precious. In their world, I feel free. They teach me what it's like to fly like a seagull. To glide like a seagull. To live with abandon. To love with abandon. Just be.

Seaweeds, washed ashore, glisten under the golden sunlight, as I walked along the shore. Little girls' laughter, mixed with the undulating sounds of crashing waves, set the mood. Flocks of seagulls circle above the sunbathers and surfers, soaring high and diving back to skim the surface of sea. It's the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday in Malibu in the winter. There's no other place I would rather be than right here, right now.

Leaves changing colors, fallen and dried up, floating under a waterfall in the mountain, remind me that summer is almost over. Today is its last day. With a tinge of sadness, I say good-bye to summer: to summer flings and love, to carefree days basking under the sun, and bikini pool parties.

The trees unleaving signal the approaching season of fall. The transition is gradual, as colors change from cool to warm, and temperatures from warm to cool. It's not so sad. Summer is fun, but I embrace the beauty of fall.

As I walked along the beach, the remains of sea creatures washed ashore revealed the life within the vast sea. The shells that housed the crabs, lobsters, and other life forms were tangled up in the seaweed. I looked closely to observe the beauty of their protective shells. I appreciate nature's design. The shells have evolved to protect and defend the fragile bodies within. The life is gone now. The struggle is over. Death is beautiful. Life is beautiful.

When I went hiking up Malibu Creek, I realize that I appreciate the Malibu mountains as much I do the ocean below. As I walked up the dirt road, the overhanging trees provided a sheltering canopy from the scorching sun. I noticed many small lizards running across my path. Sounds of water running down the creek soothed me. I could feel the stream flowing through me, stripping away layers and layers, leaving me with my aloneness. At peace. Loving me.

I have a love for birds and flight. After I parked my car on a wintry day, I noticed crows perched on barren branches like black flowers. They caught my attention and I stopped to take in their beauty.

In the middle of Winter and unusually rainy weather for Los Angeles, I saw the first blossoms on barren trees. The transition between Winter and Spring is evident. I welcome it as much as the vegetation and plants. It's a time for regeneration. May the blossoms brighten your day!

Fall is my favorite time of year. I like the breeziness and colors of the trees. The fall leaves have provided me with much inspiration in my art.

Watching their flight inspires me. I have an immense affection for birds, for the freedom and independence they represent. I think I learn to appreciate them from my father who use to tend to them, feed them, and admire them. He cared a lot for animals. He taught me about the value of life.

I saw them in a parking structure today and they were fluttering about me. They brought me happiness and sadness at the same time. They reminded me of unfree my lovebirds are inside their cage.

The ever changing clouds in the expansive sky soothe my eyes and provide me with the space to think beyond my confines.

I was up at the crack of dawn...no, not up, I haven't slept yet. I was excited to see the soft morning light coming through my window. My tomato plant has managed to squeeze out 4 tomatoes, of moderate size. I had bought the plant from an orchard because I've always wanted a tomato plant, though I lack the green thumb. This is my first tomato plant, so naturally I was very excited. I watered and tended to it a lot.

Tragically, a couple of weeks after I brought the plant home, I found its stem broken by the wind or something heavy landing on it. I was crushed. I didn't think it would survive. My boyfriend used a stick to support it, and it continued growing miraculously, a little stunted, I think. It made me proud; it fought to live.

I remember I wanted to photograph my first tomato plant before the big black crows in the neighborhood get to it. The tomatoes made me happy this morning. I like how they look with the morning due on them. They exude a youthfulness and energy that brought joy to my day.

Dragonflies fluttering about stopped me at the top of the parking structure. Without nothing else above me, I wished to fly among them. They gave me a sense of fun, freedom, and family. I shot continuous, hopefully to capture the joy that I felt. Of course, that feeling cannot be captured. Regardless of whether the photos are successful at relating the joy I've experienced, the dragonflies will always be special to me. What a beautiful clear day! If only I could fly like a dragonfly.