— This week I was able to finally visit Red Bud Isle park, close to downtown Austin, Texas. I had heard about and seen a couple of photos from the area showing fall foliage. I did the short hike around … Read More

— While walking at Copperfield Nature Trail (Austin, Texas), near my home, I saw this flower for the very first time. I was surprised to see it there at the entrance of the trail. As often as I have been … Read More

— I found out about the Pep Ventosa technique in my photo challenge class a couple of weeks ago. As long as I have been using social media, I never saw anyone I follow using this technique in their photos. … Read More

— Just yesterday I went to Northeast Metropolitan Park to look for subjects for an assignment. Although the fall season has barely started in Austin, Texas, I couldn’t help noticing that some trees are already exhibiting quite a bit of … Read More

— Going back several years ago, one of our most memorable trips was when we visited El Salvador in 2008. One of our closest friends, a native of that country, prepared the entire itinerary and led us to an unforgettable … Read More

— The last time we traveled to Brazil was in January 2020. We had a large family reunion for my youngest niece’s wedding. It was right before COVID-19 became a world pandemic. Besides seeing my entire family, another moment that … Read More

— Besides the historical connection between Portugal and Brazil, I have to admit my bookwormish side. In graduate school, I studied Brazilian and Portuguese literature. In addition to running into places connected to our historical characters, there were also the writers … Read More

— When I was a child, there was a song that became a big hit in Brazil. It was called “The Garden Flowers in Our Home,” and it was performed by unimitable Roberto Carlos. It was a sad song talking … Read More

— After spending a week in the high mountains in Colorado (running away from excruciating high summer temperatures), we headed back home. During the return trip, we did a very brief stop to check out the views at the Royal … Read More

— One knows summer has arrived in Texas when even sunflowers start to wither with the intense heat. A walk to my neighborhood park shows plenty of evidence about the effects of summer heat.  That was the case this week … Read More