Footsteps

Adventures in Utah

Heather — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:32:43 +0000

Where did all the mountains go?! Yeah, yeah… I know. Glaciated Ohio has never contained the ear-popping elevations of our western states. And “straighten (ing) your shoulders” just won’t pull you from under 1000 feet to an elevation that will support ponderosa pines and aspens. No geologic changes here. [...]

“Back Soon…”

Heather — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:56:42 +0000

The pre-trip flurry is predictable, so what cannot be changed can at least be deemed “consistent.” This last minute “frenzy” before vacation is not for lack of preparation; it’s just the sheer volume of items that necessarily fall into the last 24 hours before departure. “Items such as visiting Grandma, dropping off Lily, watering house [...]

Favorite Memory, Favorite Gift…

Heather — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:27:28 +0000

Ninety-three candles on a birthday cake could resemble a flaming pincushion. So we opted instead for the symbolic “nine and three” combination for Grandma this time… Ninety-three. Remarkable. She was born in 1915 (Grandma and I do the math on a regular basis); and to the surprise of us both, it all added [...]

Lily the Lab

Heather — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:51:49 +0000

Lily seems to bring out my daughter’s maternal instincts. “Mom,” she remarked last Saturday, “Lily needs to get out more.” I reminded her that Lily goes walking or running with us at least once each day and that I’d already taken her swimming up at the dam twice this week. “No,” Hannah [...]

Flying to Not-Vegas…

Heather — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:47:14 +0000

A friend was horrified to learn our summer vacation plans. You’d think I had confessed we’d be spending the week cleaning out the basement (which we need to do) or identifying and polishing our hodgepodge of tools and hardware items! She’s headed to total indulgence on the Pacific coast. Which sounds lovely. [...]

Of Daisies and Dandelions…

Heather — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:01:26 +0000

We’ve slipped through the first week already. The aroma has shifted from acrid, eye-watering soccer cleat stench to sunscreen. A trip to Utah is in the final planning stages. And bare feet have become the norm… Finally. Summer. The word alone is enough to make a kid grin and [...]

Pedro’s Son: “Father’s Day” without Dad…

Heather — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:49:48 +0000

I keep thinking about Pedro’s little boy. He must be around seven-years old by now. Father’s Day is next Sunday, and as quiet as that day is at my house, I wonder what it’s like for a boy who never knew his dad. It has become my non-holiday, Father’s Day. A day to [...]

Detour to Dawes Arboretum

Heather — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:39:06 +0000

If not for photography I might run too much. Sadly, when friends refer to rehab projects, I think of ankles and knees. Anything in excess is unhealthy, even “good for your body” things like exercise. Fortunately, photography provides enough outdoor thrills to compensate for an endorphin-less “rest day” like this past Saturday.

Countdown…

Heather — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:26:18 +0000

Our headlines are written in chalk, scribbled across a mini-blackboard in the kitchen. Birthdays, holidays, special events and noteworthy accomplishments generally make it on to the slate (with an appropriate number of exclamation marks!!!) along with the occasional work of chalk art. When I set the little easel on our kitchen island a few [...]

A “Well-Balanced” Hike (West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon)

Heather — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:08:47 +0000

It was better without the bridges. The West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon is a dead-end trail with frequent stream crossings. Winter flooding capriciously shifts the actual trail on a yearly basis, leaving it in a delightfully “unfinished” state. Something about scrambling across rocks and logs elevates a hiking experience for [...]