(Slide Show contains 10 images)If your car has a sunroof when you first enter Yosemite National Park, it's time to open it.  Ditto for a convertible - put the top down.   At the park entrance gate, I hit the sunroof button, and simultaneously fresh pine air and sunshine flooded in.  On the road from Sacramento and through California Gold Country, I had been listening to the kicky tunes of Dire Strait's "On Every Street" album.  But at Yosemite, I thought it time to move on to the more reverent sounds of Luciano Pavarotti.  I cranked the volume up a tad.  There is nothing like the tones of Pavarotti's magnificent tenor voice ricocheting off massive mountain peaks, and the trunks of ancient Sequoias, to set the world straight again!At Yosemite, I had arrived early, before the park gatekee... 06/11/2011

It's been said that Yosemite is the Crown Jewel of all America's National Parks.  Having been there on several occasions, I can attest to Yosemite's majesty.  However, several years of draught had turned down the water spigot on her magnificent waterfalls, and brought them to a summertime trickle.  Four years ago, I eagerly went with out of state visitors to show off Yosemite's grandeur, but found virtually no water plunging from atop Yosemite Falls.  It was very disappointing.But near the end of this long Northern California winter, laden with heavy rains and snowfall, I suspected facets and glimmer would return to Yosemite's waterfall bling once again.  When 3 days of rain and snowfall hit the area this past weekend, I knew I needed to drive the 160 miles to witness the wonders likel... 06/09/2011