The Trip Home

This is one of my very favorite drives and I love the Southwest. I took a picture of Sleeping Ute Mountain while driving. It's not the best angle to show it, but it really does look like a sleeping Indian chief. I have stared so many times at this mountain and it still amazes me that a mountain could have such resemblance to life.

Emily thinks she can go anywhere because Scott always gives her a ride.
We should all be so lucky to have an older brother carrying us through life.

The area from Monticello to Moab to Crescent Junction always reminds me of the book Death Comes for the Archbishop by W. Cather. This is Wilson's arch.


OK, I love the drive but 20 hours in the car does kill me.

The Cattle Drive

Here a just a few images of the annual trek my father takes to move his cattle to the summer range. It takes 3 large trucks to move the herd from Durango, Colorado to the high mountains in New Mexico between Tierra Amarillo and Taos.



After the cows are unloaded and the horses and cowboys are ready, the cattle drive begins....This is my older brother, Vaughn, one of the few working cowboys in attendance.

Three of my brothers, Jay, Vaughn and Rex. Clark is busy in podiatry school and missed the cattle drive this year.

My brother-in-law Darren - we were missing Matt and Jerry - the other mugglebloods.


Grandpa and a few of his grandkids.

Some of the cowboys and cowgirls.








Here is the cabin built by my grandfather. We used to stay (sleep and cook) here until about 10 years ago. Isn't this beautiful?

The view from the cabin.

My sisters (we are missing Stephanie)from the left Kelly, Lucy, Peggy, Bekki, me and Patty.

Did you expect anything else?




The whole gang minus a few photographers.

Off to Colorado

On Saturday night we left San Francisco about 11pm and began our journey (me and the kids) to Durango to visit my family. We wanted to be there by Monday morning so we could join in on the cattle drive. We considered driving through the night but found that we were too tired. Unfortunately, we had a hard time finding a place to spend the night and ended up in the Foothills Motel......formerly known as the Bates Foothill Motel. You know you are in trouble when you walk in and find the bathroom torn apart and tools still laying on the floor. Believe me, we checked the shower to make sure no one was hiding in it waiting to attack us in the night. When we crawled into bed in the early morning hours, exhausted, we were quiet for about 2 minutes and then Karin and I both started giggling and couldn't stop. Oh well, so much for a good night's sleep.

On Sunday, we drove ALL DAY and arrived in Durango at 2:00 am just 7 hours early for the cattle drive.

Day Seven or Scott's Birthday

Yes, this is how all sixteen year old boys look on the morning of their birthday.

The day started out rainy and blustery, so everyone enjoyed a little time in a good book. Matt is reading Dead Man's Walk, Molly - The Help, Karin - The Truth About Forever, Scott - The Grapes of Wrath, Douglas - Fablehaven, Thomas - Fablehaven, Emily - The Orange Birthday Balloon.



We returned to Tunnels Beach for OK snorkeling and a rainshower, we visited a cave and enjoyed driving around the island.




We ended the day with a birthday dinner at Roy's.




Happy Birthday Scott!!

Day Six

Today was for hanging out at the beach and swimming pool. Here are some pictures of the cousins.

Madison

Camille

Laura

I noticed Andrew wasn't getting a lot of photo opportunities, I guess you have to play in the waves to get attention. Today, that happened as he was quietly resting in his "tent" a wave came all the way up the beach and splashed all over him. You can see that he was extremely good-natured about the whole thing.

Here is Emi with dad in the ocean and cousins in the pool.


Hey, an evening out with Ganon and Jennie, what could be more relaxing and delicious?