Old Faithful

 

Quite a show!

Louise and Duane

Bison

The bison heard in Yellowstone National Park, WY

We didn't spend nearly enough time here.  We need to go back for a revisit.

Looking forward to traveling anywhere!

Louise and Duane

 

Not Again!

Yep!  I'm making another tshirt quilt.  This one is for a fund raiser at our son Duane Jr's church.   

While Duane's stamping leather this week, I'll be making this pile of former tshirts into a queen sized quilt.

Always doing something here in Tyler, Tx.

Louise and Duane

No Playing Today

Usually when we go to visit son Duane Jr, daughter-in-law Brandey, and grandkids Emma, Ava (aka the twins or the girls), Alyssa, Coy, and Wil, we go to a little arena to watch the kids compete in small local contests running barrels and poles with Coy and Alyssa being led through the patterns.

Today we went to a large arena to watch the girls compete in a serious barrel racing contest.   

With 180 contestants there is a lot of "down" time before  and after each contestant's turn.

Time is allotted for contestants to acquaint their horses with the arena with warm-up exercises.  The girls have done this and are chatting with Jr, Alyssa and Coy.

Both Emma

and Ava did really well , with Emma winning first in one youth division and Ava winning second in another youth division.  The best part is that neither girl knocked over any barrels.  This is really good when you consider they are only 12 years old.

With both runs lasting a total of about 30 seconds, the rest of the family had lots of time to hang out.  

Our newest granddog, Josie

We arrived at the arena at 11 to watch the warm-up runs.  The competition started at 1pm with the girls runs about 1:30.  We hung out with the family until about 3 before we got too cold.  The rest of the family stayed until the winners were announced at 6pm.  

Home again, warm again,

Louise and Duane

  

TOTW

Still nothing happening here in the Piney Woods let us to continue our wandering through old travel photos.  Today we retraced our drive over the top of British Columbia, Canada into Alaska.

On June 6th we were up high enough for residual winter snow, 

and fantastic views,

including part of the Fortymile River.

First stop--the famous downtown shopping strip--all four "shops".

Legend says the local miners wanted to name the town Ptarmigan but didn't know how to spell it.

A busy month coming up.

Louise and Duane 

Bus Ride

Today we retook a bus ride into Denali National Park in Alaska in 2007.  Anyone who so desires can ride the bus into the park or can get off at any time, hike around, and get back on whenever they want.  The kicker is that in Denali, wildlife rules.  

We took these pix from the bus windows--nice and safe.

Caribou or reindeer

moose

the famous blonde grizzles--mom 

and twin babies

 The view was better from inside the bus!

Louise and Duane

Including The Tree!

Christmas in Texas, 2011 and 2020

The tree no longer sits on a table

but stands floor to ceiling.

Of these three cute little girls, Emma and Ava (the twins) grew from somewhat timid little 1 year olds

into very confident 11 year olds who think nothing of running their horses as fast as possible through poles and around barrels.

Allie is no longer a cute little 5 year old, but a cute teenager getting ready to get her driver's license.

Luke is no longer a sturdy little 2 year old playing with cars and trucks

but a tall, lanky 12 year old who uses his free time making challenging bike trails through the woods.

All of these children are tall enough to look (all 5'2" of)  me in the eye, and it won't be long until they catch up to Gramps (5'4").

We knew we shouldn't have blinked and let them grow up!

Louise and Duane

 

Texas Sized

Time travel brightens up our routines now and then.

Today we went back 10 years to Feb. of 2011, and found ourselves at the Tucson, AZ rock show.

They had a lot of big rocks there.

Impressive!

Louise and Duane

That Was Fun

While we wait in the Piney Woods of East Texas for our doctors and the virus to release us for travel, we are keeping busy with our hobbies.  

Duane amused himself by making a leather cover for his favorite pickleball paddle.

I have been reading my way through my traveling "I'm Going To Read That Some Day" book cupboard.  Sometimes, I take time out for a jigsaw puzzle.  Today I completed this humorous depiction  of a city of dead people--witches, ghosts, vampires, skeletons, etc.--enjoying a (presumably) Halloween parade.

The details were wonderfully fun to discover.

 Having fun waiting,

Louise and Duane