Monday, June 30, 2014

From buffalos to bears!

Wow, what a day we had with our fellow Monaco-ers here in Alberta, Canada, yesterday!

You can read about it here

While at the Buffalo place, we spied a fat marmot watching us:

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And saw a few menacing stuffed and unstuffed critters inside the museum:P1220070

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We caravan to a new CG today, so it will be a bit busy, but new things await up the road.

Come along with us!

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Carriages and other stuff

The group had a great day at the Remington Carriage Museum.  Read more about it here.

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Oh, we saw a herd of mountain goats in Red Canyon that were sooo cute:

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They sure didn’t like the road traffic!

Another fabulous day is planned for us today.  We are visiting a fort, and a few other places, so it will be a long day.

We are up for that. 

The weather is cool but sunny, so we are thoroughly enjoying that.  WYWH!

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Check here...

To find out what is going on with us, go here:
www.rockiesramble.blogspot.com

Had a fab time yesterday at Waterton Lake:


More adventures are planned for today.

Life is good, y'all!

Friday, June 27, 2014

Beautiful day in Alberta!




This will be my daily spot to sit and catch the free wifi.

Today is beautiful and cool for our ramble down to Waterton NP.

All 4 vehicles are about to line up to leave, so I need to get over and get in line.

We plan to have a great day. I hope y'all do, too!

Making memories in different mountains.

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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Glacier NP...Oh, Canada!

We left W Yellowstone after breakfast yesterday, needing to be close to the Canadian border for our border crossing today.

We've been to the western side of Glacier NP often, but had neglected the eastern side. We arrived at the St. Mary entrance late afternoon to learn that there was only 13 miles of open road on this side of the park--Logan Pass is expected to be open next week. Bugger.

Oh well, we hopped in the car and enjoyed the views as far as we could go. I saw several elk on this hillside just a bit down the road, after snapping this photo



And this park vehicle had to vie for a spot in the road, hauling tourists around:



On our way back to the campground just inside the park, a wolf crossed the road in front of us. No time for a photo! He wanted to be safe and was fast.

So today is the day we meet up with 7 other motor homes for a 19 day adventure in the Canadian Rockies--17 people, all total. MM and I have seen a few of the places we will visit, but we will also visit many places unseen by us, all with a group of good people.

I have set up a blog for the caravan, and will post as able. Not every CG has Internet, but we will seek it out and y'all can see the fun we are having and learn a little about the different areas:
www.rockiesramble.blogspot.com

Follow along and say howdy to the group!

Life from the road...is always changing, y'all!

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Where the buffalo roam

Only on the E side of Yellowstone, apparently. And they own the road! Several cars had to wait for 4 to cross:



We sat in the porch of the lodge yesterday and enjoyed lunch and Old Faithful's blow, which occurs approximately every 90 minutes. She didn't disappoint:



Both of us were ready to go back to the Moho by then, where we got chores done, then chilled for the evening.

We are now on the road heading in Montana perhaps to E Glacier NP. The scenery before us is green rolling hills, cows, pastures, and snow capped mountains in the distance. Beautiful!

Tomorrow, we cross over into Canada to meet up with our Moho gang. Stay tuned...a wonderful new adventure awaits us.

Rolling on!

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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Tuesday in Yellowstone

We saw quite a few buffalo and moose yesterday on our trip through the eastern part of the park. These two said goodbye to us this morning as we left Flagg Ranch on the Snake River (plus a lonely eagle that didn't photo well):





Madison CG was already full this morning, so we continued N and are parked N of the town of W Yellowstone with electric so that I can do laundry tonight. Excitement. We has it.

Heading back into the park now to check out Old Faithful. We did not see a single animal in the park on our first pass. Strange!

I learned that Linda's daughter is working 3-12 way in the north end of the park, so we probably won't get to see Jamie. Bugger.

Phone service is spotty in the park. No news is good news...unless there is a large rumble from under our feet!

Weather is cool and beautiful...just perfect for being outdoors enjoying our beautiful park.

Life is good, y'all. Go exploring!

Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday and time to move on!

 

Grand Tetons

The church service was seriously awesome, and the chapel was overflowing...again.  Good thing we got there early.  The guest priest from Charlotte, NC, was truly inspiring, incorporating a fly-fishing lesson (complete with pole!) into his homily, and how that technique relates to how we handle life.  Great guy!  And we saw a large herd of buffalo en route to the chapel.  It was the beginning of a good day.

After the service, we drove down to Jackson Hole and had a delightful lunch, splitting a bowl of shrimp bisque and a salmon salad.  Yummy for the tummy.  And a beer…that made us sleepy…so we went back to the coach for a nap.  Hey, we’ve had a busy two days, so we deserved a nap.

A visit to Jackson Lodge for another beer and enjoyment of the scenery, and a cruise through the park followed.  We checked out a spot on the Snake River just outside Yellowstone where we stayed a few years ago that is now back open, so that is where we are heading this morning to spend one night there.  We will tour Yellowstone on the southern end, and then move on up north of it for a thorough visit up in the western end.  Yellowstone is a large park!

On our drive back to the coach, we spied a couple of deer and two large elk herds.  The above photo was taken just after we entered Moran Junction.  Late afternoon is not the best time for photos, but it was when we were there.  Period.

That’s life from the road for today.  Have yourselves a ginger peachy day.  We sure will!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Mountain time!

 

snow WY

Ignore the bugs, but note the snow on the ground as we approached Teton National Park yesterday afternoon.  This, after spotting one moose and three deer.  Oh how we love seeing the wildlife!

We got all settled in our favorite primitive campsite, welcomed by a small army of mosquitoes.  Noah could have left that pair off the ark, as far as I am concerned, but I know other critters love to feast on them.  Eat faster!

moho Hatchett CG

We enjoyed a very nice dinner at Hatcher Resort last night, then decided to just chill at the moho after all our driving—1,900 miles in 48 hours!  Neither one of us mind doing that—occasionally.  Getting here to all this beauty was worth it, despite the mosquitoes.

This morning we are off to the 10a service at Chapel of the Transfiguration.  This is a quaint old church in the middle of God’s country inside the park.  Peaceful, casual, and a great place to worship with people from all over the world.  It’s a popular spot.  When we brought the kids here many years ago, it was so crowded that we all had to sit outside on the benches and watch/listen through the open windows.  Surrounded by that beauty, who cares.

P1060884We will leave here in the morning and trade this beauty for Yellowstone and its different scenery for two nights.  More beautiful country awaits us on our journey north to Canada.

Happy Sunday.  Life is chilly (41!) but good, y’all!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Hello, Nebraska!

And a soon goodbye. Good morning from the road. We had a long day yesterday, doing typical fuel stops, during which I scritch kitties, replenish our water jugs, and prepare a meal if it is mealtime. We each have our gender duties...and are fine with that arrangement, thankyouverymuch.

So appreciated Dan's text about South Dakota flooding. That meant a bit of rethinking where we were and heading and regroup.

Nebraska hosted a fascinating light show as we drove after dinner. Lightening danced across our distant views, treating us to an eventual Moho "wash" to help clean the bugs off the windshield. We were able to shoot a gap between the last two cloud formations, so the lightening was never near us. Theoretically. Plus, we could see blue skies further ahead. I did take a photo, but the parted clouds looked like white blobs--no blue showing.

New plans...we will go to The Grand Tetons before our caravan, rather than after, so that's where we are heading. Wyoming tonight!

Rollin on.

The End.



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Friday, June 20, 2014

On the road again!

It seemed like a good idea last night: drive to the W side of Nashville to avoid AM traffic, park at a Cracker Barrel, get up and enjoy breakfast, then hit the road.

We didn't factor in that we would wake up before they opened! Yep, awake...and we prefer to wait a couple of hours before eating anyway...so, Plan B.

We fired up the generator, made coffee, and are now on our merry way.

Today's goal is to be W of St. Louis and N of Kansas City. It is sunny and 73 locally. And traffic is light. We likey.

Miles and smiles, y'all! Rolling...


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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Tree, fish and other stuff

We took Gene+ and Janelee out for a spin on the lake, and to show them where MM has been working:

NS beach

NS bank

MM then dropped us off at the dock, quickly hooked up the fallen tree to haul it off and away from the diving board area.  Smart.  We don’t need anyone hitting the tree.  Literally!

tree removal

Alex decided to fish off our small dock while dinner was being prepared, but had to yell for HELP with a huge carp:

fisherboy

Aunt Haley to the rescue!

fish, Aunt Haley

The fish broke the line and got away with Alex’s hook, despite Aunt Haley’s effort to remove it.  Barkley was a big help.

So Gene and Janelee left this morning for home in Tennessee, and I realized that I did not take a single photo of them.  Shame on me!  That’s what happens when we are too busy catching up on stuff.

Love you guys.  Come back again soon!

Two more sleeps till we begin our trek west, so we are both now seriously hitting our to-do list.

It will be crazy around here, but we’ll git-er-done.

Have yourselves a ginger peachy day.  Life is hectic but good, y’all!  Make some smiles today.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

River rats!




The rumor was true. Brian, lil Haley and three other dads/kids tackled a NC river Sunday and lived to tell about it and plan for another adventure.

Speaking of, the kitties got their health certificate to enter Canada, although I was informed that KC needs to trim down a little. That was no surprise, bless his heart. Three months confinement in the Moho takes a toll on the boy, so we need to leash and walk him on this upcoming trip.

And where are we going? To Alberta to meet up with 7 other motorhomes for a ramble through the Canadian Rockies. For 19 days!

There are many fine adventures already planned out for us; we just basically have to show up. Check. We will.

We will have our own river adventure somewhere up there. Methinks the water will be just a tad colder than in NC! It was still snowing in Banff the other day. Brrr...

Have yourselves a ginger peachy day. Friends Gene and Janelee arrived yesterday, so we are showing off our area to them today. Love it!

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Monday, June 16, 2014

All smiles!

MM enjoyed being Tractor Man yesterday!



Haley, Logan and the girls hopped onboard for a ride:



Logan couldn't find his Scottish clan connection, but Ansley and Macey posed by Clan Bell:







After five years of trying, Amy was able to get back this rifle that Jason traded 15 years ago...a gift from his dad, that caused regrets after his dad died:



They have also added niece Madison to the family this year. They will all have a mighty busy summer, that is for sure.

Brian and lil Haley are rumored to have gone kayaking yesterday while Faith was working at the barn, but I haven't seen any proof yet.

Off to get two kitties their passports, then the market. Busy day.

Life is good on this Monday in the mountains, y'all!

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Sunday, June 15, 2014

Let the games begin!

And so they did yesterday, the Blairsville Scottish Festival and Highland Games officially kicked off with bagpipes galore at noon:




I volunteered at the admissions tent from 10 till 3 and can vouch for the huge crowd that streamed through the gates. We were uphill from the field, with views mostly blocked by trees, but the lively music swelled up to our ears from the opening ceremonies...www.blairsvillescottishfestival.org.

The entertainment tent, so I heard, got great reviews on the folks playing there, but I didn't get to enjoy that this year. I did manage to stop by a vendor after my shift and pick up a clan scarf that I wanted in honor of my paternal grandmother.

MM and I both have the 2 to 5 shift today. He will be the tram driver, and I will be the helper. At least we can both sit today!







Happy Father's Day to MM, Logan, Brian, and Jason...as well as to all the dads out there!

Life is good, and lively, here in these mountains! I have my Hamilton plaid ready to wear.

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Thursday, June 12, 2014

TBT–fathers

 

Mine…probably taken in mid-to-late ‘40s.

Grover Redding II

MM’s dad.  No doubt about where MM got his looks!

Don Bell

I love these old photos, but the sad thing is, all those who could tell us more details about when and where and what was going on way back then are all gone.  All gone.  There are sooo many questions I would like to ask of them, but they will remain unanswered, lost forever.

Hopefully our grandchildren and future great grandchildren will check out my silly little blog some day, and know a little bit of where they came from…and feel the love Grumps and I have for all of them.

Life is mighty GRAND here in our mountain paradise.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Chocolate lunch bunch!

Five of the six of us managed to resist the lovely chocolate temptations in the display cases behind us:

chocolate lunch sistas

Online Beta Sigma Phi sista Judy J flew from Kansas to visit (triplet) sister Janet near Macon, and fortunately for us, had to have a nawth jawjah experience before she flew back home. 

They drove up to spend a couple of nights near beautiful Unicoi State Park, and then on up and over the mountain to have lunch with us yesterday in Hiawassee.  What a lovely time we had…along with some great food at Michalee’s Chocolate Caffe.  That’s what sistas do—meet, eat, and have a great time together.

That would be Jennie, Joy, and Joan…and oddball me, now renamed “Jandy” so I can join the J crowd!

The light was all wrong, but this chocolate cannoli filled with chocolate hazlenut cream was mighty RIGHT, according to Judy:

Judy J chocolate cannolli

I resisted temptation.  It was difficult.

We were all intrigued by the coffee mug chandelier…that stayed safely overhead:

coffee mug chanelier

We will definitely go back there again.  Yum.  And I took home half of my DEE-lish turkey panini.  The portions are definitely generous.  Did I mention tasty?

It was so nice meeting Judy and Janet.  We thank them for driving out of their way to come visit.  Y’all come back again now, ya hear?!

Life is good in our mountain paradise, where we always enjoy seeing friends.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Monday recap

It was a busy but good weekend, beginning with honeymooner Brian joining MM and me here for dinner and a recap of their great trip to Italy on Friday night. They have a bazillion photos to sort through. I wanna see them all!

In addition to buying fresh stuff and seeing friends at the seasonal opening of our farmer's market Saturday, I was also treated to a fabulous neck rub by David. Free!



Say ahhh...that's how I felt when he was done. I want more!!! I have a hurty hip that needs some attention.

Birthday season began for Ansley yesterday with a Sweet (and sour) 16 birthday party with her bestie girl friends at the party house on Haley's point.







Smart Will loved hanging out with the big girls! And they all enjoyed tubing and jet skiing around all afternoon. MM and I were mere observers on the deck...no work; no worry. Nice.

Speaking of work, this is countdown week for MM's tree hugging, mowing job. Friday, he has to have his equipment all GONE. Yeah, baby! It's time to park the toys and go from Mowing Man into Moho Man mode. Details coming right up!

That's life in foggy paradise, y'all! Make today a good one. It is all we have.

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Saturday, June 7, 2014

Fabulous farmer's market!

Beautiful day for the grand opening of the farmer's market today, where a little of everything is for sale:












WYWH!


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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Women and Wine

Ilke welcomed everyone to Paradise Hills Resort and Winery for a continuation of their monthly Wine and Women series. 

Ilke, Leslie, Amy

Leslie and Amy

She then turned the program part over to Angie Hernden, artist/owner of Mountain Hope Pottery

Angie the pottery teacher

Amy and I both took a turn at the wheel.  Whew!  It was hard work.  I have a new respect for what it takes to work the pedal, careful to control the speed of the turning wheel, all while working the clay…with correct positioning and pressure of bare hands…and just the right amount of water:

Amy lil potter

Sandy the potter

Angie was a fabulous instructor, and will finish up our pieces (thank goodness), and call us when they are ready for pick up.  I know she will make us look good…and I will post photos of our beautiful creations.

The patio was a perfect place to sit, sip, munch, laugh, relax, and learn. 

wine, women, pottery

Cathy (upper L), Janet, me, Maureen, Leslie, Amy, Joan, Sharon

First Wednesday of each month.

Who wants to join us next month?  Girls only!