Have you ever wondered why we as a people are so interested in the supernatural, the worlds beyond ours? At this season of witches, spirits, ghosts and goblins, I stop and ponder… why? From our pagan roots, we have historically known, not just “believed” that there is more than meets the eye, that there is […]
Cheyenne, Our Furry Companion
Our little puppy has grown up! She is now 10-months old and has matured into a beautiful, smart and loving dog. Phil and I are so impressed with the intelligence and obedience this breed exhibits, and especially, this particular pooch. One day, when Cheyenne was around six-months old, she accompanied me down the long drive […]
Waterfalls of Oregon
We were ready to see more of this beautiful State, having reported the abandoned tent to the authorities (read about our strange experiences here), and were making our way to the coastal town of Coos Bay. Highway 138, aptly named, “The Umpqua Scenic Byway”, has a trail of waterfalls that anyone traveling this road should […]
(Updated) Oregon – The Mystery at Annie Creek
Mystery creates wonder, and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” Neil Armstrong Scroll down to see the newly posted videos: On our way back from our epic hike to Crater Lake (read about it here), I toweled off the condensation from inside the windshield, while Phil drove cautiously through the descending darkness […]
Oregon – The Mystery at Annie Creek
Mystery creates wonder, and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” Neil Armstrong On our way back from our epic hike to Crater Lake (read about it here), I toweled off the condensation from inside the windshield, while Phil drove cautiously through the descending darkness of Oregon’s thick, old-growth forests. We arrived at […]
30th BLOG! Nevada-Oregon (Crater Lake)
“Attitude is the difference between an ordeal, and an adventure!” – Bob Bitchin After our amazing hike on the outskirts of Salt Lake City with our nephew, Caleb, (Read about it here),we drove hours and hours across the expansive Great Salt Lake. I would recommend, if you ever find yourself making this drive, to fill […]
Salt Lake City, Utah
Phil and I were so excited to be able to stop by our nephew, Caleb’s, apartment in SLC, Utah, on our drive west. Neither one of us had ever been there, and Caleb was going to lead us on a hike that would take us to the top of a mountain with a grand view […]
Cheyenne
On September 9, 2019, our little English Shepherd, Cheyenne was born! The product of two, gorgeous, doting parents, she was privileged to spend the first eight weeks of her life in the home of a wonderful family who raises well-mannered, healthy, and intelligent human companions. (See Town and Country’s ES website here.) After much anticipation, […]
Westward Bound-Wyoming/Utah (No Reservations)
May, 2019 – We had gotten an earlier start this year, leaving well before Memorial Day Weekend. Pointing our 1992 GMC Vandura and our faithful, vintage, pop-up camper-turned-trailer towards the mountains of Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, then California, we set out to explore a country I had only seen in pictures. After two full days of […]
Bears, Beavers And Blueberries in Ontario, Canada – (Part 3)
“It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw.” – Emily Carr (FLASHBACK) It was the week of my birthday, August 2017, when Phil and I departed from Michigan to Canada pulling a trailer loaded with kayaks, camping gear, and our new Can-am Outlander, for destinations unknown (to us, anyway). We made […]
Ontario, Canada – Part Two
“So lovely was the loneliness of a wild lake.” Edgar Allan Poe The process of securing a back country campsite in Canada, (at least in Ontario): You must reserve the same morning that you are planning to camp in the back country. You cannot reserve a certain site. (First come, first claimed.) Begin paddling (or […]
*Newly Revised – Ontario, Canada (Lake Superior Provincial Park) 3 part series
Part One: Hiking Towab Trail to Agawa Falls – (Rated Very Difficult) I had been looking forward to hiking this trail for two years now. Back in August of 2017, we had wanted to hike the Towab, but it just didn’t work out. This year, it was going to happen! The day was Tuesday, August […]
Badlands and Beyond, British Columbia – YOHO (A night in the Wilds of Canada)
“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” Frank A. Clark Our time had come to pack up and leave Johnston Campground in Banff, Canada. We may have felt a little melancholy about leaving this magnificent place, but we were on our way to make reservations for a site […]
Badlands and Beyond, part 13 – British Columbia, Yoho
“Nature is the one song of praise that never stops singing”. –Richard Rohr We had to go back. Tak Falls was the most incredible waterfall I had ever experienced and the hiking trail that led back into the mountains and glaciers called to us… beckoning through the cool, glacial breeze that carried fresh, invigorating scents […]
Earthquake in Ridgecrest, CA
Phil told me moments ago that a 6.4 earthquake had hit the small, desert town of Ridgecrest, CA. We immediately thought of the sweet couple we had met at Sequoia National Park, Chris and Marissa, and were feeling very anxious for their safety. I never did get their last names but gave them a business […]
A MODERN-DAY DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Just a few short weeks ago, Phil and I had met an energetic, wonderfully friendly and outgoing young couple at our campsite in the Sequoia National Park who were from Ridgecrest, CA. Chris and Marissa, (unfortunately I did not get their last names), were visiting the Park with their daughter’s school to tour the caves […]
Badlands and Beyond, Part 12 – Yoho Nat’l Park, Canada
When camping in a van, the weather determines one’s motivation early in the morning. If I hadn’t had to answer the call of mother nature, I would’ve stayed in bed ’til noon! Unlike home, where all you have to do is walk downstairs to use the facilities… we had to get dressed, put on a […]
Badlands and Beyond, part 11, Canadian Rockies
To move, to breathe, to fly, to float… To gain all while you give… To roam the roads of lands remote… To travel is to live! – Hans Christian Andersen June 24, 2018 – We had been traveling for over three weeks now, and had seen the most spectacular landscapes I had ever witnessed in […]
Badlands and Beyond, part 10 – Canadian Rockies
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than they seek.” – John Muir Our second full day in Banff, Canada, and we woke up to drizzly weather… again. On the agenda was hiking Johnston Canyon and possibly taking on some other hikes in the area that were close to our campground. When we […]
A Dog for the Journey
To have a dog, or not… that is the question Phil and I have been pondering for quite some time. We look at their pictures on internet sites; cute, adorable, bundles of fluff and feel these little nippers pulling at our heartstrings, just begging to be held and cuddled. Both of us love dogs and […]
Banff Grizzlies
These beautiful grizzly bears were grazing along the Trans-Canadian Highway as we were returning to our campsite, after a glorious day spent hiking around Lake Louise. As one can imagine, the Trans-Canadian is a very busy highway with cars, and big semi-trucks cruising along at a good clip. When we first saw the grizzlies, there […]
A Note of Encouragement
“So this, I believe, is the central question upon which all creative living hinges: Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear After I had posted our first pictures of traveling to Yellowstone on Facebook, my great-aunt Myrna messaged […]
Badlands and Beyond, Part 9, Canadian Rockies-Banff
June 21, 2018– The day was starting off sunny and perfect! We were going to finally see the incredibly spectacular, Lake Louise, in Banff National Park. A place that I had wanted to visit for decades and was now able to check it off the ole bucket list! 😀 Lake Louise is world famous for […]
Badlands and Beyond, Part 8, Glacier Nat’l Park/Banff
June 19, 2018 – We needed to find a place to camp for the next night, so we decided to drive to Many Glacier to see if they had an opening. The drive there was so beautiful and we were able to secure a site at this very well-maintained campground with plenty of trees for […]
Badlands and Beyond, Part 7, East Glacier Nat’l Park
We woke up to overcast skies again on June 17, 2018, so we decided to pull stakes a little early and drive to the east side of Glacier in search of sunshine and drier weather. Arriving at St. Mary’s campground about noon, we called to cancel our reservations at Fish Creek. The park rangers swapped […]
Badlands and Beyond, part 6, GLACIER NAT’L PARK
West side Glacier is more forested and typically, has more precipitation. We woke up to cloudy skies but had a clear vision of where we wanted to explore on June 15, 2018. Kintla and Bowman Lakes are well known for their spectacular, pristine, mountain-studded waters that draw hikers and kayakers from all over the world. […]
Kayaking is Therapy
It doesn’t matter if I’ve had the WORST day ever. When I take that first paddle in my kayak, every bit of stress that I was feeling, whether it be physical, emotional or mental, fades away into the concentric ripples as I glide across the tranquil waters. I credit my Mom and Dad for introducing […]
June 2018 – Badlands and Beyond, Part 5 – GLACIER NAT’L PARK
June 13, 2018 – Phil and I had gotten an early start and cruised down the road, destination Glacier National Park, (in the future referred to as GNP). On the way through the Tower area of Yellowstone, we saw a black bear with three cubs, and then a lone black bear just west of Roosevelt […]
June 2018 Badlands and Beyond, Part 4, Last days in… YELLOWSTONE
June 11, 2018 – Woke up a little late for me… 8:00am. Not wanting to let the day slip away from us, we consumed our quick breakfast of cereal and coffee, then drove over to the showers. After spending some time at Canyon Village showering and then shopping at the Yellowstone Forever Store, we prepared […]
June 2018 Badlands and Beyond, part 3, YELLOWSTONE
JUNE 9, 2018 – I woke up to the mouth-watering aromas of sizzling eggs, bacon, and hot coffee. My husband is the BEST! ❤ We talked over our hiking options and decided that the closest trail to Canyon Village that looked interesting was the Ice Lake – Wolf Lake trail. The Ice Lake trail and […]
June 2018 BADLANDS AND BEYOND, Part 2, YELLOWSTONE
Before entering any of these five Yellowstone National Park entrances, North, Northeast, South, East, or West, learn from our previous mistakes and take note of the following photographing tips: Have three camera batteries fully charged Ensure the lenses are freshly wiped with a lens cloth Check to make certain a fully charged battery AND an […]
The Traveling Maiden 