Jasmine

Jasmine shows off the scar from her recent operation.

After talking to a bunch of people at the recent north Alabama soapmakers meeting, I realized that about 20% of the attendees owned Great Pyrenees dogs.

At first I thought that was kind of strange, statistically speaking.

Then I realized -

Lots of them have dairy goats.

People with dairy goats tend to make soap - they've got to do something with all that milk, so they make milk soap.

People with goats also tend to have LGDs (Livestock Guardian Dogs).

So while it wasn't particularly statistically significant, it was fun comparing stories about Pyrs... loveable stubborn things that they are.

I haven't had a dog in a long time. Actually not at all, in my adult life. But it's been fun. Aggravating at times, but fun.

(No, we don't have goats... not yet anyway.)

"A Kneebar Too Far" 29 Coolum Cave

I could have died happy after ticking this one.

73 attempts and several cycles of injury and recovery. The swoop out of the roof really spooked me the first few times, a few people had collected the wall on the other side. Then once my focus had shifted away from the fall and toward the next moves it was pure joy.





photo: Phil Box

Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ Seventh Grade

Ueli Steck's new book?

I know little about it past no ghost writer and not out in English yet. But I suspect it will be a good read.

More below:

http://www.uelisteck.ch/

http://www.wengerna.com/ueli-steck-book-launch

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1927)

The Phend - Fisher family reunion was held at McNaughton Park Aug 26-1927.

The time before dinner was spent socially. At 12:30 all gathered around the table and prayer was offered by Rev. Oberholser after which every one got busy eating and talking.

After dinner the President called us to order for a short business session. The Sec'y report was read after which we were favored with two solo's by Mary Poole. Duet by Rev. and Mrs. Oberholser and a reading by Rev. Oberholser.

The officers elected for the ensuing year were.
President, Claud Poole
Vice Pres. Will Phend
Sec'y. Raymond Phend
Treas. John Ernest.

Programe Com.
Iva Wherley & Katherine Pletcher.
Memorial Com.
Surelda Thornton

[page 2]
Publicity & Family Tree
Fred Ernest.

Com. On Arrangement.
Grace Vassmere, Goldie Lynch.

There were 91 present.
Ed Phend
Sec'y.

P.S. It was voted to hold the next annual reunion at McNaughton Park, Elkhart, Ind. on the last Sunday in August.

More Toddler Camping ..

Another last minute decision to make the most of time off and go camping. Packing for camping with Mirabelle always seems not worth it as we struggle to wrangle her and gear to pack in the morning of a trip. This usually has Jennifer second guessing our decision to go, and also has us leaving later than I'd prefer. Not to mention forgetting some things. (more on that later)



The idea was to drive up and secure a site at Tinkham campground off I90, then take a hike up to Denny Slide while Mirabelle takes her nap. Securing a site was not a problem and we soon took the short drive over to Denny Creek Trail Head for out hike.



Mirabelle is at an age where she does not want to be cooped up in the pack for a trip and enjoys doing some of the hiking on her own. (Although she is not at an age where she can keep from getting tuckered out pretty quickly.) She wanted out of the pack early and proceeded to inspect every rock leave and hole near the trail. She didn't want to sleep in the pack or the Ergo that we brought along as well. So we all soldiered on to the slide.







It was surprising to see so many people there early on a Friday afternoon. She got good and tuckered out there, and we continued up to Keekwulee Falls while she napped in the Ergo until we got back down to the slide. She did a fair amount of the hiking back to the car and then we headed back to camp where we needed to borrow a lighter to start our stove to make dinner.



After dinner we headed to the river where Mirabelle just had to get in and wade in the South Fork.






As you can tell from the jackets, the air was not warm.




After a breakfast of fresh picked red huckleberry oatmeal, we headed to Twin Falls State Park to get in another hike. Unfortunately, all the hiking Mirabelle did the previous day left her a little too tired to accomplish that hike and we cut the hike short just after the switchbacks leading closer to the falls.






Speedy little hiker

Garden Flowers

All the garden veggies are flowering. We are eating zucchini, and yellow squarsh, cucumbers, and have green tomatoes. The corn is tassling and we hope we get some this year. Apple tree and peach tree are loaded with the branches hanging down to where they almost touch the ground. Just waiting for them to get ripe enough to eat.

Remember Bernice Calvert

In our family, we learned to remember Pearl Harbor early in life. My mother's mother, Bernice Bailey Calvert, was there starting a new life. Her first husband, Roger Calvert was killed in a car accident in 1930, and her son, Roger Jr was killed in a freak accident at the age of 13. A widow at 32, she managed The Broadmoor Apartments where she met her second husband, Frank Bernard Schultz who was playing a in a band at afternoon teas there to help put himself through medical school. In May 1941, he was a doctor in the Army Reserves, when he was called up and stationed in Hawaii-which seemed like a great gig at the time. It took over two months to get there. They were enjoying their new life- even though it was far from family here in Washington. Then the attack came. Bernie was called in to the hospital, and my grandmother was alone when a shell hit her home. She hurt her ankle, but managed to get to the hospital as well, and ended up helping all day. Soon all Army wives and children would be evacuated, but my grandmother wanted to stay. She joined the Red Cross and became the only woman correspondant to cover the war in the South Pacific. There she was at the age of 43, one life behind her and a completely different one ahead. They remained in Hawaii all through the war right up to the end- literally. She was actually on board the USS Missouri when the Japanese surrendered. That's why we remember Pearl Harbor.

Anastasia Island :: Birds on the Beach

Tuesday March 15, .. - - After spending the day with Denise and Apple, I spent an hour or two that evening on the beach. Surprisingly, even though the campground was full, there were not a lot of people roaming the shore. Seemed like there were more birds than people. And yeah, that was rather nice too...

Wave Wash on the Cascade Coast

Cascade River State Park, MN



I finally made it out to shoot a Lake Superior sunset again, something I haven't done in quite a while. The wave action this evening was pretty sweet. It would have been nice to have a bit more color in the sunset, but it was a very beautiful scene nonetheless! I even got to see an otter running along the shoreline while I was making images of the waves. Sorry, no pictures of the otter... he was gone before I could get the camera pointed at him :-(

Indian Lake Sunset

Thursday, August 4th - - For whatever reason (too many trees blocking the view, just not being in the right place, etc.) I haven't viewed a sunset full-on since leaving Indiana on July 12th! Tonight that “nasty” streak came to an end at Indian Lake State Park near Manistique on the Lake Michigan side of the Upper Peninsula.



Clouds. Calm Water. And a Setting Sun. It doesn't get much better than that!





8:45 pm



8:58 pm



9:04 pm



9:14 pm



9:20 pm



9:24 pm

Snow Angels on the Pigeon River Ice

During my hike yesterday at Grand Portage State Park I came across this interesting discovery on the river ice... snow angels! Apparently some park visitors thought it would be the perfect location to plop down on the ice and make some angels. I, for one, am glad they did as I thought it made for an interesting shot!

Stage 01

My humble tropical garden on its first photographed day, July 21, 2006. Note that only a banana plant and pygmy date palm were present.

Mind the Moderating Rules

I have a fairly hands-off moderating policy on this blog. At the same time, it is important to me that readers are comfortable participating in discussions without feeling intimidated by others. The policy so far has been to "approve all comments other than spam, unsubstantiated slander, inflammatory remarks, or blatant rudeness," and this will not change. However, I would like to elaborate on some of these terms.



Spam has become harder to deal with, as increasingly I find businesses using the comments inappropriately. Industry members are always welcome to participate in discussions. What is not welcome, is for a business to comment incognito in order to endorse themselves or criticise a competitor. I will remove those comments and will not deal with any company that uses such tactics.Comments promoting your business in response toa thematically unrelatedpost are likewise inappropriate.



Slander refers to posting malicious allegations against industry members and other individuals. (Example: "I heard Company X uses child labor to make their products." Another example:"Hey, I saw that guy beating his wifeafter the Podunk Brevet.") I cannothost random slander aimed at companies or persons; please take it elsewhere.



Rudeness seems like an obvious enough concept, but it can be a slippery slope. Criticism in itself is not rude. There are also comments meant to be humourous or tongue-in-cheek that can get misread by those who don't get the joke. I consider comments rude when they outright insult others or address them in a bullying tone.



Inflammatory comments are those designed to taunt a specific individual or to provoke a so-called "flame war." I do not always read comments thoroughly, and may not notice these until a full-blown hostile exchange is in progress. In cases like these, I may go back and remove the entire thread, no matter whose started it.



The way I see it, the less moderating I do the better. I hate being in a position of "allowing" versus "not allowing" stuff. Plus I simply have no time to carefully consider the wording of every comment. Long time readers get the benefit of the doubt more so than unknown ones.I use my judgment. Please use yours and mind the moderating rules.

Ice-Covered Shores

Here is a recent shot taken at dusk looking east along the Lake Superior shoreline in Grand Portage. It was a wind-stricken shore with big waves on this particular evening of January 3rd, . The lines in the foreground ice are what really caught my eye here, but I think the frothy waves in the background add a lot to the image as well. Enjoy!

Shoot! Score! Patagonia!

Patagonia Knifeblade pullover and the PatagoniaAlpine Guide pant.






The original Knifeblade pullover was made from Polartec® Power Shield PRO®. The Alpine Guide pants are made from Polartec® Power Shield®. Great pants for dh skiing.Love them! My current favorite down hill skiing pant. But not as water resistant/proof as the Power Shield PRO® fabric. The pull over Knifeblade top is one of my all time favorite climbing shells. Good warm weather ski shell as well.



If the video linked below is correct the newest Knifeblade jacket and pants are both unlined Polartec® Power Shield PRO®. Even better I think for skiing or nasty, wetweather climbing. Undecided yet on the climbing end. Not because of thePower Shield PRO® fabricmind you. It is amazing. The cuff design is what worries me. Although the insulated Northwall pants of Polartec® Power Shield PRO® have been good in really cold, wet weather for skiing. Too much faff in the cuff for me as a climbing pant. Too bad as the insulatedmaterial is perfect for cold weather climbing I think.



Certainly a good alternative to the few Neoshell options available. Very happy to see someone take advantage of the fabric is the right context and now in an insulated (if you can still find them as the NW pant/jacket has been discontinued) and uninsulated version.



The entire line of Patagonia alpine climbing clothing has take a huge step forward in materials and patterns the last two seasons. These two look to bump the bar higher yet. Bravo!



Not been a huge fan of Patagonia in the recent past. Had been a fan a few decades ago and they are back going gangbusters with their newest alpine clothing. It may not be the best in every category. But as a long time Arcteryx fan it took a lot to bring me back and get me into Patagonia clothing. And Patagonia hasindeed done very well across the board in the Alpine line from what I own and have used..






Patagonia Mixed Guide Hoody




Colin Haley's recent comments:




http://www.thecleanestline.com/colin-haley/




"My motivation is simple and selfish. Often the very best Patagonia alpine products are discontinued after only one year on the market because they don't sell well enough. This is why some pieces which are now a cherished staple, such as the RI Hoody, were once discontinued."




I have more Patagonia in my gear closet currently that is being used than any other brand by a fair margin. That says a lot to me.


The pieces I really like for anything from down hill skiing to backcountry skiing and ice/alpine climbing. Mix and match as required. It is quite a collection for the intended purposes. And I haven't used everything available just what is listed here.



Capilene 2

Micro D pullover

R1 hoody

Piton hoody

Nano Puff pullover

Knife blade pull over

Mixed Guide hoody

Mixed Guide pant

Alpine Guide Pant

Northwall Jacket

NorthWall Pant



(edit: I had incorrectly listed the pant I really like and use as a lot, as the BC Guide Pant. When in fact I have been skiing all winter in the Alpine Guide pant.... Sorry about the confusion and I have edited the original content to reflect the reality of the Alpine Guideinstead of what I had only imagined I was using ;) Thanks for the clarification and corrections Travis!)



The Patagonia Simple Guide garments have to be one of the best clothing deals on the market for what we all do.



The newest Knifeblade garments here:











and another new one I think will be a big hit, the Nano Puff Hybrid.

Tombstone Tuesday :: JD and Della Quillen

Mandella Joslin, more commonly known as Della, was the 13th child of 15 born to Lydia Robison and Lysander Price Joslin in Whitley County, Indiana. Della was married to James Downey Quillen on July 30, 1884 in Barton County, Kansas. He went by James but more commonly was known as JD. Della and JD moved around quite frequently, residing, among other places, in Osage County, Kansas as well as Port Orchard, Kitsap County, Washington and Fountain Inn, Greeneville County, South Carolina.

Della and JD were the parents of five children:

1. Leroy "Roy" Quillen (1885-1917) and his wife Anna had a daughter, Pauline, who was born about 1911. He died in Winlock, Lewis County, Washington less than a month before his 32nd birthday.
2. Verni Robert Quillen (1887-1948), known as Robert, was a popular newspaper columnist in the 1930s and 40s when he resided in Greenville, SC. He was married twice and adopted a daughter.
3. Lydia Elizabeth Quillen (1893-1983) married Berthier Henry "Bert" Deason. They resided in Greenville, SC. No children were born to them.
4. Marjorie Quillen (1903-1903) was born on January 6th and passed away two weeks later on January 20th. She is buried in the Overbrook Cemetery, Osage County, Kansas.
5. Della Lucille Quillen (1909-..) was married to Donald Charles Agnew. He taught psychology and philosophy at several Universities and was president of Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia. They had two daughters, one of whom I have corresponded with.

JD and Della (Joslin) Quillen are buried in the Fountain Inn Municipal Cemetery, Greeneville County, South Carolina. In the photo above their graves are the last two flat markers on the far left.

DELLA JOSLIN / WIFE OF / J. D. QUILLEN / December 9, 1866 / February 7, 1943

J. D. QUILLEN / 1860-1919

Mystic Art

This my son's stallion Darkan's Mystic Art. He is half Arabian, and half Saddlebred, and all beautiful.

Sunrise Splash

Here are a couple of recent shots of Lake Superior waves captured at sunrise. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed capturing them!

Chiricahua Revisited

As I drove south the morning of April 22nd the weather was nice. I was even greeted by a few wild flowers blooming along the side of the highway.


But you see those clouds in the distance. Not a good sign. Nope, not at all... Stopping briefly in Willcox, I continued on to Chiricahua. I got to the turn off to the park, saw the dark clouds hanging low over the mountains four miles away and quickly turned around and went back to Willcox. I knew that the campground was in a canyon beneath a canopy of trees that provided a good deal of shade. Seeing that layer of dark clouds overhead, I also knew that there would be no sun penetrating into the valley.

I ventured a few miles to the west, over the next range of mountains, to the town of Benson where I knew there was a State Park (Kartchner Caverns). When I got there, the weather looked good. It was relatively warm and the sun was shining. However, before long that changed. The dark clouds moved in as did the rain – the campground host said there was a possibility of snow that night!

The view from the van, near dusk. It was getting cold.

And this is the next morning, after I had cleared off the windows, which were caked with heavy, wet snow. It was just cold enough to make it uncomfortable. I left Kartchner Caverns a few minutes after this picture was taken. I stopped to use the internet and checked the weather....with the forecast in hand, I returned to Chiricahua National Monument.

The mountains along the highway to Chiricahua were topped by a layer of clouds, but blue sky was starting to make an appearance, as was the sun!

The view from Faraway Ranch in Bonita Canyon at the entrance to Chiricahua National Monument, taken in early afternoon of April 23rd. As I set up my tent, there was a brief sprinkling of a rain-snow mix but not enough to cover the ground. Within two hours the clouds had nearly cleared up and the sun was shining. It turned into a beautiful day!

By evening, the clouds had moved back in, making for a dramatic sunset with the distant mountains as a backdrop.

Stormy and Tuffee

A race between Stormy and Tuffee