Smilebox Oregon coast and lighthouses

Beauty at every turn of the road.  Dramatic and variety is the best description of the Oregon coast.

(Copy and paste to your browser to see the pictures.)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354f5455324d544d3d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Mt. St. Helen's and Evergreen Air Museum

We had a rainy, cloudy day at Mt. St. Helen's so didn't get to see the mountain, but the museum was very informative.  As we were headed to the coast we happened upon the Evergreen Air Museum where the Spruce Goose now resides.  Inland Oregon is very pretty too.


(Copy and paste the link in your browser to view.)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354f5455314e7a673d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Seattle and Quinn's graduation

Seattle was really beautiful.  Lots of interesting sculptures around town.  It was wonderful to have time with David and Quinn.

(Copy and paste this in to your browser to view pictures)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354f5455304e7a673d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Butchart Gardens, BC

What's so amazing about Butchart Gardens is the amazing transformation of a scarred landscape turned in to an incredible thing of beauty.  Somewhere there's a picture (I couldn't find it, but I remember it from when I was there years ago) of Mrs. Butchart sitting on scaffolding on the side of a barren cliff planting little seedlings.  This is definitely a must see if you get there.  Well worth the price of a ticket!

(Copy and paste the link in to your browser to view.)
http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354f5455304d7a453d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Victoria, BC and the Ferry back to the USA

Victoria was another beautiful City.  We were so lucky to see so many incredibly beautiful places and interesting too.

(Copy and paste this link to your browser to see the album.)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354f54557a4f44633d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox On the road to the Teton's

This is out of order.  Should have been before the Yellowstone sequence.  The Teton's were pretty incredible, but the drive there was beautiful too.

(Copy the link below and paste in your web browser to view the Smilebox)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354f4451784d7a553d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Yellowstone to Butte

This leg of the trip was one of the most amazing as far as coming across animals to photograph.  I was in "hog heaven".  We saw a couple of buffalo as we were heading out.   They are so huge and majestic and they just lumber along like gentle giants with no fear of cars or people.  There was a fox that crossed the road in front of us.  And most incredible of all was actually seeing a new born baby long horn sheep right after being born on the side of a mountain.  The mother still has the umbilical cord hanging out.   As we were walking up a vista point to see the river below some people had binoculars and pointed out the baby.  I found them with my telephoto and it was like you could reach out and touch them.  The mountain is practically straight up and down, but they found a little clearing area and in moments the baby was standing and nursing!  This day was the frosting on the cake for my animal photos.   Hope you enjoy them and the beauty of the countryside we traveled through in one day on our journey.

(Copy and paste the link in your browser.)
http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354f444d334f54413d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Yellowstone part 3 and Earthquake Lake

Thanks to a suggestion from a neighboring camper (who happened to be from Cape Coral, FL) we took a side trip to Earthquake Lake.  Fascinating story!!  Coming out of the visitor center there was a long horn sheep standing in the middle of the road.  What a remarkable sight!

(Copy and paste the link below in to your web browser to see the Smilebox pictures)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354e7a6b344d44413d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Yellowstone Part 2 of 3

Here's part 2.  Yellowstone has such a variety of things to see.  We had three buffalo traffic jams the week we were there.  Juli tells us that by summer the buffalo's have move north, so be sure to go in May when all the babies are born and wandering around with momma and poppa.

(Copy and paste the link in to your brower to see the Smilebox production.)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354e7a6b314f546b3d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox Yellowstone Part 1 of 3

Remember, we were there a week so of course I took lots of pictures.  It was such an AWESOME park.  Hope you enjoy the tour.

(Copy and paste this link to your browser to view the Smilebox)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354e7a6b794e54633d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox of Bryce, Kodachrome and Anasazi Parks

To view this Smilebox creation you just copy and paste the link below to your browser.  

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354e7a6b784e6a4d3d0d0a&blogview=true

Smilebox of Grand Canyon

To see this Smilebox of the Grand Canyon just copy and paste the link below into your browser.  Hope you enjoy it.  Other Smileboxes to follow.  I broke the trip up into segments and will continue to add them as I get them completed.  It's been such fun to relive the trip over and over as I play with the pictures and put together these little "tours".

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441354e7a67794d7a413d0d0a&blogview=true

Home again, home again.....

After an incredible 67 days on the road, we left our Barefoot Cottage at an inside storage place in Rialto, CA.  The original plan was to leave it in Gene's yard, but that would have meant removing all the canned goods and dry food we still had leftover.  Also, with over 100 degree temps and possible Santa Anna winds it would have been a lot of work to get things cleaned up for the remainder of the trip.  Interestingly it's only $150 a month (for 2 months) to have it inside with A/C and protected against the elements.  We pay $99 a month here to have it outside on pavement.  I've never seen an inside storage place here, but what a great concept!
We kept waiting for a call that Danny was here, but no such luck.  Jon was able to take a week off and be home with Sara through this difficult time.  The time in Lake Arrowhead was so great and we came away with a great desert recipe thanks to Lynnette.  To be honest, I fought her all the way about making it because I knew it would be too good to resist....and it was!
BBQ Banana Splits:
Take a banana and slice it in half length wise just down to the skin.  (don't go through)
Smoosh it like you would a baked potato to open it up like a boat.
Place some coconut and chocolate chips in the "boat".
Grill the banana on the BBQ until the chips have melted and it's nice and warm.
Serve with French Vanilla ice cream....or ice cream of your choice.
Have available choice of toppings...Lynnette had warm carmel, hot fudge and salted carmel.
Top with whip cream and voila....you have THE most incredible (let's NOT say fattening) desert you can imagine.   THANK YOU Lynnette!
 We flew home on the 9th and have been working on getting back in to the swing of things.  I'm also working on sorting through the 7,000 pictures I took!   Seriously....there was just so many incredible things to see along the way.   Many will be deleted of course, but oh my, there are some really cute shots to help us relive the trip for many years to come.

Lake Arrowhead and the 4th of July

We are currently in Lake Arrowhead staying with Gene & Lynnette and family.  The mountains and the weather have been beautiful.  Down the "hill" (local term for this mountain) it has been over 100 degrees, but up here it's been a very pleasant high 80's.  We did have a little excitement while fixing breakfast Sat.  morning.  There was a 4.6 earthquake in Big Bear, just above us.  The house shook a little, but Fred didn't even notice.   Amazing as the house did shake, but he was walking across the deck and didn't feel it.  The shake did no damage, but Hwy 18, the only way out of Big Bear was closed due to rock slides until this morning.

Josh and Priscilla and Jena and Jesse were here for the 4th so we got to play with 3 of  the "Greats".  All the older grandkids had to work, so were hardly around.  They all work in the Village so can walk to work and since its the "happening place" on a holiday weekend they all worked hard.  Fred spent some time "fishing" in one of Gene's ponds with Logan and I got to play with Garrett and hold Jace a whole bunch.  What precious boys!!!  We BBQ'd and then all took a walk down to the Village to wander some.  Back to the house and the large deck over looking the lake to watch an absolutely spectacular fireworks show.  It was a very relaxing and enjoyable 4th.  Seemed weird not to be working, sweating and walking in the parade at home.  I did see pictures of the float and the VIP "team" did a great job without us.  I bet they win an award.

Talked to grandson Jon yesterday and Sara is having contractions.  Maybe we'll get to meet our 6th Great Grandson (Danny) before we leave on Wed.!!  Wouldn't that be a grand finish to this leg of the trip?!

Gene's yard 

The deck with view of the lake and note big flag hanging

Grandpa and Logan 

Josh, Priscilla, Logan and Garrett trying to catch that bass

The flag has a new home in Lake Arrowhead where it first began to fly on July 4

Jace

Jace smiling for  Great Grams

Nanna Lynnette set up a photo booth with props for fun photos

My favorite of Jace

Jena, Jesse and Jace

Grandpa Gene and Nanna Lynnette

Leanne and Brandon before work

Air show over the Village on the 4th

The Village

Great Grandpa and his best buddy

Garrett

Logan winking at Great Grams....what a character and little charmer he is.

So Cal...and more GREATgrands

Moved on to So. Cal. and dropped the motor home off at Gene's yard and rented a car for the remainder of the trip.  Drove to Irvine to stay with Norman and MB (Fred's brother) and from there went for a visit to Josh and Priscilla's to see more GREATgrands....Logan and Garrett.   Priscilla was pregnant with Garrett the last time we were here.  Now he's walking already!!  Last night Elissa came over to join us for dinner at Norman and MB's.  She's also greatly pregnant so Norman and MB are about to be Grandparents for the first time.

Saying goodbye....already miss them terribly

Elisa and MB

The brother's catching up with each other

Grandma and Mommy to be

A little baseball game with Logan.  He's a great hitter.

Priscilla and Josh, such a cute couple!

GreatGrandpa and Logan

GreatGrandma with Logan

Logan's such a cutie

Garrett's cutting 4 molars so hasn't been feeling well.  After a long nap he joined in the play time. 

Garrett

Playing hard in the sand box

Logan showing us how well he rides

Serious intent

What a precious smile!

Josh is such a good daddy

Elisa, MB and Norman