CyberJohnsons

A Day in Paradise

2011-12-22T22:07:00.000-08:00

Today was gorgeous so Rebekah and I took her friend, Julia Harris, to Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park for an unforgettable day of snowshoeing. We ended up climbing almost 2,000 feet as we were surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains in the world.

Rebekah and Julia work their way up a ridge

Rebekah and I stop for a photo with Rainier in the background.

Rebekah and Julia stop for lunch with Rainier looming in the background

Rebekah and Julia with Mount Adams in the background

Note Rebekah's long shadow as the close of day approaches. In the background is a steep slope that we climbed then glissaded down.

Rebekah and Julie are silhouetted against the setting sun as they take in the beauty of the surrounding mountains.

Mount Adams (left) and Mount Saint Helens (right)

As we drove out of the parking lot we were greeted by two foxes. One was black and the other a beautiful white/yellow/red (below).

My only complaint about the entire day is that it was the winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year.

Snowshoe Adventure with Rebekah

2011-12-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon Rebekah and I went for a memorable snowshoe adventure above Crystal Mountain. It was cloudy and gray in Enumclaw but once we hit the mountains the skies cleared and it was gorgeous. This was almost the shortest day of the year but we made the most of every minute as the low sun provided a golden warmth to everything around us in this winter wonderland. We climbed almost 2,000 feet to some spectacular views.

Rebekah surveys the wonders of this paradise and the very steep climb we made to get out above the basin/meadow below her.

My little tripod allowed us to get a photo with both of us and Mount Rainier in the background.

Rebekah looks back from the steep climb we just made. (The snow conditions had virtually no risk of avalanche or we never would have made that climb).

We had a nice glissade down the steepest portion of the climb. Rebekah is sliding down in the middle of this photo just above the sun line.

It was a great afternoon with this wonderful and adventerous daughter and an excellent way to celebrate her return home for the holidays. I look forward to similar adventures with the other children over the next couple of weeks.

Flyaway Katie

2011-11-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Joyce was painting with watercolors but found the medium of paper pretty boring. She moved on to more interesting textures. Namely her arms, then her face and then to her belly and finally onto Grace as a canvas. She informed me that she was being "Fly Away Katie" a character from a book we read a few months ago who paints herself and flies into a painting of colorful birds. .

Banff National Park

2011-09-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Banff National Park has some of the most beautiful places in the world. We made a quick trip to some of its highlights on our way home. In the above photo we are along the Bow River Parkway between Banff and Lake Louise.

The Bow River makes its way through the valley with stunning mountains all around.

Rosie captured me on a rock near Moraine Lake.

I think Moraine Lake is the most picturesque spot in North America. It's arresting blue/green color and the surrounding peaks that shoot straight out of its shore along with the evergreen woods make for a scene that is unparalleled.

Lake Louise is absolutely beautiful as well

Glacier National Park

2011-09-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

We drove to Glacier National Park on Thursday night for a long anticipated trip to one of the crown jewels in the National Park System. Rosie spent many summer vacations early in her life in Montana and visited Glacier a few times. I had never been there and was very excited to see its mountains, waterfalls, rivers and glaciers.

When we got there Thursday night we rode our bikes along the shore of Lake McDonald.


This was a warm up for my big ride the next day.

For years I have dreamed of riding the Going to the Sun highway which runs east to west through the heart of this beautiful park. It is considered by many to be the most beautiful road in the entire country. It is 50 miles with almost 4,000 feet of elevation gain and every inch provides a gorgeous view. The road is only open a few months of the year -- because of snow -- and bicycles can ride only on limited hours until after Labor Day. So our timing was perfect for this adventure. It was a bright sunny day with temperatures in the seventies and eighties after the morning cold wore off.

It took 12 years to construct the Going to the Sun road and it opened to the public in 1933. It is a narrow two lane road with serious exposure to the side in most places.

Designing and engineering this road was a major challenge. Above are arches that were built on the side of the mountain to give enough surface to make it wide enough for a two lane road. Remarkable!

Rosie joined me for much of the first part of the ride that included the glorious views of Lake McDonald, the surrounding mountains and crystal clear rivers and waterfalls.

Every mile was stunning. It was hard to concentrate on the road.

The "Red Rocket" poses for a portrait on the ascent.

The road was cut in the side of the mountain and is very visible in the middle of this photo.

I only saw one other bike at the summit -- Logan Pass. Compare it to the "Red Rocket". I have no idea how he even got on that thing, let alone pedaled it to the summit. There is a sign on the bike by his helmet that read, "Tips appreciated". I wonder what would happen if I did that with the "Rocket".

While it was a bit hazy and the sun was not perfect for a photo, one can appreciate the beauty of St. Mary's Lake from this spot along the way.

We stopped for a picnic lunch and photo at Logan Pass. Rosie also rode the last few miles of this adventure with me. She was a perfect support person -- as she is in every aspect of my life.

After our Going to the Sun adventure we drove to Waterton National Park across the Canadian Border. They have built a wonderful bike trail from the park entrance into Waterton (five miles) that is almost like an amusement park ride. It has the perfect amount of curves, ups and downs to make for a very fun experience and the views along the lakes with the rugged and beautiful mountains are incredible.

Here we are right before sunset outside the Prince of Wales hotel where we spent the evening after a truly unforgettable and wonderful day. We went to sleep that night with an even greater appreciation for God's creative genius.

I never would have guessed that we would go to Glacier and not hike one bit. But our bikes made up for the hiking shortfall.

I wanted to add my take. This trip for me was the celebration of our 33rd anniversary. We had a busy month of August with girl's camp and family reunions. So when Brad talked about wanting to go to Canada on a trip I told him I would love to celebrate our anniversary. Now one question I asked was if you had to choose between the red rocket and me which one would you take? I am not sure he answered the question but obviously He got both! The difference between Brad and I here is that I like going on a "bike ride". He likes living on his bike! I got to do some things I wanted to do while he was fulfilling his dream and it was a win win! I recommend every married couple finds a way to have a get away and make each other a priority! Rosie

Bears, a Temple and an Andre Rieu Concert

2011-09-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

This was a most memorable day with a roller-coaster bike ride, an encounter with a mother bear and her cub, a visit to the Cardston temple and a wonderful Andre Rieu concert in Calgary,

We knew it would be great when we saw the sunrise from the Prince of Wales hotel,

The setting of the Prince of Wales is truly spectacular -- on the prominent ridge overlooking one of the most beautiful lakes in the world with steep rugged mountains that jut straight up.

Here's the view Saturday morning as the sun came up The town of Waterton is on the right. The lake has the appearance of an infinity pool doesn't it? The mountains are layered in such a way that it gives it an endless mystical look.

The first rays of sun hit the majestic Prince of Wales hotel. Rosie came here as
a child and it was my anniversary gift to bring her back to stay here!

To begin the day we hopped on our bikes and rode into town-- stopping at this beautiful waterfall just off the main street.

After exploring the small downtown area we went back to the picturesque and wonderful bike trail that leads into town. Rosie is bundled up to stay warm on a cool morning. The Prince of Wales hotel can be seen on the ridge in the middle of the photo.

This is the best bike path I have ever been on.

I encountered a mother bear and her cub as I rode along the path. They were only 20 feet away when I rode by them and it put a bit of fear in me. While I wanted to stop and take a photo with my iphone (the only camera I had) I knew that would not be wise at such a close distance. So I doubled back along the road above the bike path to take a photo. When the mother bear saw me at about 25 feet away she gave me the "stink eye" and I got on my bike and sprinted in the opposite direction. Once I was far enough away to feel safe I pulled out the camera to take a photo. The mother was lumbering across the road. If you look closely you can see her right in front of the truck. The cub ran across the road a couple of minutes later.

Cardston, Canada is a small town (4,000 people) some 25 miles east of Waterton National Park. Its proximity to the incredible beauty of Waterton is not an indication of the terrain around this flat and dry town that is the home of the sixth temple of the Mormon church. It was dedicated in 1923 and stands on a prominent hill in town. It is 88,000 square feet and is beautiful inside with exquisite hardwoods used throughout the temple. Cardston is the place where Grandma Miller was born.

We drove to Calgary to attend the Andre Rieu concert. Rieu is the Dutch violinist, conductor, showman and musician who is Billboard's sixth largest selling musical performer around the world. Over the last year we have fallen in love with his performances on DVD that blend classical, opera, Broadway, spiritual, marches and popular music into a moving and inspiring experience. Most of the stuffy classical critics abhor the way he gets the audience involved in his music but that is part of what we love (especially the dancing!). His music has brought great joy to us and seeing him in person was everything we had anticipated. We left the concert uplifted and floating on air.

"Flowers and a Bear"

2011-08-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Western Washington has had a challenging spring and summer with inordinate amounts of rain and snow and very few sunny days. The large accumulations of snow and the cool spring and summer days left most hiking trails covered with snow until now. Consequently, our hiking time in these mountains has been limited this year.

Summer has finally arrived with sunny beautiful days. Yesterday Rosie and I decided to spend the day hiking. I asked her where she wanted to go. and she said, "I want to see flowers and a bear!" I checked the hiking trip reports online and concluded the best place for flowers was in one of our favorite places on earth -- the Sunrise area in Mount Rainier National Park. Because of the late summer the flowers are about six weeks behind schedule and are just reaching their peak in many places.

This would prove to be one of the most beautiful days we have ever spent hiking, as the flowers were incredible -- vibrant, multitudinous, and aromatic. As Rosie likes to say, "God is the greatest gardener."

Lupine is one of the most plentiful and beautiful of all the wild flowers in this area. Some fields/meadows are so full of lupine they look purple. Below are a couple of close ups of lupine. The first was taken on a ridge with the Cascade mountains in the background the other has one of the numerous snow patches behind it.

As we approached the end of our hike we spotted a fairly small cinnamon colored Brown Bear grazing on the flowers in a meadow. He showed no interest in us as he got to within about 15 feet of where we were standing.

In the photo above, the bear grazes in the shadow of majestic Mount Rainier.

It was a wonderful day to enjoy some of God's most beautiful creations.

Note our bear friend in the center of the photo below.

Some Joyce-isms

2011-08-25T05:37:00.000-07:00

"Joyce, if you put your hand right here you can feel your heart beating."

"I feel it!"

"If you lay down here right on my chest you can hear my heart beating." After a minute, "Do you hear it?"

"I hear your milk swishing."

------------
"I have to go finish writing my exams Joyce"

"I don't want you to go write your exams"

"I have to though."

"Why?"

"Otherwise my brain will explode!"

"What's a brain?"

So then we looked at pictures of the human brain on the computer and now she just wants to watch youtube videos explaining the workings of the human body. Her favorite is the cardiovascular system.

----------------------

On our way to Indianapolis to go to the zoo. Joyce said,

"Mom, can you help me open up my body?"

"I can't do that Joyce."

"But I really want to see what's inside."

-----------------

After too much sugar and not enough sleep, we were driving home from an event. The setting sun was shining in Joyce's eyes.

"Sun stop shining! I don't want you to shine! It's NOT your TURN to shine! It's MY TURN to shine."

Honeymoon

2011-08-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Florida! Thanks to Emilie and her amazing passes, we really appreciated them. Our first two days were spent at Universal and Island of Adventure. We had so much fun at these parks, even though we didn't ride a single roller coaster! I think we'd both agree that Harry Potter land was our favorite part of the park.

We spent Wednesday at the wonderful Seaworld. We absolutely loved this park. The tour was amazing and the animals we met made the day.

Caitlyn with the sharks at lunch.

The penguins was probably our favorite animal. The little penguin's name is Oliver (who's actually a girl) and she stole Paul's heart from me. He still talks about how much he loves and misses her. The big brown penguin was by far the softest creature we have ever pet. His name was Foster and its tempting to say that he was infatuated with me except for the fact that he decided to give me a little bite on my leg. Regardless, the penguins were definitely our favorite at this park.

We loved feeding and petting the dolphins. The trainer found out we were on a "V.I.P." tour so she had the dolphin sit up and pose with us. Paul also found a new passion for sting rays. He has become obsessed with the rubbery feel and the way they flow in the water.

Thursday we rented a car and drove over to the Tampa shores. We went to Clearwater Beach and it was beautiful. To my delight and Paul's dismay we didn't find a single shark.

Discovery Cove was by far our favorite day of the honeymoon. The snorkeling was amazing. There were hundreds of tropical fish and sting rays. There were even eels and sharks (they were obviously in separate tanks). We were given the opportunity to do their Seaventure which was basically walking around with a helmet underwater; Paul describes it as the moon/scuba diving. We swam with the lovely Marea the dolphin. What an amazing experience! She learned a new trick, "fetch," and she retrieved a buoy that said, "Congratulations Paul and Caitlyn." They treated us so well.

Thanks again Brad, Rosie, and Emilie for making it happen; you guys are amazing. We love you!

Grace

2011-08-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

So great, right?

Scooter ride

2011-07-24T10:56:00.001-07:00

I never posted this picture of Mom and Xavier, but I like it a lot - Mom's smile/laugh. It is a good one.

What do you do when it's hot and humid in the Midwest?

2011-07-16T14:00:00.001-07:00

Seriously hot and humid - like 110 heat index and 80% humidity. I am one of the offspring who inherited Dad's profuse sweating capacity and so this kind of heat has its side effects. I won't go into details. I also hate sitting inside all day with two small children watching them rip apart the house. So what to do?

We went to McCormick's Creek and played all morning long.

We scampered over rocks and dipped our toes in the water.

We got a big kick out of throwing rocks and watching them splash.

We waded in the creek.

We enjoyed the gorgeous sunlight.

We conquered rocks and crowed like Peter Pan.

We sat down on smooth river rocks and let the water flow over us.

And we did all kinds of interpretative dancing in the water on the smooth rocks.

And we stayed cool.

Mt. Timpanogos

2011-07-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

On saturday, Caitlyn, her sister Lindsey, Lindsey's husband Joe, and I attempted to hike up to the glacier lakes on Mt. Timpanogos. It was a fun hike, but had to be cut short because of the overload of snow that still lays on the mountain. We crossed a bunch of snow patches until we finally thought there was too much and we would have to turn around. So we sat down and ate our packed lunch.....at 9:30 a.m. It was fun trying to ski down the snow fields in our tennis shoes! A fun day.

The Red Rocket's Best Day?

2011-06-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

It was a tortuous hot day in Southern Utah. Andrew, Rebekah and I stayed at Bryce Canyon and headed to Torrey, Utah where we spent the night. That drive along Highway 12 is a "Scenic Byway" and for good reason is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. It is stunningly beautiful with a wide range of desert, color and even lush green areas. It has some world class climbs and descents and the Hell's Backbone portion is a remarkable engineering feat.

When we got some miles outside of Escalante I decided to brave the heat in the mid nineties and pull the "Red Rocket" (my bike and most prized material possession) off the bike rack and hit the road. Rebekah agreed to drive and be the photographer on this adventure. She would drive a few miles up the road, take some photos, see if I was suffering a heat stroke and then repeat this ordeal. Andrew was patient and served as a photographer as well. They were an excellent support team.

The ride between Escalante and Boulder was hot and tough at times but truly gorgeous. This part of Escalante -- Grand Staircase has lots of color, deep valleys, high vistas and the road is in good shape with very few cars. The rolling hills and dramatic descents make for a bicyclist's dream. The kids captured the beauty of the route well in the photos below.

After an outstanding ride on the Burr Trail road (see accompanying blog entry) I had planned to make the 2,500 foot climb from Boulder to the summit of Boulder Mountain but with temperatures almost breaking the century mark I let Rebekah drive me to within four miles of the summit where the temperature was a much nicer 78 degrees. The ride to the summit was a bit taxing as that altitude (9,200 feet) gets to a sea level dweller. The terrain changed completely from the desert conditions near Escalante as a verdant green forest covers most of Boulder Mountain.

Near the summit the view of the surrounding terrain -- Capitol Reef National Park, The Henry Mountains, Escalante -- Grand Staircase... are all in view and very impressive. The photo above gives a feel for the view.

The 2,400 foot descent into Torrey was thrilling as numerous steep grades made for a rapid ride. I even pushed the Red Rocket faster than I ever have (46 MPH). This was out of character as I have become a cautious rider in my advancing years.

It was an unforgettable day -- one of the best the Red Rocket and I have ever had. Thanks to my traveling companions who made it possible and The Good Lord for creating wonders beyond imagination in Southern Utah.

Biking a Most Scenic Backroad -- The Burr Trail Road

2011-06-23T21:30:00.001-07:00

The Burr Trail Road is a remote and rarely traveled road in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It begins in tiny Boulder, Utah and travels 70 miles to Lake Powell. The first part is paved and traverses some truly spectacular country. At a few points in the road the massive walls on both sides go straight up and it is almost like you are biking in a slot canyon. Here are a few of photos from our bike adventure on a stunningly beautiful road.

Andrew and Rebekah above the mast dramatic portion of the Burr Trail Road about to embark on their ride.

A bit hard to see but Andrew and Rebekah are on that dramatic road making their way to the "slot canyons' on the road.

Zion National Park #2

2011-06-23T18:58:00.001-07:00

We took a quick trip to the ghost town of Grafton -- a few miles from the Zion gate. You may recognize this place as it was made famous as one of the main settings for one of my favorite movies -- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

On our way out of Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park. I rode from the canyon floor to the tunnel where no bikes or pedestrians are allowed. It was a great four mile climb on a hot afternoon. Hard to beat the scenery on this ride.

Our final hike was an easy one mile to Canyon Overlook -- another great view of this amazing place.

Bryce Canyon National Park

2011-06-23T00:55:00.000-07:00

Bryce Canyon is a marvel. The colors and seemingly endless hoodoos create a unique place in all the world. Each time I visit I get a greater appreciation for the beauty one finds there. Andrew and Rebekah had never been there and quickly realized how beautiful it is. Here are a few photos of our all too short visit to Bryce.

Zion National Park #1

2011-06-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning (June 21) Rebekah, Andrew and I headed from our home in Logan Canyon to Zion National Park -- one of the most spectacular places in the world. It was a very nice six hour trip -- Rebekah did all the driving, but we were hit with temperatures of almost 100 degrees upon our arrival in Springdale. I was ready for a bike ride but the kids thought the hotel pool looked more inviting so that is where we went for a swim in a truly stunning setting.

When the temperatures cooled a bit we went for a fabulous bike ride through Zion canyon as the sun set on the majestic peaks that line the canyon walls. It is an ideal place for a bike ride as there are virtually no cars -- tourists have to take a shuttle bus during the summer season -- and the views rival any place in the country. We loved the red roads that fit so well with the red rock that dominates this national park. The biggest danger on this ride was hitting one of the numerous deer or wild turkeys in the canyon. The temperature in the canyon was at least 10 degrees cooler than just down the road as nightfall was coming on the longest day of the year.

Rebekah and Andrew stop for a photo in Zion Canyon.
Sun sets on the Patriarchs as Rebekah and Andrew ride by.
This bike ride was their introduction to Zions National Park and to Angels's Landing, the peak in the background.

Early Wednesday morning we climbed Angels Landing -- one of the best hikes in the world.
At the trailhead as the morning sun hits Angels Landing.

The first 1,000 feet of this hike are not particularly taxing thanks to innumerable switchbacks which have been named "Walter's Wiggles" after the first park superintendent who helped engineer this impressive trail.
Then the fun starts as the final 500 feet involve a lot of scrambling with dramatic exposure most of the way. As the sign below says this is not a climb for one who is afraid of heights. Virtually every year a few climbers fall to their death on this climb.

Fortunately the park service has installed chains in places where there is great exposure. Neither Rebekah or Andrew showed any fear on this climb.
Note the exposure on both sides of the path.
Near the summit Rebekah and Andrew stop under this interesting tree.

As we posed for photos on the summit I was reminded of the some of the previous times I have made this climb. I have priceless memories of making this ascent with Rosie, Julie, Emilie, Stephen and Marc. The grandeur of Zion is truly jaw dropping from this summit.

The sun is rising as the kids descend to the valley with a new sense of accomplishment and memories that will last a lifetime.

NYC Visit

2011-05-22T06:56:00.001-07:00

The view of Alexander Hamilton's home outside our bedroom window in Emilie and Xavier's place in Harlem.

Rosie and I spent the weekend in New York City with our three children -- Emilie, Stephen and Marc -- who live there. It was a fun filled three days with lots of good food, walking, great conversation and interesting sights with these great children. Emilie and her husband, Xavier, were very gracious hosts and we loved their new home in the Hamilton Heights section of Harlem.

Above is the view outside our bedroom window -- Alexander Hamilton's home is directly across the street and will be a great place to visit when the current renovation is completed. Their home was built in 1899 and has high ceilings, beautiful finish work and 3,500 distinctive square feet. It is in a very nice section of Harlem right next to City College of New York. As a boy I never would have imagined spending a weekend in Harlem. During the sixties Harlem was not a great place. It obviously has changed dramatically since then.

Friday morning Rosie and I went to the temple in Manhattan -- a beautiful, small temple that provides a serene and peaceful setting in the middle of a sea of buildings and humanity.

Friday afternoon Emilie gave us a tour of her office in Manhattan where she is the Executive Assistant to Steve Schwarzman, the co-founder and CEO of Blackstone Capital and according to Forbes Magazine the 52nd richest person in America with a net worth of $5.9 billion. It is on the 44th floor and has an amazing view of Manhattan.

Emilie and Rosie check out a picture in her boss' office.

Then Stephen gave a us a full tour of his office at Martha Stewart Living on 26th street. It was very interesting to see where and how they put together the Martha Stewart Living magazine where he is an Art Director.

Rosie and Steve at the entry to Steve's office building at Martha Stewart Living.

Friday night Steve and Emilie treated us to an exceptional meal at the Standard Grill and Marc, Xavier and John Derian joined us. We walked the Highline Trail -- a new park which was built on the elevated train tracks in lower Manhattan and then checked out Steve's new apartment which he has decorated beautifully in his signature style.

Saturday morning we checked out a flea market in Manhattan. It was a giant garage sale with lots of things that would not sell in the local Goodwill or Deseret Industries. But there were some very interesting people (which is true every place in Manhattan) and one can always find a few fascinating things in a place like that. Rosie found some beads she could give to her Young Women at Girl's Camp this summer.

We spent much of the afternoon at Stephen's friend John Derian's stores in lower Manhattan. He has a wonderful self made business (http://www.johnderian.com/index_home.html) selling furniture, art, his proprietary decoupage and other high end merchandise. John was very generous with us as he bought us all dinner at a great restaurant, Red Rooster.

Xavier gave Rosie a ride to their place on the back of his scooter after dinner on Saturday night.

We bored Xavier and John that evening with some old family videos and talked about what it was like to grow up in the Johnson household.

Sunday morning Rosie and I walked about a mile to the beautiful LDS church for services. This is one addition to the plethora of churches found in Harlem. Apparently there are more churches/mile here than almost any other place in the United States. (However, they are far outnumbered by the hair salons that are found in about every other storefront.) As you can see below it is a distinctive church with an LDS feel in this very urban setting.

Brad in front of the Harlem LDS church.

We had lunch in Central Park -- one of, if not the best urban park in the world -- and then made an all too short stop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In all my trips to NYC I had never been to the Met and I was most impressed. Next time we come to NYC Rosie and I want to spend a full day or two trying to appreciate the beautiful art in one of the best museums in the world.

We walked up to the Conservatory Gardens in the Park before heading back to Emilie and Xavier's place for dinner where Marc made his delectable pizzas and some salad for us.Rosie, Marc, Steve and Emilie in Central Park.
Brad, Rosie Steve, Marc and Emilie in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Rosie, Marc and Steve check out one of the Roman and Greek halls in the Met Steve, Marc, Emilie and Rosie enjoy the Conservatory Gardens.

It was a wonderful trip to the big city. There are an incomprehensible number of things to see and do there. But the reason for our visit was to be with these three marvelous children who we don't get to see very often. We loved our time together -- the discussions, meals and fun -- and look forward to our next time together sometime this summer.

I love visiting my girls in Indiana!

2011-05-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

I just returned from visiting our wonderful family in Indiana. John Joyce Julie and Grace!
They took me on some very lush hikes . . .
Played pirates in the woods with me (that is a very cute little girl pirate ARG!)
And played tickle bug on the bed with me!

Where is Grace?

Ah Ha!
Here I am!

Two little dollies siting on a slide.Rocking on the froggie...

and . . .
Dancing side by side! I love you Grace and Joyce and I am missing you so much! Love Grandma Rosie

TENNIS

2011-04-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

Check it.

http://enumclaw.patch.com/articles/ehs-senior-doubles-team-leads-charge-in-another-strong-season#photo-5807071

heck ya. looks like my vertically challenged self doesnt need more height to be a winner!

:)

Our Most Vertically Challenged Daughter

2011-04-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

At Andrew’s Regional Church basketball game this week we met 7 ft. 5 inch Will Foster. He was a “ringer” for the Bonney Lake Men’s Ward team. In my day, I recruited some good ringers for our church ball team but nothing like him.

When he sat on the stage his legs touched the floor of the gym. He stretched in warm ups against the backboard. He ducked to get through any door in the church. He was also a good basketball player. He was drilling three point shots in warm-ups (It reminded me a bit of Manute Bol). Will played at Gonzaga a few years ago.

I told Rebekah that we should get a picture with her and Will. He was very nice about posing with our most vertically challenged daughter. She immediately posted it as her profile photo on Facebook. Does she look 2 feet 4 inches smaller than him?

Tulips Galore!

2011-04-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Rosie and I made our annual bike trip to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. This has become one of our favorite days of the year as the brilliant colors of the literally millions of tulips is a feast for the eyes. This was our best year yet as we caught the flowers at their peak and were lucky to get a gorgeous day as well -- a rare thing in western Washington this time of year.

We took our dear friends, Glen and Diane Harston with us and they seemed to enjoy it as much as we did.
We always do this trip on our mountain bikes -- we drive to Mount Vernon and bike from there. It is a great place to ride and we avoid the traffic and hassles of parking a car. In addition we can ride our bikes through the tulip fields. Can you imagine a more beautiful setting for a flat bike ride? (For the record, I would still prefer a beautiful mountain pass)

We ended up riding about 25 leisurely and very enjoyable miles.Every once in a while a different colored flower will show up in the uniform rows of color. Note the lone red flower in the sea of yellow.
At one of the fields we found an excellent impressionist painter who was finishing up two weeks of work on this tableau.
Note the snow capped mountains in the background on the picture below.
It is hard to choose which color of tulips is the most beautiful. For me, when the brilliant crimson and gold are next to each other it is stunning. It is also inspiring as I had the others put their hand over the heart in honor of the Logan High Grizzlies school colors.
I almost burst into the Logan High School song "Neath the crest of Wasatch mountains..." with this backdrop. Of course, Rosie could not find any blue tulips that would match the Sky View school colors as blue flowers are extremely rare and generally found in very high altitudes.Join us next year for this unforgettable experience.

SeaWorld

2011-02-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

Rosie, Andrew and I spent a wonderful day at SeaWorld. Xavier, Emilie and Marguerite had to leave for Paris (they did the SeaWorld tour the day before we arrived) and Stephen and John had to return to NYC. Nevertheless, Emilie got us a VIP tour that included our own guide to the park, an outstanding seafood dinner at a restaurant in a shark aquarium, and special sessions with a sea lion and King penguin. It was another unforgettable day.

Andrew pets a gorgeous and proud King penguin.
Rosie and Brad with the penguins.
A three week old King Penguin joined us.Andrew and Rosie share their fish with the dolphins.
Andrew and Rosie feed the seal lions.Brad, Andrew and Rosie get a great view of Seymour the sea lion through the glass wall of the tank.Seymour jumped out of the water to pose with us and one of the stars from the sea lion and walrus show at SeaWorld.We ended the day with a great killer whale show that helped us appreciate the intelligence, power and majesty of these mammals that can weigh up to 12,000 pounds!

A giant thank you to Emilie for making this trip to Florida one we will always treasure.The only thing that would have made it better is if Rebekah, Paul, Marc, Melanie, Julie, John, Joyce and Grace could have enjoyed it with us.

Discovery Cove

2011-02-27T19:55:00.000-08:00

Saturday we had a wonderful adventure at Discovery Cove. We swam the Lazy River, saw tropical birds, Went snorkeling with a multitude of tropical fish including some enormous sting rays. The highlight was swimming with dolphins!

Emilie with Roxie, our guide dolphin.
Rosie gets swimming lessons from Roxie.
Emilie jet skiing behind Roxie.Brad catches a ride.
John and Roxie head for shore.
Stephen rewarding Roxie!
Andrew catching some swimming action.
Brad, Rosie, Stephen, John, Emilie and Andrew with Roxie.
Emilie and Rosie
A beautiful sunset at Discovery Cove at the end of an unforgettable day.

Florida Adventure -- Universal Studios

2011-02-27T19:05:00.000-08:00

What a contrast to go from a blizzard in Utah to 83 degrees and sunny in Florida. Emilie invited us on an adventure to Florida, where through her employment at Blackstone she got us VIP treatment at Universal Studios, Discovery Cove and SeaWorld. We had a great time with Emilie, Xavier, Marguerite, Andrew, Stephen and John Derian. We met on Friday and enjoyed a day in Universal Studios. Of course the highlight of this day was the new Harry Potter section of the park.

Brad, Rosie, Stephen, Andrew, Emilie, Xavier and Marguerite wandering off in the background at Universal Studios entrance.
Emilie, Andrew, Rosie and Steve gearing up for the Harry Potter adventure.Andrew and Marguerite in front of Hogwarts school. Note the huge crowd, thanks to Emilie our passes avoided wating in long lines.Andrew in Harry Potter Land
The famous jelly beans from Harry Potter -- would you like an ear wax, or toe jam?
Emilie, Andrew, Xavier and Stephen trekking through the streets of Universal Studios.

Marguerite found a true friend in the Curious George section.

Xavier finds his own true friend!

February Break Utah Trip

2011-02-27T17:39:00.000-08:00

We took, what has become, our annual February trip to Utah February 18-24 and had a great time. We had hoped for some good snow for cross country skiing and we were not disappointed as it snowed every day but one while we were there. Saturday and Sunday we had well over a foot of snow at the cabin glorious, "greatest snow on earth", Utah powder over our knees in some places.

This year was special as we celebrated Rosie's Mom and Dad's 70th anniversary with many of her family members. seventy years is a remarkable achievement and they are an inspiration to all of us.

We saw many members of the Miller and Johnson families and had fun times together.

Ivan and Ruth with their 70th anniversary cake.
Dinner at the cabin with Paul, Jill, Rob's family and Lee and Jeannie Holmstead
Rosie and Andrew ski on the cabin road, before the big snowstorm hit.

Brad and Rosie race down a hill by the cabin
Rosie and Brad stop while skiing in the glorious Utah powder.
Paul and Jill join us on the ski trail
Paul, Rosie, Andrew and Caitlyn get ready for a race.
Paul and Caitlyn play a friendly game of California speed
Rosie by the cabin and all the skis after a great day with family in the snow.

2011-02-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

Caitlyn and I went on a date with jeremy dow in provo. We went to goodwill and bought each other tasteful outfits, and then proceeded to go out to dinner to show them off. We picked the wrong place though, cause we fit right in at dennys....My long johns that were picked out for me were like a 3 XL. I loved them. I spilled a huge thing of chili on them at dinner, and that added just the touch they needed. I picked out a half of a wet suit for caitlyn, and a very stylish shirt.
I love you all. Have a good week.

Happy Birthday to Joyce

2011-02-05T05:50:00.001-08:00

Joyce turned three last Tuesday.

Joyce had abstract ideas about what she wanted her birthday to be, until she got a birthday card from Grandma Miller. The card had party hats, balloons and a round cake. Taking her cue from the card, Joyce knew just what she wanted, "Mom, I want a round cake, balloons and hats for my birthday." So that's what we had.

Rainah came over and we put on hats right away.

She also brought her parents, Heather and Sylvester who joined us for dinner. John made an amazing biriyani.

And Barbara came as well. She and Sylvester had a good time chatting.

Joyce opened up her presents. In this picture she's asking to open the "Santa" one. We still had some from Loretta's generous Christmas bounty that we were saving for her birthday. You can see Rainah's doing some close supervision.

Then she and Rainah had a good time playing with her new presents.

We ended the night with a round cake with active participation from all invited guests.

We had a great time. And we are glad Joyce is in our family. She's a real sweetheart with a big imagination and a lot of sass.

Dress Up

2011-02-05T05:34:00.001-08:00

John and Joyce played dress up.

Grace looked on.

Overheard

2011-02-05T05:12:00.000-08:00

Julie: We are going to have some older kids over to play today Joyce. Their names are Kate and Brandon. Kate really likes cats.

Joyce: Oh! I really like dogs.

Julie: You do?

Joyce: Yes, I have a dog now. It's Sam. He's black. I got him from Grandma Rosie's house.

John: You did? Where is Sam?

Joyce: He's in the backyard. He likes to play there.

John: What do you feed him?

Joyce: Dogfood. He likes dog food.

So everyone back in Enumclaw, thanks for giving us your dog. I hope you won't miss him too much.

Christmas Memories 2010

2011-01-17T16:06:00.000-08:00

Activities at home included delightful delicious creations in the kitchen! Stephen, Julie and Grace by a 5 layer cake they baked.
Thanks everyone for pitching in and making the food prep for 11 fun and fast! It was fun to learn from Marc, Julie, John and Stephen some new dishes!

Of course there was music making, Melanie on the flute, Mom on piano, Marc on guitar, Andrew on the violin and harmony with many great voices, plus Grace and her dancing on the piano~

The warmth of Christmas! Our favorite gift this year was Brad's book for each of us filled with Christmas memories from the past 28 years! He shared with us some precious treasures he found while completing the project.

Melanie and Emilie enjoying some moments from the past . . .
Paul, Rebekah, Marc and Stephen also enjoying the moment!

Joyce modeling one of her gifts Silk scarves to dress-up and
become whomever she wants!

Truly a Christmas to remember!

Back left: John, Andrew, Stephen, Brad, Marc, Paul
Julie, Grace and Joyce in front Rosie with Rebekah in front, Emilie and Melanie
We missed Xavier and Marguerite who were in France this year.

Christmas Memories 2010

2011-01-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

I am feeling so grateful that all our children were here in Seattle for Christmas! We made some wonderful memories. Our trip to the mountains was very fun . . .

Joyce was our mountain guide and she took us on a snowshoe and angel making adventure!
Joyce, John, Julie and Grace - a beautiful family!
We had our annual dance lesson in the snow this year! Great way to warm up!
Joyce (taking a break from guiding), John, Andrew, Grace, Julie, Rosie and Em.

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas with all eight of our children here in Enumclaw. It was the first time we had all been together since August 2008 and we celebrated every day. We ate great food, played games, talked, watched movies, hiked, snowshoed and enjoyed each other. The only issue during their stay was the weather. It was gray and rainy every day (typical for Seattle this time of year) so extensive outdoor adventures were limited. The day after all the older children went home last week, the sun came out and we had a few beautiful sunny days.

Yesterday was a perfect day with bluebird skies. My friend Kim Judd and I took a long drive to Mount Baker ski area -- about 3.5 hours north of Enumclaw, near the Canadian border and North Cascades National Park -- for a snowshoe adventure. We had a fabulous time. We drove up to 4,200 feet where the views of the surrounding mountains were breathtaking. From there the opportunities for snowshoeing were endless and every step up provided an even better view. We ended up spending five unforgettable hours on the ridges and peaks.

When we got out of the parking lot we eyed a ridge that looked very inviting that included a peak (Mazama Dome) that would undoubtedly provide a great panorama.

Here is the view from the Parking lot with our destination Mazama Dome in the middle of the picture.

One of the advantages of adventures in the far northern latitudes in the winter months is the sun never gets too high in the sky, which gives great lighting for most of the day. Note our long shadows in the photo below.

Every step on this adventure was beautiful but the best views were on top of the dome. The seven photos below show the 360 degree panorama.

Mount Shuksan (9,721 feet) is one of the most beautiful mountains in the world.Looking toward North Cascades National Park
Mount Baker at 10,781 feet is the third highest mountain in Washington.

The parking lot where we started is in the middle of this photo.
Back to Mount Shuksan for the full 360 degree tour.

Climbing Mazama Dome was so steep as we had to remove our snowshoes as the angle was too steep to get good purchase on the snow and ice. But the last part of the descent provided a great glissade down. Kim enjoys the easy ride in the photo below.
Every time I see a photo of Mount Shuksan it reminds of one of my favorite mountains -- The Wetterhorn -- in my favorite place in the world, Grindelwald, Switzerland. Note the ridge profile in the photo of Shuksan below and the one of the Wetterhorn in the summer. Rosie said, "It looks like God used the pattern of the Wetterhorn to create Shuksan."

It was a remarkable day in a true winter wonderland. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have Rosie and my children there to enjoy this unbelievably beautiful place. I look forward to taking them there.

"Taking Their Talents to South Beach"

2010-11-17T20:38:00.001-08:00

Brad and Paul at South Beach in Miami

In 2007 & 2008 Paul and I established an annual tradition for the two of us - the NBA Road Trip. While Paul was on his mission the last two years we missed this unique bonding experience that combines wonderful travel and sight seeing along with an indulgence of our love for NBA basketball games.

This year we chose to, in those immortal words of Lebron James, "take our talents to South Beach" and return to Paul's mission area. This allowed us to see the Miami Heat & Orlando Magic each play a game, and more importantly to meet the people Paul worked with on his mission. The best addition to the 2010 addition was Rosie. She helped make this the best NBA Road Trip so far.

After this trip Rosie and I have a full appreciation for why Paul loves the Spanish speaking people with all his heart. (Paul worked with people from 75 different countries during his mission and his mastery of the language is very impressive.) Many of these loving, warm, kind and outgoing people invited us into their homes for meals (I ate more red meat in the last three days than I have in the prior three decades) and to thank us for sending Paul on his mission. Below are a few photos of some of the marvelous people we got to know on this trip.

One of the highlights was our visit to the beautiful and majestic Orlando Temple.

An NBA road trip has to include negotiating with the scalpers for tickets. Paul and I cut a deal with Malcolm in Orlando for some great tickets at 40% of their face value for the Magic vs. Toronto Raptors game in the sold out new arena.
Paul and Rosie pose before the game begins in this incredible arena that opened last month. It cost $480 million to build and the big screen has the "highest resolution of any screen on the planet".

Paul's favorite team is the Miami Heat and he loves Lebron James and Dewyane Wade. So he liked the game in Miami as much as any we have attended over the years. Above he poses for a quick photo in American Airlines arena.

A trip to southern Florida would not be complete without a visit to the Everglades. We took two of Paul's former companions on an airboat ride through the swamps and saw numerous alligators and beautiful birds.
Brad, Rosie and Paul by a small lake in the Everglades
Check out the alligator in the left hand side of this picture by the edge of the water. Paul was not intimidated by this guy.

The beaches were wonderful with never ending sand, warm water and beautiful palm trees.
Rosie tries the water at Pompano Beach
Paul and Rosie take a stroll on Pompano Beach.
The three of us on the beach at John Pennykamp State Park in Key Largo before we wet for a little snorkeling.

Rosie models her very attractive sunglasses and subtle Florida tourist hat.

The NBA games, the beaches, the temple, the Everglades and the warm sunshine were fabulous. But our best memory will be the remarkable outpouring of love those people had for Paul. Seeing his impact on so many lives was priceless for us. (It brought back many similar memories of our trip to South Africa with Julie after her mission.) We could not be more proud of him and will be forever grateful we were able to share this experience with him.

Halloween with Marguerite.

2010-10-31T19:58:00.000-07:00

Marguerite is an official fan of Halloween. If she had a facebook page, it would be there. I explained the trick-or-treat phenomena/process (because she had never spent a Halloween in the USA) and she just looked incredulous. What kind of place would such a thing happen in? Everyone walking about in the thing she imagines herself as 95% of the time? But out in the streets, just like that - with red nail polish painted on all her nails (except the thumb she sucks). "Treek-or-trweat." "Szank-you."

Jolina has been watching every move since Marguerite arrived.

Marguerite loves letters. Especially M. She wanted square eyes and an M for a mouth.

A little Indian costume from John - so sweet and she looked perfect in it.

Grace

2010-10-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Grace is such a lovely little girl. She can sit up really well by herself now and she likes to sing songs especially when we are outside. Last night at the Indiana Art Museum we were walking back to our car in the chilly night air and Grace just serenaded us the whole way. She loves to wave her arms. Marc's video captured a little bit of it. She just waves her arms all the time - it's kind of a free form flapping movement. I don't think any of our pictures have captured her charm.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

Rabbit Hutch

2010-10-29T19:57:00.001-07:00

Joyce called me the from the family room the other afternoon very excited: "MOM! Come here!" When I walked in the room she told me,"Ta Da!!! A bunny hutch" I was glad for the explanation because that would not have been my first guess:

Marc and the girls

2010-10-29T19:45:00.001-07:00

We have loved having Marc here. Here's just a few reasons why.

Marc has a little ritual he does with Joyce where he tells her "you're beautiful" and sweeps his hand around her face. Joyce always replies with, "I NOT beautiful" because she's really good at opposites right now. This week while Marc's been in New York, Joyce started doing it to Grace. So she leans in by Grace and tells her, "you beautiful" and sweeps her hand around Grace's face. Since Grace doesn't know her opposites yet, she doesn't reply "I NOT beautiful"

John was reading Joyce a fun book called "Officer Buckle and Gloria" one night. Gloria is a police dog who helps Officer Buckle tell safety tips. At the end of the book it talks about Officer Buckle and Gloria being buddies. John asked Joyce who her buddy was. Joyce said, "Uncle Marc's my buddy"

And then of course there's the great "hiking" (walks in the woods) Indiana provides and having Marc along with us.

And the picnicking in State Parks. We are really going to miss Marc when he goes.

Brilliant Colors in Paradise

2010-10-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

Last week Rosie and I took her brother, Jeff, his wife, Bonnie, their daughter in law Amy and granddaughter Abby to Paradise for a little hike and picnic lunch. It was a gorgeous day and the colors were stunning. We're a bit sad to see this glorious fall come to an end, but we look forward to cross country skiing and snowshoeing in these beautiful mountains and in Logan Canyon.

Bedda's Senior Pictures.

2010-10-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

Bedda and I did a photo shoot today for her senior pictures. She is some model.

Paul is Home!

2010-10-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

After two long years Paul arrived home this afternoon from the Fort Lauderdale, FL Spanish Speaking Mission. He looks terrific and it is wonderful to have him with us again. He was a devoted missionary and his service has been a great blessing to our family.
A grateful and emotional reunion
Rebekah & Paul
Melanie & Paul
Two happy parents with a wonderful son
Brad and Paul
Andrew & Paul
It will be nice to have Paul with us in Washington for the next three months until he goes to Utah State University in January. He will report his mission in Sacrament meeting on October 17. We'd love to see you there.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

2010-10-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

The last time I was in Grand Teton National Park was July 20, 1969. We were there to see my sister Kathy who was working the summer at one of the resorts. I remember the date because that was the day Neal Armstrong took that, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" on the moon. Forty-one years is far too long between visits to one of the most beautiful places on this earth.

Rosie and I drove to Yellowstone Park on Tuesday with my brother Todd, my sister Janice and her husband John. It was a short but wonderful trip. We had perfect weather, brilliant fall colors and an unforgettable time.

Our day began at the Gardiner, MT park entrance. In the background is the Roosevelt Arch that Teddy Roosevelt dedicated in 1903. John, Janice, Todd, Brad and Rosie. (Note how much taller I am than Todd)
Brad, Rosie, Janice, John and Todd at Mammoth Springs.

Artist Point at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is one of the most spectacular places I have ever been.

Rosie and Brad at Artist Point.

Rosie and I spent the night at Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park.

It is in an amazing setting with an incredible view of the Tetons and Jackson Lake.

We got up the next morning to watch the sunrise from the same point.

We drove to Jenny Lake to take one of the best hikes we have ever been on. We hiked part way around the lake and up to Inspiration Point.

A crystal clear and perfectly calm Jenny Lake provides a mirror reflection of the mountains.

Brad and Rosie pose near Inspriation Point.

Brad on the trail near Inspiration Point by Jenny Lake.

Grand Teton National Park is only 3.5 hours from our cabin in Logan Canyon and Rosie and I agreed we need to plan a family vacation there in the very near future.

Grace sitting up

2010-09-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Ridge & Artist Point

2010-09-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Red Rocket posing on Hurricane Ridge.
There were two bike rides/climbs I wanted to do before the fall weather set in. Both are considered among the hardest and best climbs in the state of Washington and have been compared to the Alpine climbs in France and Switzerland.

Tuesday I drove 2.5 hours to Olympic National Park just outside of Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula to climb to Hurricane Ridge. It is 18 miles each way and has over 5,200 feet of elevation gain with some at a fairly steep grade. It is the hardest climb I have done. But it was a gorgeous day and the climb was wonderful.

The climb is full of beautiful views like this.
About half way up.
The views at the top are breathtaking with mountain ridges that go on forever to the east, north and south.
To the west one can see the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver Island, and San Juan Island. The clouds in the horizon on this photo covered the water.
It was a truly unforgettable ride and view. The descent was fast and beautiful. I look forward to returning to one of the most stunning places I have been to in a long time.

Last week I drove about three hours north to the small town of Glacier where I started the climb (24 miles and 4,700 feet) to Artist Point -- arguably the most beautiful spot in all of Washington at the foot of Mount Shuksun and Mount Baker. It was a less than ideal day with partly sunny skies but a threat of rain as I began the climb. I decided I would turn around if it started to rain. But the sun kept teasing me as blue skies would show for a few minutes and then it would cloud over and even drizzle a bit. I kept going but was disappointed that the mountaintops were covered with clouds. I was plenty warm with just my cycling shorts and jersey as it was hard work getting to the top.

Here is a typical view on the ascent to Artist Point when the sun would come out.
The road has many hairpin turns as you can see in this photo near the top.
The clouds covered the most picturesque views but this gives you a feel for the beauty of this place as Mount Shuksun is reflected in a small lake.
As I got to the last mile or so, a dense fog rolled in and I could only see about 40 feet in front of me. But I had "summit fever" and was not going to turn around that close to the top. When I got to the top I put on the tights, leg warmers, arm warmers, full gloves and two light jackets I had carried up for the descent. It immediately began to rain and the temperature dropped. As I began my descent I quickly realized I did not have near enough warm clothes and that I was in trouble. By the time I was a few miles down the road I was extremely cold, shivering, shaking and praying for a way out of this situation before hypothermia set in.

A couple of miles further down I got a direct answer to my prayers as a pickup truck with four mountain bikes in the back had pulled over. I stopped and asked the young men, "Can I throw my bike in the back of your truck and ride down to the base?" They said, "No problem, Dude. That must be a freezing descent." The Lord had answered my prayer with four very kind and understanding young men.

I look forward to doing this climb again on a better day when the view looks like this photo I found on the Internet.
I will take plenty of warm gear for the descent.

Silhouettes

2010-09-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

A contemplative Rosie at sunset
My major project for the last few months -- and many more in the future -- is labeling and categorizing the tens of thousands of photos I have taken over the years. When the project is complete I will be able to find any picture very quickly. To do this I have to go through every picture -- a rather tedious task at times. But it also yields some surprises and brings back countless wonderful memories.

This evening I was working through some photos of our trip to Switzerland in August 2003 and came across these silhouettes taken at sunset on the top of the Niesen (7,500 Feet) near Interlaken Switzerland. That was an unforgettable evening that yielded some beautiful silhouettes of my beloved wife and the children that were with us.

Steve, Marc, Paul and Rebekah are lined up on the summit.
Marc strikes his signature pose against the setting sun.
Here is one more silhouette of Marc and Steve against the mighty Eiger. This was taken in Grindelwald, Switzerland early one morning in August 2008 as the three of us embarked on an adventurous hike to a Swiss Alpine Club hut.

Majestic Mount Rainier

2010-09-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon Rosie and I had an unforgettable time near Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park. It was a gorgeous day, and there are surely not many more left like that in 2010 in western Washington. As the sun was getting low we hiked to the saddle of Pinnacle Peak. It was an unforgettable walk.

The wildflowers were brilliant.
The trail had countless jaw dropping views of majestic Mount Rainier. Here is Rosie in a triumphant pose along the way.
When we got to the saddle we could see down the other side into the deep valleys with Mount Adams on the horizon.
At the saddle with Mount Rainier in all its glory.

An Afternoon in Paradise

2010-09-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier from Paradise

This afternoon I took one of the most beautiful bike rides of my life. I have cycled most of the passes around Mount Rainier many times, but I had never done the south side to Paradise until today. In fact, it had been a few years since I had driven that spectacular road and I had forgotten the incredibly beautiful vistas one gets at almost every turn. Unfortunately I again forgot my camera and had to use my iphone for the photos below. They give a feel for the gorgeous scenes but do not do it justice.

It was a perfect day for a bike ride with sunny skies and temperatures in the sixties. I drove the 45 miles from our house to the Stevens Canyon entrance where I parked, pulled out my bike and started this unforgettable 43 mile (round trip) ride that had 4,600 feet of ascent. The first six miles were pretty, but mostly just heavy woods. Then around a corner majestic Mount Rainier jumped out.

First view of Rainier on this climb
Shortly beyond that corner is a turn off for cars to admire the view. When I stopped there was a lady taking pictures and I asked her if she would take one of me. We talked for a minute and I found out she was from Switzerland. I told her I thought Mount Rainier is an incredibly beautiful place -- especially on a day like this -- but not as pretty as Switzerland.While the main attraction on this route is obviously Mount Rainier, there are many other things that add to its beauty. Below is the deep, narrow, rock lined Box Canyon. Mount Adams is visible on the horizon between the two trees in the middle right of the photo.
There are a number of short tunnels like this one.About six miles from Paradise. Note the road on the right and left as it works its way toward Paradise and Mount Rainier.

With the Red Rocket in front of Reflection Lake. The wind was blowing and the ripples in the water eliminated the typical stunning reflection one gets.

I couldn't do one of these bike ride updates without what Stephen calls a "Red Rocket portrait shot". Here it is at the trailhead at Paradise.
The Red Rocket is without question the best "toy" I have ever had. I am grateful for the adventures we have taken together and I look forward to many more. I am always looking for partners for these adventures -- come join me for an unforgettable time.

More Photos From July Trip to Utah

2010-08-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

Andrew, John, Julie, Joyce, Grace, Rosie, Brad, Steve, Marc, Rebekah at the Wind Cave above Logan Canyon.
Julie, Grace, Joyce, John, Marc, Steve, Rosie, Brad at White Pine Lake
Rebekah, Steve, Andrew & Brad on the Crimson Trail above Logan Canyon
Marc, John and Brad on Naomi Peak (10,000 feet) the highest peak in Logan Canyon.
As always, Marc listens closely as his Dad shares some wisdom on the trail to Naomi Peak
Rosie and Grace
Julie and Grace
Joyce at Tony Grove

Andrew, Joyce and Rebekah enjoy a moment by the stream in front of the cabin.Four Generations -- Julie, Grace, Ruth, Rosie, Joyce

Graduation- I did it!

2010-08-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Marguerite and Me.

This is Joyce at Grace's blessing. This is Grace, at her blessing.

I love family so much! Thank you to everyone. John, Julie, Joyce, (Grace-not picutured) Bedda, Drew, Stephen, Paul, Dad, Mom, Marc, Xaiver, Emilie, Marguerite, and me in the picture. I did it! I graduated!

Sam and I.

In honor of Kay, this is me riding her and Grandpa Johnson is by me, he gave me Kay, I miss them so much and I miss Grandma Johnson too. I am so glad we are family forever, to Grandpa Miller and Grandpa Johnson who taught me a lot about horses, as well as Kim Folk/Beverly, and others who gave me lessons. I want to say thank you to everyone family, friends who have supported me, sorry I didn;t list everyone, but know I am thanking you and I love you all so much!

This is Tuffy and I, I love to ride her, she is doing excellent with her training! Thank you.

I am so excited because I am offically all done with school, at GRCC with my ECE AAA degree, I finshed on August 12, 2010! I got my diploma-pretty piece of paper as they call it and it is on my transcripts! I will miss school, but I am all ready to be done, with not having to do homework/stress about what classes to take. It feels great to be all done with school. I am still waiting to hear back if I get a full time job or not in the Enumclaw school district as a para working with children with special needs in elementary or preschool age children, so right now I am a sub para- work starts next week, babysit, Kids BASE, nursery, training Tuffy with Kim Folk/ride Tuffy/take care of her, play with Sam, help our family/friends out, read, flute,pract. sign lanague, etc. I love and miss you all. Have a great day!

Bear Lake -- July 2010

2010-08-27T23:22:00.000-07:00

When we were in Utah last month we spent a day at Bear Lake. The weather was great and we were joined by Jill, Mike and their three children along with Rob and Mary and their family. Jill and Mike brought their Jet Skis and they were put to great use by this crew. Steve, Marc and I rode our bikes through Logan Canyon to the lake -- a great way to start the day.

Steve, Marc, Rosie, Brad and Andrew pose for a quick photo on the edge of the lake.
Steve entertains Dean, Rob, Jill and Mary with stories about some of the people he used to work with.
Julie, Grace, Joyce and John
Steve and Rosie come in from a quick run on the jet skis.
Melanie, Joyce and Jonathon
Kristin, Andrew, Rebekah, Mary Kate, Scott work on their sand castle.
Jeffrey, Jonathon, Andrew, Kristin, Melanie, Mary, Rosie, Mary Kate, Scott, Joyce and Rebekah
It was a memorable day in a beautiful place with wonderful people.

Miller Family Reuinion -- July 2010

2010-08-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Ivan and Ruth have created quite a ripple with 124 of us now with 2 more expected this year! We celebrated with a fun and crazy day at Willow Park in Logan, UT on July 31, 2010. There were about 90 of us there that day!
The festivities began the night before with a dinner up at our cabin in Logan Canyon for Ivan and Ruth and their six and spouses. The calm before the storm!
After dinner we had a chance to catch up and enjoy each other a while.
Grandma Miller taught a class on crocheting on a hot afternoon in the shade. Thanks Mom!
Grandpa Ivan showed the kids how to fish all afternoon. He is an expert. Thanks Dad!
The boondoggle crew! Rebekah showed the girls how to make colorful bracelets.
We might be getting older, but we can still cheese it up with the best of them! It was a great day! Front row: Jeff and Steve Back row: Jeanie, Rosie, Ivan, Ruth, Sue and Marsha.

Rosie

Melanie and Spencer Come to Enumclaw

2010-08-25T22:52:00.000-07:00

Enumclaw Washington is many miles from all of our large family. So when we get family visitors it is always cause for excitement. Sunday night Melanie and Spencer Johnson came to see us from Atlanta (My brother, Scott, got tied up and could not come) for a very quick trip. Spencer served in the Tacoma Mission 2007-2009 and wanted to show his Mom the places he served and introduce her to some of the people he worked with. They had a packed itinerary so we only had them for Monday morning and they agreed to spend it at our favorite place in Washington -- Mount Rainier National Park.

Melanie and Scott lived in Boston when we lived there in the eighties and we grew very close during those years. Each time we see them we realize how much we miss them. Rosie and Melanie have a great friendship and sisterhood. Here they enjoy a smile as the sun comes up on Mount Rainier.

This is one of my favorite views of Rainier with Tipsoo Lake in the foreground.
Rosie, Melanie, Spencer and Brad pause for a picture above Sunrise in Mount Rainier National Park.
It was another perfect weather day -- it's always like that in Western Washington.

Glorious Wildflowers in Mount Rainier National Park

2010-08-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

This morning Rebekah, Andrew and I drove 45 minutes to the top of Chinook Pass in Mount Rainier National Park to take one of our favorite hikes -- The Naches Loop. It was a perfect summer day with temperatures in the 70s and not a cloud int he sky. The wildflowers were brilliant red, purple, white, yellow... and with Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and four glacier fed lakes as a background every step of this easy 4.5 mile hike was breathtakingly beautiful. Above the top of Rainier looks like a big ice cream cone.

Andrew and Rebekah surrounded by purple lupine stop for a photo on the trail.
Andrew and Rebekah above Dewey Lake Andrew and Brad in the middle of flowers, lakes and mountains.

This photo shows Rainier with some of the surrounding terrain and a couple of my favorite biking roads in the world. The bottom middle is the Chinook Pass highway, the right hand middle (a little hard to see in this small photo) is the road to Sunrise. Both roads are good hard climbs with incredible scenery at every turn.

A Perfect Anniversary!

2010-08-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

We had an exciting adventure to Vancouver on August 18th for our 32nd Anniversary. We started it off with a great hike up Grouse Grind Trail. We wondered a bit when we got to the trail head because we observed the strict warnings about the risks of the hike! But the wander-lust in us overpowered the fear and we forged ahead. . .
Brad is a perfect scout . . .

I have to say it was probably the steepest hike I have ever been on . . .
They cut the trail pretty much straight up the mountain. I think Brad said it was 2800 ft. in 1.8 miles!

But look who was waiting at the top all carved in wood!

What a view from up on top!
Plus a ride down to save the old knees!
That evening a wonderful seafood dinner and a session at the new Vacouver Temple for a perfect climax to a very special day in our lives!
I am a very lucky girl to have such a wonderful mate! Love you Brad! Thanks for a wonderful trip.

An Almost Perfect Afternoon!

2010-07-06T21:18:00.001-07:00

Mount Rainier and the White River.
The weather here in western Washington the last nine months has been far worse than we have experienced in our nine years here. In fact, up until last week it had been a record 272 days since the temperature had hit 75 degrees. Today summer hit with bluebird skies and 80 degrees.

I wanted to take full advantage of this day so I loaded my bike (the Red Rocket) on the Pilot and drove to Mount Rainier National Park. I have a great love for many of our National Parks -- Arches, Yosemite, Zions, Grand Canyon... -- but my very favorite is Mount Rainier. I suspect that is driven in large part because I have spent the most time there as it is only 30 minutes from our house. It is truly a spectacular place with parts that remind me of the Swiss and French Alps. Some of my favorite hikes in the world are in my "backyard". I also love to bike the mountain passes through the park. I had not done that since my heart problem last August, as those roads are only open a few months out of the year because of the tens of feet of snow they receive each fall, winter and spring (Sunrise opened last week).

I drove 35 miles to the turnoff for the road to Sunrise where I started my afternoon adventure. (I forgot a good camera so my iphone took these photos) As I was doing some final adjustments on my bike a giant RV drove up next to me.

The driver stuck his head out the window and said, "Hey friend, will that road (pointing to the Sunrise road) take me to the top of the mountain?" I was a bit stunned by this question. The Sunrise road takes you to the highest point you can drive to (6,400 feet) but it is 7,900 feet short of the top of Mount Rainier (14,300 feet). I couldn't figure out which was more absurd the thought of a road to the top of Rainier or that RV driving up such a road. Ever polite, I assured him the road would take him to the highest point one could drive to in the park.
Here is the RV. Does it look capable of driving to the summit of Mount Rainier?

My first climb was up Chinook Pass. From where I started it is 7.5 miles and over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. It is a gorgeous climb with jaw dropping vistas every inch of the way which is why it is one of America's "Scenic Byways" and an "All American Road". It is also an engineering marvel as it is cut in the side of the mountain. There are no steep grades but it is an unrelenting climb. With all the snow melting, and many waterfalls on both sides of the road, there was no water on the road.
The Chinook Pass road is in the bottom, middle and on the upper right of this photo with majestic Mount Rainier overseeing all.

Another look at the Chinook Pass road.

At the top of Chinook Pass is beautiful Tipsoo Lake. By this time of year it is usually all melted and countless wildflowers are growing near its shore. Not this year.
Tipsoo Lake is just beginning to melt. This is one of the prettiest views in the entire National Park.

The descent from the top of the pass is a wonderful ride where you can easily average 35 MPH without much effort. My next climb was to Sunrise -- 10 miles and 3,000 feet of elevation gain. I love this climb and have done it many times over the years. There are few cars on the road and most that pass a biker on the ascent give a thumbs up -- not many cars pass a bike on the descent with its numerous sharp curves and hairpin turns which are easier for a skilled biker to negotiate than a car.
Both climbs have a number of hairpin turns that help make a very fun descent.

The first part of the Sunrise climb is not as spectacular as Chinook Pass as it is in dense tree cover with few openings. But as one approaches Rainier the vistas are breathtaking as it feels like you could reach out and touch the mountain.

Typical view of Rainier near the summit of the Sunrise road.
The Red Rocket by the just emerging Sunrise sign.

The Red Rocket at the end of the road with Rainier in the background.

The Sunrise meadow just above the parking lot. In a month this will be full of wildflowers too numerous to count.

The descent from Sunrise is even more fun than Chinook. It helped end an almost perfect afternoon. What would have made it perfect? If some of my children would have been on the ride with me (Rosie appears to have no interest in such an adventure). Where were you Marc, Steve and Emilie on a day like this? There is hope for the future though as Andrew has biked with me almost every day the last week and Rebekah rode a bike to the school this morning. Paul will soon be home and hopefully he will want to get in on a couple of world class climbs on a bike. Both Chinook and Sunrise should still be open when he gets here on October 7. I'll be ready if he wants to go for it.

Andrew the STAR (and Mom too).

2010-06-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Tuesday evening Andrew performed this violin solo for the parents and Enumclaw Middle School community. That afternoon he played it for the students and faculty of the school. He was terrific in both performances and electrified the crowd. His accompanist (Rosie) did great as well.

Thanks to Rebekah for taking this video.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

Dad,
Happy Father's Day! I remeber that you would read us stories, play with us, when we were younger and now you love to play games with us! Thank you so much for all of your support, help, encouragement while we have gone to school, work, go after our dreams and guidence with different life skills. I personally couldn;t have done it without you and mom supporting me and everyone else, making it possible for me to finsh college and work, THANK YOU. I love playing games with you, spending time, and I think it is so neat how you love to travel so much, so I hope you get to travel a lot more since you are retired if that is waht you and mom decide to do, rest of the family it is alright by me but sorry I didn;t get that from you because I am not much of a traveler although I love going to Utah because it is so much fun to see our family, relatives. I am excited to see everyone soon, it will be so much fun and so thank you for letting us be able to go to Utah to see our famiy. Thank you for always believing in us and helping us out if we are having a hard time, watching movies, talking with us, etc. I love how you love to play games with us, are always there for us, check on all of us kids to see how we are doing, helping others out, and teaching us about hard work, being responsble, being on time, etc. We are so lucky that you are our dad, I am glad we are family forever becaues as Grandpa Johnson said: "Families are everything." ! I love you so much dad, and enjoy spending lots of time with you!
Thanks again for everything you have done for us and helping us achive our dreams, encouaging us and helping us out when we need help and for understanding how we all like different things or like the same things. ALos, thanks for teachign us about jokes and how you tease us, to make us laugh, right?
you are awesome!
Mels

POP-SICLE

2010-06-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

He is the bomb. Trips, games, movies, and laughs, we have them all. He provides us with so much each day. He supplies us with ways to follow our dreams. He has the best ideas, and is pretty dang close to being the big fat boss of the whole world (second only to Janice :) ). Really, I think we could not have been luckier to have a better dad. Us kids must have been the smartest ones in heaven when we chose to have dad as our father....

THANKS SO MUCH! i love you dad! happy fathers day!

Graduation!

2010-06-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

After four years of very hard work, Melanie graduated from Green River Community College with her Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education. She even graduated with honors as she maintained a grade point average of 3.7.

The graduation ceremony was held on Friday at the new Showare Center in Kent. There was a big graduating class.
A proud Mom and Dad get in a photo with the graduate
We are all very proud of Melanie and wanted to celebrate her achievement. She planned a celebration event and invited many of the people that have helped her through this journey. It was a great evening.

Melanie with her graduation cake
Melanie with the display by our front door that she created of pictures through her first 25 years along with a sign in book for all the guests.
The graduate with some of the food she and Rosie prepared for the celebration.Melanie with Ann Baker and Judy Bruggeman -- two people who gave her invaluable help through the Transitions program at Enumclaw High School. These two angels had a profound impact on Melanie.

Single Ladies

2010-06-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

Here's Joyce and her best friend Rainah dancing to Beyonce.

Grace and Joyce at the same age

2010-06-13T12:28:00.001-07:00

Here are a few photos of Joyce and Grace around the same age. Grace is normal in terms of growth (she is growing out of her 0-3 month old clothes right on time). I look back at the pictures of Joyce and she was wearing newborn stuff at 3 months that didn't fit Grace for very long.

Grace:

Joyce:

What do you think? The look like sisters right? Would you confuse them or do you think they have their own look?

Grace

2010-06-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

Grace in the words of Joyce is "growing bigger and bigger." She is growing out of her sadness at nights and is really smiley and delightful.

She is a really good communicator and likes things a specific way and so she can let you know quickly when something is not to her specifications.

She is also an incredibly prolific drooler. John and I use to make fun of those parents whose babies always had a bib on - well we might become those parents because Grace is going to develop skin diseases if we don't.

We have been so lucky to have Emilie and Stephen come and visit us (sorry about the red eye in the photo Stephen). We can't wait to see more family this summer.

Yosemite -- Mariposa Grove

2010-06-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

We ended our unforgettable trip to Yosemite with a hike through Mariposa Grove at the southern border of the park. The grove has many stately sequoia trees that are up to 1,800 years old and almost 300 feet tall. Sequoia trees are the largest volume living things on earth. Coastal redwoods are taller and another species has slightly larger trunks but nothing has the combination on width and height of a sequoia.

Unlike other parts of the park there were few people in this tranquil grove. I felt a great sense of reverence as we walked through this beautiful setting. While I hated to miss church on this sabbath day, being in one of God's great cathedrals was a good substitute.

Grizzly Giant one of the oldest and largest of the trees in Mariposa Grove
Sequoia grove. The red tint of the trees is beautiful.

Marc in Tunnel Tree

Yosemite Falls & Yosemite Point

2010-06-07T16:50:00.001-07:00

Upper Yosemite Falls from the valley with Yosemite Point to the right

Saturday our destination was the top of Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Point. It is a steep trail that ascends 3,600 feet and is about eleven miles round trip. After the first thousand feet every view is marvelous as you look down on the valley, over at Half Dome and go right by Yosemite Falls which is the highest waterfall in the US. As it crashes down it literally sounds like thunder or a glacier calving.

Yosemite Falls from the trail

Marc with Yosemite Falls in the background and Yosemite Point on top right.

Stopped for a photo with Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Point and Half Dome in the background
From Yosemite Point. Marc in upper left admires the valley and Half Dome.Marc is fixated on Half Dome
At Yosemite Point
From Yosemite Point looking down at The Lost Arrow. Glacier Point is across the valley.
On our descent the sun hit the mist from the waterfall to create a brilliant rainbow.The rainbow spreads over the lower part of this photo.
We stopped for a photo from the Tunnel View on our drive back to our apartment. Bridal Veil Falls is on the right. El Capitan is on the left and Half Dome is in the middle.

Yosemite -- Vernal and Nevada Falls

2010-06-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

Vernal and Nevada Falls from Glacier Point
The golden sun sets on Half Dome from Glacier Point.

For years I have dreamed of climbing Half Dome. It is one of those iconic hikes/climbs that I want to complete before my time on this earth is over. The route up the back side is always open from the end of May to October and that is why Marc and I planned this trip for the first weekend in June. However, this year there is still too much snow on the trail so the National Park will not open it for a few more weeks. While that was disappointing news, there are marvelous alternative hikes in the park.

Friday we took the part of the Half Dome hike that was open. It is one of Yosemite's signature hikes -- especially when there is a lot of water flowing over the falls as one finds this year because of all the snow. It goes by two spectacular falls -- Vernal and Nevada. The round trip we took was about 2,500 feet of ascent and a total of ten miles. Every step was beautiful.

Marc on the Mist Trail below Vernal Falls. With all the water flowing this was more than a "mist" trail. By the time we got to the top of the falls we were drenched as if we had been caught in a big rainstorm.

Above Vernal Falls, Note the trail on the left side near the middle of this photo.
Below Nevada Falls.
Marc inspects the raging river from the bridge above Nevada Falls. These falls empty into the Merced River that cuts through Yosemite Valley.Marc above Nevada Falls.
Along the John Muir Trail with Liberty Cap and Nevada Falls in the background.

We drove back up to Glacier Point to watch the sunset that evening. Half Dome dominates the valley as the yellow sun lights its face.

It was a day to remember.

Yosemite ("Das ist verboten")

2010-06-07T09:45:00.001-07:00

Liberty Cap and Nevada Falls at sunset from Glacier Point

Last week Marc and I made a long awaited trip to Yosemite National Park. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. One is filled with wonder and reverence by the magnificent landscapes throughout the park. Shortly after we arrived on Thursday evening we drove to Glacier Point with hopes the clouds would clear and we would see a great sunset. Glacier Point is only open a few months of the year because of snow covered roads. It was not open when I was there with Steve two years ago so this was my first time there. It was the setting of the famous and historic evening Teddy Roosevelt spent with John Muir in 1903. If you look on the back of the California quarter you see the view from Glacier Point as well.

Famous photograph of President Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir at Glacier Point. It is hard to tell if they are standing on the overhanging rock but that looks to be the case.

As we arrived at the Point we were overwhelmed with the beauty and setting. It is high above the valley and looks down on everything but Half Dome, which is directly across the valley. Unfortunately, Half Dome's top was covered that evening with clouds. But even so the view was unbelievable.

At the very point there is a rock formation that juts out and is called overhanging rock. I had seen a number of old photos with people out on that point and was disappointed when it was fenced off and "Danger Do Not Enter" signage was prominently posted.

Marc contemplating hopping the fence and going into the "Danger Do Not Enter" area where the overhanging rock can be seen in the foreground.

Marc on overhanging rock with Yosemite Falls -- the highest in the US -- in the background.

In this century old photograph a woman strikes a pose on the overhanging rock at Glacier Point.

Here is another old photograph of someone on the overhanging rock from taken from a different angle so Half Dome is prominently featured.

We looked around and while there were a lot of people (75-100) we couldn't see any National Park rangers. Marc said, “I’ll go out there" and quickly hopped the fence and made his way to overhanging rock. Knowing we only had a minute or so I took a number of quick pictures of him with the valley and Yosemite Falls in the background. As I was taking the pictures a group of Germans wandered over and immediately began saying, “Das ist verboten” (That is forbidden). At the same time they were anxious to get some good pictures of Marc on the rock. After a few minutes Marc made his way back to "safe" territory behind the fence.

Not more than a minute later, Ranger Dave showed up in his National Park Uniform. We thought he might be after Marc but that was not the case. I went up to him and asked a couple of questions ("When will Four Mile trail be open, what is the weather forecast…") and then asked him if I could get a picture of him with Marc.

Ranger Dave with Marc. Note the fence and overhanging rock in the lower left portion of the picture.

Marc's timing for the photos on overhanging rock was impeccable. Unbeknown to Ranger Dave we had once again created a memory that will last a lifetime.

Moose Encounter, Cabin Clean Up and Memorable Hikes

2010-06-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

Rosie, Andrew and I made a quick but excellent trip to Utah last weekend. We had some great time with both the Miller and Johnson relatives and had a very productive day working on the outside of the cabin.

Sunday afternoon, John Stauffer and I went outside to walk around the cabin on a perfect spring day – blue skies and 65 degrees. We walked over to the cave and I heard something through the bushes. I thought it was a person clearing the brush. When I first looked I thought it was a horse but quickly realized it was a moose. I called to John and told him to come and see the moose. We watched him for a minute or so. He clearly looked at us. I wanted a better look around the bush, so I walked a couple of steps closer. At that point we were only about ten yards away from him. Then the moose – a young one with no horns -- broke into a run straight for us.

We ran with everything we had for the cabin which was only about 30 yards away. We ran around the front of the cabin and fortunately the moose went around the back. That was the fastest I have run in many years and maybe the fastest in my life. I had no idea John could run that fast as he was in front of me. The instantaneous effect of adrenaline is remarkable. I have not been that frightened in a very long time. Our hearts were racing but we survived the adventure to live another day. I learned my lesson about getting close to a moose.

The moose came back (I think he was looking for John) on Monday and we got this photo.

Monday was clean up day at our cabin, "Johnson’s Holmstead". Lee, Jeannie and their son, Mike, joined us and brought a trailer full of tools and equipment. Sonja and Robert and their children also came that morning. Kari and Brian, Annie and Nate, Paul and Jill, Rosie, Andrew and I had spent the prior evening at the cabin and were all enlisted for this day of hard labor. We got a tremendous amount of work accomplished as we cleared almost all of the dead brush and trees from the lot. Nate and Brian cleared the culvert under the road so the stream in front of the cabin flowed much better and lowered the level of the stream significantly. Then they enlisted Andrew and built a rock wall for most of its path.

After a long winter the windows were very dirty. Nate handled the hard to reach high windows.
Above -- With my chainsaw cutting some dead wood. Below -- Andrew wheels the wood to the wood pile and fire pit.
Lee got the Captain Ahab award for his relentless pursuit of pruning the big tree in front of the cabin. At one point he maxed out the somewhat wobbly extension ladder and took the chain saw up to cut some branches. The rest of us were praying he made it down without incident. Not many teenagers would do what he did and I know of no other 59 year olds who would even contemplate it.

Everyone worked very hard and helped transform the look of the cabin. It was remarkable how much work was done and we appreciate all who gave their holiday to improve the cabin. Below the transformation is very evident.

Above -- Paul, Jill, Lee, Jeannie, Rosie and Brad take a photo break during the clean up. Below -- the whole crew after a long day of hard work.

Early Monday morning, Paul, Brian, Nate, Rosie and I went over to Guinavah to climb the Crimson Trail. It was a beautiful morning with lots of sunshine and an ideal time to make this gorgeous hike. The canyon and Cache Valley are green as they ever get and the mountains are capped with a beautiful snow top. The views from the top of the Crimson Trail are wonderful as one overlooks the canyon, across to the Wind Caves and down into Cache Valley. At one point on the trail you can even see Logan Temple. It is in many ways the best trail in the whole canyon.

Above -- Rosie and I are high above Third Dam on the Crimson Trail. Below -- Rosie on the Wind Cave on our Friday morning hike.

Below -- On our trip to Utah we stopped in Twin Falls to the very impressive Shoshone Falls.

Mount Saint Helens Adventure

2010-05-16T16:46:00.001-07:00

The cover and feature article in this month's National Geographic is on Mount St. Helens. Thirty years ago -- May 18, 1980 -- the volcano blew and created incredible destruction. As you can see from the above photo from National Geographic, before the blast it was an almost perfect volcano cone, after most of north side was blown out and 1,300 feet came off the top. The top photo (also from National Geographic) shows the summit and Mount Adams on the left and Mount Hood on the right.

Below is a photo of the south side yesterday morning. It is still a beautiful mountain and a bit intimidating when one looks up from the base.
Climbing Mount Saint Helens is a great adventure and a physically demanding task. In the winter and spring you can only drive to 2,700 feet and the summit is at 8,363 feet so there is 5,700 feet of ascent and the round trip is 12 miles. The first three miles and 1,300 feet are in treeline. Once we got above treeline there was at least five feet of snow in most areas.

This was my fourth climb of Mount Saint Helens. On prior climbs Julie, Emilie, Marc and Paul have joined me. I had hoped to have Rosie, Andrew and Rebekah come on this adventure but Andrew had a scheduled Scouting campout. Rebekah had a Girls Camp planning meeting and Rosie just can't get excited about long climbs in the snow and ice. So my very good friend, Mike Bowcut, agreed to go with me. It was Mike's first big mountain climb and he was a wonderful climbing partner. The weather forecast was for a mostly cloudy day but once we got on the mountain it was sunny all day long (neither one of us used enough sunscreen and we are paying for that oversight today).

Below I am just above tree line with a long way to go to the top.
The climb has great views of Mount Adams and Mount Hood when you get above treeline. Below Mike is ascending with Mount Adams on the left.
I have never done a climb like this with snowshoes but we were grateful we had packed them along as they were invaluable in negotiating the mushy snow we encountered much of the ascent. Some parts of the climb were extremely steep and it was hard work. Below Mike is coming up a very steep section at about 7,500 feet elevation. Earlier in the climb we had passed a couple with this dog who was eagerly climbing this challenging trail. He said it was her fourth time up the mountain. She would go ahead of her owner and wait for him on the ridges.

By the time we got to the summit we were thankful the mountain blew 30 years ago as it took 1,300 feet off the summit. Below Mike and I share a smile at the summit.
The view from the summit is spectacular as Mount Rainier is featured to the north; Mount Adams to the east; Mount Hood to the South and an up close look into the crater. The edge of the crater is a cornice -- an overhanging crest of snow on a ridge -- and going to the edge is very dangerous as a cornice can break off at any time. A couple of months ago a climber at the summit of Mount Saint Helens went out on the cornice for a picture, it broke off and he fell 1,500 feet to his death. So we were not comfortable getting too close to the edge and that kept us from seeing straight down in the crater. In the photo below you can see the volcanic smoke/plume in the lower center. In the upper right horizon Mount Rainier is reigning with a cloud over its summit.
The descent from the summit is fabulous with a world class glissade -- sliding down the steep portions of the trail on your rear end using an ice axe to control your speed -- most of the way down. We were able to glissade almost 4,000 feet. What took us about three hours to climb we descended in a fraction of that time. The glissade is one of the best parts about this climb and much easier on my knees than hiking down. Below, Mike enjoys a long glissade.
Mike and I agreed to do Mount Adams in June or July. Anyone want to join us for a great adventure on Washington's second highest mountain/volcano? Below is a tantalizing view of Adams.

2010-05-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

Sisters also Hug REALLY Tight

2010-04-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

These are pictures we took a few weeks ago, so Grace was about a month old. Now she's six weeks old! Joyce is ever attentive to Grace and likes to hold her. When Grace cries she either says to her in a soothing voice, "Be happy baby" (amazing how she picks up on adults tendency to use baby talk) or she tells me, "It will be okay in a minute" with a knowing nod.

Joyce seemed to be doing really well being a big sister until John went back to work. Then reality hit and we've had to resort to some drastic measures some days when Joyce is really sad and melting down. One of our drastic measures is riding the bus around town for an hour or two. Our city buses have a higher portion in the back where Joyce can sit and see the whole world below her as she looks out the window. That was our strategy last Monday when I knew something had to change or we would all be in trouble.

Grace is pretty tolerant of her sister's love although I feel like I have to wear her in a sling or wrap all the time to ensure that her toes aren't loved right off her body.

I'm pretty sure they are going to be good friends though.

Sisters are Angels Without Wings

2010-04-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

A year ago we gathered to celebrate Brooke's wedding!
Rosie, Marsha, Mom Ruth, Jeanie and Sue March 2009

Jeanie holding Melanie. 1985

Celebrating Jeanie's big 5-0! Happy Birthday!

This is one young looking 50-year old! Brook and Meg surprised her when she found 20 extra people at the Olive Garden who wanted to sit at her table!
Susie, Marsha, Rosie and Mamma Ruth visit while we wait for the birthday girl to arrive.

Here Daddy is expressing his love and gratitude for Jeanette and her beautiful spirit in our family. I am so thankful for Jeanette in my life. She has a way of making me forget any problems and reminds me to laugh and find fun. I miss seeing her more often. She is truly one of my heroes. Love you Sis!

Brilliant Fields of Tulips

2010-04-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Rosie and I loaded our mountain bikes on her Pilot and made our annual pilgrimage to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival -- about two hours north of Enumclaw. It was a beautiful spring day, perfect for a 21 mile bike ride around the fields outside of Mount Vernon, WA. While there were not as many fields in full bloom as we found on last year's trip (it was an early spring and we were out of town all last week), the fields that were in bloom were fabulous. The brilliant colors looked imaginary from a distance -- as if a mad painter had spilled his brightest reds, yellows and purples all over the ground.

To give you a feel for the experience, below are a number of our photos.
Rosie stops to view the scene as she coasts through the fields of red and gold.
I love the Logan High colors in this field.
This is the view as you approach the fields. The colors are spectacular.

Here is my favorite model with a backdrop of purple and pink and another in red.

What a place for a leisurely bike ride.

This almost looks like Rosie is floating on the tulips.
Below you can see all the colors of the fields in the far horizon. It looks like a bright rainbow came to life on the fields.
Years ago Rosie and I were in Holland in April when their tulip fields were in full bloom. It was beautiful -- indeed beyond description. But it was not as impressive as the Skagit Valley at peak. We hope you will join us next year for this unforgettable bike ride through one of the most beautiful sights we have ever seen.

Cross Country Skiing in April

2010-04-07T14:45:00.001-07:00

Rosie, Andrew and I came to Utah on Friday for a week. Monday night northern Utah had a big storm that dropped as much as a foot of snow in places. We are staying in our cabin in Logan Canyon and it has been wonderful to have that snow this late in the year. The last two days we have enjoyed this gift of snow in April.This was the view out our back window this afternoon.

Rosie skiing in the woods.

After skiing for a few hours Andrew and his cousins decided to try tubing down one of the hills at Birch Glen. The snow was not very fast for tubing but they had a good time.

Rosie skiing down the Birch Lane road to our cabin.

Andrew with his cousins Scott, Kristin and Mary Kate in front of our cabin.

We wish you all could have joined us for a wonderful day in the snow in Logan Canyon.

Grace

2010-04-02T07:49:00.001-07:00

I wanted to post a few more pictures of Grace. She is a sweet baby and very tolerant of all of her older sister's physical love. Joyce showers Grace with head caresses and ear pulls and in your face sweet talk. It's very loving in a physical way. Grace has been teaching classes with me this week and sleeps soundly and inconspicuously the whole time. We have also had a couple nights of a four or five hour stretches of sleep! Visitors welcome anytime.

Mels new job!

2010-03-31T22:56:00.000-07:00

I am so excited because I got a new job as a subsutiute paraeducator with Mrs. Buck, in her preschool with children with special needs. I start work on April 12, 2010, and it will be on M-thur, in the afternoon. I am so excited, this is my dream job that i have been wanting to get, and i know right now it is substiuting but sometime in the future I hope to get a job working with the preschool or elementary age students so I got my foot in the door. In the fall I can sub full time when there are open postions with what I want to sub for. Also, I am taking 14 credits for school, four ECE classes, working at Kids Base, trianing Tuffy in which she is doign wonderful- we had a lesson from Kim today and I learned alot, pract. sign language. I have been doing a lot of homework, so I can stay on top of it and I get to do practicum hours in Mrs. Buck;s classroom, and Sam loves to play. (babysitting) I love and miss you all, and I am excited to meet Grace, and see everyone soon, Joyce and Marguerite again- all so cute and adorable. Life is good. Families are forever and I am so happy we are and tha twe are so close to one another. I am exicted to graduate soon, this summer. Thank you everyone for all of your help, support, believing in me, mom and dad for helping me be able to go to school, and you are all the best. Good luck to everyone! i am excited to see everyoen soon! I love and miss you all. have a great day.
love
Mels

July 1990

2010-03-25T19:52:00.001-07:00