Rainy Day Excursions

Rainy days and art museums make splendid companions. An impulse this afternoon turned into a most satisfactory outing. My five companions were quite cooperative on the whole (insert sigh of relief), and we managed to tour some of my favorite galleries. Iridescent Art Nouveau glass is one of said favorites, and Laddie was excited to see a Cassatt painting in person after learning about her in school lately. Nearby was a favorite impressionist painting with a profusion of blooms -- I love the vagueness of the scene contrasted with the meticulous detail of the faces. But the piece de resistance is that French portrait of the woman in the magnificent dress. While I wouldn't consider the artist a favorite (in fact, I'm not really fond of his other work at all!), I think it might be my favorite portrait of all time. It's stunning. The pearls appear three dimensional, and you can make out the veins in her hands. Just look at the lace and brocade! And her eyes... It's been years since I've seen it, and it still captivates me. As we wandered the galleries, I couldn't help feeling grateful that we could enjoy such a feast for the eyes (and the soul, I would argue). What a gift! 

Once we'd reached the limits of patience and attention spans (and completed the museum's scavenger hunt), we decamped to a nearby coffee shop. We had to cross a footbridge, thereby fulfilling a lifelong dream for my 8-year-old, apparently. This was arguably the preferred destination for most of our "tour group!" Especially since we sampled several pastries (the peaches and cream cupcake pictured was my favorite of the lot -- superb!). And that may have been my first candied orange mocha, but it will not be my last... 

And then home again, and off with the rain boots (but keeping the cozy woolly socks). I bought a boot jack a while back, because trying to get my wellies off when I was pregnant with Kit proved to be quite the ordeal! Even now that my calves have returned to normal size, it makes boot removal so much simpler. And it's identical to the one my parents got in England, so I enjoy the nostalgia.

Life has been so full, what with one thing and another. Somehow sweet, chubby little Kit is well on his way to his first birthday, and today is supposedly the first day of summer (but I think that must be a mistake? Last week was January, wasn't it?). I'm hoping to return to this space more regularly, but after the year we've had I know better than to make any promises. But I'm glad you could come along on today's excursion. 

 

Last Looks

While I always look forward to the new adventures that come with military life, the farewells aren't easy. We've been blessed to find welcoming church families and friends every time we've moved, and I don't love leaving them behind (though there's always the hope of reunions, either here or in heaven!). But there are also the places. While I didn't get to say "goodbye" to every favorite spot, I'm so glad we managed a last visit to this woodland wonderland -- and yes, these pictures are from early June, but I'm feeling "nostalgic"...

I wish you could smell the aroma of the sun-warmed pine needles!

Still snowcapped in June

Lupine will always hold a special place in my heart!

Much as I love the beauty of the east coast, I'll miss these icy mountain rivers

Snow plant, an unusual parasitic flower (notice the absence of green leaves)

Whitewater

Little details, all tributes to God's glory

 

Wonderland

We had the most magical frost in December, just before Christmas -- tiny ice spears coated every plant or scrap of foliage. They gave way at the slightest touch, the most delicate needles of frozen beauty. We even found a tiny "garland" of ice, and I can't think how it came to be there. A scrap of spider's web, perhaps? 

By the breath of God ice is given,

and the broad waters are frozen fast.

Job 37:10

 

Adventuring

Back in May, we took a whirlwind trip to Zion National Park. I've been eager to visit ever since we saw a video of a hike there, and we'll probably never live closer than we do right now! Adding new national parks to our "been there, done that" list has become a bit of a personal challenge.

Zion exceeded our expectations -- my husband declared it better than Yosemite, while I refuse to even compare the two because I don't want to pick a favorite. But we both want to go back at some point. I planned our trip carefully, knowing that we had significant time and energy limitations (some of our littles still have short legs and a tendency to get hangry!). But my plans were upended when poor internet reception foiled our attempt to purchase shuttle tickets. The shuttle is the only way to access the main canyon (and famous trails) at Zion, but the advance tickets sell out notoriously quickly. Despite my initial despair, we rearranged our schedule and managed to see all that we'd planned by waiting in line for afternoon tickets. Well, my husband and Scout did most of the waiting, while I waded in the Virgin River with Little Man, Rosa, and Laddie! 

I was astonished by the variety of wildflowers and greenery -- so many colors, shapes, and textures. Riverside Walk was one of my favorite trails (despite being rather crowded); not only does it wind along the beautiful Virgin River, but there were columbines growing on the red canyon walls that flank its path. Another highlight was exploring a dried-up creek bed -- most of Zion's waterways are seasonal, and it's prone to flash floods (in fact, there was a devastating flood just a few weeks ago). 

We surprised the littles with a stay at Zion Wildflower Resort, where we "glamped" in a Conestoga wagon fitted out with a king bed and two bunks. This was such a memorable visit, especially for Little-House-loving Rosa. It was remarkably comfortable, too! 

On our way out, we spent a few hours at Kolob Canyon on the northwest side of the park. This was really worth the trip all on its own, and it was far less crowded than the main park. We only did one trail (the Timber Creek Overlook), but it was a reasonable hike for our crew and offered unbelievably stunning views of the canyon. 

We ended our adventures with a stop in Nevada, at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely. As we drove north, the temperature dropped and we had some snow showers. At the end of May. We even called ahead, thinking they might cancel the historic steam train ride. But it was "full steam ahead" (sorry), so we pulled in to Ely wearing shorts and t-shirts. At least I'd packed some windbreakers in case it was chilly at Zion... We toured the museum, boarded the train, and enjoyed our "Polar Express" ride through a nearby canyon. This was another surprise for the littles, who have never ridden an actual train before. They were a bit chilly, but quite excited!

Of course, we ended up with an adventure we didn't bargain for when we found ourselves stranded on a mountain as we headed home (you can't go anywhere in Nevada without driving over a few mountain ranges!). At just over 8,000 feet elevation, the snow had accumulated on the road and we ended up stuck. We had already taken the chains out of our van, because it was LATE MAY. Just when we'd resigned ourselves to spending the night on the mountain, a semi passed us and my husband was able to make it down the mountain in the tracks it left behind. That was the worst of the snow, so we made it to our destination only a little later than planned. The town near that mountain got 8 inches of snow overnight -- we're so grateful we made it out! We certainly have a new respect for unpredictable mountain weather. 

It may have been brief, but our visit to Zion was a much-needed family getaway. What a delight to see God's creativity and splendor displayed in His creation! Even in a fallen world, He has given us so much beauty to explore and enjoy. 

A panorama of Kolob Canyon cobbled together from a series of photographs --
it was too vast to fit in one frame!

 

Checkerboard Mesa

Dusty Penstemon

Palmer's Penstemon

Columbine

Fearless!

Kolob Canyon

Tidy Fleabane

Sego Lily

Nevada Northern Railway Museum