Valdez Glacier Explorations

 There was a lot to explore in this lake.  We were not sure what would be safe, and we were very cautious.  After a while, we met a tour group near the glacier.  The group was kayaking deep into the fjords and the tour guide was friendly.  She approached us and suggested we go looking for some of the ice caves that were nearby.  She told us where to go. 

 

First Day on the Road to Alaska

 The first day of our road trip to Alaska and back, we traveled 600 miles from Billings to Banff, Canada.  We hoped to find a campsite in the National park, but all that was available was the Overflow camping.  It was just fine - we were happy to have a place to park our rig and catch some sleep.  We had dinner in the quaint little town of Banff, at a Mexican place and drove up to the overlook above town where we chanced to meet this handsome Stone Sheep.  It was remarkably warm this day - in the 90's in the Canadian Rockies.  The date was June 27, 2015.

Yellowstone River Afternoon

Petrified Wood from the Yellowstone River Banks

 

This is one of the nicer specimens of petrified wood that I picked up on the river bank.

We had a lot of fun being out that day!

Yellowstone River Time

 The Yellowstone River is a great place for an outing on a warm early spring day.  We headed east about 30 miles from Billings to the Captain Clark Fishing Access, where we explored the river banks for agates and petrified wood.

Old Barns

Abandoned Farmstead Visit

Visiting and Old Farmstead

Leaning Barn

I can hardly believe this building is still standing.

Old Montana Farmstead

 We recently visited the Captain Clark fishing access on the Yellowstone River.  The access is large and includes an abandoned farmstead.  We were curious, so we took a self guided tour.

Deck Shadow Inspiration

The morning sun on the deck at my sister's Mexican home caught my eye.

Another Amazing Sunset in Mexico

Colorful Mexican Pottery!

 We love shopping for colorful glass, pottery and rugs in Mexico (above).  This year, I decided to bring back a variety of small plates (7" diameter) in every pattern I could find.  I found nine different designs, shown here (below), but I purchased a dozen, so there are some duplicates.  I think they will be fun to use for appetizers or for desserts.

Tamale Vendors on the Beach

On weekends, the tamale vendors come around on the beach with their wares to sell.  My favorite is the two grannys who come with tamales and burritos, piping hot in a cooler.  Yum!

Sunset at Puerto Penasco

I will try not to bore you with sunset photos......I took a lot of them.  We walked the beach every evening at sunset in order to photograph the drama.  I have hundreds of photos from those walks.  The colors change so quickly at sunset on the beach!

Pelican Parade in the Sky

 At sunset, as the tide was starting to go out, the pelicans would begin migrating east to the nearby estuary, where they would find easy fishing. 

Bougainvillea in Puerto Penasco

Bougainvillea were blooming in many of the yards in Puerto Penasco.  Such a glorious sight for us in late winter!

Beach Walk at Dusk

This is a picture of Joe on our first beach walk of this visit.  We arrived in the afternoon, and after settling in, we went out on the beach at low tide as the sun was setting. 

Foggy Morning in Mexico

As I mentioned last Friday, we are recently returned from an extended visit to Puerto Penasco, Mexico.  This is the first morning view from the deck of my sister's house on the beach.  The Sea of Cortez is hidden from view behind the fog, which didn't stay long - it is rare to see fog like this here.  Joe and I were able to spend 10 glorious, peaceful days there!  More pictures to come!

Mexican Sky

We have recently returned from an extended trip to Arizona and Mexico.  My sister owns a beautiful vacation home on the shores of the Sea of Cortez, just 60 miles south of the Arizona border.  Joe and I were fortunate to be able to spend 10 glorious winter days there, soaking up the sun, sand, sea, and sky.  It is a true vacation, with no Internet, no TV, no phone service, and the natives speak Spanish, so verbal communication is limited.  Here is a picture of the sky on our second day.  I will post some of my favorite photos from the trip here over the next few weeks.