Adventures in Colorado Springs...

The conference at Focus on the Family is what took us to Colorado Springs.
What a blessing it was!

Al with the Cog Train on Pike's Peak

We have never been this high elevation without an airplane!

The Garden of the Gods was donated to the city so everyone could enjoy them.

Al at the Balancing Rock

Al pushing the rock over! YIKES!

Condos in the rock! Interesting historical stop.

The common kitchen in the center of the units.

 Al visited Colorado Springs and Pike's Peak when he was a boy and his dad was stationed at Fort Carson in the early 50's. He remembered going up the mountain with his folks and always wanted to go back.

We have never been to Colorado in all our travels, so when we learned of the Pastors and Spouses conference there, we decided we would definitely visit the mountain again.

We rode the COG train to the top after the conference was over. The train traveled at a top speed of 8.5 mph and took an hour each way. The air is so thin we were getting dizzy. We took many pics from the ride and learned so much history of that mountain! What a delightful outing!

The Garden of the Gods was filled with interesting rock formations. Beautiful handiwork of God on display there!

The cliff dwellings are something I have always wanted to visit, so we stopped in for an hour and explored in the homes of the rock. We saw a common kitchen with shelves, loft bedrooms and brick and mortar walls that were perfectly level, per the people who studied these homes. It, too, was exciting to see. I'm so glad we went.

Al climbed into the "cleft of the ROCK"

As we explored the rock garden, Al discovered a cleft in a rock and climbed in it. Safe to the Rock that is higher... a safe place to be!

Rainier scrapping...

Sure do love this new camera! Loving the results of a good shutter and glass!

It's posted online at Scrap Girls RAINIER.

Sunshine and shadows... a lovely warm day in February!

On the way to the Gregson house, I stopped to take this pastoral shot near their home. SWEET!

Last time I tried to get this shot, my memory card was not in the camera, but in the computer at home! Finally! I think this is "brothers" on the Olympic range. I love this view!

Another view of the range from Silverdale, WA.

My trip Tuesday

We went on a "photo expedition" Tuesday morning in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. Here are a few shots I took for bulletin covers.

And I took this photo inside the car of the temp outside... brrrrr! I did not wear warm enough clothing and spent lots of time in the car!

Later we went to an arboretum on campus where we are staying and I got some lovely shots of flowers and water plants.

And... we saw a MOOSE FAMILY... well, statues of moose!

Its been a great trip, all in all! More later!

More adventures with a walking stick...

What a day today was! After breakfast we headed up the mountain to see if we could make it to the top, and also look for my missing glasses. No glasses were found, but we DID make it to the flat camping area near the top of the mountain!

The mountain we climbed from the street view. [below]

The view of the street from the camping area.

And here is the promised video of deer photographed from our deck one morning.

We got some fantastic photos and will post more after our return home.

We are ready to go home... see you soon!

Mountain climbing...

Today, St Pat's Day, the two preachers climbed "Silly Mountain". As he left, we noticed he was wearing green... quite by accident. (Me, too, also by accident). This photo is halfway up and the other was taken at the top.

End of the trail, the TOP, with a view of Apache Junction behind him.
And at the top resting with Bro Andy Wirtz below.

AZ SUNRISE... WOW! SO worth the wait!

Its coming up...

Not quite here...

Ah... NOW we are seeing daylight! AWESOME!!

Tree huggers of AZ... UNITE!

Having a wonderful time in the sun! Wish you could have been here! (WHY did we wait so long to come?)
Bro Andy says hello to the Hughes daughters.

Warm OUTSIDE?? Nice CHANGE of events!

After a LONG day at the airport yesterday we finally arrived at our motel in Apache Junction AZ and were in bed by midnight. We had no idea of the surprise awaiting us on our awakening! The sun was coming up over the Superstitious Mountains right outside our window! (I will get a photo tomorrow, but could not get dressed and outside early enough today.

But when we got to church we saw this beautiful mountain and cactus across the street from church!

After church, Bro Andy took this shot of us in front of the mountain, and we got a photo of him and his wife, Traci, in front of their little church. They are doing a great job here!