Mental Floss and a Road Trip

Well.  Somehow I thought I'd get back here a little bit sooner.  It's been almost two months.

 

Seems like Summer got in the way. 

 

We went on a 10-day, 8-State and 2-Province Road Trip. 

 

And since then I have been attacked by a rampant garden.  Specifically, Zucchini and Tomatoes. 

 

And Life.  Life has a way of smacking you upside the head sometimes.  Especially, well, especially when I least expect it.

 

And School Shopping.  Let's not go there.

 

I keep thinking of all the things I'd like to say and now that I'm staring at the screen, I can't keep my thoughts all in order. 

 

I think I need some Mental Floss to clean out all the ramblings and cobwebs in my head.  So, please pardon my ramblings.  And if you're looking for a recipe, please come back on Monday.  If you aren't interested in Ramblings and Road Trip photos, you're under no obligation to keep reading.  It won't hurt my feelings at all.  {Smile}

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * 

 

I'm getting tired of Zucchini.

 

We have went on exactly one Family Walk After Supper this summer.

 

We got a new ice cream maker to replace our broken one.  We've used it twice.

 

One really must be properly attired before rollerblading

 



 

 We've been reading "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder as a family in the evening.  (That's good for when it's hot outside, isn't it?)  Little One asked me yesterday if the Tomatoes I was canning were for, "You know, like, if we have a really hard winter this year."

 

The boys checked a book out of the Library:  "The Traditional Bowyer's Bible, Volume II."  Now they have taken over my kitchen, steaming their bows to make a traditional recurve bow.  It takes an hour each time.  And each bow must be steamed on both ends.  That's two hours.  Minimum.  They say it's a really good book.  I need to buy stock in Lowe's and Home Depot's lumberyards.

 

Children.  They take over your heart, your house, and your kitchen.

 

 

We were given a set of ChildCraft books.  Eldest Daughter has taken over my sewing machine to make doll clothes.  Maybe I can get her to start making my clothes.

 

School starts Tuesday.  I don't think I can last until then.  I'm getting in the line to buy one-way tickets to the Funny Farm.  Should I buy one for me or four for the kids?  T says to send the kids.

 

Here is our trip log.   

 

Day 1:

• Has absolutely no pictures, as we were driving to Salt Lake City.  It's kinda hard to snap photos out the van window when you're driving 80 mph.  And there is really nothing noteworthy to take photos of: the Salt Flats look the same at mile 27 as they did at mile 17.

Day 2:

• After leaving SLC at 7 am, we drove east on our way toward Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
• We stopped for breakfast at Park City, noticed the Olympic Ski Jumps and drove up to check them out.  This was Highlight #1: watching ski jumpers practicing aerial acrobatics and land in a swimming pool.

 

 

 

• We then headed North.  Some of the scenery was quite boring and some was quite fascinating, like this valley somewhere in Wyoming:

 

 

We got into Jackson Hole in very good time.  Our hotel room wasn't ready, so we walked around in downtown Jackson.  We ate dinner that night at The Bunnery , a fun little bakery and café.  Definitely a good choice for a family to eat at!  After our tummies were full, we went for a short drive to the Grand Tetons and back to our hotel.

 

 

Day 3:

• We headed north, driving through the Grand Tetons (amazing!) and then into Yellowstone.  Yellowstone is amazing!  When we were at Old Faithful a Ranger went hurrying past us and said that the Beehive Geyser was getting ready to blow, which is an irregular occurrence.  That was neat to see, as it is bigger and longer than Old Faithful.   We were able to see Old Faithful twice.  Then on to all the Hot Springs, Mud Pots, Paint Pots, Steam Vents (those are NOISY!), and the various and assorted Geysers.  At one point we were driving on a loop over soft, squishy, melted asphalt.  Two days later we learned that this portion of the park had been shut down soon after we had been through, due to a change in the geothermal activity.  Good thing we didn't know what was going on when we were there!
•  We spent the night in Gardiner, Montana, and had supper at a great place:  Iron Horse Bar & Grill.  (Don't be put off by the name or by the looks--it's in a metal shop.  It is very family friendly.)  J had an Elk Burger, D had a Buffalo Burger, I had Buffalo meatloaf, T got the ribs, and the girls had the kid's meals.  We'd go back in a heartbeat.

 

Grand Tetons

I'd love to spend a week here

 

I'm not too great at selfies, but had to prove that I was here, too 

The Beehive Geyser

Inside Yellowstone Lodge

Old Faithful, for the second time

 

Lots of Elk 

And Antelope

 

Day 4:

• We drove back into Yellowstone to the Lamar Valley to find some Buffalo.  Then we toured the Mammoth Hot Springs area.  We left Yellowstone about noon and headed to Missoula, MT, where we were meeting a friend for dinner.  After dinner we drove up to our hotel in Polson, MT. 

"For the benefit and

enjoyment of the people"

Gate at the North Entrance to Yellowstone

The Lamar Valley, with Buffalo in the distance

The Buffalo were shedding and actually quite ugly

Mammoth Hot Springs 

Day 5:

• We drove around Flathead Lake (the largest fresh-water lake West of the Mississippi River) and up to Whitefish, MT.  The boys made sure we stopped at Cabela's Outpost in Kalispell.  The girls and I went to Starbucks.  Then we drove into Glacier Park and took the Going-To-The-Sun Road as far as Logan Pass.  Due to a warm spell, the road had just opened a few days before we got there--I had been anxiously watching the weather reports, praying it would be open by the time we got there. So very grateful it was open!

I am in awe of God's majesty.

These mountains proclaim His Glory in unimaginable ways! 

This gap in the mountain ridge fascinates me

At the hairpin curve in the road

I could spend two weeks here.

Our road started down by the river and is headed up the left to the Pass

I am always intrigued by the engineering it takes to make mountain roads

In the snow at Logan Pass

 Aren't these just the cutest Tour Busses?

 

 

Day 6:

• We drove the Going-To-The-Sun Road in it's entirety, spending about an hour in road construction on the East Side of Logan Pass.  Gave us more time to enjoy the views!  Then we headed North to Alberta, Canada, and drove in to Waterton Provincal Park.  Waterton and Glacier share the USA-Canada border and make up the Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park, the only Park in the world which spans two country's borders.  Also, we found out that the USA-Canada border is the world's longest undefended border. 
• And then. Then! we had High Tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel.  This was my major highlight.  I've wanted to do this since I was here 21 years ago.  And someday, Someday! I'd love to spend a few days here.  One of my favorite spots in the world.  Not that I've traveled that much. 

• After High Tea we drove north into Pincher Creek and took AB-3 west through the Canadian Rockies, through Crowsnest Pass and down into British Columbia.  If you ever get the opportunity, take this road.  Amazing, amazing, amazing mountains.  We were just tootling along at 8pm, and the sunlight, being so far North, was like 4pm at home.  And then near Sparwood, BC, T spotted a sign: "World's Largest Dump Truck, 5 km."  We rounded the corner and he said, "We're getting off here."  It. Was. Massive.  After that, we continued on to Cranbrook, BC, where we spent the night.  We got in about 9:30 and it was so light the kids wanted to go swimming.  They didn't get out of the pool until 10:30 pm and the sun still hadn't set yet.

 Our stuck-in-construction views

 

The USA-Canada border

The Prince of Wales Hotel

The back of the Hotel; we had Tea just inside the

large wall of windows on the left, looking out over the lake

 

Heading North into Pincher Creek;

the fields were a beautiful yellow which unfortunately

doesn't show up too great in the distance

This mountain ridge was quite unique

And here it is.

The world's largest dump truck.

Some familiar looking folks we met

 

Day 7:

• Slept in and then headed South, back to the good ol' US of A and Idaho.  We got into Bonner's Ferry, meandered through Downtown (the boys found a knife shop, of course!), went to the Super 1 grocery for 25-cent ice cream cones for lunch, and then to Lowell and Kendra's for the afternoon and evening.  It was So Good to spend time with them!  J & D came home addicted to the art of Fly Tying, thanks to instruction from their boys.  We had a relaxing campfire and BBQ for supper.  Then on to Sandpoint to our last hotel of the trip.

Wild Roses were growing by the river

Hi, there!

Friends since First Grade

The girls had fun picking bouquets

 

Day 8:

• Slept in again, then stopped in to see a cousin and family who had moved to the area last fall.  Then headed to Pasco to be with T's Uncle Paul's family for dinner.  After that we went to spend the night with Sid and Mary for the evening. 

 

Day 9:

• Drove over to Zillah for Church, potluck, visiting with friends, Rest Home Singing, and a night with Martin & Rachel.

Little One saw this tree and wanted her picture taken

Photo Bombed

 

 

And Finally, Day 10:

• We go up early and drove home.  Home!  No sweeter word when you've been gone.  And we had a very happy dog who was waiting for us.

 

"How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,

that publisheth peace;

that bringeth good tidings of good,

that publisheth salvation;

that sayeth unto Zion,

Thy God reigneth!"