First Skiing of the Year

We finally have enough snow to get out skiing---went on a trail just a block away but have to drive 4 miles since it's across the river from our house. Not very many people out today, so we were making our own path part of the time. I go ahead to set the pace and John follows on my nicely groomed trail. What a deal! Snow was hanging from the trees and part of the way is through a deep thicket. We kept remarking about the incredibly beautiful scenery. Here he is just as we are starting out. We finished on a sad note. A woman had lost her dog on the trail and then her daughter had come to help search and got stuck in a deep ditch. We drove along the road bordering the wetland park, hoping to catch sight of the dog---no luck. Nice scenery, though, especially this old falling down house.

Back Home in Michigan

Last Sunday afternoon, after spending a wonderful 2 days with Darlene and Kathy in Denver, we headed for Michigan, driving straight through, arriving home before noon. We had planned to stay on the road Sunday night but a bad weather forecast prodded us on. It was no fun, but we took turns driving and managed to stay awake. It's was a great trip but I always love to come home where I get more writing (and painting) done. Tomorrow we'll stay at the loft (above the barn at Carlton Gardens) overnight with a crackling fire to keep us warm. We don't have much business in the winter months but we both get a lot of work done. Here's a bird house John built yesterday and that I painted this afternoon---made to look kind of like a broken-down shack.

Taos, New Mexico

Here we are in one of our favorite little all-American towns, staying at the historic Taos Inn, listening to some great live music---modern folk with a lot of minor chord changes, a lead vocalist playing guitar, accompanied by a violinist and cellist. We left Big Bend yesterday noon after 3 days of fantastic hiking. Since then have been enjoying the scenery and stopping along the way to buy merchandise for the shop.
Here is a photo of John as we are arriving at the Inn a few hours ago. Below a wonderful house we saw along Route 285 south of Santa Fe.

The Best of Big Bend

We walked out of our room at 8:45 this morning, noting the frost on the windshield of our car as we headed for the trail up and around the mountain, an 11+ mile round trip hike, 8 miles of which, I am convinced, go up. After nearly 4 miles up we reach the meadows---about a mile of smooth hilly terrain. Then we start down and after another mile the real hike up the mountain begins. Every time you think you're on your way down you round a bend and are on your way up again. With my problematic knees I wasn't at all sure that I'd be able to make the hike this year, but 600 mg of Ibuprophen before I started did the trick. On our way up we saw this Mexican Jay. Every time I snapped a picture, he moved closer, finally giving me a nice profile pose. One of the favorite sights of this hike is the boot, as shown in the pic below.  When we got back to the lodge at 2:30 we sat out in the sunshine on our deck until it got so hot we had to go in. The lodge is right below the gigantic rock formation known as Casa Grande. Below is a snap of it as the sun is going down. Also a snap of me with another mountain formation in the background.

Big Bend National Park

We've had two great days of hiking here at Big Bend. Today was cold---a high in the 40s but it was perfect for hiking in the desert. Here John is looking out through the "window" overlooking the high desert below. It's a 5-mile hike that we took late yesterday afternoon--a hike that begins at the lodge where we're staying. Also a picture of me as we entered Cattail Falls this morning.

On the Road

Sunset on entering Fort Stockton, Texas this evening. We're staying at Atrium Inn, an absolutely wonderful place---and a room with a Jacuzzi---all for less than $70. We left Grand Rapids late Thursday afternoon with everything in good order. Carlton is watching over the house and business, while Alex and Rhonda keep the doors open for customers. This is a buying trip for the store, and we've already made some great purchases, including benches and birdhouses. Tomorrow we will be driving into Big Bend National Park on the Rio Grande River on the border of Mexico. We'll be hiking and staying at the Chisos Mountains Lodge for three nights and then driving on to New Mexico for more purchases for the store. Our last stop is Denver where we will be staying with dear friends Darlene and Kathy and going with them to church on Sunday: Columbine United Church where Dr. Steve Poos-Benson waxes eloquently from the pulpit.

We had a fantastic time driving the Ozark Mountain backroads of Missouri and Arkansas. Our destination was the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. It's an incredible place, free of charge, funded by a massive Walmart inheritance.

That pristine setting was balanced by ram-shackle houses along the way that would fit in well on Abrigador Trail.

Looking Back

New Year's Day is a time of reflection for me and I'm always glad to be going into an even year. Odd years have been particularly bad for me, even years good: 1969, my mother was killed in an auto accident; 1974, Carlton was born; 1975 and 1977 very bad years of learning I'd been betrayed; 1978, moving to Grand Rapids and beginning my teaching career; 1982, beginning my wonderful 17-year teaching career at Trinity, flying back and forth to Chicago;  1987, more betrayal; 1996, Kayla was born; 2000, beginning as full-time professor at Calvin Seminary; 2003, the beginning of a firing process by new president and sidekicks; 2004, engaged and married to the man of my dreams. Since then, the years have all been good (though this past year John did endure a painful betrayal). So, my superstitious nature has me headed for a wonderful year.

We've had a great 2011 at Carlton Gardens with people coming in every day raving about how wonderful the place is inside and out. This past week we went to 4 good movies: Sherlock Holmes, Higher Ground, War Horse, and Moneyball; I recommend them all. Here is a snap of us in the middle of a hike last week.