many rivers to cross

Lewis

2012-01-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Our little teacup Yorkie joined us about the same time I quit my job and started my own business, Loran's Heart. Word to the wise, don't get a puppy when you need to be able to concentrate on learning new things.

We have always had larger dogs which makes little Lewis kind of a challenge to figure out when it comes to training him. He's so stinking cute though that it has saved his existence here more than once.

It's been a dry, fairly warm winter so far here in Utah. No complaints from me about that!

How are things where you are now that we have officially moved in to 2012?

Early morning sun

2011-12-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

"The only words that ever satisfied me as describing nature are the terms used in fairy books, charm, spell, enchantment." ~ G. K. Chesteron

Sometimes the right words are hard to find but I do love the sun lighting up this massive rock in the morning.

Hope everyone has an enchanted holiday season!

Fall light

2011-11-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

The light is waning and the trees are changing. Soon it will be winter.

The sky is always beautiful.

Golden gifts from nature

2011-10-17T14:11:00.000-06:00

I love the colors of autumn. Because they are fleeting, they are all the more precious.

It took about 30 tries to catch the leaves falling in the wind with my camera.

A small stand of water is all that's left in the creek this time of year.

"Nothing gold can stay," said Robert Frost. Sometimes I wish it could.

Dinosaur National Monument

2011-10-14T09:08:00.000-06:00

After five years of being closed, the Monument has re-opened the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall! Tourism suffered when it was closed but hopefully now we will experience a revival. The building, built on bentonite soil, shifted to the point where it was condemned because it was unsafe. Ken Salazar came out last week for the opening, but unfortunately, I missed his speech. Apparently it was a good one.

My daughter and I went out with some friends to visit the area. There were at least a thousand sandhill cranes down by the Green River.

See all those little dots? Makes me wish I had a bigger zoom lens!

I did manage to catch a pair of sandcranes flying by. They live for up to 23 years in the wild and mate for life.

The building and the site looks the same, but different. We were pleased to see the improvements didn't detract from our memories of the place.

Twelve different species are represented in the wall.

Here's a view of Split Mountain. The Green River "split" the mountain. It's a great float trip on a raft!

There's nothing quite like a beautiful fall day. Visit skies from around the world here.

Time flies when you switch jobs!

2011-10-11T22:34:00.000-06:00

I did it. I resigned from my job as a Family Resource Facilitator after four years of helping families with challenging children. I launched right into a new business of my own. It's been all-consuming, setting it up and getting it going. I'm running in three different directions. I guess that's why it's recommended to have a plan before starting up a business. It will all work out.

Most surprising natural event of the fall?

Six inches of snow!?!

It snowed for three days! It's melted now but it's been pretty darn chilly ever since.

Wonder what winter will be like.....I'll pop in again soon.

Running a half-marathon through Dry Fork Canyon

2011-09-18T16:47:00.000-06:00

No, it wasn't me that ran 13 miles on Saturday! It was my daughter, Amber. Some of my more devoted followers may remember me posting cross-country race pictures of her when she was in high school. Now she is in college studying Exercise Science. She stays very fit and active by running regularly. This was her first half-marathon.

Crossing the bridge over Ashley Creek

Reflections in the irrigating pond

The canyon has lots of spectacular rock formations.

My mother likes the abstract forms in the rocks. She's an artist who likes to paint abstracts.

The day was chilly and cloudy. Fall is on its way.

Canyon swallows live here.

And here she comes crossing the finish line! Awesome job! I had fun taking pictures all the way down the canyon too.

Late summer sky

2011-08-25T08:30:00.000-06:00

"In summer, the song sings itself." - William Carlos Williams

Visit SkyWatch Friday to hear more songs.

Three years and one month ago, 517 posts later

2011-08-22T21:50:00.000-06:00

I started my blog on July 22, 2008 at Janie's suggestion. She has found a great niche with her horse riding adventures. I began my blog with our trip to Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. As I searched for other like-minded bloggers I found others who love travel and nature. I guess I found a little niche too.

It's amazing that we are able to connect all over the world through electrons. Meeting new friends around the globe is an experience I am grateful to have. I can be an armchair traveler and see so many spectacular places.

I plan to continue my little blog and will keep on posting pictures of the beautiful places and people I encounter along the way. If I veer off in another direction, well, there are always more blogs to write, pictures to take and things to do!

I am grateful for this place I call home

2011-08-18T09:35:00.000-06:00

This is my very first attempt at an iMovie. It is filled with imperfections but for once in my life I'm ok with that. I made the effort. The next effort will be better. It takes time to learn new skills. Instant gratification is ultimately not as rewarding as sustained effort.

I am so very grateful for where I live!

Burnt Offering Ceremony

2011-08-16T09:25:00.000-06:00

May all beings be free from suffering and the root causes of suffering.

Sunrise Skywatch

2011-07-28T10:41:00.000-06:00

I woke up to this dazzling sunrise this morning!

I'm so grateful for where I live, that I have a camera and a computer so I can share my photos, and for my friends and family!

There is something splendid in each moment if we just look for it.

SkyWatch Friday is full of exquisite sky shots from all over the world.

Another trip to the Big Horns Begins

2011-07-19T22:35:00.000-06:00

Some of my blog readers may remember a trip we made to Wyoming two years ago. It began with a kind of redneck way to load the four wheelers. Check out two years ago here. Trust me, it's a must-see.

This year was much more "civilized." Cousin Ken insisted that I document the improvements. He has a very skilled friend who designed customized racks for our pickup bed. After Ken kindly drove from Scottsdale to deliver the racks, he helped Gary install them. He also brought ramps so that Gary could drive the four wheelers up. Those suckers are too steep for me to want to drive my bike up on to them! Gary almost ran over Ken who managed to jump up on to the roof of the cab. He got there just in the nick of time and avoided getting squished. Who knew an old guy could move so fast?

These things take practice.

Here I think Ken is commenting on his near-death experience.

Now to get the second bike up on the rack.

Of course, the ramps need to be moved.

Gary is lined up and waiting for the go-ahead this time.

This just looks so steep to me even though Ken insists I've been on a hill this steep. I dunno....

Success and happy faces!

Thanks to Ken for all his help!

The next day we took off for Big Wonderful Wyoming.

Work redefined

2011-06-28T18:23:00.000-06:00

"My work is loving the world." - Mary Oliver

There are so many amazing people and beautiful things to appreciate in our world.

I've made this is my new job description!

Gratitude for the gifts of summer

2011-06-25T10:54:00.000-06:00

Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity. ~John Ruskin

Flowers are those little colorful beacons of the sun from which we get sunshine when dark, somber skies blanket our thoughts. ~Dodinsky

Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. ~Gerard de Nerval

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair... ~Susan Polis Shutz

A New Greenhouse: Chapter Three

2011-06-23T19:02:00.000-06:00

There was still one panel left to be installed but the greenhouse needed plants! Lulu came to check it out inside.

The finished house! Obviously some landscaping needs to be done around the outside.

More has been planted: flowers, tomatoes, peppers, onions, beans and carrots. Herbs include: basil, oregano, thyme, and cilantro. Can't wait to harvest everything and eat some fresh, homegrown veggies!

This is where the greenhouse is sitting in relationship to the house. It doesn't actually have a chimney on it. Hopefully this house will shelter our garden from hail, wind and snow so we can eat lots of fresh goodness in a couple of months!

See more skies at SkyWatchFriday!

Building a Greenhouse: Chapter Two

2011-06-21T22:28:00.000-06:00

The patio bricks we removed became the floor for the greenhouse.

Gary and I filled up the beds with dirt, compost and peat moss.

The next weekend, after the "kit" arrived, a crew came up to help erect the metal structure. It's a good thing that we have smart friends who know a little about putting up buildings because the instructions that came with the "kit" left a lot to be desired.

That same weekend we had another snowstorm, making me glad again to be getting a greenhouse.

This is in May!

As you can see, though, the moisture turned everything green.

Once the metal structure is in place, the sides start to go up.

Building a Greenhouse: A Chapter Story

2011-06-20T22:30:00.000-06:00

We have had a long, cold spring. We live at 6800' (2072m) elevation. The climate is not conducive to growing green things in our mountain desert zone. A few years back when a major hailstorm decimated my garden I gave up.

This year my husband decided for a spring project he would like to put up a greenhouse. It was a great idea but it turned out to be way more labor intensive than he expected. How often do projects like this turn out that way?

We took out our ten year old hot tub, tore down the old garden fence and made room for the greenhouse. We hired a contractor to pour concrete for a foundation. He also added a sidewalk out to the greenhouse. He did a great job.

The Kubota tractor is our friend! My husband used it to haul bricks from the flatbed trailer over to the interior of the greenhouse in order to build the beds.

We also took out our patio bricks and poured concrete. We have had flooding in the basement due to extreme weather conditions. Hopefully it's a solution to the problem.

It took an entire day with one helper to build up the planters. Later we filled the planters with dirt and compost, thanks again to Kubota.

Brogan is giving his stamp of approval on the new sidewalk.

My World Tuesday gives us a chance to visit each other all around the world. Check it out!

Stop the car!

2011-06-09T22:32:00.000-06:00

I was driving home from Salt Lake when the sunset became so dramatic that I had to stop the car. I forgot my window was broken, I couldn't roll it down. Even though I wanted to get home I got out of the car to take some pictures. Some skies are worth stopping for.

You can visit other spectacular skies at SkyWatchFriday.

Life has been so busy I haven't been able to find myself! I've been in high gear putting in a greenhouse, going to a wedding in Aspen, scheduling and attending all manner of work-related events, and planning for a camping trip in Wyoming if the snow melts. This weekend it might be nice enough to plant flowers in the yard.

Whew. Time for bed.

Sunset and leaves, spring at dusk

2011-05-26T08:44:00.001-06:00

In beauty I walk.

With beauty before me, I walk.

With beauty behind me, I walk.

With beauty above me, I walk.

With beauty below me, I walk.

With beauty all around me, I walk.

It is finished in beauty.

Traditional Navaho prayer

It's SkyWatch Friday! May you walk in beauty today.

NAMI Basics

2011-05-20T08:00:00.006-06:00

Friday and Saturday I'm helping to sponsor a NAMI Basics class in our community. Hopefully we have a good turnout for our "Cram and Jam" session! We are offering six weeks of classes in two packed days.

NAMI Basics is the signature education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses. The NAMI Basics course is taught by trained teachers who are the parent or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years.

It's free and taught peer-to-peer because those who have been there understand the best. NAMI is a great community resource if it's available.

Mental Health Month Blog Party

2011-05-18T08:25:00.043-06:00

There is a history of mental illness in my family, primarily depression. I have suffered through bouts of it, been treated with medication, and ultimately learned to cope by changing my life in a number of ways. Feeling depressed is not a party but recovery is worth celebrating.

How did I do it? I learned to implement a set of skills that helped me stay mentally healthy. I started taking responsibility for my life and my choices then quit blaming others for my problems. I explored many spiritual paths, eventually discovering what works best for me. I try to exercise regularly, eat well and get plenty of sleep. I write in a journal and take pictures to express what's inside me. I meditate and practice mindfulness. I practice lovingkindness by helping other people. I keep learning and growing.

Of course I still have down days and don't always do what I need to do, but I view my path as a spiral journey, ever evolving.

How about you?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

2011-05-15T20:22:00.000-06:00

"When you are in your heart of hearts, you can see beyond appearances." -Carlos Santana

What do you know about mental health?

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a "state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community."

I think the feeling of well-being is the key to mental health. Mental health also requires resilience, balance, flexibility, and the ability to express who you really are inside.

Part of my work is to help remove the stigma from mental illness. It's a brain disorder, a medical illness that affects one in every four people. It's important to fight against hurtful representations of mental illness. The National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI) does just that. Get yourself educated, or get help if you need it, it's ok.

This week I will be participating in the Mental Health Blog Party. Check it out!

And that's what's going on in My World this week.

April Showers

2011-05-05T20:38:00.000-06:00

Eventually bring May flowers, right? May 5 and we have one tulip blooming!

The last day of April looked like this:

Spring snowstorms are not always welcome but they are not unusual. They do provide moisture so this week things are greening up and looking less brown.

This time of year the days are longer, the energy is increasing in the natural world, and the earth is stirring again after a long winter's sleep.

Likewise, we start becoming more active and spend increasing amounts of time outside. The pace of life picks up.

Best of all, kids come home from college! Our oldest daughter is home now and I'm going to help my youngest daughter move home tomorrow. We will be reunited as a family for the summer. It's another kind of change, a welcome one.

Every day, every moment, our lives change.

Just like the skies at SkyWatch Friday.

No leaves, yet

2011-04-28T20:36:00.000-06:00

This could almost be a fall picture except that I took it this afternoon. It's the end of April. We are having a very late spring but no tornadoes or violent storms, thank goodness. My heart goes out to those experiencing enormous loss and devastation. The fact of the matter is that we never know when tragedy might strike. We tend to believe that it will happen to someone else but in the blink of an eye it can happen to us.

Practicing gratitude helps us through our darker days.

Dr. Tom Costa says, "You cannot be grateful and unhappy at the same time!" Try it and see if it's true.

I'm grateful for all the beautiful skies that show up around the world on SkyWatch Friday.

A day in my world

2011-04-25T09:46:00.000-06:00

Spring weather in Utah is unpredictable to say the least. Early morning fog enveloped Castle Cove. Last night and again in the afternoon we had rain, then hail. As you can see, the snow is not entirely gone yet.

This view changes with the seasons, is always breath-taking in its beauty and is one of the reasons why we love living here.

I had time this morning to do a little painting project. I am taking classes on art journaling called 21 Secrets. Connie, from Dirty Footprints Studio is our talented hostess. It's helping me get my creative juices flowing and it's a lot of fun. I love learning new things.

Every morning I let the ducks out of their coop and into their pen. They don't mind the wet weather.

Amy is wondering why I am taking a picture of our little office. That's my desk. We try not to back into each other too often. We work in a rural mental health facility. Amy is a case manager for people who are seriously and persistently mentally ill. I am a Family Resource Facilitator and work with families who have children with mental health and/or behavior problems. It's a good thing we are compatible!

That's a little piece of My World. Go see what the world looks like in other places! It's never boring.

Strut your Stuff!

2011-04-23T14:01:00.000-06:00

It's mating season for wild turkeys!

Aren't they handsome?

Infinity

2011-04-21T10:49:00.000-06:00

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

When I was about 15 years old I contemplated the vast night sky and felt very, very small. It was the first time I placed myself in the context of The Universe. I was a little frightened and unnerved to feel utterly insignificant.

Now, many years later, I have a completely different perspective. I feel perfectly inter-connected. Scientifically it's been proven that we are composed of the same molecules as the stars! It feels infinitely comforting to know that I am a part of something so beautiful, magical and majestic.

I feel extremely grateful today to be a part of everything that exists, to be able to recognize the nature of reality. It's fleeting and ever-changing, exquisitely complex, and dazzling.

Rain

2011-04-19T21:28:00.001-06:00

I was sitting in the car waiting for me husband to get his hearing aids checked at the VA.

I watched the rain pouring down, running in fleeting rivulets and thought about the nature of impermanence.

Nothing lasts, nothing remains forever, life is transitory and changing from moment to moment. It's so easy to forget this, to get caught in rushing through life, not observing each moment for the gift that it is. Watching the rain reminded me.

"Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby." -- Langston Hughes

Nature's Frames

2011-04-15T10:18:00.001-06:00

George Eliot said, "If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel's heartbeat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence."

Wouldn't it be something to experience the natural world so intensely that we could hear the roar on the other side of silence?

I love walking around my neighborhood, especially now that most of the snow is gone. Little green shoots are sprouting out of the ground, the birds are singing and life is beginning anew. Spring energy is hopeful, gentle at times, joyful, and a welcome relief after a long winter. Always.

SkyWatch Friday!

Afternoon Moon

2011-04-13T21:35:00.000-06:00

Townsend's Solitaire

2011-04-11T22:35:00.001-06:00

Happy Spring Equinox!

2011-03-20T13:47:00.000-06:00

Here up high in the mountains there are a few signs of spring, melting snow and mud, but look! Tulip leaves are emerging from their winter slumber!

Arlo is peeking out at me too.

Would you like to join me for a cup?

2011-03-15T15:09:00.000-06:00

Leonie Allan has released a free e-book, How To Be a Morning Goddess

Twenty interesting women share their morning rituals. It's well worth downloading for suggestions about starting your day off on the right foot. Not a morning person by nature, I read it looking for inspiration. Inspired I was. I got out the good china and took this picture of a cup of my morning coffee. The cup is part of a china set I inherited from my grandmother. It is very special to me and brings back fond childhood memories of holiday and birthday meals at her house. I sat in our dining room admiring the snowy landscape and thinking about things.

I joined Leonie's Goddess Circle in September because I love her spirit, her energy and enthusiasm for being creative. It's been an amazing experience that has helped me get my creative juices flowing while connecting with lots of supportive and encouraging women.

If you have followed my blog, you might have noticed I haven't been here as much as I used to be. I've been off trying other things. I've also been considering redoing my blog and taking it in a different direction. One of the wonderful women I've met in the Circle is offering a class:

The Artful Blog, an 8 week e-course in creative blogging

It begins soon and I'm really excited to try some new things. This blog has helped me grow and develop as a photographer. It originally began as a place to document my travels. Now I want to expand in more creative and helpful ways using some of the skills that I have developed over the years. So stay tuned and expect some changes!

Like life, blogs are always changing, too. And that's a little bit of what's been happening in My World lately.

First there is a mountain

2011-03-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

Then there is no mountain
Then there is.

Skywatch Friday!

What sky?

2011-02-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is the view out my window through a piece of stained glass because there is no sky to be seen today.

SkyWatch Friday has the colors of the rainbow in it every week.

A Well Being Wednesday Reminder!

2011-02-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

A February Walk with Animals

2011-02-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

Brogan and Skipper were so excited that I decided to walk down to the mailbox today! It's a beautiful sunny day and almost above freezing. Brogan loves to play with Skipper, but Skipper is overwhelmed by Brogan's size.

Ringo was curious to see what we were doing, but not curious enough to come along with us.

We are still sending out prayers to the world for everyone to be happy and free from suffering.

You can see the snow is still piled high on the side of the road.

Skipper is showing his enthusiasm for the walk again, what a smile!

There were lots of interesting shapes from the shadows and shining snow crystals from the sun.

And even a snow sculpture in the shape of a guinea pig!

That's MyWorld today! How are things in your neck of the woods?

Taktshang - Tiger's Nest Monastery

2011-02-12T10:42:00.002-07:00

How is it that this post never got posted? I just found it in my draft section because I was looking for these pictures. These are from our trip to Bhutan three years ago.

Queen of All She Surveys?

Almost there means another big push to the top of the stairs!

Getting closer.....

There it is!

Paul in front of the prayer wheel

Kuenzang on the left and Chhimi on the right

Quite often when you see a picture of Bhutan, it's a shot of Taktshang, the Tiger's Nest Monastery. It is perched dramatically on the side of a cliff. The trail is spectacular not only for the scenery but the for the prayer flags, chortens and prayer wheels that line the way. Of course, it is also very steep, sometimes narrow and rocky in parts. Our guide, Chhimi Rinzin and driver, Kuenzang Dorji, were my "bodyguards." They walked with me and helped me along the way. At first I was really embarrassed about it but eventually I became grateful for their kind assistance.

As you can see, we slowly get closer and closer. Once we arrive, the best is yet to come. Thanks to a letter of introduction from Lama Thupten from the Urgyen Samten Ling Gonpa in Salt Lake, we were able to go inside and meet the head lama of the monastery. This was a very rare honor and privilege. Young monks served us tea and cookies while Chhimi translated for us. We received the lama's blessing and went on our way feeling refreshed physically and spiritually.

Driving home on a winter afternoon

2011-02-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Rock formation

Cloud formation

Turn right or left?

The scenery here is never boring, neither are the skies featured in SkyWatch Fridays.

Increasing fascination with orange and red

2011-01-16T15:14:00.000-07:00

It must be all that white that surrounds me. I am buying up red and orange like it's going out of style!

A dash of yellow is wonderful too.

Playing with a new toy

2011-01-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

We had foggy skies mixed with sun, creating some special effects today.

I used Christmas money to buy myself a Canon Powershot A3100 and was out experimenting. These are basically "blind" shots taken with automatic focus. My glasses darken with polaroid in sunshine and I could not see the LCD screen at all.

Not a bad little camera! What I like about it is that I can take it with me because it's little and light. It's time to have fun and experiment this year.

See spectacular sky shots from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

Sunrise Skywatch

2011-01-07T22:18:00.000-07:00

It's still winter.

Maybe somewhere else it's not so check out Skywatch Friday.

Then the sun came out, at last

2010-12-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

The snow crystals are glittering.

I had the pleasure of digging the wood out of the pile to haul in for heat. It's COLD out there!

Snow piles have very interesting shapes and shadows when the SUN comes OUT!

I didn't see the jack rabbits, just their tracks.

Oh wait, here's one! Nope, it's Brogan enjoying the snow.

That was part of my New Year's Eve walk. Wishing everyone the best for 2011.

Blowing snow

2010-12-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

Looking out the window,

the wind is blowing snow.

Cat tracks on the mountain

We had a safe trip to Wyoming and back in between storms, thank goodness. Apparently we are going to have a real winter this season. Blowing snow and cold is actually better than snow with rain on top.

Dreaming of Hawaii.......

Update

2010-12-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

6 a.m. and then 11 a.m.........

Same view from previous post with another foot or two more snow. The pile is a result of raking the snow off the porch roof so it doesn't collapse under the weight of heavy, wet snow.

I'm looking for warm sunny places around My World.

It's a Charlie Brown Christmas

2010-12-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Somewhat surprisingly we didn't put up a tree this year, other than a literal, out-of-a-box Charlie Brown tree with one ornament. We are headed north to visit family for Christmas and it seemed pointless to haul out all the decorations.

We are having a major winter storm with rain on top of snow last night and now more snow. This means a layer of ice under snow and treacherous driving conditions. Hopefully we'll be able to get out of town when it's time to go.

I do wish my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas. I'm sorry I haven't been able to stop and visit all of you as much as I used to but you are in my heart all the same.

Best wishes for a most excellent and Happy New Year!

Fog

2010-12-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

92% humidity in the alpine desert during winter is pretty unusual. We had a week of weather that was damp and cold. It reminded me of living in Virginia. When I was a child I stood at the bus stop in ankle socks and flimsy shoes. I was really happy when we were allowed to wear pants to school!

Small blessings are what it's all about.

Winter

2010-11-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

Dust of Snow by Robert Frost

The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I rued.

It's not winter on the calendar yet but it's winter in My World.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

May you be blessed with gratitude for all good things in your life.

May nothing fence you in or keep you from success.

May I appreciate winter this year because it's here and I can't do a thing about it.

The holiday season is upon us. Sometimes it feels like a race to the finish line but this year I have a lot of my shopping done early, a miraculous and new accomplishment for me. I moaned and groaned about winter last year but it didn't make it any better so this year I am determined to remember the key. That buried beneath the ice and snow lie the mysteries of spring. So what if winter lasts 6 months and spring doesn't? Right? Right.

In accordance with the holiday I am so very grateful for my family and friends, my warm house, my furry companions and Good Cooking! Hope you have a wonderful day full of gratitude for the blessings in your life as well.

More ducks

2010-11-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

After a trip to New Zealand a few years ago, PD (pre-digital), we returned home and bought some ducks. We were entertained by a small flock on a south island beach and thought it would be fun to own some. Eventually we lost them all to coyotes.

My husband decided this summer that he wanted more ducks. With both kids gone I didn't think it was such a great idea. I mean, really, we already did ducks, right?

Wrong.

So one duck condo and secure pen later we are now the proud owners of 17 ducks. I was out there this morning sliding around on water covered ice filling up their swimming pool. I have a great fear of falling out there without the hope of rescue.

If you can't find me, check out there.

From one week to another

2010-11-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was beautiful, sunny and pretty warm. Both of my favorite girls were home for the weekend. Alyson had a photography project to do. She used her sister, Amber, and her boyfriend, Eric as models. I took the opportunity for photos as well.

Here they are goofing around but it makes ME happy to look at them being happy.

And then they are just being seriously good looking.

Two days later it was cold and snowing!

Temperatures at night have been down in the 20's and it feels so cold. It's a good thing we have a lot of wood stacked for winter.

Skies in all their infinite variety can be found at Skywatch Friday.

Halloween Hike

2010-11-01T06:57:00.000-06:00

My husband has back problems. One of his disks started acting up about six weeks ago. After four weeks off he made it back to work but today was the first day he felt up to going for a walk around our "neighborhood."

Obviously today is cloudy but the mist is cool.

View to the east.

A little Halloween orange on an old sage bush.

Is it true that good fences make good neighbors?

That's My World. How's yours?

Halloweeny Trees

2010-10-25T12:59:00.000-06:00

We got rain and cold over the weekend. I think we are approaching the end of fall.

I love Halloween! It's a little spooky in My World, how about yours?

Blue sky in fall clothes

2010-10-21T08:52:00.000-06:00

How long will the beautiful fall weather last?

Visit the ever-changing sky at Sky Watch Friday.

Gretta's Grandkids

2010-10-12T22:27:00.000-06:00

When I was out taking pictures some little kids came up to show me the shells they found while walking with their grandmother. I asked if I could take a picture and they obliged.

Later as I was getting ready to leave, their grandmother asked me if I would mind taking some pictures of the kids. Her camera battery was dead. She wanted pictures because she is getting ready to retire to Hawaii and won't be seeing the kids for awhile. I could hardly say no. It was really fun to take these shots of the kids eating jello for her. Of course I emailed them to her when I got home.

Who wouldn't miss these little guys???

A perfect fall day in Dry Fork on the Flume Trail

2010-10-11T15:47:00.000-06:00

We got a new sign--it looks pretty official.

Newly re-inspired I took my camera down to the Flume Trail.

Red Cloud Loop road will take you on a scenic drive up into the mountains.

We have so many interesting rock formations.

After a week of clouds and rain it was so nice to get a sunny day.

That's some of the beauty in My World. What's it look like in yours?

The last bits

2010-10-10T10:27:00.000-06:00

Misty beaches make opaque pictures.

There is a large surfing community in this area. The normal response is, "Well, they wear wet suits." So? It still seems very cold for surfing to me, but what do I know?

The little sea birds don't mind, of course.

We left our cozy cottage and headed back to Victoria. This is the famous Empress Hotel. You need deep pockets to stay here but it's fun to wander around inside and see how the other half lives.

The Parliament Building is an interesting structure, both inside and out. Built in 1893 it remains in use today.

I'd seen pictures of these phone booths before but never in real life. Who knows how long it will be there now that everyone has cell phones.

We took the ferry back to Seattle and spent the next day exploring again. The Space Needle is probably the most recognized structure there but what we really enjoyed was the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and the Sci Fi museum that goes along with it.

We returned home almost a month ago. I had so much to catch up with at work that there has been very little time for blogging, but for now our little excursion has ended until the next great adventure.

There are bound to be more Scenic Sundays in our future.

Bear Watching in Tofino

2010-10-02T21:45:00.000-06:00

In Tofino we signed up for a bear watching trip on a Zodiac boat. We took a chance and it was so worth it! There are many islands and passages to get lost in.

We wore big red suits for insulation because it was cold on the water. Life vests were built into them.

The fog and the water played on each other in so many mystical ways.

And then we saw the bears! We could hear them crunching on fresh crabs and watch them pull rocks aside as they searched for food. Because we were in the boats we were able to get very close, unfortunately, I didn't have my zoom lens with me. The boatman cut the engine and let us stay for a long time.

He said it was unusual for there to be two bears at once. Usually they are solitary. He thought perhaps there was a little courting going on here as they chased each other around.

We also saw a porpoise, an eagle and sea lions. Seeing wildlife in their habitat is one of my most favorite experiences in life.

There are so many Scenic Sunday places to see.

Tofino, BC

2010-09-27T08:07:00.000-06:00

Tofino is a little more touristy than Ucluelet, where we stayed, but it's entertaining with lots of good restaurants.

Isn't this a lovely place for lunch?

I could hardly believe my eyes when the sun shone on this beautiful flower.

Of course there are many water-related activities in the area.

It was a marvelous mix of clouds and blue sky that day.

We headed off for another hike before a bear watching boat trip later in the day.

This trail was almost entirely made out of wood and stairs.

We found these at the bottom. And yes, of course, we had to walk all the way back up!

That was My World not too long ago.

Evening in Ucluelet and Morning on the Pacific Rim Beach

2010-09-25T22:40:00.000-06:00

We played tourists for a day in Seattle and then the next day took the Victoria Clipper to Vancouver Island. Rather than renting a car in Seattle, we used their excellent public transportation system. Once we arrived in Victoria we picked up our rental car. The agent there recommend a great place for lunch and we ate in a remodeled bus. We visited the famous Butchart Gardens. I had hoped to have endless, amazing pictures of it all, but unfortunately it was raining too hard that day to even consider hauling out the cameras. The best I can do is suggest your visit their website, or better yet, plan to see it in person.

After a night in Victoria, we drove to the unusually economical cabin at Bird's Bay Retreat in Ucluelet, British Columbia. It's about a five hour drive if you don't stop along the way, which we did, a lot.

As soon as we settled in we headed to the beach. By then it was dusk.

Someone is very happy to be in the Pacific Rim Forest. Truthfully I had never heard of it. Gary said it was on his bucket list, so before I knew it was on mine, I was already there!

Most people know that the northwest is very damp and foggy. It was.

The early riser in my life was up and ready to go the next day. I lagged behind until we got a mocha espresso and pastry for breakfast.

Someone else explored the beach too.

There were signs on the beach warning visitors about large, dangerous waves. They must be if they can move these huge logs up on the shore.

Tide pools are always fun to explore.

Who doesn't love waves crashing on the rocks?

So many scenic views there.

A glimpse of Seattle

2010-09-23T21:36:00.000-06:00

The moist environment in Seattle seems to be perfect for growing flowers.

I love being able to walk along the water. We had a delicious fresh seafood meal at Elliott's the night before. I had the most divine crab cakes ever!

This talented young woman was outside dancing with her hula hoop to earn money for nursing school. She posed for me so I donated a few dollars to the cause.

I fell in love with otters on our trip to Alaska and was intrigued by this carved chair. This handsome young man just looked right at me when I pointed my camera at him and took the shot.

This gentleman was my traveling companion for the week we spent in the northwest. He had been wanting to revisit the area for years so we decided pretty much on the spur of the moment to go.

In a perfect world....

2010-09-21T16:04:00.000-06:00

The Pike Street Market in Seattle would exist in my town too. Can we clone it?

Fresh pepper wreaths are colorful, delicious and nutritious.

So many amazing fresh flowers to choose from.

Lots of fresh fish too.

It was such a treat to see all the marvelous displays. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to be able to shop here on a regular basis.

This was part of My World only a little over two weeks ago.

The magical northwest

2010-09-16T07:00:00.008-06:00

Last week my husband and I took a trip to Seattle, Victoria, British Columbia and the Pacific Rim Forest on Vancouver Island. It was a trip without children so I called it Celebrating the Empty Nest trip to lessen the blow of both my girls being away at college. I miss them but I'm excited that they are getting an education.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time keeping up with myself and catching up on everything. I do have a minute to post some of the beautiful skies we saw in Tofino on a bear watching trip. More details about this wonderful trip will be posted later but for now, enjoy the play of light in the clouds!

Don't forget to visit Skywatch Friday!

Empyrean

2010-09-02T08:34:00.000-06:00

It means heavenly. I needed a new word for these dramatic skies.

Sky Watch Friday, for all celestial gazers, meets here.

August 28, 2010 - a Saturday afternoon

2010-08-30T09:30:00.000-06:00

Summer is almost over, unfortunately. I have been enjoying the warm weather. Today we are having erratic weather.

It started with dark clouds.

The wind blew and pea-size hail came down. My husband was moving llama manure with his tractor. I was opening and shutting the gate. We ended up under the shelter with the llamas, too bad I didn't have my camera then.

The llamas went back out in the pasture and I got out my camera. Then I started thinking.

It's been awhile since I just took shots around the property. It's going to be winter soon. It's a good thing we're getting ready for it.

Our neighbors are cutting, splitting and stacking wood for us. It's not a service project, we're paying them, but they're doing a fantastic job for us.

The llamas have hay for the winter.

Wally's grateful!

The flowers will fade soon.

But not yet.

The hail hit the petunias a little hard though.

The neighbors came back with another load of wood. And then it rained again.

Just a little glimpse into My World here in Utah!

Celebrating the Return

2010-08-24T21:06:00.000-06:00

Wordless posts are congregating here.

How big was that fish?

2010-08-23T10:28:00.000-06:00

I received these pictures in an email from Cousin Ken. He is one proud Papa and when you see the fish his daughter Emma caught you will understand why! Here's his story:

Last Tuesday Emma and I spent the day fishing with a guide on the San Juan river in northwest New Mexico. Just after we set into the river and Brian, our guide, had Emma rigged with two #20 nymphs on her 5 wt. fly rod she commented "there's a nice one". Brian and I were just yakking while he set up my rig so he told her to go ahead and cast out. You should know that we fished the Juan with Brian a year ago so we are not strangers and that Emma caught a nice 5 pounder while fishing with Brian's boss, Chris last year. While Brian and I chatted Emma shot about 20' of line out and the next thing we heard was that wonderful singing of the fly reel that means a nice fish is running like hell. 15 LONG minutes later she got her fish up to Brian and he had it in the net. This whole thing happened right at the set in point and there were about 8 guide boats with clients who had hung around to see what would happen while this cute 9 year old girl fought what was obviously a nice fish. The result (see pictures) was what Brian said was the biggest fish of the season. According to him and based on his 9 years of guiding on the river only 10% of all clients could have put this fish in the boat on the tackle we were using. I'm glad I didn't have to find out if I was in the same class. The measurements were 23.5" in length with a 15" girth. Based on the standard formula for determining the weight of a trout (girth squared x length divided by 800 ) the fish was 6.6 pounds but several guides put the weight at over 7 pounds. This was a completely unassisted catch from sight to cast to set to fight to net. (My emphasis)
This girl is a scary good fisherman. I only hope she keeps taking me with her. The rest of the day wasn't bad ...we caught and released 20 fish, the smallest a 17" brown with 6 rainbows 20" or better. At least half of the total and the biggest of the day were Emma's.

This story isn't exactly My World but it sure is a great story to share with the world! (Or at least a little piece of it.)

WAY TO GO EMMA!

Early morning light

2010-08-22T21:38:00.000-06:00

High in the Colorado mountains, very early in the morning,

the sunlight was perfect for taking pictures.

Nature provided the colors.

Visit Lisa's Chaos for her 100th Macro Monday!

Blue Skies in Rocky Mountain National Park

2010-08-18T08:00:00.013-06:00

My husband and I spent last weekend in Boulder, Colorado. To get there we drove through Rocky Mountain National Park. If you enlarge the first picture you will see a moose in the water. The trees look sick because pine bark beetles have been feasting on them to the detriment of the trees.

There are many scenic views in the park. From the website:

Trail Ridge Road spans the Park and connects Estes Park on the east side to the town of Grand Lake on the western slope. It's the highest continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet. It follows a path that the Ute and other Native American peoples used for thousands of years.

The Trail Ridge road was closed due to snow the last time we visited (in September). It's amazing to be able to drive above timberline.

There was a lot of road construction along the way. The cars are stopped on the ridge.

Hiking on a trail in the tundra literally took our breath away! The air is very thin at 12,000 feet (3657m)!

Visit SkyWatch Friday to admire views from many elevations.

Wind River Sky

2010-08-12T18:43:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe it was four years ago when we took our girls and our llamas into the back country of the Wind River range in Wyomin, quite the spectacular place.

There's lots of Sky to Watch in Wyoming!

Life goes on without pictures

2010-08-04T10:12:00.001-06:00

It's been a very busy time for me. Last week I went to the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City with three girlfriends. We saw Much Ado About Nothing and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Both plays were excellent and very well done. I had my camera with me but didn't take any pictures.

Two days later my parents arrived for a visit. They just left this morning. Again, I didn't take any pictures. We had a wonderful visit and I am blessed that the two of them are still so vibrantly alive.

Also on the job another grant is adding work hours to my schedule. And the kids will be leaving for college in a couple of weeks. And.....and.....and.....I've had so little time for blogging and commenting, but I do appreciate everyone who stops by!

I think I will regret not taking any pictures but sometimes I'm just not in the mood. Anyone else have this problem on occasion?

Perhaps it's not a bad thing to opt for visual memories--as long as my memory remains intact!

The Center for Uintah Basin Youth and Families

2010-08-02T09:46:00.000-06:00

Dearest Bloggers:

As you may or may not know, I'm a social worker, through and through. I help families who have children with complicated needs. Last fall I was lucky enough to "get" a Master of Social Work student who wanted to do her field practicum with me. Joslin and I formed a great team, I helped her learn new things, but she also helped me learn a lot of new things too. Our synergy created momentum for what we call a System of Care in our Uintah Basin.

Please read what she posted on her blog last night, check out the project and VOTE for this project to help families and youths! Anybody can vote and you can vote everyday. Winning is a popularity contest so go for it! Spreading the word is what I'm up to in My World today.

Thanks!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2010

I NEED Your Help!

Seriously I do...

I had this crazy idea while I was out of my mind one day

"I should apply for a grant and open a child abuse and delinquency prevention center "(insert laugh here)

But my "out of mind" experience didn't stop there because here I am almost 7 months later and I'm in the final stages of getting a grant. So, you wonder what the bad news is?

I need help!

And lots of it! I wrangled my co-students into getting involved, but I need about million times more help!

I applied for a $250,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project. The awardee is decided by popular vote. Whichever project is ranked #1 by Aug. 31st at midnight EST gets the money!

Here's how you can help:

1. Text 101793 to pepsi(73774) daily standard messaging rates apply
2. Vote by way of facebook (you'll have to click on the pepsi application and then vote)
3. Vote by way of our website
4. Vote by way of Pepsi -or-
5. Use the vote button on the top right of this blog!

After you've voted:

1. Pass it on to your friends, family, and coworkers!
2. Tell your neighbors
3. Let your kids vote (anyone 13 yrs and older can vote)
4. Have your spouse vote

And then, DO IT ALL AGAIN TOMORROW!

Thank you in advance to everyone who chooses to support me in this!

That pot of gold is somewhere around here

2010-07-29T19:50:00.000-06:00

Have you seen it?

Maybe it's under a different Sky! Better go look.

Bridal Veil Falls

2010-07-26T07:36:00.000-06:00

I wonder why Bridal Veil is such a popular name for waterfalls. This one is located in Provo Canyon. I drive to Provo once a month for work but this time I stopped and took some pictures. It was so hot I stood in the shade of the trees.

This is a double cataract waterfall that is 607' tall (185m) and home to black swift birds.

That's a piece of My World in Utah.

All good things

2010-07-20T06:01:00.000-06:00

When we left Valdez we took the Glenn Highway back to Anchorage. It was a very misty, overcast day so the view with four mountain ranges was something we couldn't see, but it was still a beautiful stretch of road.

These are the Chugach Mountains in the background.

I think these poles are guides for snow plows in the winter? How deep does it get???

It was so foggy and green that it looked like the northwest, except for the vegetation. There were supposed to be lots of moose through here. Uh-huh.

Here you can see the Matanushka Glacier and the valley it carved out plus another example of a braided river.

We camped in the Matanushka State Recreation Site. There were only 12 camp sites and none of them had hook ups. The campground wasn't even full!

We took a little nature hike to see what we could see.

Another shot of the glacier.

Raindrops on Long Lake.

The next day we drove in to Anchorage. This is the last picture I took in Alaska. We unloaded the RV and went to a motel for the night. I wish I would have taken my camera in to Anchorage that night because there was an arts festival with lots of great photo ops. I'll just have to remember how fun it was and how diverse the population was and how tasty the fresh halibut was for dinner.

It's hard to believe that I am at the end of our trip, 41 posts later. It's been a pleasure to relive our adventure and read all your great comments. Thinking back I believe that Ketchikan, Seward and Valdez were my favorite places. I especially loved seeing whales, otters and eagles. I think it's a marketing hoax that Alaska is full of bears! For those of you dreaming of Alaska some day, consider a cruise, it's actually pretty inexpensive these days. Or consider renting an RV and explore the Kenai Peninsula. Make that dream come true, it is so worth it! If you can't make it come true, then I hope you enjoyed our trip instead. And if you are heading there soon, have a wonderful time!

Hiking around Valdez on a rare sunny day

2010-07-19T08:20:00.001-06:00

We began exploring with the Dock Point Trail, just a hop, skip and a jump from our campsite.

The eagle's nest can be seen from the north side of this trail.

This is the small boat harbor.

We enjoyed a lunch with fresh halibut after visiting a nice little museum about Valdez. They have recovered from the earthquakes and oil spills that once devastated the town.

Then we headed over to the Shoup Bay Trail.

The trail began in the woods and then broke out on a field of wildflowers and led us to the beach.

There were too many waterfalls to even count them all!

Not quite like any beach I've ever visited before, though.

It was another incredible scenery-filled day in Alaska!

I had an interesting experience at work last week. We were talking about camping versus a city vacation. I was in the minority because I said I preferred camping. The three other women I was talking with said they would prefer a city, which I think means shopping. Hmmm, a mall or this?

No contest in My World!

Feeding the eagles

2010-07-17T12:24:00.000-06:00

Sitting in the RV I happened to look out the window and see an eagle fly by. I knew there was a nest not too far from where we were camped. I headed out with my camera and started taking pictures. A lot of the pictures did not turn out, but some of them did. Thank goodness for digital cameras.

It took me a minute or two to realize that someone was throwing fish out for the eagles. Here the eagle is coming in to pick up the fish on the ground.

It swooped in and grabbed the fish.

And flew away.

What magnificent birds they are.

I took a million pictures. Then I thought about the danger of feeding wildlife. I got up my nerve and went over to the woman throwing the fish. I mentioned that perhaps it might not be a good idea for her to be feeding the eagles. She said she had a permit from Fish and Game and that it was ok. They were very hungry because the salmon had not started running.

At first I had thought the eagles were raiding the nests of the birds in the wetland but they weren't. They also feed from the sloughs when fishermen come in and clean their fish. It's a good place for eagles to live.

After having wild turkeys in our yard all year, I've decided that the eagle is a much better choice for the national bird!

If you' like animals, go visit Camera Critters!

In to Valdez

2010-07-16T20:08:00.000-06:00

As we descended things started to green up and melt.

Of course we had to stop to admire the waterfalls.

The one below is called Horsetail Falls for obvious reasons.

How's this for a scenic camping view? There were so many birds in the wetlands here.

We could actually hear the water rushing down the hill from where we were camped.

They have big fish in Alaska!

We tried to arrange a fishing trip for the next day but it didn't work out. So it goes sometimes.

Skies and other sights along the Richardson Highway over Thompson Pass

2010-07-15T21:27:00.000-06:00

The Milepost told us that this lake is used in the winter time for races when the ice is thick and solid. The racers are in teams, one drives a snowmobile and the other skis behind and they get going up to 80 or 90 mph! There is no limit to man's creativity for winter entertainment in Alaska.

It was just beginning to melt when we arrived during the first week of June.

Here's a little frontier-style church that is currently in use.

The door is decorated with this beautiful stained glass peacock. The interior is very rustic.

The great thing about heading south was driving out of the smoke and heat of the interior and getting back to where it was cooler in temperatures.

The mountains were still covered in snow.

We stopped to visit Washington Glacier but the path was not clear, it was still covered in snow as well. Plus it was really cold. Not to mention we had already seen many glaciers.

There was a fox just outside of the parking lot who managed to catch lunch.

Thompson Pass (2678' elevation) was socked in with clouds.

Looks cold, doesn't it?

Like winter in June, but oh so spectacular. We agreed with everyone who told us that we should see Thompson Pass, it's breathtaking.

We had planned on camping in the Blueberry Lake Campground, but guess what? The road was covered in snow so we had to resort to plan B, continue on in to Valdez (pronounced Val-deez).

Sky Watch Friday is filled with fascinating skies from around the world. Go see what's there!

The Alaska Pipeline

2010-07-14T20:14:00.000-06:00

No trip to Alaska would be complete without seeing the pipeline. In 1975 when I first saw Fairbanks it was a boom town. Now it's just grown a lot. The pipeline runs to Valdez because it's the only Alaskan port that doesn't freeze. It begins on Alaska's North Shore and runs 800 miles.

The boys were more interested in the pipeline than the girls were. Go figure!

According to Aleyska, since the pipeline first started running they have pumped over 16 billion barrels of oil.

It is an engineering marvel to be sure.

Selwyn looks so happy because he just retired and took a trip to Alaska. Susan always looks happy. She says that people talk about their cup being half full or half empty but hers is always brimming over. I love her positive attitude - maybe that's why we have been friends for 45 years!!

We continued our trip south towards Valdez, stopping many times along the way to admire the scenery. We used the Milepost guide which is extremely useful as a guidebook.

Mt. McKinley revisited

2010-07-13T07:21:00.000-06:00

National Lampoon Alaskan Vacation

2010-07-12T06:44:00.000-06:00

When we left Denali we headed north again towards Fairbanks. It's not as scenic between the two places as the rest of our trip. There was also a big fire so the air was dense with smoke. I don't want to insult anyone who loves Fairbanks, but it wasn't my favorite place on our trip. It's a city and it has a nice visitor's center. We stopped and had fresh fish on the river and watched boaters for awhile before heading south towards Valdez.

What kind of vacation is a real vacation without a visit to someplace tacky? North Pole, Alaska is south of Fairbanks, and celebrates Christmas all year round. Our group was divided on the importance of visiting this festive place. It is of note that Frommer's Alaska Guide omits the North Pole. You can see the smoke in the air.

"North Pole has the magic of Christmas in its name and the great Alaskan outdoors for its backyard. The City has an incredible opportunity to be the destination for the interior, a beautiful small town set in the great Alaskan outdoors and home to Santa Claus."

We stopped in to visit the gift shop and bought some cute souvenirs.

Susan was probably the most enthusiastic about this stop!

It was worth the photo opps.

4 a.m.

2010-07-11T11:10:00.000-06:00

Our new friend and guide, Bud, said that the best time to see animals was in the early morning. Now I am NOT a morning person but when I woke up at 4 a.m. I decided to try my luck.

Although I was not lucky finding any animals, I did get some great shots. I don't know if it was night or day, though, it never got any darker than this.

Now where are those bears??? They're missing the sunrise.

Visit Scenic Sunday to view scenery from all over the world.

Denali National Park

2010-07-10T12:37:00.000-06:00

Denali National Park is accessible by one road and that one road is only accessible by bus. So, if you are going to stay in the park you need to think ahead. Fortunately we did. You are allowed to drive in to your campground but there you must stay.

Denali contains 6 million acres of wilderness and yet it is not the largest park in Alaska, just the most accessible.

It's almost impossible to take in the vast amount of space contained within the park.

Unfortunately some of these views are obstructed by people in the bus.

The bus drivers are good about looking for wildlife and stopping for pictures but you have to jostle around people and their cameras. Sometimes they let the passengers out.

Sometimes when you do see the wildlife they are quite far away. These are Dall sheep, the little white dots on the hillside.

I was surprised to see a fox as well.

He didn't appear to mind getting his picture taken, but I'm not sure he was healthy. Maybe it was the heat that day. He didn't say.

This cow moose posed for awhile too.

And so did this ground squirrel. I love the entrance to his house, very well done.

This truck was coming down from a hotel deep in the park. They were getting ready to open for visitors. Again, we were early in the season and the farthest point out on the bus was not yet open so we went as far as we could that day.

We met a really nice guy with a huge camera lens named Bud. He took us to this spot because there was a wolf den nearby but we didn't see any wolves that day. He was a great tour guide and big lover of Denali. He and his wife come from Fairbanks often. He also highly recommended going to Valdez. It was good advice.

We also saw some grizzlies but they were so far away they looked like little dots on the landscape, not good for anything but professional photographers with massive lenses! Other animal pictures from near and far can be found at Camera Critters.

On the way to Denali National Park

2010-07-07T21:48:00.000-06:00

Mt. McKinley is a famous mountain for many reasons. It's the tallest mountain in the U.S. It's also one of the hardest to see. It rises 4 miles, 6.4 km, from the base to the summit, at the highest it is 20,320' or 6,194m. The top has its own climate, usually cloudy. The scenery around it isn't too shabby either.

If you look really hard (enlarge the picture) you can almost see it.

This is a "braided" river, a result of silt, slope and channels running through it.

This is the first and only "official" Mt. McKinley overlook. We sometimes glimpsed the mountain at other times in other places but often there were trees in the way and no pullover. Go figure.

OK, this is NOT my picture, but just so you can see the mountain on a clear day, here it is.

Any guesses on what kind of flower this is? Something that wasn't a dandelion which was blooming everywhere.

We stayed at Byer's Lake for the night. This cabin was part of the scenery. A woman from New York married an Alaskan and moved here. They expected to make it rich but didn't. She had two children here before they gave up and moved away.

It looks like a nice place to live in the summer.

The water was so clear.

Early evening, still no night to speak of. We enjoyed our walk around the lake.

Turn Again Arm

2010-07-07T07:14:00.000-06:00

The morning we left Seward we started back toward Anchorage, the hub of our trip. We drove through Turn Again Arm again.

The dead trees are a result of the 1964 earthquake. Salt water invaded the Arm and killed the trees.

We stopped off at a lame animal preserve but the pictures "don't count" if the animals are behind fences when you are on Alaskan safari! We were disappointed not to have seen any bears and only one moose after two weeks. Part of the problem was once again the late spring. The salmon weren't running yet so the bear were not out eating salmon. The moose were calving and tended to stay hidden with their young.

We returned to Elmendorf Air Force Base for another night of camping and laundry. Our friends from Alabama, the ones who visited Yellowstone with us last year, were flying in to join us for the last week of our trip. We were so glad to have them come along.

The end of a wonderful day

2010-07-06T07:17:00.000-06:00

Now back to the boat trip from Seward.....

I'm not sure why the water is green here but on the way back we saw some more orca whales.

The boat captain is friends with the captain of the research vessel. She knew that they made fresh chocolate chip cookies in the afternoon and wanted some.

I'm not sure how he got the bag in her net but he succeeded. They were yummy cookies, no wonder she wanted some!

And then we sailed away.

A momentary diversion from Alaska

2010-07-05T11:27:00.000-06:00

On the morning of the 4th of July I headed to the Flume trail. It's only five minutes away from my house. The water, melted snow, is running off the mountains. It will disappear in the Dry Fork sinks soon and reappear next year.

Brogan came with me and whined every time I stopped too long to take a picture. That's what he does.

Although this is the bark of a fallen tree, it looks like a beautiful piece of art.

This could well be the biggest lupine bush I have ever seen.

Here's a close up of the flowers.

The Indian paintbrush is blooming as well.

Scarlet gilia trumpets, "Summer has finally arrived!"

The sun was shining in the morning, but a cold wind blew in a rainstorm later in the day and the temperatures really dropped for awhile.

The trail winds along the bottom of some magnificent rock formations.

There are lots of rocks on the trail too. My walking buddy tripped last week and injured her foot. It can be a little treacherous for us "old folks" but we hike the trail as often as we can for exercise and talk therapy.

Wouldn't you?

And that's My World in Utah.

Humpback Whale!

2010-07-04T07:38:00.000-06:00

Next on the list of thrilling experiences was seeing a humpback whale.

We've all seen pictures of these magnificent whales with the beautiful tails, but it's just so much better in real life!

Of course I was trying to get that National Geographic shot, without the National Geographic equipment.

But it's hard to do. Apparently if you get in a smaller boat and are willing to spend a lot of time on the water you can get pretty close for those "perfect" shots. I was happy just to get to see the whales.

We saw some puffins too. They are very cute little birds but they aren't fond of getting their pictures taken. On the Mako Taxi tour our guide told us they will always turn away from you no matter how many times you try to get around them. This results in a lot of puffin shots that look like this.

They did cooperate a little this time.

Here comes the whale again.

The tail is rising.

And then it disappears. It looks pretty beat up too. It must be a tough life for them.

This gull looks straight out of the Little Mermaid to me. Oh maybe Finding Nemo.

Our skillful boat captain had to negotiate a lot of ice to get close to this glacier. We could hear it making all kinds of noise before a small chunk of ice dropped off.

We headed back to Seward, very satisfied passengers.

It's not Sea World!

2010-07-03T09:43:00.000-06:00

One of my very most favorite things on earth is to see animals in their habitat. It is so much better than the zoo! It is also more difficult to get good shots. It certainly isn't for lack of trying.

The boat captain knew the water very well and also knew the whales. These whales live in the bay. He said that he believes the whales know the boats by their sounds and could probably identify him by sight as well. He is, after all, there almost every day.

The captain stopped the boat and turned the engines off so we could hear the whales blow air out of their holes. It was very exciting.

The whales rose and dove in rhythm of their breath.

Passengers ran back and forth from side to side on the boat trying to get the best pictures.

I did too.

I stood next to a little girl and she was just as excited as I was. We had never seen whales before.

We loved the rainbow in the water. It was magical.

This is a King Salmon, it was huge! It is trying to avoid being eaten for lunch but I'm not sure it was able to escape. The whale went under the boat chasing the fish and I didn't see it again.

And then we moved on.

Kenai Fjords Tours

2010-07-02T09:07:00.000-06:00

We signed up for a four hour boat trip to see the marine life that the area is famous for and we were not disappointed.

We were back on the water with warm clothes on.

The boat in this picture gives you a little bit of scale as far as the size of everything in Alaska. They definitely have Texas beat!

Again, there is an abundance of falling water.

Then we came up on a colony (?) of sea lions lounging in the sun.

There was no shortage of birds either.

They seem to be able to live together in harmony.

Ah, life is good on this day.

We even saw a mountain goat.

I wasn't kidding about the birds.

And then we moved further out into the bay.

Seward

2010-07-01T08:21:00.000-06:00

A beautiful blue Alaskan sky.

We found a great campsite right on Resurrection Bay. It was close to town too so of course we had to explore a little. We also bought tickets for a boat ride the next day. There was only one company open for business so we picked that one! It was going to be our last chance to see whales.

Twilight of the setting sun.

There are many more sky pictures posted on Sky Watch Friday where it's always a pleasure to visit the rest of the world.

Homer to Seward

2010-06-30T22:08:00.000-06:00

We left the cold shores of Homer and headed to Seward.

The Kenai Peninsula has the most roads in Alaska so it's possible to see quite a bit of it.

I think this is Mt. Turnabout, a volcano that is part of the Aleutian Chain, called the Ring of Fire. We didn't have to go clear north to Anchorage, we turned off at Cooper Landing (a gas station and a restaurant) and headed south again.

Along the way we found a nice campground. It was too early in the day to camp but we enjoyed a very scenic lunch.

It's rare when I like a picture of me, but I like this one.

If you take the train from Anchorage to Whittier, you'll see scenes like this too.

The girls and I thought this was a funny thing to do. Gary was less amused but he took the picture anyway.

Of course we had to stop and visit Exit Glacier.

It's possible to get very close to this glacier. The wind that came off it was impressive and cold.

Mako's Water Taxi Ride

2010-06-28T09:38:00.000-06:00

We spent the morning walking around Homer and going in to shops that were open. Still early in the season, there were a lot of stores still closed.

We visited the Pratt Museum, just an awesome little place full of interesting displays about the area. There was a webcam of a place called Gull Island. Anyone could use the joystick to zoom in on the birds. We decided we wanted to see it.

We booked an excursion for later in the day. It was quite chilly on the water so we bundled up.

Our boat guide was most gracious, willing to stop and let us look at the things we were interested in seeing.

Kachemak Bay is stunning, especially wonderful to see in a small boat.

Our guide has spent many years out on the water and knew how to skirt the rocks below.

Gull Island is home to 8 species of birds, gulls, kittiwakes, cormorants, puffins, murres, pigeons and more. I've never seen so many birds in one place.

In addition there were sea otters, just about the cutest critters on the planet. The females had just given birth to their young. They float on their backs with the babies perched on their tummies. When an eagle flies over looking for lunch, they roll over and dive into the water to protect the young. We saw it happen and it was so cool!

Alfred Hitchcock had nothin' on this batch of birds!

This male otter was on his own, just enjoying himself.

That was My World on May 24, 2010 and what a wonderful day it was!

Bald Eagles

2010-06-26T14:32:00.001-06:00

I was sitting in the motor home waiting to go on a water taxi trip when my husband came in and said there were two eagles sitting on the beach. I grabbed my camera and headed out.

The wind was blowing pretty hard. When I looked at my camera I realized I had the polarizing filter on and the pictures were dark. Once I took the filter off they cleared up and the focus improved.

I kept creeping closer to get better shots.

Then of course they took off,

but not before grabbing some nest building materials.

I've seen eagles before but never have I seen them do this.

It was very exciting to watch.