Thursday, September 30, 2010
Public Service Announcement...
I don't care who you are or what the circumstances may be. It is NEVER okay to pop your boyfriend's "backne" while standing in line at the State Fair...
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Super Sized Fun at the State Fair of Texas...
Overheard at Backyard Circus:
"Remember kids, if you want to grow up big and strong, you need to eat your vegetables each and every day. Even if they are deep fried."
Monday, September 27, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saying "Goodbye" to Great Aunt Patsy...
Aunt Patsy with my grandfather at the beach in the mid 1920s...
"Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy."
- Author Unknown
Monday, September 20, 2010
Just not feeling the Vibe right now...
Buzz.
The lesson learned last week:
You will never appreciate having a functional speedometer
in your car until you don't have one.
You will never appreciate having a functional speedometer
in your car until you don't have one.
So, yeah, dear, ole' Oy! Oy! The Envoy! is in the shop getting outfitted with an entirely new instrument panel. Something that WOULD have been covered by my flipping warranty had said warranty not expired late last year. I remember getting all the renewal notices in the mail and thinking, "Hey, I should renew that since Oy! Oy! is a bit of a lemon". Sadly, I (apparently) managed to NOT extend the warranty and am now facing the consequences. I blame all the wedding-related chaos of last fall. Why did I have to get married around the same time my car warranty was running out? That was just destined for failure.
And don't get me started on how this speedometer thingy is evidently common with certain years of Envoys. According to the dealership, it doesn't pose enough of a safety risk to justify being recalled.
Whatever. Whoever made that decision obviously doesn't have to drive through three school zones on their way to work.
In the meantime, I am cruising around town in a Pontiac Vibe. It has all the get up and go of a freaking bumblebee (complete with sound effects), and I swear the d@mn thing is sporting training wheels. And don't get me started on the wee-little steering wheel, because I am sure I've seen similar ones at my local grocery store:
Just keep your fingers crossed my car is ready before I have to leave for Oklahoma City on Wednesday. I'm not sure the Vibe can handle that much highway driving.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Ice Lake Hike 2010 (better late than never, right?!)...
Over the years I have posted many pictures from the Ice Lake basins. It is one of our absolute favorite destinations in Colorado, and - in my opinion - one of the most beautiful places on the planet. In addition to the hike's splendid views, it is also a very sentimental location for both Trevor and me. It is the hike where I finally convinced him to stop smoking in 2003, and the place - five years later - where he proposed one rainy afternoon.
Needless to say, we love it up there.
The morning of August 11th, 2010, on what would have been my maternal grandmother's 91st birthday, Trevor, Grammy Pammy and I set out to visit the Ice Lakes. It had been a couple of years since our last trek up the mountain, and we were all looking forward to exploring the upper basin (a place we hadn't been to since 2007 because of heavy rain and lightening).
At the trailhead, the skies were sunny and we were all optimistic. But by the time we reached the Ice Lake/Clear Lake trail fork at the waterfall, thunder cracked and we were all forced to take cover in the trees while a torrential hailstorm soaked us from above.
Why we didn't give up and head back down at that point is a mystery, but for whatever reason we decided to continue in the direction of the Lower Basin. Everyone else seemed to be going the other way, and we got more than a couple questioning looks from fellow hikers headed back down the mountain.
Our progress was slow. The rain made the trail slippery and we had to stop several times in the trees to wait out particularly heavy downpours. But we finally made it to the lower basin around lunchtime that afternoon. Except for a couple of campers, we had the lower basin to ourselves (judging by the number of people we passed on the way up, the lower basin must have been quite crowded earlier that morning).
Since we were now above the timberline, I insisted we stop, eat a snack and watch the weather. The last thing I wanted to do was get caught in was a thunderstorm in an exposed meadow on top of a mountain.
After a morning of soaking rains, however, the skies seemed to be clearing. So, taking a chance on the weather, we made a break for the Upper Basin. The entire time we were prepared to turn around and make a mad dash for the trees at the opposite end of the Lower Basin if a threatening cloud appeared over the top of U.S. Grant Peak. But - wouldn't you know it - we made it!
Trevor and I have explored most of the Upper Basin over the years. We've taken temporary shelter in the old cabin at Fuller Lake, and spent hours trying to capture the breathtaking beauty of the somewhat isolated Island Lake.
But, for whatever reason, Trevor and I had never ventured around or up passed the upper Ice Lake. It seems like an obvious destination, but the trail up into the basin between Vermillion and Golden Horn Peaks wasn't well defined or traveled. The view from above the upper Ice Lake was absolutely worth it, though, and I only wish the weather had held out long enough for me to travel up even higher. Alas! Something yet unexplored for next time!
Here are a few pictures from the hike. Enjoy!
Needless to say, we love it up there.
The morning of August 11th, 2010, on what would have been my maternal grandmother's 91st birthday, Trevor, Grammy Pammy and I set out to visit the Ice Lakes. It had been a couple of years since our last trek up the mountain, and we were all looking forward to exploring the upper basin (a place we hadn't been to since 2007 because of heavy rain and lightening).
At the trailhead, the skies were sunny and we were all optimistic. But by the time we reached the Ice Lake/Clear Lake trail fork at the waterfall, thunder cracked and we were all forced to take cover in the trees while a torrential hailstorm soaked us from above.
Grammy Pammy at the the waterfall at the Crater Lake split in 2007
Why we didn't give up and head back down at that point is a mystery, but for whatever reason we decided to continue in the direction of the Lower Basin. Everyone else seemed to be going the other way, and we got more than a couple questioning looks from fellow hikers headed back down the mountain.
Our progress was slow. The rain made the trail slippery and we had to stop several times in the trees to wait out particularly heavy downpours. But we finally made it to the lower basin around lunchtime that afternoon. Except for a couple of campers, we had the lower basin to ourselves (judging by the number of people we passed on the way up, the lower basin must have been quite crowded earlier that morning).
Since we were now above the timberline, I insisted we stop, eat a snack and watch the weather. The last thing I wanted to do was get caught in was a thunderstorm in an exposed meadow on top of a mountain.
After a morning of soaking rains, however, the skies seemed to be clearing. So, taking a chance on the weather, we made a break for the Upper Basin. The entire time we were prepared to turn around and make a mad dash for the trees at the opposite end of the Lower Basin if a threatening cloud appeared over the top of U.S. Grant Peak. But - wouldn't you know it - we made it!
Inside the cabin at Fuller Lake in 2007
Trevor and I have explored most of the Upper Basin over the years. We've taken temporary shelter in the old cabin at Fuller Lake, and spent hours trying to capture the breathtaking beauty of the somewhat isolated Island Lake.
Overlooking Island Lake in 2007
But, for whatever reason, Trevor and I had never ventured around or up passed the upper Ice Lake. It seems like an obvious destination, but the trail up into the basin between Vermillion and Golden Horn Peaks wasn't well defined or traveled. The view from above the upper Ice Lake was absolutely worth it, though, and I only wish the weather had held out long enough for me to travel up even higher. Alas! Something yet unexplored for next time!
Here are a few pictures from the hike. Enjoy!
Here comes the rain...
The Lower Basin...
The clouds starting to lift...
Lovely...
My mountain man...
Sitting on the rock where Trevor proposed on August 5th, 2008...
Grammy Pammy and her favorite son-in-law...
I absolutely adore this picture of Gypsy...
The hike to the Upper Basin...
Grammy Pammy had only been in the altitude for 48 hours at this point.
What a trooper!
What a trooper!
Finally. The Upper Basin.
Perfectly clear and blue...
Trevor and Alley from the far side of the upper ice lake...
REAL mountain dogs...
Grammy Pammy and Trevor...
Grammy Pammy walks tall and carries a big stick...
Miss Bang Bang...
Grammy Pammy at 12,500 feet...
Taking in the view with my babies...
Grammy Pammy and Schnitzel...
It just doesn't get much better than this...
Rock fall down. Go boom.
Can't get over the size of these mushrooms!
"Poopies"
(Because they are pooped. Get it?! Hehe...)
(Because they are pooped. Get it?! Hehe...)
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