In and on the Rockies with Heather and kids

Heather calls this the 70's album cover shot. It was the day she took us on a scenic walk/hike around Lily Lake, not far from Longs peak. Great vistas, plus ducks, elk, snails, big rocks to scramble up, weather-twisted trees, a couple of fishermen in bellyboats, no bugs, and just a few people besides us in that vast space. Inspiring, fun. Love it.

Jake's snail collection from the

Lily Lake hike.

Long's Peak (Note: Big thank you to Brian D for photoshopping my pictures to improve their appearance.

Snack break in downtown Estes Park. Jake, Zach, Leah in pix, Torrey away at Camp Como

A couple hours of play at an Estes Fun Park included bumper boats, mini-golf water balloons and bungee/trampoline jumping. Sometimes it's safest to be the photographer.

Heather, Zach, Jake along easy-walking stretch of Lily Lake Trail

Lily Lake

This began as my unimaginative shot of Jake,Leah, and Zach, with friends Jackson and Lily Small, in the back of Pete's old pickup , but when Brian began photoshopping it, he recognized its potential to be something more arty, so off went the heads and shoulders, and on went his master touch with hues, shadows, and highlights. Now the knees and shoes tell their own interesting story, leaving room for your imagination to add whatever you like to complete the message of my July, 2009 with the Dawsons.

Comments

Sally said…

What a nice variety of events, keep posting pictures!!

July 21, 2009 at 8:55 PM

scott said…

This has to be the best blog page ever !!! It made me feel as though I was right there having fun with you all.I LOVE the shot in the back of the truck and the "70's album cover shot"...

You are just having too much fun I think !!!

July 22, 2009 at 12:17 PM

Hilary said…

I absolutely agree with Heather's title of '70s album cover. Perfect for that picture. Love what the final result of the feet in the truck picture. Very cool!

July 24, 2009 at 10:19 AM

Vivi said…

I didn't realize you'd posted something new until Heather told me - LOVE this post and all the awesome pictures. You and BD make a good team!

July 31, 2009 at 9:25 AM

Spring in a bottle

Sal and I both like tulips, so while winter still has a loose grip on Minnesota, we're enjoying some "bottled freshness". I remember planting tulip bulbs with my Mom when I was a kid growing up in Massachsetts I can still recall the frangrance of the bone meal that we always poured into the hole before pressing the bulb gently into place. I think they might be my favorite flower.

Welcome to the Wisconsin North Woods

Nana and I love going with very long-time friends Steve and Pam to their wonderful old Eagle River, Wisconsin cabin, about 250 miles from our MN home. The four of us generally drive up in one car. My assignment is to bring car snacks for everybody. Fall is great for apples and cheese, and some baked goodie, like cookie or brownie, plus nut-or-snack mix. The in-car visiting is non-stop. We decide when, where, or whether to do Friday night supper. Painted glass piece hanging in the cabin window overlooking loon-populated Bass Lake (Eagle River, WI) The fire, essential to a great northwoods cabin experience most months of the year. The boat and the dock at bottom of the cabin hill. The water level low due to the unusually dry summer in these parts. The driveway up to the main road. Bass Lake

The Gentle Smith Matriarch

We met in 1966 when she was 18 and I was 22. We began dating soon afterward, and as I recall never disagreed on much. Our childhood homes were 3000 miles apart and we loved Minnesota and each other, so we got engaged in July 67, married in December and moved into a house with a teenage foster daughter. This was followed by , Daughter 1 the following September, Daughter 2 three years later, Daughter 3, a year and a half later, ..and eventually Son, 3 years later. There were also about 15 different short-term teen-foster boys in those years. The gentle matriarch has worked her whole life, hard. I went to college nights for a few years, she worked outside the home part-time while the kids were growing. She spent frugally, loved lavishly, and has always cared first and foremost about her family. She is a gentle giant who has brought love, fun, discipline, imagination, good food, and artistic, creative homemaking to our big family....and as I write this she's preparing for Easter Dinner...

PTCPapa

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