Hi again! I am still alive and well on Lynnwood!

It has been such a loooong time since I have posted anything!! Just trying to get through these last few weeks of work and boy, are they dragging. All the traffic/construction on interstate is so on my last nerve too. So, this evening, I decided to go outside amidst all the flying pollen and take a few pic's of my lovely flowers before the storm blows through tonight. Hopefully, they will be OK but again, WHY does the weather have to turn to crap on the weekend... AGAIN!? We also have a little robin's nest in our Japanese maple with 4 little eggs. I will probably send Dennis out tonight in the storm with an umbrella to keep them from getting scrambled! (shhhh...haha)

This nice weather is wearing me out!!!!

What a great weekend! Dennis and I squeezed in all the fun we could while the sun shone and now we are toast! hahaha Started the day yesterday with a paddle on a partially frozen Beechfork Lake. Also got to see the little beaver who let us know he wasn't too happy we were in the neighborhood. He kept smacking his tail and watching us very carefully! After that we headed to that big industrial park off of Hal Greer for Dennis to do his downhill skateboarding. I sat in the Jeep and enjoyed the sunshine! Today we did our first bike ride of the year from Catlettsburg to Pullman. 23 miles on our first time out was probably tooooo much but it felt good to get out and ride again. Now it's time to go rest up for another great week of work.....yeah,...right........(sigh)

March is almost here! YAY!!!

Where did February go???! Cabin fever is getting to everybody right about now and I am glad to see winter moving on! Don't get me wrong, I am always going to be a die-hard snow lover, but that one day of warm weather a week back made me wish for Spring! If I can't have lots of snow on the ground, then just give me warm air and sunshine!!! Dennis and I took a 3+ mile hike this morning for some exercise and fresh air. It was totally muddy but we did get to see some cool stuff. Check out the photos!

I seee you , Dennis!!!! (Big icicle!!)

Lots of big turkeys! These were about 5" long! The picture below was a big shelter created by honeysuckle vines on a rock overhang. I would have sworn there was going to be a great big bear come out!! I let Dennis check it our first and then I went in. No signs of any big pawprints around - good thing - but there had definitely been something sheltering in this spot.

Nothing like a SNOW DAY!!!!

No, big foot didn't make these tracks...just my big snowshoes that are totally awesome! You don't exactly walk on top of the snow but unlike your regular shoes, they keep your foot from sinking into a big hole. Walking in the snow is tough but these do make it easier! I was even able to tackle a steep downhill with no problems. I just pointed my feet downhill and went along like a sure-footed mountain goat! Before I would have been side stepping it and sliding all the way. Cool! Of course, having giant cleats on the bottom helps! (Remember, you can click on the pic's to make them really big!!)

I actually saw something green......aaahhhhh..........

I sat the camera in the tree to get this shot, after which, my camera immediately fell into the snow. Yeah, that's good for it! I grabbed a paper towel out of my pocket and quickly wiped it off! Sheesh.......

This time, I remembered that my hiking poles had a built in screw under the handles to make a handy tripod for your camera! Seems strange that they would make them that way. As if everyone using hiking poles suddenly finds themselves in desperate need of a tripod! I guess they were thinking of me when they designed them! hahahaha

A short hike off the beaten path revealed this really cool bunch of icicles hanging off of some big rocks. The hike back up the hill was quite a challenge. Great leg workout!

I came across some one foot deep snow drifts at the top of the ridge. Good thing Cookie-dog wasn't along or she would have disappeared! It was a wonderful day for an early afternoon hike and it took me about 1 1/2 hours to go 3 miles! I think I'll go rest now!!! Yay, snow!

Let it SNOW!!!!

With all this snow going on, I decided I needed to to invest in a pair of snowshoes! Dennis got these for me just in time for Valentine's Day and they are, appropriately enough, red! And no, they don't look like those big ol' tennis racket things from days gone by! They are smaller and allow you to move your heel up and down just like walking. Difference is, you have to space your feet a bit apart because they are a little wider. They have big claws on the bottom to bite into the snow and could really do a number on your vinyl flooring! (I must remember not to put these on in the house!) I am looking forward to trying these babies out on our next snow event - Sunday into Monday perhaps?! These snow days are awesome!! I am spending alot of time planning our trip to Italy in June. Just figuring out how to get from one city to the other, rental cars, trains, hotels, etc. is pretty complex! I thought Japan was the most difficult but not so! They have the commuting stuff down to a science with car rentals closely located to train stations. Not so in Italy. I invested in a map to see where things are located in relation to each other. I learned this lesson in Wales when we stayed in Lake Vernwy hotel and discovered you had to drive a zillion miles through pasture land to see any other signs of life. It was so remote, that wildlife had no fear of man and that little bird landed right on my rearview mirror with the window down! I think it was hoping for a ride out of there!!hah We stayed one night and they were mad that we left early. So now, Dennis always refers to that incident when I mention a place to stay on vacation! It was pretty, Dennis! Speaking of birds, I must be going to feed mine! Dennis is amazed at how much they eat in a day. I have bought TONS of bird seed this winter. I tell him that's the only way they have to stay warm because their metabolism is running at high speed. After all, how many obese birds do you see sitting in the trees? 'nuf said!

Hiking the Appalachian Trial!

Dennis and I decided to check out the chuch where we were married 22 1/2 years ago in Pearisburg, VA! Still happy after all these years!

It was surprisingly alot colder here than at home. We thought south meant warmer!

The section of the App. Trail we hiked was the "angels rest overlook". It was nothing but up,up,up for about 2 miles!!! Very tiring!

Me searching for the end of the trail!..........................

Dennis on the way back down the trail. There were cars from 5 different states parked along the road at the bottom. A small wooden sign was the only way you would know there was even a trail there! After that, we ate a Mexican restaurant and it was delicious with fried ice cream for desert. We decided to go on to Pipestem State Park to stay at the lodge. I've never been here but it looks really pretty! They had 3 feet of snow last week and there are still signs of it along the roads. Time to call it a day!

A hiking we will go.......!

Dennis and I decided to take off to Carter Caves for some hiking fun! We ended up going about 4.5 miles but the terrain made it seem a lot further than that!

Dennis leading the way at the beginning of the trail.......

There are lots of awesome rocks to play on and photograph.....

And you say "Why on earth did they photograph poop?!" Well, that's from our friend the brown bear who obviously forgot that he was supposed to be hibernating!!!!!! We looked on the internet when we got home to make sure that's what it was. Yes, we have a lot of time on our hands this evening! hahahaha And it was big...

Mr. Brown Bear had some deer-kabobs on this outing.......yuck!

Needless to say, we were hiking alot faster after this.........

Dennis posing (pre-poop encounter) by the frozen lake......

We actually rappelled down into this hole a couple of years ago! Not much to see once you got down in there and you had to ascend back out which was exhausting! But it was an adventure!

Crossing this bridge was scary. I used the points on the tips of my poles for traction. It was about 6 inches deep in ice!

I couldn't resist riding the "Ice Pony" near the bridge! Yes, it was cold and I had to put my hood up to keep from getting soaking wet from the drips above that formed it. Tooooo crazy!!!

Near the start of the hike. It's funny how there can still be ice and feel so warm at the same time! We had a really good time and it was nice just being able to get outside for a change. Remember, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them!