Thanks, guys, for enduring the city a couple more hours to visit - it was a terrific experience.
That eagle picture is stunning. For all we talked at lunch about eschewing materialism..damn, that camera must be swell!
it is soo much fun meeting people! Glad you had such a great time! Love the eagle shot!
I love that Eagle shot!! I tried all day to get one close to that, no luck.
but I though of you both when we saw 5 eagles flying around on the beach and river today. Rialto beach is amazing and I was teary eyed when after 20 years is was as lovely as ever. Haveing a wonderful time wish you were here!!
I hope I remembered to say thank you for lunch and the beach walk! (I think I talked to much)If not thank you! We had a lovely day and I feel like we met some freinds for life.
Hope you were able to get your sunshine quota in today!
Yay for you! That's fantastic! I have also had very good luck with meeting people I've met on the Internet over the years!
Well, I must confess that I had the opposite experience. I finally did meet in person someone whose blog I read regularly. It did not go well. She was stiff and formal, and despite mutual identification, the conversation lagged and ended quickly. Very uncomfortable. I think I'd rather stick to my illusions (and I'd hate for you to be disappointed in the "real" me).
I had my first blogger/real-life experience a few weeks ago when I went to see a presentation by Julie Zickefoose. I was disappointed that I didn't get to speak to her other than a quick hello because she was busy signing books, etc. but listening to her slide show was like being live in one of her wonderful blog posts. I hope to meet others from blog world.
That eagle photo! I love the photo tag: Leapingeagle. Perfect. When the photo is opened, you can see incredible detail and it was as if I happened to be sitting in that tree when the eagle came to visit. Thank you so much for sharing all these experiences - friends, human and other critters.
I admire you for your meet up. I've never had that experience and because I tend to be a bit shy, I doubt I'll ever do it. It does sound like so much fun.
You know I'm a great big cheerleader for blogger meet-ups -- we don't do a lot of socializing, but much of what we do manage to do these days is with people we met through blogging.
Someday we mean to recreate our honeymoon trip to the Olympic Peninsula, and I sure do hope we will be able to arrange a meet-up with you then.
Wow wow wow - really! What a great shot of that eagle!
I had some strange experiences when I worked in radio. Meeting people who you have heard on the radio for years is very discombobulating... they don't look right (is there ever a right way to look??) and there's that familiar voice coming out of a stranger's mouth. It can be weird - or wonderful, depending on how you get your head around it.
Beautiful bird photo.
Oh, the eagle is good, too.
Already expressed my jealousy on Phil's blog. Hmph.
Fantastic photo of the eagle. Wow. Such a determined expression when you see one up close.
How neat that you met up with fellow bloggers and that everything went well. I've met a few online friends and in almost every case, it was a super experience. However, I'm fairly reclusive, so I do feel some initial anxiety about meetings - but that usually melts away very quickly. It still amazes me how the internet makes such connections possible in a world that has become sort of large and....uhm... rather weird.
I've met up with two Los Angeles bloggers, and had phone conversations with another. Isn't is sort of like dating? You never know until you know.
As for the eagle shot: oh, my god. That is amazing. Breathtaking.
I saw what I think was an eagle while driving around the PV Peninsula this weekend, and seeing this photo makes me more certain it was. What a beautiful world we live in.
Phil-- Dawn's camera is a Nikon D70. I definitely had camera-envy.
monarch-- We enjoyed the experiences very much.
Dawn-- I'm seeing the Gold-crowned Sparrows all over the yard now! They like the seeds under the feeder. But you won't believe what decided to go for a little swim in our pond late yesterday. Pics tomorrow. Glad to hear you are having a good time on your vacation. Looking forward to the pics and commentary.
Liza-- These two meet-ups were a first for us, and it was a stretch for me. I'm very shy.
pablo-- That surprises me. Well, I think you probably know this about us already-- we are not stiff and formal at all. I bet we'd have a pretty good conversation over a glass of wine, or iced-tea (unsweetened, of course).
mojoman-- How cool that you got to see Julie Zickefoose. She's someone I admire very much.
Mary-- I could imagine meeting you on a peace march, and standing together while we rally against this administration.
PoP-- I'm shy too, so these meet-ups were a stretch for me. I also prefer writing and reading to talking. But somehow it all worked out, and it was comfortable.
Phantom-- If you make it to the peninsula, we are definitely having a meet-up. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
sbgypsy-- I think we always put a face to the voices, and even imagine what other bloggers look like by reading their words. I have been surprised when bloggers posted their own photos and they didn't look anything like how I had imagined them.
kathyr-- The next time Roger and I make it down to California, I think we may have to try a meet-up with you. We're shy, you're shy. It'll be a great, quiet lunch, with lots of wine!
bev-- We're reclusive too. So, it was surprising that we'd even agree to meet people at all. I am really bad about socializing with the few friends we've made here. I am utterly content to watch the local wildlife, work in the yard, and take long hikes. I think if we had a meet-up with you and Don, we'd walk a trail very quietly together and have a very fine time. Vegetarian dinner afterwards, of course.
Andrea, I thought perhaps I should let you know that Roger just told me that I have nice "Spangdanglers". I wanted you to hear it from me first. You know how quickly gossip spreads. 
divajood-- Yes, it is like dating. I wrote to Phil and Isabelita afterwards that it was just like a successful blind date.
How cool that you saw an eagle. They are quite magnificent birds.
As I mentioned to another angeleno above, if we ever make it down to southern California, we'll be wanting to have a meet up with you, too. Having blogging buddies in the LA area will make it that much more fun for us when we get there.
PoP-- Uh-oh, I haven't been over to your site yet. I'm heading there now. Thanks for the heads-up!
about the eagle shot....it was perched on a branch about 150 feet up from me. i took several pictures as i got closer and had it in focus when it took off. i didn't have to take my eye out of the camera. just follow it a bit and snap a pic.
the optics on our camera are about the same, but the nikon has many more pixels and thus much better resolution. we have camera envy.
Thanks for the good words, robin. I guess "we all have our idios," as an old Californian friend of ours used to observe; I am shy about entertaining, would rather get out of the house. Probably because I am here so much caretaking.
Blogging connections strike me as similar to the days of having pen pals, except with much more technical possibility. Meeting face to face can be a bonus.
blogger wouldn't let me comment last night....grrrr....
your words and experiences with these good people is a balm for this crazy world.
Rogie, that eagle shot -- wow! "They call me MISTER eagle."
I'm late to this discussion. I haven't been perusing my favorite blogs for nearly a week. I've been pretty grief stricken by (and overwhelmed with the media coverage of) the VT tragedy. And then I had to travel to Atlanta for a trade show. But I'm back in the office today and when I'm not shoveling out from all the paperwork that has accumulated, I'm visiting old friends - like you guys.
I'm sorry I didn't have time to venture over to meet you when I visited my brother in Seattle last summer. It's a regret that nags at me.
Perhaps when you visit your brother, Robin, we can meet? You too, pirate, of course! 
And, yes, the eagle photo is magnificent! Bravo, Roger! 
(I'm so glad you taught me how to insert the smilies - oh, what, a year ago? They make me giggle.)
Last week a newspaper interviewed me about my trip to the West coast, and asked what it was like meeting people I knew only from the blog, and actually, going into their homes.
I had a similar response: There were absolutely no surprises. I learned that the friendships we develop here are as real and genuine as any others--sometimes more so.
I have met several local and not-so-local bloggers, and it is always very interesting. I enjoy seeing how the person matches to the blog. I feel fortunate to have this community of people in my life!
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