"Want to do this with me?" queried Theresa’s email about the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk – Lake Tahoe hosted by photographer Jim Stamates. "Absolutely," I shot back. It sounded great – two hours photographing with other imagemakers here in Lake Tahoe and time hanging out with my girlfriend. Best of all, it was FREE.

Six o’clock Saturday morning, I was less enthusiastic.. It was semi-dark out, the rest of the sane world was asleep, I’m so not a morning person, and why was I thinking this sounded fun?

I drove my weary carcass over to Theresa’s house, fortified by caffeine and we headed out to the Tallac Historic Site. And it was…… stunning, glorious, heady. Clear air, flowers just waking, waves gently sliding into shore. And ohmigod, is that actually a hot air balloon over the water?

At the end of our two hours (which flew by), our group of photographers gathered for coffee and "chimping". (Chimping is the sound that digital photographers make as they review their shots on the back of the camera – ooh, ooh, ah, ah. No kidding, it’s in the dictionary now.)

We all remarked on how it felt so enlivening just to get out, just to wander and look, smell, hear. And we all bemoaned that fact that we just don’t do it often enough.

I know, I know, we are all so darn busy and what we do is so important (NOT). Well, if my work, obligations, and the stuff I HAVE to do ain’t life or death, I’m planning some little breaks in the action. (I was a critical care nurse in my former life: I know when it’s really life or death.)

I want to take some time to smell the roses, drink the coffee, eat the bagels, and walk the trails. It’s time to pay attention to some new occupations and preoccupations: watching the points of light on water, counting the flowers in a flowerbed, asking the birds what they’ve seen on their travels, admiring the colors of stone in a creekbed. This is our Second Act – we get to choose how we live it. Join me in making a commitment to ourselves: taking a slow walk or just sitting and looking in the back yard. Re-creation: it’s not just for fun anymore, it’s an absolute necessity!

See my photos from the walk; click below:

https://www.menopausegoddessblog.com/2008/08/25/photos-scott-k…alk-lake-tahoe/