golden afternoon

I'm not sure which was more miraculous . . . this serene slice of heaven I found just beyond Dog Lake at the top of Millcreek Canyon before heading into Big Cottonwood, OR the fact that I can wake up on the first day of October and send the kids off to school, post a little something on the blog, get laundry started / straighten the house / clean the kitchen, go help at the school for an hour and then be HERE, taking in this breathtaking scenery just an hour later . . . and then back to pick up the kids from school after an invigorating 7 mile hike.

I find that quite miraculous.

Thank you Utah.  I don't think there are very many places on earth where nature and a major cultural/economic center are found so close together.  Plus, the options within our canyons are boundless . . . I haven't even begun to scratch the surface on all the available trails along the Wasatch.

My hike on Monday was going to be a "no camera / stay in the present moment and breathe it all in" type afternoon. Well, that lasted until I got to the top and found myself in a peaceful meadow at the crest of the hill leading down to another canyon.  It truly took my breath away and out came the phone, and before I knew it I was snapping pictures, with each one outdoing the one I took a moment before.

So, since I just LOOVVEE to share my nature loving moments, here ya go . . . our glorious mountains, bejeweled in brilliant gold:

I have to say that my iPhone takes some pretty great pictures. These photos capture the scenery just as I saw it . . . every bend more breathtaking than the last.

OK, so I have to share this little interaction I had with a fellow hiker.  As I was heading up the mountain, I came upon a portion of the trail that was lined on each side with these towering golden aspens.  The sky was bright blue overhead with the sun streaming through those blinding yellow leaves, the view of the canyon to the west was magnificent, and the leaves were fluttering and drifting onto the trail due to a slight breeze. It was truly one of those "catch your breath" moments.  

While I was in the midst of the trees, soaking in the magic of it all, a woman and her dog came around the bend.  I motioned at the majesty surrounding us, and barely above a whisper said, "oh my gosh, isn't this just magical . . . ?" Her response:  "Ya, I guess it's pretty nice."  Are you kidding me??  I wanted to give her a smack for so casually dismissing my reverie.  Seriously, it was the understatement of the year and I wonder how much it would take to impress that woman.  As for me, it was much more than "pretty nice."  But then again, maybe I'm just easily impressed :).

I even took a video for your enjoyment . . .

yosemite

"Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, 

places to play in and pray in, where nature 

may heal and cheer and give strength 

to the body and soul alike . . ."

John Muir

 Giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove

 1800 yr. old "Grizzly Giant"

 Yosemite Valley - beautiful morning for a hike . . .

off we go . . . straight up from the valley floor 3.8 miles/3300 ft. elevation gain

on our way to to the top of these granite walls

 getting closer

LOVED these trees 

we made it- time to SIT!

 aahhh, yes - taking in the views while eating lunch!

Minor freak-out from Chris as I walked out on this rock . . .

 this is as close to the edge as Chris would venture

 The river right before it heads over the cliff

 Yosemite Point - unbelievable, majestic, breathtaking - best views in the park!

 heading back down - the sun reflecting on Half Dome

 El Capitan . . . next trip we'll hike to the top and watch the rock climbers summit!

I don't think I'll ever be able to aptly express how I feel about Yosemite.  Obviously, I haven't visited all the national parks our country has to offer, but out of the parks I have been to, Yosemite is and probably always will be my favorite.  There is a spirit here that touches my spirit and rejuvenates my soul.  The place seems to me a living, breathing entity, which, like a person is constantly changing as the day progresses from early dawn, to bright afternoon, to dusk, to blackest of night.  We were privileged this trip to not only hike to the top of the tallest waterfall in North America, but descend by a full moon (thank goodness just the last 1/3 mile) and then witness that moon rise over half dome from the meadow and light up the impressive, towering granite face of El Capitan.  I will NEVER forget the view of Yosemite valley that night from "tunnel view" as we were departing the park and heading back to our hotel . . .

and hope to return to see it again.

my passion

"as life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he share the passion and action of his time, at the peril of being judged not to have lived."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

In action last week up Millcreek Canyon.

Why ski?

Unparalleled BEAUTY . . . 

the spectacular view from the Great Western lift at Brighton

Heading up Powderhorn at Solitude

The view from Mineral Basin at Snowbird

Couldn't resist this shot while on Apex (Solitude) one afternoon earlier this season.

The spectacular BLUE skies.  Snowbird last week - unreal - I've never seen blue this color before, it was practically purple and my camera phone hardly does it justice.  And yes, my friend and I had just skied down that ridge (after getting lost and realizing it was the only way down - had to take a pic to commemorate the occasion ;-).

Solitude with the crew and cousins.

Balance.

 mentally, physically, emotionally.  

This is beautiful

Bal-ance [bal-uh ns]:

mental steadiness or emotional stability;

habit of calm behavior, judgment, etc.

"Finding balance," "needing balance," "out of balance," "feeling balanced". . . phrases that, if you know me, know I use on a regular basis. You would think I'm a tight-rope walker or something! Speaking of tight-rope walking, you've got to see this movie, we watched it last night as a family and the kids were mesmorized, they loved it (just be ready to jump up in front of the TV during the silly, oh so French, moment in the hotel room ;-).

OK, back to the thought at hand. Last week I was feeling very out of balance, needing something to equalize my energy and I knew exactly what was missing, what I needed, and how as each day passed, I could not find the hour or two that it would take to calm my soul and restore peace. It was the week before Sophie's birthday, the last week of July, and the weekend before was our family trip at the Lake. I was on edge, I could feel it, and the strangest part is that during this time of year my consciousness knows and is fully aware that it's the most beautiful time of year in our canyons and it is exactly where I'm supposed to be. So when I can't get there, I'm not myself.

I finally made it happen. The morning of Sophie's birthday I went trail running to jump start the weekend and thankfully made it back before the birthday girl woke up. The next day I grabbed the girls and hiked Big Cottonwood knowing full well the wildflowers were in bloom and crossing my fingers we hadn't missed the best of them. Plus, just the smell of fresh pine, the sound of rushing water, and the surrounding beauty would restore balance to anyone. The following day the entire family visited Albion Basin where the flowers and mountains in the evening were absolutely stunning. Then two days later I took the little girls up for an evening hike on the quarry trail and was in awe as the setting sun reflected it's warm glow through the aspens on those towering granite walls.

Breathtaking, energizing, rejuvenating, liberating . . .

Balanced once again.

Just listen . . .

If you've never heard of Hayley Westenra, you're in for a mesmerizing experience. My dear friend Amy gave me one of Hayley's CDs a couple years ago for my birthday and I thought it was some of the most beautiful music I had ever heard. Truly a rare, pure, angelic voice. Since then I've been collecting her music. I once left a CD of hers in Chris' car and he came home from work asking who in the world was singing - he had never heard such a beautiful voice. She's from Ireland and many lyrics in her songs are sung in Gaelic, which makes it even that more entrancing.

This song, May It Be, is a personal favorite. No matter what state of mind I am in, or how frantically I am running from place to place, it never fails to calm my mind and sooth my soul. Her music is inspiring and uplifting, it takes me to another realm and for a moment tells me everything is going to be alright.

Visit her website and listen to some tracks, especially Abide With Me . . . the first time I heard her sing that beloved hymn it brought tears to my eyes.

Transcendent beauty

January. I love this month. I love the color of blue in the evenings, I refer to it as a "winter blue" you can only see during this time of year just before darkness sets in. I love watching Orion twinkling each night above the mountain ridge out our south windows. I love the ice crystals that sparkle on top of the snow in the sunlight. The newness of the year, the clean, crisp air, and especially the silence of the snow. What's not to love?

Thursday morning after I packed up my ski gear and dropped the kids off for school, I began my weekly ascent up Big Cottonwood canyon for what I knew would be one of the most beautiful days this year. Not only was it going to be an amazing day, but the drive up the canyon that early was truly a moving experience. I don't think I've ever seen the mountains, the snow laden pine trees, meandering streams, and rising sun more lovely. It felt like a winter wonderland, and when I drove the famous "S" curve and faced west for just a moment to glance at the canyon walls illuminated by the morning sun, it literally brought tears to my eyes. I checked the time and realized this unparalleled beauty is only 15 minutes away and wondered why in the world don't I drive up here more often!? I almost wished I were snowshoeing or cross-country skiing rather than downhill - just to take it all in . . . the complete stillness of the canyon on such a day.

I mentioned my drive to a fellow skier and she told me she had the same experience - we described it as almost spiritual. There is something to be said about noticing the beauty around us, truly drinking it in, and feeling deeply touched. What a place, what a morning . . . so I choose to write about it because it moved me, and reminded me of the respect and reverence we feel when we turn ourselves over the transcendent beauty that is all around us.

7. UTAH

Doesn't this picture (taken a few days after Halloween) perfectly summarize the unpredictability of living in Utah and it's constant changes in the weather, no matter what the season? Today I just want to express my LOVE of Utah and all it offers. From the beautiful Wasatch mountain range to the red rocks of Southern Utah, to all the lakes and streams up in the canyons, it's one of my favorite places in the world and I'm grateful to call Utah home.

So, in lieu of a lengthy gratitude post like the last one, I'll just put up some of my favorite spots in our great state:

Arches National Park Skiing in Little Cottonwood Canyon Downtown Salt Lake City

Big Cottonwood Creek

Bell's Canyon Reservoir (i.e. "Our Lake")

Albion Basin Wildflowers