Gal Pal Time

Reflections . . . on a lake and a fine trip with friends.

It's September - a lovely time to be up in the mountains.

Along with some delightful gal pals, I hung out at a cabin
in the mountains of Southern Utah for four days.

We ate on plates which we each designed during last year's getaway.

Sometimes we could be just a bit goofy:


Sometimes we simply hung loose:

And then there were issues requiring our solidarity . . .

and Lynnie + Janet's quilting skills:


There couldn't have been a prettier place for a cabin.

The general area is called Duck Creek Village.
The cabin goes by the name of . . .


Here's the view from the back porch:

Can you see the early morning frost on the benches?

Aspen Mirror Lake is situated just beyond the grove of trees in the above shot.


I rather think it should have been named Pine Mirror Lake,
but who asked me ?
And how can I quibble over such details when the MIRROR part of the name was so RIGHT ON?

The lake was particularly awe-inspiring
as the day advanced to evening, and again, as the night transitioned back to morning


Dawn was my favorite time of day to be there,
because the early rays of sunlight captured the mists rising from the water.

My friends snoozed during those sunrise moments.

But several of them joined me for a moonlight hike around the lake.

No photos of that night. It was a whole different sort of magic.

Even the mid-day hikes were delightful.


One never knew what surprises would present themselves around the bend.

The deer on the right seemed to acknowledge the human presence with a turning head,
silently saying"It's okay. I'll share my home with you."

Or, at least, that's what I'd like to believe.

Gallavanting

I've been traveling . . .

Ohio, Illinois, and the mountains of Southern Utah since my last post.

These three whippersnappers were the reason for my nine days in Ohio.

My dear daughter Leah and her husband were taking their first trip ALONE

since their 8-year-old daughter was a baby.

Working as certified fitness instructor for two hours daily

landed her an almost FREE vacation at a 5-star resort in the Yucatan.

They loved snorkeling in the Caribbean waters. You can see more shots of their trip HERE.

Can you tell that she's six months pregnant with her fourth child?

Other monkey business was going on back in the U.S.A.
while Grandma Ginger took 'front lines' their children.

An hour at the local pet store was OUR

5-star excursion!

No. I didn't get them a puppy. After all, they are getting a baby in three months.

Good thing these kids are used to having a 'Quiet Time' in their rooms every afternoon,

helping children and adults (esp. grandmas) to decompress.

A brilliant idea, Mommy Leah!

Miss Avery in Quiet Time

These little gals love SELF EXPRESSION in all forms!

Furthermore, they inspired me,

because I could see evidence of the conscientious parenting behind the scenes.

PROMISE: The next two posts will not be focused on grandchildren. I'll be sharing some choice shots from my other adventures. Stay tuned. Here's your sneak preview:

Illinois (Shore of Lake Michigan):

Aspen Mirror Lake in Southern Utah: