By Scott Shephard

The political scene in the US is disturbing, my Super Bowl team lost and, to top it all off, I crashed my drone into the side of our house and now it has to go to the Drone Hospital in Florida. (I wanted to go with it but I couldn't fit in the 14" x 14" x 14" box I shipped it in.)

So what do I do when confronted with all of this? First, I apply a test to my own life that I used to suggest to high school students years ago who would come in complaining about things like having to park their car 2 blocks away from the school: I would ask, "Are you living in a war zone? Have you had a decent meal in the last three days? Is the water you drink pure and safe? Does someone love and care for you?" I never found a student who could answer "Yes, No, No, No" to those four question. Neither could I, of course.

After considering those things, I count my blessings, which are legion but which start with my good wife Deb and run through things like this very computer and my freedom to write and express my thoughts at will.

But still I declare, "Serenity now!" from time to time. It's an expression which comes from a Seinfeld episode years ago. After I do that, I go looking for photos that suggest peace, quiet and the absence of conflict. Today that place is the Japanese gardens that surround the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan.

Would you like to join me? You are more than welcome. But you have to promise not to mention Trump, football or drones. In fact, if you just sit quietly beside me as we disappear into this landscape, that would be even better.

Canon 1D II 1/160s f/6.3 ISO400 135mm (35mm eq:175.5mm)