Autumn Road Trips

In case you're interested here are a few photos of the Teton/Yellowstone and NW Road Trips.

Two coyotes tracking each other.

Hundreds of bison crossing. Waiting is part awe and part respect.

Grand Tetons

Mammoth campground resident elk dropping by for breakfast.

Bison are sooooo  very big.

Our Mammoth camp.  Team effort setting up in the dark after a delightful drive along the north end of the park.

Christopher turns 16 in Island Park Village condos. 

Two days later a solo NW road trip began.

Ruth's art work on all the walls of their home.  Its wonderful to see her work of the past five years.

Painted from an image she had taken in China.

This was an award winner.

An abstract from the view below from their home as it might have looked before all the development.

Poppies.  Just one of the many florals she has painted.

This was really interesting. The apparent air bubbles in the water flowing over the rocks happened by laying a wet painting over  the new painting. 

  

One of a number of snow scenes from their Snowbird February vacations.

Pete taking a break on one of their traditional High Sierra pack-ins now a thing of the past.

From photo composites of their Danish guide in Iceland.

Wiseman

Ruth in her loft studio in their home.

Mount Rose hike.  Ruth and Pete.

Mount Rose autumn color.

My favorite quote from Pete, "Ruth thinks I'm loosing my memory and I think she embellishes!" 
Commit that one to memory as you and your spouse age.

After checking the weather plans changed and I left a day early.  Two hours later 70 mph winds hit their place and toppled a limb from a huge tree at the beginning of their drive, blocking exit for hours.  Felt assured I had truly been prompted to leave ahead of the storm.

My Klamath Falls Holiday Inn Express room was more than I had planned but made for a great rest in beautiful accommodations.  Ate dinner from my cooler supplemented by a frozen entree from the store across the street zapped in the microwave.  Herbal tea and tub.  Love the Oregon mandated attendant only refueling.  Pampered evening.

My iPod Touch has been wonderful in starting each day as I do at home--selected devotional music as I studied--in this case a conference address.  Did Pilates every other day and usually a good walk on the other days.  Perhaps that is why I've come home rested and settled.  This wasn't a trip about seeing places and things, but about people.

Left Kalamath in morning darkness and light rain and my devotional music.  It was a lovely 3-hour Sunday drive as the day lightened through woods similar to the drive from Bozeman to Ashton.  The last leg into Oakridge, it was puzzling to see the conifer debris on the road from Willamette ski area into Oakridge.  I felt fortunate to slip into town after the big winds had left Oakridge that morning.   Nice to meet the family at their little branch. 

I love touring their 2.33 acres to see all they have accomplished since my last visit. Even though there house is small they continue to find new ways to use the space.  Brad added a lot of storage options in the boys rooms by raising their beds and building cabinets, shelves and opening play space below.

The end of the garden.  They even had artichokes.

Love the fire ring.

The shops have all been roofed and painted.  Gus' shop.

Ian's foxhole.

Gus' opposing foxhole.

Gus' tree house under construction.

Ian's shop.

Three hefty fryers.  They have a dozen or so laying hens in the other coop.

Zella climbing up to her tree house.

Ian climbing the rope barefooted to his tree house.

Lily's shop.

The newly cleared garden spot with east to west sun exposure.

Lily's hideout.

Heather's 40th.  

Lily's new art pieces. 

Wish I had photographed the results of a painting session by Zella and Lily as we chatted with their neighbor, Carmen.

Other highlights were:
Sewing black hooded capes for the girls and seeing them flit about. 
Seeing the children run to the door when they hear Brad coming in after work.  The boys get up each morning early to see him off in the dark.
Enjoyed "Princess Diaries" with Anne Hathaway.
New businesses in Oakridge.  Loved the bakery.
Car-starting problems resolved by their mechanic/neighbor. 

A few more photos from the Oakridge days.

Heather earning horse lessons.

Kate teaching care of injured horse.  After treatment they walked the horse down the lane to finish up.

Some park time.

Heather and the girls made these elegant dresses.  It was fun to see them wearing the "jewels" I had given them years ago.

Champoeg Heritage Area.  Aren't these darling cabins.  I stayed an extra night before moving on to Portland.

Brad was head chef.  Chicken pot pie and peach cobbler!

Lily reading her new Flicka book from Powell's Book Store.  It was huge.  All of us had a great time for two hours.

Wells Halloween tradition.  Dressing up with simple fun gifts from Mom and Dad.

Halloween lights are part of their celebration.  Lily in her cape.

 

Some campers brought us trick or treat bags.  That was a fun surprise

 

 

Olympia, WA.  My cousin, Jack McCarthy.  Their garden is lovely.

This is all I have of Jean.  The camera fogged up after being outside.  Jack and I cut a bouquet of his dahlias.

Looking back to their home.

Couldn't resist the stars.  Harriet and I slept out. 

Sunset from the deck at Parkhill Drive.

The birthday boys at Olive Garden dinner.

Best buds.

Next stage . . .  hanging pictures.

Karate blow to you!