Traveler's Return

The journeyers returned in the nick of time.   Less than five minutes after packing up the car, the heavens opened up, rain and hail fell, the temperature plummeted and the wind blew like crazy.  The weather for the trip was spectacular, as you can see from the photos of the happy camper....Champ, whose name was appropriate.

John's Solo Adventures

As you may know, John is a nature addict.  Anything near water, mountains, meadows, or gardens qualifies as a "fix".   After the pacemaker implant two years ago, I've been reluctant to let him venture out on his own, especially since each year, his heart rhythm goes into atrial fib without him knowing it, and he can go for months until the semi-annual check-up shows he's been out of whack for months.   This week he had planned to go on Tuesday to the Uintah's, until he found out on Monday he needed another cardioversion, scheduled for Wednesday.   Well, after dutifully following the doctor's orders to stay quiet for 24 hours, we got up yesterday, drove to Grand View Trail head, past Defa's Dude Ranch,

where he and his little buddy companion,  Champ, took off for a 3 day solo backpack and fishing expedition through Grandaddy, Fish Hatchery, and Margo Lakes.  (Is it really a solo if the dog goes along?)

I'll be picking him up at Mirror Lake, hopefully in fine form, filled with fish and fun.  This will take care of his addiction for two weeks, until Lake Powell, then two weeks later to Zion's for Canyoneering.

Annual photos of the Garden

John is re-roofing the old shed, and when I was standing on it, I had to take a picture of the garden.  It looked so artistic as well as delicious.   This is one of our better gardening years, except that it was several weeks late due to the cold and rainy spring.

 The lower left center above shows the new zucchini variety we're trying....it's huge with gigantic elephant-ear sized leaves, but the zucchini is not; it's crispy and serrated.  The corn was planted after the spinach was gone, so it's grown really fast in the heat.  And the beans are plentiful.

And I have to put a few of my flower pictures in, too.   The daylilies are gorgeous.