Gary Gionet

A trip to Newport Beach proved to be very enjoyable. The weather was not that great for photography, but the clouds made for an awesome sunset. Small waves brought out the boogie boarders while the surfers left to go watch the "Simpsons."

Another great sunset as seen from Newport Beach. This was taken from the "Wedge" at the West Jetty.

One of the many beach front homes on Newport Beach Peninsula.

Kelly and I spend a few hours at the zoo. I needed to get in my daily walk, and Kelly really loves to visit the animals. She especially loves the nursery where she found a small newborn monkey in an incubator. The day was perfect with great weather and minimal crowds. Many of the animal and bird photos were shot through chain link or other cage material, but you can get a feel for what we were able to see in just a few hours. Click Here to see all of the images in this album.

Birds of a feather...well, you know the rest.

Mother and child together watching passing visitors.

This photo says it all from the animal's point of view, LET ME OUT!

A beautiful sunset today!

On Thursday, my good friend Paul and I spent some time walking on Main Street and the Pier in Huntington Beach. The crowd was light and the weather perfect (would have loved some clouds though). We had a good time capturing, in photos, the feel of Surf City, USA. Click Here to view all of the photos in this album. These walking excursions have been good for my overall health. While I am very limited with my back situation, I still need to get out and exercise (walking) to keep the blood moving and the muscles from cramping. I am usually pretty sore by the end of the walks, but the benefits greatly outweigh the consequences.

A slow night on the pier for the local transportation enterprise.

A photo blog entry for Surf City, USA would not be complete without a photo of a surfer, even if the surfer is old and riding a board "For Sale." LOL

The local street kids of Huntington Beach. They wanted their picture taken, but they also wanted money to rent their mugs for the camera. I guess they did not grasp the idea that being in public is fair game. Besides, I did not have any pocket change.

Kelly took me for my walk today at the wildlife center. The variety of birds was limited, but we had a good time getting in our exercise. My back was very sore after the walk, but the view is always worth it. This image and the next three photos are a sampling of what we encountered from the walking trails. Click Here to view all of the images in the online album.

Dana Point is all about the tall ships. This ship was a perfect subject to photograph. What a great place to get in my walking! Click Here to see all photos in this album

A view from the small beach behind the Dana Point Ocean Institute.

When the tide is low, the green in the rocks is a fantastic contrast with the sand and water.

Another day and another walk. Sunday at Oak Canyon Nature Center were some awesome displays of wildlife. A good day to walk and take some photos. Our camera club, Anaheim Camera Enthusists, had an informational booth with photos of the nature center displayed for visitors to browse. The weather was perfect! Click Here to see all photos in this album.

The doctor's orders are for me to get some walking in, so I spent a wonderful afternoon with two good friends at the San Joaquin Wildlife Preserve. This is the perfect place to get my exercise because the trails are flat and level. The weather was perfect, but the birds were a bit difficult to find. Even without the abundance of birds to photograph, we had a great time with the sunset. Click Here to see all of the photos in my album. The wonderfully beautiful white pelicans are starting to return to the preserve. By the end of October their numbers usually grow to about 200-300.

New growth in the mud. Many of the ponds have been recently drained, and now with the water rising, new vegetation can be found everywhere. This is good news for the wildlife.

On Golden Pond, really! This scene was taken just as the sun began to set on the horizon. The reeds give depth to the photo.

The final sunset, including a jet from John Wayne Airport taking off over the Pacific Ocean. What a way to end a great day!

Today marks 25 wonderful years of marriage to my best friend, partner and confidant - Kelly. What a wonderful blessing Kelly has been in my life. With two great kids and a wonderful granddaughter, what more could a man ask. God has seen fit to fill my life with this extraordinary person. There have been great times, and not so great times, but through it all, Kelly has been there. She has always held to her conviction that as long as we have each other nothing else matters. What a rock to lean on! Thank you dear for being a smashing wife, mom and mema! Love always - pezman