Sunday December Second

Doesn't this look like December Second?
This is me getting ready for church!

The Famous Leaf

Some of you know the story of this famous leaf.... those who don't will have to ask! : )

See how big it is?

Here we are, Liz! Me & you & the leaf. Now you're famous too!

Hiking Icicle Part 3

Up on the RidgeA Meadow up top

The "End of the Trail"

Beginning to head down.

Hiking Icicle Part 2

Here goes:

Not long after the conference call.

Going up.

Getting still higher!

So, I'd planned to just have two parts.... Too late. I've got to get to bed! Next post I'll get to the top of the ridge & hopefully get down... It was a long hike, after all!

In Ukraine

More pictures of the last hike are coming.
It's late & I didn't intend to be up. These are pictures from the summer. You can look at them... I'm going to bed!

One of the kids I'd bring home.... If only it were possible!Our TeamMy padruga, OlyitchaAt McD's in Yalta*My Julia*

Friends at the AquaPark
We're still friends!


Horseback riding

At teen camp

Me & JuliaThis is not when we were leaving!

Hiking Icicle Ridge - Part 1

Ever since I arrived at my new home and began to get out and hike the trails began to call my name loud and clear. One hike in particular had my name written over all 14 1/2 miles of it; the Icicle Ridge/ Fourth of July trail!!

Last Saturday was my last chance to do it before I leave for the summer. With a team meeting on the phone at 8am, about 15 miles to go, and an engagement at 5:45 pm that evening, I followed the call of the trail last Saturday, the 21st!

Reaching the trail head at 7 am, and talking on my cell an hour up, I stopped to observe the view...



...And join the team conference call, right there on the trail!!

Taken last Saturday!

Yes, that's snow.

Yes, those are my feet.

For real! I took this picture last Saturday! Promise!

More coming soon! (Hopefully)

Concluding the Fourth of July

The famous question is:

So, what was at the end? (Why was it so great? There wasn't even a lake.)

No. No lakes, just the top of the world.

It's almost seems like your own vast domain, except that you feel small and are in awe!

I wonder how close those distant mountains are to Canada!
There were plenty of great views on top, but that wasn't it!
I was on top too!!

See the great mountains back there?
Here is me & my little rigged-up backpack. With my little backpack & the dog, we can go anywhere!

It was a great hike, but left me itching for more!

Hiking the Fourth of July

I started out at 6am. It was cold and the mountain was still in shade. I knew if I didn't take some pictures along the way, I'd regret it. So I made myself get out the camera and take a few shots.

Here's me not far on the way up... The way up is the only way. The Fourth of July Trail goes up 5.3 miles to reach Icicle Ridge. The higher you got the better the view.

As I get closer the top there was a really thick frost all around. It layered the trees and ground. Around 9am I met the sun and it quickly began to melt the frost. I was walking through a group of dead trees when the sun had warmed them enough to begin to loose their frost. It was almost like an isolated snow storm, but so charming! I'd never seen anything like it before.
More to come soon....

Hiking Eight Mile

I think mountian lakes are beautiful!

This is the picture I can't believe I took! The best one of all my Eight Mile pics.

My new home

The orchards in bloom...
The view down the street
My new home:

Loving the mountian flowers of March!

This is the infamous; Flat Sally that I posted about Oh so long ago!

She stayed at my house for a while. We held hands walking down the path by the river. The photo shoots were fun. Also challenging! (Sally is not a good photographer!)

So you can see some details....

I'll tell the story soon.

Before

After

What more can be said? It was officially declared Totaled, today.