Grasshopper Viewpoints

Photos of Phoebe in Phoenix

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:21:00 +0000

Walt and I headed to Phoenix for a long overdue visit to his 96-year-old mother. Where it was warm! So nice to have days in the 70's - delightful! A nice change from our winter here. And really great to spend some time with his mother.

I decided I wanted to take some pictures of Mom, so took my camera with me and, of course, we had to have her hair done before we got started.

Cutest picture of the day!

Probably my favorite picture.

Gramma and her kittie - goes everywhere with her.

Walt spent some time showing her some pictures of Ecuador he has on his laptop. She was very interested in them - of course, she has been an avid traveler all her life.

We had a great time with her and were pleased to see how well she is doing at this stage of her life. Go Phoebe!

Christmas With The Gang!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:00:00 +0000

We arrived in Kansas early enough to be able to go and watch Sophie play basketball, which was a first for us and we were so pleased to be there for that. She is a superb athlete.

And she's so tall and so pretty!

And then the next day we got to go watch Josh play basketball with his school's team. What a treat for us.

Caleb was quite entranced by the Christmas tree.

And of course, there was the traditional decorating of the gingerbread house. A fun project for all!

We did quite a lot of dog walking and occasionally one of the kids would go with us - Matthew was pretty good at giving Chico some exercise!

Allie went with us out to the arboretum so she could do a photo for us. She's a wonderful photographer and did a great job. Very casual, but that's what we wanted. And it was cold and none of us wanted to be out there very long!

And one night we all bundled up super warm and climbed in Zack's trailer and went through several neighborhoods enjoying the lights and decorations and singing Christmas carols. A good time was had by all!

It was so cute seeing Noah reading the Christmas story to Jacob.

And Noah helped out with Caleb checking out the tree and everything under it.

It was a beautiful tree, Jenny. You did a great job.

And here's Noah again snuggled up with Chico!

And then there's alway the cookie decorating. Emily really gets into this project! Very serious business.

Everybody loves it. Jacob looks pretty serious about it also.

And then there's Sophie and Jenny! They're really serious! And the job got done in record time - seeing as how we were on our way to church that was a good thing.

Beautiful.

Caleb was so cute during the family tradition of new jammies on Christmas Eve. He was giving his package lots of hugs!

And here's a shot of all the guys in their new jammies. Oh, that was fun! Caleb wanted nothing to do with that part of it!

He's not laughing in this picture! Well maybe, cause Josh was tickling him at this point.

Jenny and her little Caleb.

Jenny and her guys. This was a fun shot to get, too!

Looks like Santa has come and gone!

And this was the scene in the living room on Christmas afternoon! But then, life happens and the Gang was on their way to Atlanta and had to have the house undecorated and back to "normal" before they left so their realtor could show the house while they were gone.

It was a great Christmas. So loved spending time with the kids and celebrating Christmas with the Gang. Nothing better than family at Christmas.

Winter Has Arrived in the Grasshopper Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:18:00 +0000

And I'm so glad Walt is home to do the driveway and the shoveling!

And the ski hill opens tomorrow! Happy New Year to all!

Solar Eclipse in the Grasshopper Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:38:00 +0000

WOW. How amazing it was this morning to capture this total eclipse of the moon over Maverick Mountain Ski Hill. Not sure when we will have another one of these, and of course, this one was even more of an event because of the fact that out on the plains one was able to see the sun rising at the same time of the solar eclipse. Impossible! So thankful Walt saw it! I totally forgot about it. Love these images. Not great, but good enough!

Breakfast in Ecuador

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:20:00 +0000

Walt and I went out this morning and did our 3 1/2 mile walk and on our way back passed a little produce tienda (shop) just down the street that had a big bin of ripe mangoes. So we came back to the apartment and got some money and went back to buy breakfast! November is Mango Month in Ecuador - I remember from when we lived here. And I love the small Hawaiian papaya.

All of this for $2. Unbelievable and so delicious. Food of the gods! My diet till we go back home! Fresh fruit.

Children Are A Gift From God

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 03:39:00 +0000

I think I was a little surprised when Jenny and I saw this morning that the Duggars are expecting child #20 in the spring. I mean after all, they already have 19 children AND 2 grandchildren!!! Isn't it time for them to stop? I mean, really, she's at least 45 - isn't it time to call it quits?

Well, I've sort of been thinking about it all day and here's what I really think. Children are a gift from God. It truly is my belief as a Christian that there is not a child born that is an accident - every child is from God and meant to be. And as I really think about it, it is certainly interesting that for the most part the families that are choosing to have large families (instead of using birth control, they are allowing God to "control" how many children they have) - these families are Christian families, raising their children as strong believers to impact the culture they will live in. Many, if not most, of these families are also homeschooling their children in order to protect them from the perverse and destructive attitudes and beliefs being purveyed in the public school systems across this nation.

So I say, "God bless you Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and may God bless all those beautiful children He has given you and you are raising up to love and honor Him."

Shopping With Luna

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 15:25:00 +0000

We went to Nuremburg yesterday to go shopping. It's a great city for walking and shopping and people watching and eating and enjoying medieval architecture and . . . . (Especially when the sun is shining!)

Here we are - shopping with the Queen! And she's learning from a master. :-)

Shopping for buttons is always fun - even if she doesn't need any!

And these are particularly intriguing.

Look, Mama! There's a puppy in the store! And he likes me.

I see furs in my future. . . .

Time for a little break. (Mama's practicing her shopping!)

I think I like this shirt the best.

Guess I won't need one of these for a few years!

It's A Challenge! Hooray!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:46:00 +0000

My quiilt buddies came today and we showed our center blocks and then drew numbers to begin the "round robin" challenge exchange. Each one of us in the round robin exchange will *secretly* add a border to each block and then pass it on to the next person. We won't see our blocks until each of our buddies has added a border to it and then we'll get it back - as a total surprise. Should be fun! So here's our blocks:

This beautiful block was made by Ellen.

And this beauty was created by Drin.

This "welcome" pineapple was made by Joan.

And this is my contribution to the challenge. I made this block about 20 years ago (!) and have been saving it for something really special. This is it!

The interesting thing about our blocks is that they are all applique and they are all "on point." We plan to take about a month per rotation (skipping December, of course) so we'll be back with our finished blocks for show and tell in a few months! Stay tuned! Should be exciting.

More Color!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:09:00 +0000

I never tire of taking reflection pictures of this pond.

I discovered this wasp nest yesterday. It's right by the road and I've walked past it hundreds of times and never saw it. They're so fragile that I doubt it will last long, but for now it's beautiful.

Can't believe I've brought up wood to the porch - the aspen are still green! But I'm on my way to Germany to visit Katie and I may want a fire when I get home. There may even be snow! One never knows. . . .

Life Happening - The Colors, They Are A-Changin'

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:31:00 +0000

Every day there is more color! It's so beautiful.

Life Happening - In Our Back Yard!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 02:36:00 +0000

These certainly are not great pictures of moose, but it is so interesting and fun to have them in our yard and close enough to be able to hear the sounds they make. They have no fear of me nor my puppy and I can stand around on the deck photographing them and they totally ignore me. Just hoping so much those little twin moose will make it through the winter/wolf season. Our moose numbers have been decimated by the burgeoning wolf populations in our valley and neighboring valleys. Just sayin. . . .

The bull is on the left with the cow and her twins.

Mama Moose and her twin calves.

Pretty small rack on this bull. Must be fairly young.

The Twins.

This all four of the moose that have been hanging around the house a lot lately. I'm very careful when I'm out walking!

It's so fascinating to me how they get down on their knees to eat. They love the nice, lush green grass around our house.

Hi, Mama!

Life Happening in the Grasshopper Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 04:02:00 +0000

Life Happening - Lunch with my Quilt Buddies

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:52:00 +0000

One of my favorite days is a work day with my quilt buddies - Drin, Ellen and Joan. And of course, we like to have lunch together.

I always enjoy setting a table, and like to look for new ways to do that. So yesterday I headed for the dining room cupboards to find something different. And I did! Some years ago Walt's mother gave me a beautiful luncheon set that is onyx (black) and clear glass. It includes 4 black luncheon plates, onyx and glass glasses, glass cups and onyx saucers. It's beautiful.

So I started putting things together and this is what I came up with. I liked it! And we had a delightful lunch together. Another great day with my quilt buddies. Life Happening!

LIFE HAPPENING Sunday, 18 September 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Just a hint, but it's coming. And it's beautiful here in the Grasshopper Valley.

The Rhubarb Patch

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:56:00 +0000

What a story. In the late 1800's when the gold rush began here in southwest Montana at Bannack on Grasshopper Creek, "gold diggers" spread out through this area looking to make their fortune. Several of them ended up here in our Grasshopper Valley. One of them staked a claim high up on the side of the valley, but was not particularly successful at his gold and silver mining. Not too sure exactly what inspired him, but he decided that perhaps he could make his fortune out of rhubarb - that is rhubarb wine to make and sell to other miners in the area. He planted a huge rhubarb patch that continues to flourish to this day. All the locals know where the "patch" is located and make regular forays up Wellman Creek draw to harvest beautiful, excellent rhubarb.

This is one part of the patch. I took this picture today and it is at the end of the season, so the stalks are beginning to lean over, but for the most part the rhubarb is still usable.

The patch at one time and for many years was maintained and watered by Roger Cox and his son, Stan, but for several years now they have not been able to continue to care for it. There's now a lot of weeds growing in the patch and I think it is getting smaller, but what is there - in spite of the weeds - is still wonderful.

Many years ago soon after we finished our house I started bringing down plants from the patch and planted them next to our house. I now have about 15 plants that are flourishing and I am able to havest stalks throughout the two months or so of the season without making the 9 mile trip up the mountain.

This is one of my recent harvests.

Ready to be chopped

and bagged to freeze or to share with neighbors for all kinds of rhubarb treats - not just pies.

Today we took Helen and David up to the patch as Helen does the baking for the Grasshopper Inn and loves to make rhubarb pies. They had heard frequently about the patch, but had no clue where it was.

She also dug a couple plants to take down to her house to start her own patch.

We stopped on our way down for a photo op - a spot overlooking the valley below. Beautiful.

The road up there is not the greatest, so we normally go up on our 4-wheelers, which in itself is a fun outing. Today was perfect for a ride and a harvest.

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:10:00 +0000

And that's just what they'll do! For approximately 150 miles on two different walks in Ireland. We're getting ready. We're walking 6 to 8 miles every day in preparation for this adventure. We will walk The Suck Valley Way in central Ireland and also The Dingle Way on the coast for 11 days total of walking. Very different areas of Ireland and should be wonderful and beautiful. We're so excited. We fly on Thursday! Depending on internet service at the hotels and bed and breakfasts where we will stay, I will make every effort to post a few pictures every day. We will begin this adventure with 3 days in Dublin and will end with a couple days in Limerick. Can hardly wait!

I figured out how to wear (carry) both my camera in a secure manner and also my daypack. Certainly can't make a trip like this without my camera (obviously!), and it looks like we're going to need a rain jacket most days. Just hoping it doesn't get too wet. And of course, we have to carry water for the 15 (average) miles we will walk each day. Hope I'm ready for this!!!

Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy. . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:54:00 +0000

Especially in my summer house! My dream. Thank you, Walt. I love it.

Chico loves it, too!

He found his spot!

Gotta watch for the cat! Then it will be time to play!

Twin Moose Calves - WOW

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:39:00 +0000

You won't get to see this scene very often! We are moving into the days when we see more and more moose coming back into the area (those that haven't been killed by the burgeoning wolf population here in our valley. The moose population is way down here and in other areas as well. But that's another story. . . .)

I looked out my kitchen window about 7 a.m. this morning and I saw these two guys! So cool! My mother and her pals were still here, so they got to see them and take pictures also. Such a treat. Mama Moose was very nearby - mamas never let babies get very far away. Moose are so very curious - like deer - very curious.

These guys wandered around for awhile - they didn't seem to be the least bit concerned. (I was taking pictures out the window, so they weren't threatened nor frightened).

Yesterday we had the treat of hearing and seeing a pair of sandhill cranes! There are actually two in this picture - you can click on it to see it full size.

Their cry is very distinctive - never any doubt about what we're hearing. What a treat. Moose three days in a row. A cute, photogenic little dear and sandhill cranes. Lucky. Beautiful place to live!

WHEELIN' !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:11:00 +0000

My mother came to visit for a couple days and brought two of her favorite pals with her, Pat Bridwell and Marcia Seitz. (Both are women from my childhood and our church, so I have known them for a long time - it was fun to have them!) They just didn't know what I had planned for them. We started out with a drive up the side of Maverick Mountain Ski Area to one of my favorite places to photograph lupine. On our way up Pat was paying attention out the window and saw a bear!!! So we stopped to snap a few photos.

Now that was something extra on my tour, for sure.

This is high up on the side of Maverick Mountain. Often at this time of year this field is full of lupine, but I'm thinking this year it might still be a little early. But it's a beautiful place to take pictures - something like "Sound of Music." We can see our house from here. Love it. I do think these lovely ladies may have wondered whether or not we would make it up the mountain as I made the wrong turn at one point on our drive up and ended up on the wrong road - a high, winding, narrow road - straight down on one side in some spots.... I think there might have been some white knuckles as I backed down the road!!! But they were good sports about it. (I think!) No screeching or screaming.

We headed up to the Sawtooth Trailhead and walked in to this tree where I love to take photos. Cool, huh!

Marcia Seitz, Pat Bridwell, Lois Thornhill - my mother.

Now. On to the REAL adventure. Four Wheelin' !!! No. None of them had ever ridden before. But they were good sports about even this - even she who was designated novice driver! Somebody (who shall remain nameless) did mention several times that she was scared - I told her not to cry or pee her pants! Oh, me of no sympathy - this is an adventure after all! Live a little.

They did. They had fun. I think they may be telling this story for awhile - there's lots to tell!

I finally did find a field of lupine and I made them sit in it! (Oh, me of no sympathy - anything for a photo - right???)

I gave them a break the next day and I drove them over into the Bitterroot Valley and to Hamilton. I love that area and it's a delightful little Montana town - lots of fun shopping - and we stopped at the yarn shop. A GREAT yarn shop. I will be going back there. Then I took them to my favorite restaurant, The River's Edge, and we sat outside and had an absolutely delightful lunch. The waitress even brought out a bowl of water for my little Chico!

This was our view as we lingered over our lunch. It doesn't get much better than this.

Well. It's pretty nice at our house, too! We love having guests to entertain (any excuse to set a table, you know!) We enjoyed wonderful, fun conversation and they taught me to play Hand and Foot (a card game), which I actually enjoyed - especially when Marcia and I won the second evening. . . . (We sort of got trounced the night before.)

I'm going to be making this breakfast entree again. It's peanut butter and banana - yes! - it was delicious! With a light coating of maple syrup. YUMMY.

Beautiful wild flowers this time of year.

MORE MOOSE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:51:00 +0000

It's no wonder I NEVER get any blooms from my garden. If it's not the deer, it's the moose. (These are taken very early in the morning, in low light, and through the living room window, so the quality is BAD.)

I recognize this bull - he has notches in both ears and he's been around before!

As he nonchalantly saunters away from my garden. I couldn't get him to move on even after going outside and trying to shoo him away. Do I love them or hate them?

So the one bull took off and not 3 minutes later 3 more wandered across in front of the house - two cows and one bull trailing behind. They didn't stick around to eat my garden. Good thing.

But within 5 minutes this is what I saw out my window! If it isn't the moose, it's the deer. And the deer are not supposed to like the stuff I spray on my plants. YEAH, RIGHT. . . .

He's a cute little thing.

He's just lucky I didn't fill him full of birdshot.

Morning Magic in the Grasshopper Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:09:00 +0000

It doesn't matter which direction we walk from our house on our daily hikes, it is beautiful. We are so lucky to live here.

Sunrise on the pond. Faintly in the far side of the pond you can see steam rising off the water. Wonder what that means. . . .

This is one of our "sittin' spots" on our property which obviously needs some weed wacker attention, but I couldn't bear to cut down the flowers! I would rather sit in them.

My walk yesterday included walking alone the Grasshopper Creek. Grasshopper Creek is where gold was originally discovered down by Bannack and the Montana gold rush was on. Here in our valley (above Bannack) it is still beautiful and pristine.

Can't see any fish here, but folks tell me the fishing is pretty good!

Come walk with me sometime! I'll show you some beautiful places!

Moose In The Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 13:24:00 +0000

I heard furious barking from Chico this morning standing at the full-glass dining room porch door, so I walked over to investigate what it was that set him off (he has been trained not to bark!).

She's beautiful! Looks like a yearling calf. Hope she comes back again so I can get better pictures. Fortunately, I had cleaned the glass on the door!

Look Out World - Here I Come!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 18:48:00 +0000

Have passport - Will travel!

Still not sure why they made me send in my old passport, cause it really wasn't quite full yet - still had a few blank spots! But they did, so now I have a brand spanking new one that will last me till August 2021! Wow! Think of all the places I can go! Ireland in September. Germany in October. Ecuador in November. Now that's a good start!

A Pod for a Little Pea

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 16:34:00 +0000

I made this for Allie for photographing infants. Learned some new knitting techniques - that's always good. Somehow it doesn't look big enough even for a newborn. We'll see. Still have the little matching had to knit up. Shouldn't take long for that! It was fun. I'm enjoying having knitting needles in my hands again Great evening work. Thanks, Katie!

Let's Go, Mom!

noreply@blogger.com (Linda) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:56:00 +0000

My little Chico is always ready for a walk! But he sure comes home pooped! We only did 5 miles this morning. Really need to kick that up a couple notches. Just hope I'm ready for Ireland.