Ahhh morning

Three things you may or may not know about me...

I am NOT a morning person.

I am a nature lover.

I love to take pictures

This of course means that I love to take pictures of nature. Problem being, one of the best times for viewing wildlife, as well capturing nature in glorious light, is very early in the morning, not exactly my favorite time of day. Luckily for me I have early birds in my life who will roust me out bed for an adventure now and then. As much as my natural night owl hates to admit it, after a wee bit of coffee clears cobwebs from my head, I end up enjoying the early morning hours, as that time of day often offers up amazing experiences.

A week ago for instance, we decided to return from Bear Lake in the morning before work, which being about a 2.5 hour drive meant leaving at the crack of dawn. We left Clare's cabin just as the suns rays began to paint the wildfire smoke filled skies in shades of pink. A good sized animal scurried across the dirt road before us. It dropped over the road edge out of site as we discussed what it might be. A racoon? A large marmot? Neither seemed right, but as though he wanted to answer our question his(her's?) head popped back over the road into the spotlight of our headlights. He took a step, then stood up and looked at us as though he was just as curious about us as we were about him. We had a staring contest for a minute then he turned tail and ambled back down the hill. A badger!!! I've always wanted to see one, and he was my first. Squeeee! If only my camera was not in the back of the car. *sigh*, it was probably too dark anyway. As we pulled away, in the shadows some deer moved alongside the road, and we headed off along the pink framed lake then up out of the valley and onto the open range where we were greeted by a beautiful Wyoming sunrise, and along the way saw some Sandhill Cranes, more deer, and even a few antelope in the distance.

Maybe this early morning thing is not so bad....

More Hot Springs...

Me and my hot springs love...

Spending time at Bear Lake puts us in shooting distance of another favorite hot spring... Maple Grove, a lovely little spring situated adjacent to the Bear River in Southern Idaho. It's little over an hour from my friends cabin, but a beautiful drive alongside Bear Lake, through Idaho farmland then up through the mountains over Strawberry Pass. Then a windy dirt road to a sweet spot on the Oneida Narrows. The resort is off grid and casual, a small bathhouse, campsites and some yurts to rent, there is a good size, perfect temperature, shaded soaking pool, as well as several smaller round pools of varying temperatures in the sunshine along the river. The setting can't be beat, and since we were there on Monday we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

It was delightfully peaceful and relaxing! The charmed life for sure!

Beaching...

Added another addition to my hot springs list... had nice soak in Bear Lake Hot Springs. (#21 woot!) Not the most exciting of springs, sulfury, bright blue painted pools, kind of 50's style surrounded by chain link fence... but nice temperature water and a nice view of Bear Lake and the surrounding mountains from the pools... and the spoiling thing... getting to have a nice soak after a nice day on the beach.

Yes, beach. In Utah. An actual natural lake, with sandy beach and water as amazingly beautiful blue as the Caribbean. After a day of swimming, some stand up paddle boarding, sand sculpting, and then the nice hot springs soak, I really regretted that I didn't discover Bear Lake until after my kids left the nest. What a great place for summer weekend away!

I'm back....

Wow. I can't believe is has been over a year since I updated this blog...it been so long people have given up on legs and are getting around on strange wheeled contraptions.

There are so many things I've meant to share... Utah adventures, California adventures, a trip to *gasp* Japan! Lots of photo excursions and fun artsy fartsy stuff. Pretty pictures galore. It's time to get back to the blog! Here goes...