SIGHTSEEING IN OUR OWN BACKYARDJune 2016 - July 2024
Making a big move for the first time in your life when your a fifty-something is definately a major life experience. For those of you who've been through it and had to overcome the feeling of being an outsider in a very unfamiliar place far from home, you know what I mean.
When my husband and I moved to California from our home state of Michigan in June 2016 for his job relocation, leaving behind our young adult kids, all of our family and friends, and a lifetime of memories in the process, treating the move as a long vacation was the only way to offset my homesick blues.
During our first year living in the Fresno area, while my husband resumed a normal work routine, I spent the days exploring Fresno County, this new place we now lived that I wasn't ready yet to call home. With our sweet yellow lab Mollie, who fortunately loves car rides, I'd set out on short drives along back roads to see what the Fresno area is all about, taking pictures of beautiful new places, not only to satisfy my passion for photography, but also as a way to always remember this chapter of my life.
The weekends now are when we head out together on road trips into the Sierrra Nevada Mountains or sometimes making it a weekend getaway to the Central Coast. Living in the Central Valley means having so many magnificent landscapes right in our own 'backyard'!
These photos are collections from many of our trips through the years we've lived here. So, if you're new to the Fresno area or just visiting, I hope they inspire you to explore all the incredible beauty that is so close.
Happy travels!
UPDATE JULY 2024Hello! After eight adventurous and wonderful years living in Fresno County and exploring central and northern California, my husband and I decided it was time to move back to our home state of Michigan to be closer to most of our family. It was not an easy decision to make.
In time, as we made memories with visting family and made new friends, California became our new home. Living in this magnificent region of our country allowed us to learn more about new landscapes, foods, cultures and lifestyles. What a gift!
The experiences we had while living in Fresno County helped us to add incredible chapters to our lives we never expected. Had we not taken a chance on something totally unplanned, we would have missed out on what became a significant part of our lives and will remain so meaningful to both of us.
My passion for nature and photography has been a joyful hobby that also helps preserve precious memories from our journies. Now, looking forward, I'm excited to be back living in the beautiful Great Lakes State of Michigan, will continue exploring new places and share my love of nature photography with others.
Happy Travels!