My mom has been feeling a bit stressed lately, so I told her to come on up to my home and relax during her spring break from work. I asked her if she'd like to accompany me on a hike. She was game. So this week's hike takes us back to the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. After meandering highway 84 to Loma Mar (on very little gas), my mom and I made it to Sam McDonald Park. As we were hiking, she kept thinking about how much the woods remind her so much of Puerto Rico, where she was born and raised. She loved listening to the creeks and cracks of the woods and the birds chirping. She felt at peace throughout the hike. Now she understands why I take these weekly hikes. It's more than just exercise. It's also a bit of a mental cleansing.
As I was hiking along, I kept thinking about graduate school. I want to return to school for my Ph.D. in Literature, but I'm still unsure about which campus I'd like to study. Stanford, Santa Cruz or Berkeley; in that order. I really REALLY do not want Berkeley. Stanford seems like a long shot. I keep thinking, should I strongly consider Santa Cruz? Then I heard my mom gasp loudly. "What is THAT?" I looked toward where she was pointing. "Oh! It's just a banana slug," I said as I was smiling. Then I thought, hmm...maybe I should consider UC Santa Cruz. It's along my hikes when I have my moments of clarity.
Anyhow, my photo documentation was quite limited as all you see are trees, trees, and more trees. There isn't much variety, but I think I came away with some nice shots.
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