Jacob, a Canoe and Some Bicycles

Because it takes me so much time to create a post, I've decided to take a new approach to blogging. Instead of trying to catch up on all that has happened in the past couple of months and get even further behind, I'm going to try to alternate recent occurrences with flashbacks to the past. Because this is our family history, I don't want to miss a thing!

Our son, Jacob, came to visit last week. Although I'm not so sure we were his main motivation for the visit (there was a friend's wedding reception which brought several other friends into town), we were excited to have him spend a few days with us.

Jim and Jacob had quite the adventure one day canoeing on the Snake River. At one point, their attempts to maneuver around a rock in the middle of a rapid failed and they hit it head on. Jacob flipped out of the canoe and onto the rock. Then the canoe flipped on top of him. I guess Jim had already fallen out. Overturned canoe and crew continued to drift down the river at full speed through some fairly rapid currents. I got the impression that they experienced several intense moments before they were finally able to get to the shore with the canoe. Luckily only a few bruises were sustained and everything but one tube of sunscreen recovered. The rest of the canoe trip proved uneventful. After reaching their destination, Jacob rode his bicycle for eleven miles, uphill, in the hot sun to retrieve the car and trailer. What an experience!

Cami and I got to join Jim and Jacob for the bicycling event on Bennett Mountain the next day. I drove the relief vehicle and took photos. They rode their bicycles for about 30 miles.

They started their ride at what appeared to be the top of the mountain.

They soon came to the realization as they continued to ride uphill for several miles that they had not started at the top. Thank goodness for the relief vehicle! As we continued on our journey, we encountered a herd of sheep,

were awestruck by amazing vistas,

and even herded some cattle encountered along the way.

I enjoyed trying to find interesting sights to photograph as I slowly traveled along behind.

We stopped to rest at an inviting oasis.

We celebrated the end of the ride at Three Island Crossing State Park with a picnic.

Jacob's visit inspired some grand adventures as well as some belly busting laughs around the dinner table just like the old days. Thanks for giving us some of your time, Jacob!

Flashback to Buenos Aires, First Impression

When our plane landed in Buenos Aires on March 5, the rain was pouring down--buckets of rain! The drenching rain continued for several hours and so, not surprisingly, we spent the first afternoon exploring our hotel, The Sheraton Buenos Aires. To appease our rumbling tummies before our self-guided tour, we stopped for a snack in the hotel lobby. We thought we ordered a chef salad and were pleasantly surprised when we got a four course meal (none of it even faintly resembled a chef salad). On our tour of the hotel, we discovered an indoor pool which was accessed by a walkway covered by a glass roof. There were towels placed on the floor in strategic positions to keep the puddles created from the leaks in the roof from spreading across the floor. The pool facilities were more than adequate with dressing room, robes, slippers, showers, lockers, big fluffy towels and scented candles. The pool itself was crystal clear and delightfully warm. We couldn't resist a relaxing dip in the pool.

We met Jim's business associates for dinner at an Argentine steakhouse. Argentina is famous for it's beef. I don't think I have ever seen so much beef in one place as we saw grilling on the wood fire in the restaurant's front window.

Our host ordered plenty of grilled meat appetizers to fill us up. The plate of grilled vegetables Jim and I shared was the perfect side. After dinner, we walked along Puerto Madero. We were impressed by it's beauty at night.

It turned out to be a cool evening. I was thankful for my new shawl from Chile.

Two more days in Argentina! I couldn't wait for the next adventure.

Some of the Reasons We've Been Loving Our Backyard Lately

Our brand new strawberry patch (on the left),

our flourishing lettuce patch with the best lettuce ever,

the flowing-over-the-rock-wall phlox,

glorious tulips of almost every color,

an exotic plant that we've waited to see for years but don't remember what it's called,

lots of colorful perennials,

blossoming fruit trees,

and last, but certainly not least, the lilacs with their fabulous scent.

Today I'm watering the yard and am enjoying each and every sight and smell. How I love spring!