JUST HAD TO SHARE THESE!

Well Felt and I have been exploring again. This time we decided to drive up the Black Smith Fork Canyon, named for the Black Smith Fork River. We went up the Hardware ranch where they feed the elk during the winter and saw lots of groups of campers along the way. When we got to that point the road changed to gravel/dirt but we went on. As we went along we talked about feeling a little disappointed in the colors, not nearly as wonderful as the ones we had seen the day before when we explored the Logan Canyon side roads. We continued to climb and drive and the road continued to be dotted with campers and kids on 4 wheelers. Then we saw a 4 wheeler with a dead deer on the hood and it clicked! Hunting season started today!

The road became progressively more suited for those 4 wheelers and less suited for our all wheel CRV. We passed a truck and the man showed us a map and suggested we turn around and take another dirt road. We wisely followed his suggestion and made our way back down the canyon, We will have to do that drive another time in our truck.

Here are some pictures we took after we transversed the top of the ridge and got on the other side. The views were breath taking and the colors wonderful. I will also include some we took the day before on the side roads off the Logan Canyon.

October 2011

Autumn in Utah

This has been a wonderful autumn in Utah. We missed being here last year because we were visiting in New Hampshire. This year we have had wonderful weather – warm days cool nights and the color is wonderful. Now true it is not NH color. The reds of the maples is not nearly as intense – the red here is more a red pink color – but the yellow of the aspen trees is so intense and a wonderful sight layered against the dark green of the evergreen spruce trees.



We have taken a couple of drives. The first one we drove south toward Park City and then into Hieber Valley heading toward Sundance resort. From there we went up over the Alpine loop and down in the American Fork Canyon. The colors were wonderful and the sheer mountains with some small glaciers were impressive.




Last week we headed up into Idaho and drove the loop around through Montpelier and on to Bear Lake. From there we headed up into St. Charles canyon and drove until the road was blocked with a gate. Going up we saw wonderful colors and found several campgrounds to try out next summer.






Yesterday we took off and drove up to Idaho to visit with our son Scott, his wife Jenni and as many of the children who were around. Scott and Jenni married in January and combined their families. Jenni has 5 children and Scott has 3, both of them have custody of their kids. So together they now are raising 8 ! It does take your breath away sometimes.


In order - Zane, Tyler, Avery, Zack, Blake

Yesterday, we arrived and took Jenni and Scott to lunch and had a good visit. Then Scott ran some errands with us. We went back to the house to wait and before long the house began to fill with cries of “Nana” – “Papa”. Wonderful words indeed! Arriving first were: Avery (Scott’s girl who is almost 11);Tyler and Zack (Jenni’s twins 7 years old). They were followed by Zane (Scott’s son 13 years old) and Blake (Jenni’s son who is 15 years old). The oldest girl, Alyson (Jenni’s) is a freshman at Bosie State and not at home; Kade (Scott’s oldest is 16) and he was busy with play rehearsal; and Maddy (Jenni’s 13 year old) was playing in a soccer game.

The activity in the house increased ten fold! We had fun listening and visiting and marveling at much they had all grown since we saw them last. After Jenni arrived home from work – Scott had the day off- we took everyone out for dinner! One really good thing, is when you buy food for boys, they really eat their dinner! Felt and I split up – we had to eat at two tables – and I sat with the boys – interesting experience! Wish I had understood boys better when Scott was a boy – but I love my grandsons! Grand daughters too!