lorenzstudio

Sometimes, it's the smallest things...

2012-02-05T14:17:00.001-08:00

...that make me happy.

Sammy snuggled safely in a cozy spot while we travel out and about on the ranch.

Our first "winter" at the ranch...

2012-02-04T16:18:00.000-08:00

...feels more like summer. With sun-kissed skin, I work to capture the feeling the light at the ranch evokes in me.

Down by the Pond - Part II

2012-01-31T11:33:00.000-08:00

We spotted this elusive fox while playing with the puppies down by the pond yesterday. He appeared to be having a good time in the water.

Down by the Pond

2012-01-31T11:10:00.001-08:00

Papa dog decided to take his puppies down to his favorite spot on the ranch - down by the pond. These puppies grow a little more every day and it is fantastic to be able to watch them grow into their gangly little legs as they run, jump and play with each other and the big dogs.

Pupdate

2012-01-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

8-week-old-bundles-of-energy for sale!

Purebred AKC registered German Short Haired Pointers. Mom and dad are at the house.

- (2) rare solid liver colored. There was a 2 year waiting list for our solid liver male father, and we lucked out. He produced 2 beautiful solid liver (brown) pups.
- (2) white with big brown spotted females. We were shooting for non ticked colored offspring, and mom and dad delivered. Mom has brown freckles on her nose and I'm sure these 2 white pups will have freckles as well.
- Mom won her first JR Puppy Pointing Test 1 year ago, and has a long lineage of Hunting Champs with Sequoia Breeders. Dad has as hunting lineage as well. Their pedigrees are listed here:
America's Pedigree
Reagan's Pedigree
- Born on 11/30/2012
- Tails professionally docked and stitched.
- Dewclawed and stitched.
- Proof of shots upon delivery.
- pups were raised in our home and given lots of love and attention and are great with small children handling them carefully. They are completely socialized
-At 7 weeks they are almost potty trained. We put in the effort and time and they know to hold it until they get outside. Night time runs are necessary if you don't want any accidents as their little bladders are not large enough to make it through the nights just yet. Again we invested the time and effort so you don't have to.
- $650

Sean@ lorenzindustries.com
619 300 3351

Properly Introducing...

2012-01-11T18:34:00.000-08:00

...Samantha Herlinda Lorenzen
Born November 20, 2011
at 4:30 pm
6lbs 5oz

A few additions to the ranch

2012-01-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

We had a hectic end-of-the-year here at the ranch. We welcomed our first born daughter, Samantha Herlinda Lorenzen (a proper post on her will follow soon) on 11-20-2011, followed 10 days later by 4 little German Shorthaired Pointer puppies.
For those of you interested in purchasing a puppy, you can read all about our adventures with the mom and dad in the posts below. We've made sure to give all of our dogs fantastic lives full of adventure and are excited to see their little pups go off to good homes.
December 2010 (Puddle Jumpers and After the Rain)
November 2010 (Hollenbeck Canyon - Dog Training 101; 'merica, 'merica part II; Full Disclosure
October 2010 (Home Again)
September 2010 (The Great Catch on the West Walker River)
August 2010 (Loon Lake, Whitney, Introducing Captain Ronald Reagan, Laughter is Good Medicine for the Soul)
June 2010 (The Floppiest Ears I Ever Did See, Miss America Takes on the Beach at Del Mar)
May 2010 (A New Pooch)

Mighty Oaks From Little Acorns Grow

2011-11-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

As I sit here 8 months pregnant, anticipating the birth of our first child, a baby girl, I'm already thinking about all the future holds for her and how much responsibility we have in raising a beautiful, God-fearing child. I'm so thankful we have such a wonderful place to call home and raise a child. I can't wait to stroll with her up and down the paths at the ranch walking the puppies. I'm sure she will point out wonderful things I've never noticed as we cross the bridge over the creek and gaze up at the tall canopy of trees as we make our way over to the pond and waterfall. As she continues to grow, I'll introduce her to rock climbing at the wall of rocks down by the creek and we'll pedal up the back mountain on our mountain bikes on the trail that's currently being blazed out back. Nowhere is God's handiwork more apparent to me than in the outdoors and I can't wait to explore with her.
During her baby shower I asked each guest to write down some Words of Wisdom for our baby. These Words of Wisdom are now neatly tucked away and will be opened and read on her birthday each year. My personal Words of Wisdom to her now hang in her room as an art print that reads:
Live in the Sunshine
Swim in the Sea
Drink the Wild Air

Here are a few details from the shower
The gorgeous invitation

My mom, me and my sister

Kristine Getten (our fantastic neighbor), me, Linda Lorenzen (Sean's mom) and Naomi Macias (Sean's sister)

Marilyn Miller (a longtime friend from Yuma) me, Allison Ericson (a dear, sweet friend) and Nikki (Allison's daughter)

A vintage jar filled with vintage buttons becomes a simple and stylish game.

Adorable cupcake toppers

Mighty Oaks From Little Acorns Grow
We all play such an important part in each other's lives and the lives of each other's children and it was such a joy to be able to spend a few hours with people I love to celebrate together.
A huge "thank you" to Missi for hosting the shower, Megan for helping set up and Wende for making the fantastic acorn sachet favors.

Zombie Bash

2011-10-31T14:53:00.000-07:00

Our first Halloween party at the ranch came complete with good friends & family, fantastic food and spooky decor. The evening started off with a walk down the trail to the neighbor's which was complete with ghouls and goblins jumping out of who-knows-where! I honestly thought I was too smart for them. "What fun is it if I can see this ghost to the right of me," I thought to myself as a spooky ghoul stealthily crept out to the left of me from behind a bush that I had no idea was there. Ah, note to self: the ones that can be seen serve as the distraction for the ones that will creep up and scare you! Makes sense.
A little later in the evening, the ghouls and goblins that had haunted the trail to the party, changed costumes and came and performed while Thriller played on the big screen in the background. Lovin' it!
And last but not least, a party at the ranch wouldn't be complete without a ride in the Troop Transport down the Zombified Trail. Sean was an excellent driver, but it was still a bit scary as we cleared trees within a few inches and had to duck as the tour guide yelled out, "Branches!"

Thank you, Jim and Kristine for organizing the party. Next year we are going even bigger and better. Perhaps a live band...even more unexpected spookiness on the Zombified Trail!
Reserve the date now and join us next year!

Creativity May Come and Go

2011-09-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

These days, creativity may come and go, but when the light hits the "back 40" just right, it's always best to grab the camera.

Home

2011-08-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Part of my duties at the ranch include dog wrangling. They're fast like lighting and surprisingly sneaky. Lately the little brown one ends up down in the pond. It seems logical: he's dark brown, it's hot and the water is shaded all day long by tall oak trees. The white one is usually pretty good at sticking close by my side when asked, but, I think they've discovered rabbits in those hills up there and nothing can contain their excitement once they see those critters bouncing around. I can't blame them as there's a lot of fodder for the imagination around here. I found myself wandering those hills last night, too, to get a closer look at the sunset. Color just might be one of my favorite parts about life.

Down by the Sea

2011-07-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

I took a trip to see a good friend and fell in love with a new favorite spot along the way.

Completely Humbled and Forever Grateful

2011-05-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I've dreamed about what kind of home I would own, how I would decorate it and what kind of view it would have. As a little girl trying to escape the heat of too-hot summers, I used to spend days curled up in my room drawing my own house plans of the kind of home I longed to have. As an adult employed in the creative field, I have spent my free time ripping pages out of decorating magazines and searching thrift stores and vintage shops for just-right-pieces for my home. As a wife, who said, "yes," to the question, "Will you marry me and be the mother of our children?" I have spent time scouring cities while on vacation to find an ideal place to raise our kids. A place unhindered by too many rules and regulations. A place to explore and run wild in relative safety. A place to create visions for the future and lasting memories for a lifetime.
A "Market Baby" is what Sean would answer any time one of the obvious questions was posed: "When will you buy a house?" or "When will you have a baby?" Just as soon as the housing market drops....just as soon as the housing market drops. The places Sean and I have lived for the past 7 years have been less than ideal for a couple that runs their own business and has tons of hobbies. When I see friends that I haven't connected with in a while, conversations like the following tend to come up: "I remember that time you two lived in a studio with a twin bed and there were tires stacked up all over the place." Yeah, well, we couldn't put them outside, or someone would steal them! Or something along the lines of, "Remember that time I came over and there was a motorcycle in your living room? Yeah, that was weird." Actually, that was the norm, and it wasn't in the living room, I like to refer to that as the foyer. And so, after almost getting run over by a transvestite while living in the studio downtown, having our stuff stolen at the beach house after coming back from a backpacking trip in the lone wilderness, living in a camper for 6 weeks while in transition, being woken up by donkeys in the morning at the ranch and having a live baby owl make itself at home by walking into my bedroom in the middle of the night in the barn, I can finally say, it has all paid off and we are home.
Our own home. A place so beautiful, I never dared to dream that it existed so close to San Diego. In my wildest dreams, I never dared to dream up a place this amazing. There is something new to discover here every single day on these 8 acres. Days can be spent down at the pond with the little waterfall that flows down into the creek, blazing a trail up the back peak for mountain biking or climbing up over and down the granite rocks that dot the yard. We have potential adventures galore and a little one on the way. During the middle of escrow, I got to tell Sean that we get to start our family in our new house. Yep, a market baby, indeed.

Sean carrying baby and me over the threshold.

The back peak which needs a mountain biking trail ASAP!

Along the creek.

The water in the creek takes on the effect of snakeskin.

The water bubbles up and tumbles over the waterfall.

Me, "stuck" at home on a holiday weekend exploring our backyard

Wynola, CA

2011-03-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

A day of wandering and exploring our area with a stop at Wynola Junction Antiques and Collectibles.

An artist's studio glows in the snow.

Every week I discover something else I love about the area we live.

The Little Red Dress

2011-03-05T17:19:00.000-08:00

I can totally remember getting this picture taken. I remember feeling just a little bit prissy in the pretty red dress my mom made and curled blonde hair, because I was used to playing outside all the time in jeans and t-shirts with my hair a crazy mess. I have an all new appreciation for it now that I see it on my little Niece, Victoria.

Snow day!

2011-03-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

Robby decided that since he was going to be up in Ramona for the morning, that the family should make a day out of it and go up and play in the snow. I just love the adventurous spirit of this kid and am glad I got to tag along!
That's a suspicious look if I ever saw one!

One brave little soul! She seemed to be more scared of walking up the hill and slipping...

...than she was going down the hill!

And a good time was had by all!

Sycamore Canyon

2011-02-06T21:05:00.000-08:00

We took a few more breaks than usual on our trek down and up Sycamore Canyon today. Break #1 came when I spotted a meadow with the sun hitting it just right. "Gorgeous," I thought to myself as I gazed up. While I gazed up at the sky, a rut grabbed ahold of my rear tire and shot me down to the ground. My impact was, thankfully, softened by the grass, but the impact of a crash always jostles me a little. I lifted my head to see Sean riding away, unaware of what had taken place behind him. I put my head back on the grass and waited for him to circle back around for me while the birds overhead squaked at me. Luckily, it was only the birds nearby because about 1/2 mile up the trail, we stopped for break #2.
Sean spotted 2 coyotes just off the trail. They kept their distance from us, but were quite curious. I think they were just jealous that we had wheels and they didn't.

Aiden

2011-02-02T20:41:00.000-08:00

A day of exploration until the darn camera got in the way! We followed the neighing sounds of the horses across the road in the pasture and discovered there were not one, but two large horses living on that piece of land. Kyoki trotted by (accompanied by Rufus, the dog,) and stopped just long enough for a pat on the nose and a quick conversation with the rider. The resident squirrels popped in and out of their homes having conversations of their own. There were hills to run down and trees to climb up. Tall grass beckoned to be laid upon while leaves overhead shaded us from the sun.

A perfect spot for a photo shoot with the talented Melissa Koehler. It's always a treat to watch her in action.

Kristie Parker Photography - The Best Gas Station Ever

2011-01-19T12:07:00.001-08:00

Kristie spotted this amazing gas station on our way to the creek. A hidden gem in Ramona.

Sometimes it's ok to interrupt your husband while he's working!

It wouldn't be a Ramona photo shoot without a tractor in the pic.

My favorite shot of the day.
Thank you, Kristie, for capturing these shots of us!

Kristie Parker Photography - Ramona Creek

2011-01-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

I'm always amazed at the beauty you can find in Ramona. We just happened upon this amazing creek. We've decided that in a few weeks it will be dry, but for now it made the perfect spot for a photoshoot with Kristie of Kristie-Parker Photography.

There's nothing better than spending a day outdoors with the one you love.

A half-serious look from each of us.

Fabulous shot, Kristie!

When you don't have a lot of time on your hands you have to combine your activities...

...so why not practice a little gun shooting in between photo ops!

Stay tuned for photos from the most awesome vintage gas station ever....

Breaking the Code on the Male / Female Hour

2011-01-06T10:28:00.001-08:00

Who Is Impoverished?

2011-01-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

Dead End Kids

2011-01-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

Balboa Park

2011-01-05T09:51:00.000-08:00

The Organ Pavilion. We got treated to a Sunday concert and a backstage look at the inner workings of this massive musical instrument.

My partner-in-crime. I've known her since she was born and was thrilled that she chose to spend a week with us on her vacation. And I'm even more thrilled to watch her put that camera into use. She has a great eye and I can assure you there will be great things to come from this upcoming photographer!

The intricate workings of the Botanical Building.

The intricacies become a little less precise when reflected in a pool of water.

Sunset Cliffs

2011-01-04T20:05:00.000-08:00

I took a good friend to an old familiar place, and saw it through different eyes this time.

My eyes were wide open, ready to see.

My ears were wide open, ready to hear.

It's amazing what you can discover from just listening to others, being silent together and
enjoying each other's company.

Puddle Jumpers

2010-12-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

Sean came home from work the other day and exclaimed, "They got a bath!"
"Yes," I replied with a sneaky, smirky smile on my face.

She likes to make a grand entrance...

...while he is a bit more investigative.

Gotta watch out for those sinkholes!

It has been raining for days on end

2010-12-19T16:25:00.000-08:00

I hope you're staying warm!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-18T19:05:00.001-08:00

After the Rain

2010-12-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

One of the rewards of a few days of dripping drops from the sky.

Ronald high on his perch watching out for the elusive, blurry, little white dog.

High on my perch, I spotted camo dog!

She was a very naughty dog this morning, but she says she's sorry.

Good night sun

2010-11-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

I'll see you in the morning.

Hollenbeck Canyon - Dog Training 101

2010-11-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

Sean and I met some members of the San Diego Sporting Dog Club on Saturday at Hollenbeck Canyon for a little dog training. It's always fun to start out with a little pure puppy play, but...

...once the birds come out, it's really hard to wait your turn sometimes - even for a puppy.

America needed a little help from her buddy Greta to find her bird, but she did manage to point at 3 piles of feathers. While America got an introduction to the check cord...

...Ronald got an introduction to birds. At first, he really didn't have an interest in the feathered creatures, but once we flung it around in front of his face like it was a toy, he took a quite a liking to them. We took him out into the field to see if he could find a pigeon. Let's just say he was looking the other way when the bird flushed, BUT once he saw it in the air, his little GSP instinct kicked in and he ran like the wind! I think he's coming along just fine for now.

Good Morning

2010-11-05T09:11:00.001-07:00

'merica, 'merica! part II

2010-11-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Training day: You'll notice she has her e-collar around her neck and the lead hanging off her neck flying in the wind. You just never know how far a dog is going to run. The key is a lot of praise to get her to do what you want her to do.

You have to wonder what she's thinking. She's never flown before, so does she expect to jump up and catch that bird?

Test time with the judge.

Reagnator the Regulator. This guy still needs a few more months of pure puppy play. I've actually only seen America develop an interest in birds over the past few weeks. I took him out into the bird field and all he wanted to do was play with the other dogs, but with such a great role model, I'm sure Sean's dog will come along just fine.

A huge thank you to Randy from the San Diego Sporting Dog Club for capturing these shots.

Autumn in Ramona

2010-11-02T09:52:00.001-07:00

Do you think the neighbors would notice if I took just one pomegranate? I'm not even sure they know they have juicy ripe fall fruits literally bursting open at the seams exposing their sweet insides. They sure are pretty little things.

Autumn in Ramona feels and looks just a little like summer. Summer the way I like it: Cool, crisp evenings and warm, sultry days. We get up with the sun and watch it crest over the mountains. Watch the light change. Watch the drops of dew evaporate. We head out in the evenings as the clouds of fluff come billowing over the mountains. It feels like the clouds that builds up along the shoreline and I imagine I'm at the beach.

Full Disclosure

2010-11-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

Miss America: Winner* of the Puppy Pointing Stake at the San Diego Fall Classic held by the San Diego Sporting Dog Club.

Sometimes going out on a limb can pay off.
I just spent the weekend
without Sean...
with a bunch of people I don't know...
in the "middle of" Holtville, CA...
on the edge of an alfalfa field...
for the sake of my dog. It only seems fair to get her doing what she wants to do. And what she wants to do is find birds. And she is off to a great start. I was a little worried on training day. We put her on 2 pigeons. She found the first one but I swear I don't know how she didn't trip over that second one. She didn't even see it. No clue! I was figuring maybe she just got lucky with the first one and honestly had little confidence in her going into the competition*. I know she comes from a good line. She is, after all, the niece of Farley. But, this is all new to me. Very new. So new, I must have drove Pam, Mary and Steve crazy asking the silliest questions about the test*, in different ways, again and again. "Just have fun," they told me. When it came time to take her out on the field on Sunday I had the biggest smile on my face. I was just going to be proud of her if she didn't run off the field! But, she far exceeded my expectations. "Trust your dog," was the phrase I kept hearing over and over again as the handlers from previous stakes exited the field. She found the first bird (pheasant), ran after it and I shot the blank pistol. She was having the time of her life. We circled back around. She found the second bird and POINTED AT IT (!!!!!!)! (The judges said it was beautiful!) It flew. She ran. I fired. I did it! She did it! We did it! I love this dog.
There was more than one time during the weekend, where I thought to myself, "What am I doing here?" But, deep down I knew it was for more than the sake of my dog. It was for my sake, too. I don't exactly fit into the mold of the average entrant into the Fall Classic, but sometimes it's fun to be the oddball. It gives everyone else a good, legitimate excuse to make fun of me! And besides, someone needs to figure out how to make blaze orange look cute in the field.

(*ok, so maybe she was the only dog entered in the Puppy Pointing Stake, automatically making her the winner, but if you had seen her out in that field you would be just as ecstatic as I am)

Red Bull Rampage 2010

2010-10-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Every time I shoot a sporting event, I come away with a whole new appreciation for the athletes. Yes, the purpose of the Red Bull Rampage is to deliberately ride your bike off a cliff and look good doing it. I just had no idea what went on behind the scenes to make it all happen: Teams of people building just the right lines to impress the judges. Total strangers fighting gravity and forcing the best bikes in the industry up the cliffs the riders will soon come barreling down. Friends and fathers calculating precise moves perched atop high mountains and clinging to cliff ledges. Riders assessing the wind-whipped flags to decide if the weather is too fierce to ride. Promoters wondering if all of their preparation is any match for what mother nature has to offer in the storm clouds above. Webcasters anxiously trying to fill time for the live broadcast being viewed across the nation. Spectators on location awaiting the next rider and trying to guess what line they will take so they can decide whether or not that partially worn line underfoot is the line the rider will choose. Photographers scrambling back and forth following the chatter of the walkie talkies to get the million dollar shot.

And although we did scramble back and forth between shots, and split our time on the sides of cliffs and under canyon gaps, and went into each day with a new strategy to get a unique angle, when photographing any sort of event, it all comes down to people. The people we are photographing and the people we meet along the way. Everywhere we go we are capturing a little piece of history-just a split second in time. I've become very grateful for all of the unique opportunities we have been able to experience. And, I'll admit, I'm very grateful for the people that we meet along the way the generosity they show to us.
(A huge thank you to Jeff Strait for befriending us. His son, Kyle Strait, is pictured above shooting out of the Oakley icon sender.)

All I have to say about this shot is, he did not stick the landing across the 65 foot canyon gap. And it happened right in front of me.

The 3-D cameras were positioned right across the ledge from this shot. I'm anxious to see what their take on the Red Bull Rampage looks like.

All eyes were on Cameron Zink as he hit the 360 to claim the victory for 2010.

Moab, Utah - Arches National Park

2010-10-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

We took the trek out to Delicate Arch expecting to get a few great shots at sunset. What we did not expect, was the ginourmous crowd that had gathered out in the middle of nowhere with the same idea. So, we decided to go where the other photographers were not and got some unique perspectives.

If you stand underneath it, you get a very clear sense of why it is named delicate arch!

Just as the sun had set a group of about 20 kids appeared out of nowhere. I'll admit, it was quite hilarious. We had so many questions: Is this a school trip? (I want to send my kids to that school because I never got to do anything this cool when I was in school) Why didn't they get here before the sun set? (I can only imagine the process it took to get them there!) How will they trek the 2 miles safely back to their waiting caravans in the dark? (Oh wait, I remember seeing a flashlight or two) How did the chaperones stay so calm with all these kids running around near cliffs and underneath a potentially collapsible arch? (I don't think it helped when all the kids gathered under the arch for a photo and Sean yells: "Watch out! It's falling!)

As soon as the kids left, we realized we were alone. Sometimes you get the best shots when everyone else thinks there is no reason to stay and shoot. Or was there a good reason they were all gone? Shoot! I probably should have checked the signs at the ranger station to see if there are any creepy crawly monsters that come out at night around these parts!

Durango to Silverton via the Narrow Gauge Railroad

2010-10-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

I was by far the most excited about this one particular day of our vacation. I've been wanting to ride this train again for as long as I can remember. When I was little, we took the trek up to Colorado where we stopped and took the tourist pictures at the Grand Canyon along the way and dipped our hands in the cold, cold waters of the Animas River to pan for gold once we arrived in Colorado. AND we took the train. The train that rides high above, crosses over and practically touches the water of the Animas. The train that needs a special narrow gauge in order to navigate the twisty little tracks up to Silverton. The train that has been in operation for 128 years. You know what that means, right? Yep. It's vintage. I love vintage, I love this train and I love adventure. I'm so thankful I was able to take such a grand adventure when I was so little because it left a big impression on me. It sparked an incredible need to explore more of the outdoors.

Hunting, New Mexico Style

2010-10-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

One full week of gorgeous, rugged scenery to find one elusive animal.

Home again

2010-10-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

After 6 states, 1 train ride and 0 elk, I've just calculated this little brown dog has spent about 1/4 of his life on the road. I would say I think he's happy to be home, but this little guy is happy just about anywhere - just don't leave him alone or else he howls like there's no tomorrow.
Fall Vacation 2010 pics to come soon....

Unfortunately...

2010-09-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

...I've had 2 full days to capture these photos. In Ramona, fire season news can be gauged by the number of planes taking off with full, dust-stained bellies.

The Great Catch on the West Walker River

2010-09-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

Sean got skunked.
And so did Miss America. Ok, there was no actual skunk involved, but she came out smelling like a pile of stinky, rotten fish. It seems while Sean had his back turned, the little white dog ~~just happened upon~~ eagerly sought out with her pointy nose, a pile of smelly, dead fish ~~left behind by some dufus fisherman~~ lying on the shore. Not only did she seek it out, but apparently decided that she needed to roll around in it. I heard some muffled shouts from outside the camper and the next thing I know, we're sacrificing our only towel to rid Clown Dog* of the war paint left behind by her "catch." What a proud dog she was that day.
(*We've given her the affectionate nickname of Clown Dog any time she shows up in front of us with strange but colorful marks on her body. I, personally, like to call her Clownzer, for short)

Loon Lake - Just outside Tahoe

2010-08-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

BIRDS! (Oh wait, never mind. It's probably mosquitos.)

It was rough, but somebody had to stay the night here!

I think I could live in Tahoe...

2010-08-31T14:26:00.001-07:00

....ALL SUMMER LONG....
and then I would get cold.

Bodie, CA (Part 2)

2010-08-31T13:33:00.001-07:00

It's hard to imagine 10,000 people living in this California Gold Mining Town, but in 1879, at it's peak, Bodie employed many tough souls who worked this machinery and endured the harsh climate.

I have a feeling the life of a vehicle in Bodie was short-lived, as tales were spread in its time as having "the worst climate out of doors."

Bodie, CA

2010-08-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

I'll admit, it was quite a ways off the beaten path, but I just had to see this ghost town. It was like looking through a window back in time - and it was as if time had actually stopped.
I almost felt like an intruder. Not only peering through a window into the local church or the resident doctor's house, but peering into the lives of an entire city. A city once booming, and now abandoned by its former inhabitants. A blue stove sits inside, begging to be dusted off and used while a barn, reflected in the glass, wonders why it is empty and has no visitors. Bodie may not be as glorious as it was in its heyday, but its charm has been well preserved.

Laguna 12miles, 1hr 42minutes

2010-08-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

This was a pretty quick ride, and frankly, the funnest 2 hrs I've had in a good while. Mark and I set a moderately brisk pace on this 12 mile loop. I enjoy it more when we know the trail. Today was that day.

We have ridden Big Laguna 4-5 times now and this was the first time we didn't make any wrong turns. No flats, no mechanical, just a big ring, butt kickin' good time. Ok, I hit the big ring for 7 minutes, while zipping along through the back side of the lake.... down hill, wind to my back. It's invigorating to watch our stamina grow week to week.

Laguna at EveryTrail

Plan your trips with EveryTrail iPhone Travel Guides

Whitney

2010-08-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

Although, the trip to Whitney didn't go like we originally planned, it was gorgeous, nonetheless. Perhaps, even more gorgeous than if we had tried to trek all the way to the top of the highest mountain in the continuous 48 states. America had the time of her life and we've calculated that she must have hiked at least 3 times the distance we did!

Introducing, Captain Ronald Reagan

2010-08-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

We couldn't even wait until we got him home. Within an hour of acquiring our new dog, we had him sudsed up, scrubbed down and smelling good for his future mate, Miss America. I'm glad this dog doesn't have to go out into the real world to find his own mate, because I fear he might get teased because of his full name. Jillian suggested Mr. Ronald Reagan and I fell in love with it: Mr. Reagan and Miss America-brilliant! However, Sean was insistent on naming his dog, Captain something-or-other: "When I call them both back to me I'll say "Captain America...Here!"" Oh, obviously. When I told Jillian his official name was Mr. Captain Ronald Reagan, she just about died of laughter and repeated it back to me in a questioning sort of manner. I'm pretty sure there were tears squeezed out of her eyes from laughing so hard. So, in order to not embarrass ourselves, or our dog too much, we officially dropped the, "Mr." We call him Reagan around the house, so I'm sure there will be a bit of frustration when we take him in public and Sean is yelling out, "Captain America," in his proudest voice only to find his dog running the other way.

Laughter is good medicine for the soul

2010-08-05T18:47:00.001-07:00

She may look innocent, but...

she's really planning a...

SNEAK ATTACK!

Don't worry.
I retaliated, quickly.

Just Sayin

2010-08-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

i didn't do it.

promise.

Big Laguna/Noble.

2010-07-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

Chris couldn't get out of his peddles and took a 7ft tumble into a creek, Jesse wouldn't go, Mark needed stitches and waved as he passed the hospital, Suzy cried when she hyperventilated from heat exhaustion.

What a fabulous time.

We're going tomorrow at 4p if you want to join us. Helmets required, pads recommended.

http://www.dirtworld.com/trails/trail.asp?id=746

After looking at the this ridiculously over compressed video, I have to say YouTube stinks. Why allow us to upload the thing if your going to spit out such a low quality vid? I'll be looking for a different way to post videos, Blogger and YouTube aren't cutn' it.

The reason we live

2010-06-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Sean and I became the designated photographers of a concert held at St Paul's Episcopal Church in Yuma, AZ back in May. It's a place I had been to many times before and there were many familiar faces, but I was now viewing it from a new perspective; one with a greater appreciation. I was surprised at myself when the last piece of the concert moved me to tears. As the photographer, you are supposed to remain calm, cool and collected at all times....unless....you are the daughter of the man conducting the choir....and....this is the choir's final performance under his direction before he retires....and....your mom is singing proudly up on the stage....and....your sister and her family are in the seats applauding with the rest of the crowd....and....your husband is by your side, able to capture any moments you might miss while you wipe away a tear or two from your face. The piece of music my dad is holding in his hand below, really sums it all up. Not just the concert, not just my dad's career, but ultimately, what life is really all about: To Love Our God. It was so beautiful to hear voices ringing out in unison for one common purpose.

"Commissioned by the Federation of American Baptist Musicians in memory of esteemed publisher and friend, Don Hinshaw, this stirring anthem features an outstanding text by John Parker. The first section is from Ecclesiastes, and explores the transience and vanity of life as expressed by Solomon. Hayes has set this section in a lyrical, haunting minor mode that evokes a sense of longing and emptiness. As the phrase, "All is empty, all is vain" lingers in the air, the choir softly but confidently answers the question with "To love our God is the reason we live, to love our God - the highest call."

I've included photos and a link below so you can listen to the song (sung by a different choir) to give you a glimpse of the sights and sounds that were present that night. There was an amazing gift given to my father that night, but I'm going to save that for another post.

Click here to take you to a page where you can listen to the song. You will need to click the link called, "sample audio" which will pop up a page where you can press play (the big arrow) to listen.

Manzanita High Mountain Rendezvous

2010-06-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

Manzanita High Mountain Rendezvous
A re-enactment of a pre-1840 North American Fur Trade Encampment.

Set right in our own back yard - Santa Ysabel.

The Muzzle Loader Shooting Competition

Traders' Row.

Sean was quite smitten with the man shooting the bow & arrow. If you look closely in the middle-lower part of the picture, you can see the arrow.

A Full Day Early

2010-06-23T10:34:00.001-07:00

What is this I hold in my hand? Yep. The new iPhone4. We are such nerds.

Happy Friday to you

2010-06-18T18:54:00.001-07:00

Look! We're matching!

The floppiest ears I ever did see

2010-06-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Every girl should have a little pink in her life

Miss America takes on the beach at Del Mar

2010-06-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Aerodynamics in Action

She thought she could walk on water and was sadly mistaken!

The View From Our Place

2010-05-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Pssst....Have I told you we live in a barn?

A new pooch

2010-05-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

Meet Miss America

This blog has moved

2010-03-20T10:08:00.001-07:00

This blog is now located at http://lorenzstudioblog.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://lorenzstudioblog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default.

Petroglyphs at Albuqureque, New Mexico

2010-02-02T20:41:00.000-08:00

Brandon and Brittany - Yuma, AZ

2010-02-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled when Missi asked me to second shoot with her for a wedding in Yuma, Arizona. We met the guys downtown and the groom new exactly where he wanted his photographs taken...
Red's Birdcage

The groom and groomsmen relaxing at Red's.

The bride and bridesmaids standing tall and proud before the ceremony.

The wedding and reception were held at the gorgeous Peare residence.

And a Happy New Year

2010-01-15T08:05:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T18:38:00.000-08:00

Along the Eastern Sierras

2009-12-17T18:11:00.000-08:00

Lake Tahoe

2009-12-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's fun to visit the same place again.

Winter '09

Autumn '08

Winter Vacation 2009 - Clovis to Just Outside Yosemite

2009-12-13T21:11:00.000-08:00

In true Lorenz fashion, we set off on our vacation - spontaneously, unexpectedly and without any true destination. Amen, for the iPhone and google maps. We headed north toward Fresno.
Our friends Greg and Rebekah told us about the locals-only, best-breakfast-in-Clovis spot - the Rodeo Coffee Shop.

Deefor was a big hit at Greg and Rebeka's house. Their 2 kids (plus an entire neighborhood full of kids) ran around their house yelling, "DeeforDeeforDeefor! BrookieBrookieBrookie!" Deefor slid across the tile floor while trying to escape being hit on the nose by a ball again and again and again. (And, no, I don't know how Deefor's name turned into Brookie, but it sure was hilarious!)

Clovis - Gateway to the Sierras. LOVE IT! 49er country, here we come.

We headed toward the Sierras and decided that since we were "so close" it would be fun to visit Yosemite in the winter time.
An interesting idea...
We did what any tourist would do and stopped at the local hardware store once we encountered the sign that said, CHAINS REQUIRED, in blinking yellow letters on the side of the highway. With our newly purchased chains, we got in the truck
and continued on our way.
We answered all questions correctly when stopped by the official with the bright lights (see exhibit "f" above with the red and blue lights)
and continued on our way.
We tested out the skid-i-ness of our truck on varying patches of snow
and continued on our way.
My heart fluttered as we reached Fish Camp (what we thought was the highest point of our trip) and the local told us the road gets worse up ahead. And higher. And messier. But,
we continued on our way.
Until
We got to the entrance of Yosemite and when the road into the park looked remarkably worse than the one we just came from, we did what any intelligent tourist would do
and continued on our way...
by making a gigantic U-turn and heading back down the road we just came from.
All part of the adventure, friends.

Give Thanks

2009-11-24T18:55:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite meal of the year and
if we could have Thanksgiving at "our" place,
I think I'd like it to look a little something like this.

I keep dreaming of haunted houses

2009-11-19T22:53:00.001-08:00

maybe this is why

Lake Elsinore Grand Prix

2009-11-10T21:44:00.001-08:00

1.5 laps and I lost a rear tire to end my race. I ran 85-90% for the first lap, Motor bogged off the line and was 4th for 3 minutes. Chris@Benchmarkperformance.us has the carb issue handled before the next race. It's nice having the motor builder call you after a race to follow up on his handy work. We had 2nd place back under our belt before the water crossing 1/4 of a lap into it. That 840 motor was the fastest motor out there today by a long shot. I was pulling everybody in the straights.

For the first 9 minutes of the race I was sucking dust and couldn't see, couldn't really pick my lines trying to stay with the leader. By lap 1.5 I took a small swap off of some whoops on a tight part of the trail, and stuffed the drivers side rear wheel sidways into 3 foot wall. It wasn't that big of a hit and was suprized I lost the tire?...

I parked it and hear a kid running up to me, "You're tire hit my house and my dad is bringing it back up here."

"Thanks little guy, how's the house."

"It's OK."

What a good time. $150 to run down a city street at 60+MPH wide open, passing a 25mph speed limit sign in a residential area was well worth the entry fee. My anti-social lawless side was grinning ear to ear.

I had 2 practice sessions in the car before the start of the race today. The first one was when I pulled it into the trailer last night, and the second practice session was pulling it out of the trailer to the starting line today. Todd had the Flying Banana dialed in from the CORR Races in '08, and had it back together for me by today. Chris built a ridiculous motor this week, and I got to break it in... Thanks for getting the Banana done for the Lake Elsinore GP guys, I had a blast.

I'm sorry to report she will have a different paint scheme before next race, but she will still bleed Banana Yellow.

Oh, the things we'll do for publicity

2009-11-06T19:54:00.001-08:00

a visitor at our window

2009-10-14T16:21:00.001-07:00

I think this guy is posing for the camera, but he got a little shy when I tried to snap a shot of him grooming himself.
Luckily, the dog has not seen this yet or else she would be going ballistic right now!

Scavenger

2009-10-12T10:58:00.001-07:00

When your husband tells you he needs you to go to the beach,
you must always listen.
You see, the boys are on this silly lobster-hunting kick. This tradition has been going on for quite a few years now, and well, let's just say, I've never seen any lobster come home to my house! I was teasing Sean last night that maybe he needs lobster-hunting lessons. Hah! Joke's, on me. He tells me he has already had lobster hunting lessons! So, obviously, it must be the equipment's fault. And so, I was sent on a mission to scavenge along sunset cliffs to see if I could find any lobster buoys that had washed up on the shore. I too, came back empty handed, except for these few pictures to capture the day.

Autumn sounds better than Fall

2009-10-09T14:51:00.001-07:00

Dear Autumn,

You already know I don't like you very much.
I can't go swim in the ocean; I can only watch while the dog darts through the waves like a seal and comes back to me shaking due to the short hair, begging to let me under the towel.
My internal body temperature does flip flops at night; too hot when I'm covered up all the way and too freezing when part of my body gets exposed due to someone stealing the covers.
My vast array of tanktops must now be overlayed with some sort of covering; Scarves, hats and big sweaters make me feel like I'm suffocating.
Fresh scents are best; Cinnamon & spices and warm & cozy are not my thing.
Your colors do not seduce me like those of summer and spring.
However, I must admit, you produce a lot of important crops and I do like pumpkin pie.
The man at the pumpkin patch told me my solo little pumpkin would make a perfect pie. Hmmm, didn't think of that when I picked it out. I just loved the variegated-ness of it. And those hybrid pumpkin / gourd / squash things provide a bit of comic relief every time I look at them. See, Autumn, I can find some good in you. I hope you'll stick around for a while. You sure have a lot of things to discover.

S

Testing out my special effect skillz

2009-10-06T18:51:00.001-07:00

The Men in Blue

2009-10-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

A mellow Sunday evening stroll.

Apple Pickin

2009-10-04T18:27:00.001-07:00

My nephew, Robby, a Nascar-lovin', roller-coaster-ridin' 6 year old decided that he wanted to go apple picking for his birthday (over Sea World, I might add).
We arrived in Julian to find it about a bazillion degrees cooler than it was yesterday down the hill. And boy, was it breezy up there. After a quick trip to the candy store in town, we headed down to Calico Ranch in Wynola to do some apple picking. I suppose after studying apples in school for 2 weeks, you either learn to hate them or embrace them. Robby chose the latter. I kid you not, he was jumping up and down with excitement while picking apples! And since we had an extra visitor on the trip ("Birthday Bear") it just made it all that much more exciting. In Robby's kindergarten class, each child takes the bear home with them on their birthday to have a birthday adventure. Once the adventure is completed, a journal entry is made into a notebook (accompanied by a picture or 2, of course). The next child to have a birthday gets the bear and notebook passed on to them for a new adventure. Not only did this bear get to pick some apples, he also got to meet some goats, pick a pumpkin, climb a rock, jump in a bounce house, and my favorite, prospect in a sluice box at Julian Mining Company.
At the end of the day Robby proclaimed, "I want to do this every year!" I'm thinking his tastes will probably change by then, but I'm all for it. I love this place!

Buggn'

2009-10-04T13:23:00.001-07:00

1 Floatable Boat, 4 Goons, 5.5 hours, 7 Hoop Nets on the season opener last night.

Sleeves are Necessary

2009-10-03T18:58:00.001-07:00

I changed my mind.
I don't think the dog is chasing rabbits.
Every time I've seen a rabbit, cross my path, it's waited until the dog has crossed its path. She's not even close.
I think it's the wind. The wind plays tricks on her. Anything that the wind touches - well, she thinks it's a critter she must either point at or chase around. I couldn't even photograph her today she was so wild. Like, in circles kind of wild. Or maybe it's the cool weather that makes her go bonkers.

Feeling less like summer

2009-10-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

As much as I love summer,
I have to admit I'm loving the recent weather.

Coffee

2009-10-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

Coffee:
It's great for long days at the computer
and creative artistic endeavors.
Not so good for sleeping at night.

...and before you ask,
"no."
The dog did not get any coffee.
She doesn't need it

Detour

2009-09-30T19:33:00.001-07:00

Dear Residents of Old Carousel Ranch Road,

I want to apologize for the excessive yelling at my dog today. You see, this is her favorite time of day - when all the rabbits come out. She was zig-zagging back & forth in her usual, "I-gotta-get-that-fuzzy-thing" chase pattern. It seems every time I picked up my camera, she would disappear on me. She doesn't usually stray far from Air Mail Lane, so I tend to stand in one spot and yell in different directions until I see her coming towards me. I had already seen her hopping around on 3 legs in front of Chancy's house from the sticker patch, and sure enough, when I found her down by the mail boxes, she was pleading at me to let her pull the stickers out of her paws before making the jaunt back towards me. She looked out-of-breath, so I caved and waited patiently before she got the stickers out so I could yell her name one more time so we could make the trip back home.
Tomorrow is another day, and I will try not to yell so much!

Sincerely,
Suzy - the one with the little brown dog

Rain?

2009-09-29T19:06:00.000-07:00

The weatherman has told me there are cells of yellow down south, which translates into downpours. Supposedly, it's headed my way, but after so many hot days up here, I find it a little hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe that we are under a tsunami warning. Well, ok, if Ramona was under a tsunami warning, we'd all be in big trouble, but I am a little curious to see what the coastline looks like.

Good bokeh, if I do say so myself!

When the weather turns nice (aka not-so-hot) little brown dog goes crazy! I walked through the whole neighborhood shouting her name because I would stop for one little second to take a pic and, "poof," she was gone!

"Good girl, Deefor."
"Good come."
"Good, good come."
"Good stay."
"SQUIRRELS"

Ooof! That is one heck of a serious face.
I heard that if you practice at something for 10,000 hours, you will be really good at it.
Not only do I want to practice my photography more, but maybe if I put in some good time and practice at my smiling (especially in front of the camera) I'll get really good at it!

Laughing at myself after looking at the "serious" picture.

A Fish Tale

2009-09-28T10:38:00.001-07:00

We haven't had this kind of fishing down here since 2004, and before that it was on like Donkey Kong in 1998, the summer just after my senior year. Every El Nino, the water warms up locally, and the Tuna come within striking distance. The local stuff off La Jolla isn't as hot as 90-100 miles down south into Mexican waters. Rather than take a day off work, and run my little skiff out to the Local Kelp beds, I decided to take the $300 plunge and go on a day and a half boat out of Seaforth Sport Fishing.

I left Tuesday night around 9p, slept in my bunk aboard the Aztec, over night and woke up to the captain on the bull horn. I hadn't slept nor dreamed like that in years. Being Rocked to sleep on the sea is a great experience. Frankly, I can't remember the last time I had a dream. Tuesday night I dreamt of fish and whales...

"Were comming up on our first paddy boys, maybe a couple minutes out." I've never been so awake at 5:30am from a dead sleep. You know how a toddlers wakes up, it's part of our fight our flight, survival instinct that God indwelled in us as kids. They open their eyes, ready to go, and coherent in less than 3 minutes, grumpy, but ready to go. It takes me 45 minutes for me to role out of bed these days... Today was a little different, I liked being excited like a kid again.

We fished a group of 3 paddies all day going back and forth between them when the fish would no longer bite. I limited out on Yellowfin Tuna, had a couple of Yellowtales, a couple of Dorados, and a handful of Skipjack.

The toad of a YellowFin in the picture gave me the best fight of my life! I don't say exaggerated things like that unless they're true. It was the best fight of my life that Wednesday.

It was a little late into the bite, meaning the fish come on good when the boat initially slides up to a paddy. The bitters are taken, and then the fishing slows down. Out comes the lighter tackle to pick off a few more fish that are finicky. The set up I was using when the toad bit, was a trusty bass rig. I was using 20# test on this rod, with a top shot of 20# Florocarbon, and frankly I'm surprised I got this big boy to the boat. The standard combo for such a fish would've been a 35-40# ocean rig that has twice the girth of my tiny bass rod.

When I set the hook on this fish my real immediately started zinging. The rod doubled over and my line was being pealed off the my bait caster faster than I could have ever imagined. My heart sank as I watched my spool puke more than half of it's content into the ocean.

"This is the real deal and I'm fishing my light tackle." I gave my star drag a half turn. It slowed the fish down a little, but line was still pealing off.

It took about 4 minutes to get down to the last row of line on my reel. "This fish will spool me in about 15 seconds."

I didn't have a choice but to give my drag a full turn and lock down the spool. I have never had a fish take all 280 yard of line off of a reel until today. I got down to the knot I had tied onto the spool, and by golly what do you know, I didn't snap the fish off. I was able to get 5 cranks on my real and took a half turn out of my drag as a comprimise. The Tuna promptly took my 5 cranks of line back, and I was back down to my knot again. It was a battle of tug-o-war and it looked like I had lost.

I was 5-7 minutes into the fight at this point. One quick run by the fish and he would've been a free fish... Well, a "free" fish with 280 yards of 20# mono tailing him around for a couple of days before the hook rusted away or worked itself out of his lips. This Tuna was tired, and I was able to gain a little bit on him every 5 minutes or so. The fight lasted 45 minutes that afternoon, and I'm happy to say, I won...sucker.

I've never been spooled before. Most guys never have this pleasure, and the guys that do get worked over by a strong fish, usually don't have a picture to tell the rest of the story. I got lucky on Wednesday being spooled by this tuna, AND landing what would be the best fight of my life.

Want some Tuna?... Come and get it, there's a freezer full that we'll never finish all of it.

-Sean

Mt Whitney

2009-09-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Saturation

2009-09-15T13:01:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I am completely overwhelmed at the colors I find in nature.

Storm Chasers

2009-09-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Sean got off work "early" yesterday and proudly proclaimed, "Get the 700s ready. We're goin' on a photoshoot to Ocotillo." Sounded like a great plan until we realized that by the time he got home, we had approximately 7 minutes left until sunset. We'd have to settle for a large open field on the way into town. The sunset did not disappoint, however, I'm afraid Deefor came home disappointed. I would not let her out of the truck to track down the nest of squirrels hidden on the hill.
I know just over that hills the cows lurketh.

Iron Mountain

2009-09-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

You know you've worn your dog out, when...
she pulls over on the side of the trail
and lays down
1 mile into your 7 mile hike.

Pistol Packin Mama

2009-08-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

Out and About in La Jolla

2009-08-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

My King

2009-08-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

The Bible says my King is a seven-way King:

He’s the King of the Jews – that’s a racial King.

He’s the King of Israel – that’s a national King.

He’s the King of Righteousness.

He’s the King of the Ages.

He’s the King of Heaven.

He’s the King of Glory.

He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.

That’s my King.

Well, I wonder do you know Him.

No means of measure can define His limitless love.
No farseeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply.
No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings.
He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.

Do you know Him?

He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world.
He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s Savior.
He’s the centerpiece of civilization.
He stands in the solitude of himself.
He’s august and He’s unique.
He’s unparalleled, He’s unprecedented.
He is the loftiest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He is the supreme problem in higher criticism.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology.
He is the core and the necessity for spiritual religion.
He’s the miracle of the age, He’s… yes He is.
He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
He’s the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior.

I wonder if you know him today?

He supplies strength for the weak.
He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He strengthens and sustains.
He guards and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleansed the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captive.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent.
And He beautifies the meek.

I wonder if you know Him? Well, my King—
He is the key, He’s the key to knowledge.
He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
He’s the doorway of deliverance.
He’s the pathway of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness.
He’s the highway of holiness.
He’s the gateway of glory.

Do you know Him?

Well, His office is manifold.
His promise is sure.
His life is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His Word is enough.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous and
His yoke is easy and
His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you.
But He’s indes… Wooah, yeaaah! yeaahh,
He’s indescribable – yes He is ! He’s God.
He’s, He’s indescribable, yes, He’s indescribable.
He’s incomprehensible.
He’s invincible.
He’s irresistible.

Well, you can’t get Him out of your mind,
You get Him off of your hand,
You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him.

Well, the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him and
the grave couldn’t hold Him. Yeah!
THAT’S MY KING!
THAT’S MY KING! YEAH!

And Thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever and ever and ever.
How long is that?
And ever and ever.
And when you get through all the forevers, then
Amen!

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY! AMEN! AMEN!
Dr. S. M. Lockridge

My favorite place

2009-08-04T17:57:00.001-07:00

A few Highlights

2009-07-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

Racing under the lights at night
suits Lake Elsinore very well

Saturday Night Under the Lights

2009-07-23T09:13:00.001-07:00

How I see it

2009-07-19T21:21:00.001-07:00

Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series - Rounds 5 and 6

2009-07-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 26, I found myself in the cool zone at the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Stop # 3 for rounds 5 and 6 were to take place at the freshly built track at Lake Elsinore.

Knowing our name and/or names were on the list for a ride-along-of-a-lifetime, I was approached to ask which one of us would be taking the passenger seat for a few laps around the track in a Super Lite Race Truck with a pro driver behind the wheel. Looking around, and realizing that Sean was nowhere in sight, I contorted my face into a strange expression and exclaimed in a very distinct voice, "uh." Tonya (aka "dirt-in-your-eye") piped in and excitedly exclaimed, "I think you should do it." That exclamation was quickly followed by Poppy's response, "Yeah, I think you should do it." That settled it for me. I was the one set to take a spin around the track in the Super Lite. Now if only I could get my helmet on and buckled in before Sean reappeared, or else, I would have to convince him that I would make a better passenger than he would. He did reappear, but just in time to snap a few pics of me getting buckled into the seat of Super Lite Truck #72. With Brandon Bailey behind the wheel, I greeted my driver for the next 10 minutes. As I proceeded to squirm my way into the safety harness, I'm asked, "have you ever been in a race truck before?" Thankfully, the answer is "yes." I figure if I can survive a ride in a Trophy Lite in Plaster City with the builder behind the wheel, I should be able to handle a few practice laps in a Super Lite at Lake Elsinore. With the straps tightened down as far as they would go and fresh air pumping it's way into my size small helmet, I have a few minutes to think. I see the signal that the number of our practice laps has been increased from 3 to 5. I'll take it. I'm ready. I know that girls on the track are few and far between and I've had the pleasure of meeting of few of them and I'm excited to be able to get a taste of what they experience each time they are out on the track. I know I'm about to have a much greater appreciation for all drivers out on the track.

The ride does not disappoint. Each jump has a personality of its own and the truck takes on a life of its own as it rounds each turn. With a few other trucks on the track at the same time, I begin to get a taste of the amount of concentration it takes to finagle your way through a pack of machines, each vying for the same position - #1. This track had it all; big, sweeping turns, blind jumps and tabletops and I am more than thrilled that I was able to experience the ride.

Given the opportunity, I would most certainly take another few laps around the track, but I just wanna know which driver roosted me. Not Brandon, just me. It all came right at me. Dirt everywhere including places it doesn't belong. But that still can't wipe the smile off my face.

If you'd like to be a spectator at the next Lucas Oil Off Road Series Race, you can enjoy the races July 25th and 26th at Lake Elsinore. I know...I know...I know...what you're thinking; It's hot! Well, you're in luck for Rounds 7 and 8, the big boys will by flying under the lights. You can find more information here:
lucasoiloffroad

Yellow is my official color of summer

2009-07-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

LORENZstudio in print

2009-07-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

Before

After!
As seen in Dirtsports Magazine, July 2009 edition

Greatness is inspiring...

2009-07-13T11:06:00.000-07:00