Enjoying Every Second

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying each other's company.

Above we went to our traditional cheese store, the Welsh Rabbit, in Fort Collins.  Cheese was pretty much the day.

We also had time for a walk in a local preserve.

The walk added birds to our sighting list: red winged black birds and wild turkeys.  Yesterday we also saw my first magpie.  

We are so enjoying just being together.  What a range of topics we've had time to consider!

We hope you're having time to enjoy each other too!  Happy Saturday!

Today's Blooms

New birds AND new flowers!

Zach loves thistles.

The Gang's in Greeley

Brain cancer is...

 ...with the kids!

Our six-hour drive today included that lovely stretch over the Rockies.  See the rafters in the Colorado?

There were still patches of snow at the summit.
At the end of the road, the kids were waiting out front for us.
Sue hadn't seen Summer or Zach for an entire year. 

There was something special about seeing with our own eyes that Zach and Summer are healthy and happy in these wild times.

Just like that, everything was back to normal!

How's Mousse, you wonder?  Here's his story in three pictures:

He planned.

He made his move.

He was satisfied with the results.

We missed you too, Mousse.

Today's Blooms
In Zach and Summer's yard

Goblins! Goblins! Goblins!

Brain cancer is...

 ...along with Sue, a very good sport. 

Before the trip, I researched "less traveled" national parks.  Capitol Reef is one.  You see us there today, above. 

Summer storms are not uncommon here. Today we witnessed a deluge.  One local told us that he hasn't seen a downpour like this since 2004.  He said his house got 2 inches of rain in ten minutes.  Our phones were alarming with flash flood alerts, and the sky lit up with lightning. Perfect!

No really. Sure, the hopes for the hike that I painstakingly negotiated washed down the Fremont River, along with much red soil.  See?

But sometimes we need to let go of the hike in exchange for bragging rights.  And for great views of waterfalls that exist only on days like this.  See?

Was there only one such waterfall?  No!  There were many.  See?  (Video here.)

Capitol Reef was as beautiful as the images on the park website (here), but Darrell insisted on leaving while the roads were still open.  See?

Whatever, Darrell! 

So far Andi sounds like the good sport in the story, leaving this adventure with only bragging rights, right? 

But wait!  There's more!

Leaving the park, it rained (and, okay, maybe it hailed a little)--maybe harder than we can ever remember--for about 25 minutes.  We outran the storm and were headed straight to Green River under blue skies.

And then?  A sign!  Lo and behold:  Goblin Valley State Park was a mere 20 minutes off our route.  What a find!

We headed back into the storm and straight into goblin territory with me shouting, "Goblins!  Goblins!  Goblins!" over the noise of the rain.

Here's the part where Darrell and Sue are good sports.  See?

Those are the goblins, behind us, in the water that was deepening by the minute.  Here are a few more goblin pics. 

I had to take the pictures quickly.  Even good sports have limits. If you want clearer goblin views, check out the park site (here).

Goblins are baby hoodoos, it seems.  (We saw and wrote about Bryce's massive hoodoos here.)

Worth it.  See?

We turned tail and got back on the road for Green River, where it was dry and a cool breeze drifted past our sitting area.  See?

Honestly, though, what was the best part of the day?

Goblins!  Goblins!  Goblins!

Blooms of the Day
(Why would I lose faith so easily? Maybe Matisse was right:  "There are always flowers for those who want to see them.")

Thanks for Being Aware!

Brain cancer is...

...celebrating in St George.

Today we learned that we can see four states in six comfortable hours on the road. On our way to Utah from California, we saw both Nevada and Arizona.  (This is news to us because we haven’t taken the direct route before.)

Why celebrate? Today is the second annual GBM Awareness Day.  Bless you, Sen. John McCain.  Christine sent us this link about today.  And here’s  a related uplifting story from Geoff.  We thank you, loved ones, for just how keenly aware of GBM you choose to be.  You are everything to us.

If it’s St. George, it must be a celebration. Here’s a pic from the last time we were in St George:  Valentines Day.  Same restaurant tonight, by the way.

That time we wore coats.  Today it’s 103 degrees.

The top pic is the view from our room.  Here are a couple more pics from the day.

Total sign that Sue would be a great road trip partner? She too is reading War and Peace. Our book club is very small.

Although we hit the road again tomorrow morning, we won’t leave the grand state of Utah.

Today’s Bloom

It’s a good thing Roene sent these lovely pink magnolia seed pods.  Future bloom sightings seem uncertain.

Keep ‘em coming, Team D.

Vacaction starts...

...now!

Brain cancer is...

 ...exaggerating just a little when we said we missed the entire travel season.

We get one trip, a road trip.  Sue, Summer's mom, arrived tonight.  We suppose you can guess where we three are headed tomorrow. Cheers!

Today's Bloom

Another good looker from Gail.  This one I remember:  The easy-up daisy.

Still Smiling. Trust Us.

Brain cancer is...

 

...still smiling.

You believe us, right?  We're smiling?  Dinner with Gail and Melanie gave us so many things to grin about tonight. This was our first meal together in more than four months.  It was so good to catch up on life.  People really do need their people.

We hope you're smiling too, Friends.  Thanks for being our people.

Today’s 30-Second Vacation
The StangCappers take us to this “gem lake,” above 10,000 feet, on a hike north of Bishop.

Today's Comet
Chris captured this shot of NEOWISE and tells us tonight is a good night to see it.  Here's a link on viewing it.  Or just wait until next time, 6,800 years from now.

Woweee!

Today's Blooms

Kristin's "Flowers at 10,000 Feet."

Under celebrated agapanthus at the park

Gail's Yada Yada Yada (I forgot its name that fast!)*
*Updated 8/2/20:  Here's the 411 from Gail: 

Gomphrena - globe amaranth - bachelor button - also often referred to as a gumball flower

Blooms spring to hard frost - comes in a multitude of colors

Last year was my first with this flower. In late fall I cut it very short, and come spring it bloomed right back up again.

Fun fact - when lightly touched it releases its inner white petals which look like snowflakes on the grass

Loving Life at the Park

 Readers Note:  Darrell's in charge.  Yet again.

 Brain cancer is...

...enjoying both animals and people at the park.

We are used to people taking their pet dogs to the park.  Normal right?  But a pet dwarf rabbit?  The owner says he does it all the time, and when he brings his kids, they let Palomo, the rabbit, run lose.  We love the eccentricity in people.

It is summer, so spring babies of all kinds are growing up.  We are used to baby ducks and geese, but cute baby squirrels?  There hundreds hiding in the rocks.

Oh, and lastly, people were having a great time grilling and relaxing.  The sound of laughter was in the air.

Happy Sunday, Team D.  We hope the sound of laughter is in your air!

Thanks, Team D, for More of Your Awesomeness:  Living Lives of Wonder
(Andi's Take)

We appreciate you so often.  Today we appreciate you because you are people who live lives of wonder.  Today we are in wonder about:  Dragonflies.

Yesterday Beth sent us this picture of Geoff the Dragonfly Whisperer.

 This morning, Curt sent us a recent photo by his cousin:

Curt challenged us to look for dragonflies on our walk today.  We found many.  We saw brilliant red, blue, orange and green, near the stream.  


Living lives of wonder involves wondering.

So now we are wondering...

• Is there such a thing as dragonfly season?  And is it now?
• Do they lay their eggs in or near water?  If not, what's the thing they have about water?
• Do dragons really look like dragonflies?  (Darrell wants to know, as dragons are his favorite animal.)
• How closely related are dragonflies and damselflies?
• How do they create that zippity zip motion when they fly?  Is the secret in their cool wings?

Thanks for wondering!

Today's Bloom

Front yard wild petunia.  We wonder:  Why do the "innards" of some flowers show more than others?