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Greeting us at the near 10,000 foot summit of the majestic Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon, an impressive amount of butterflies. I believe they are the Western White (Pontia Occidentalis) left and Spreadwing Skippers (Hesperiidae) right.An amazing view of four gorges, glaciers and the Malhaur Wildlife Refuge was only enhanced as these lovely creatures fluttered in the air as thick as clouds around us and landed on an array of colorful alpine flowers that were -- surprisingly at this late in the season (September) -- still enjoying a full bloom.

Camouflaged in a blind, I watched quietly as a doe Mule Deer hopped over to the other side of the Blitzen River to munch on tangy Juniper and Cheatgrass. This is the Malheur Wildlife Refuge; a one million acre, federally protected land management area that lies within Harny County in the southeastern corner of the state of Oregon, in the United States. This extreme outback wilderness area contains the mountain-fed Harny and Malheur Lakes, the Alvord Desert and the Majestic Steens Mountain with its four half-mile deep, glacier-cut gorges (Kiger Gorge, Little Blitzen Gorge, Big Indian Gorge and Wildhorse Gorge).

It took me six-hours to hike the Sentiero Azzurro trail in Cinque Terre. It winds though olive groves, vineyards, ancient little cemeteries where people have been laid to rest longer than the US has been a country. There are five towns and each time you ascend a steep trail -- that looks out over the Italian Riviera and Lagurian Sea -- a new, tiny little fishing village welcomes you into its culture. Buildings seem to clutch onto each other like old folks grabbing one another's arms while strolling to Sunday mass as the smell of roasted garlic and fresh produce permeate the air as a gaggle of children scamper in front of you kicking at a soccer ball.

Sea salt glistened from her bough as the little fishing boat hung up to dry in the warm Mediterranean afternoon sunlight after a fruitful morning anchovy harvest. The gruff, young fisherman never looked my way as I took this photo, but causally went about his business securing his boat. He tossed his tools into a bag and threw an overloaded basket of fresh fish over his massive shoulders. The clomping sound from his boots made its way past me and all the way down the dock until he reached the cobblestone street in the tiny village where he headed out to sell the catch of the day. Monterosso al Mare, Italy. 2010.

Stairs leading up to an ancient city office building date back to a time when the sandals of Roman political leaders walked each morning discussing the important issues of the day. This ancient wall and staircase tie the lines of a beautiful bay-front park in Santa Margherita, Italy where pleasure boats and fishing vessels bob in rhythmic waves as locals relax on benches and gaze dreamily at an incredibly deep blue Ligurian Seaside.