Dance like no one is watching...or even in your way.

Lamb's and Neff's Canyon

Rain had come and gone and now it was time to check out the local canyons for fall colors.

 

Rain drops still bejeweled branches...

The rain had intensified the smell of autumn leaves in the air.

I still claim it is impossible to take a bad picture of aspen.

A close up photo of a single leaf sporting all the colors of autumn, with a tip silvered with rainy  droplet remains.

Lamb's Canyon was not at its peak...another visit will be had soon.

Last year I saw a moose there.

Wonder what I might find this year?

A bob cat has been sighted and removed from a school in my neighborhood and a cougar from Jeff's neighborhood.

This is unusual for our area.

I wonder why our wild cats are prowling in civilization rather than sticking to their usual wilderness?

Two miles up the road from my house: Neff's Canyon is colored up nicely.

With the low hanging clouds I have a mind that is both here in Utah and also in the Scottish highlands.

Blame the mixed mental geography on the television series "Outlander" with its richly filmed out doors scenes and lush costuming from both  the 1940s and 1740s.

Jamie and Claire...tartans and horses.

Claire and Frank....fedoras and vintage cars.

The fall colors provided a splendid backdrop to both fictional stories.

I take picture after picture while my mind provides background music:

 

 

"Sing me a song of a lass that is gone.

Say could that lass be I...."

Years ago I had read the Outlander books along with my daughter and mother-in-law.

In 2005 we three went to Scotland and visited Culloden where the Outlander series story line eventually lead.

We picked a restaurant there by chance, and were delighted to discover we were eating in the town which clan Fraser's (the main character's name) called home.

One of those memorable moments that will always be treasured.

Funny how one's mind actually can be in two places at once; Neff's Canyon, and Scotland as I remember it.

Or three settings, if I count the book/series setting too.

Clouds veiling fall colors is such a delight.

(Can't you just picture Highlanders coming over that ridge?)

The snow dusted mountains in the distance and birds alighting on the bare trees.

Bliss.

Just sharing my world with you.

Splish Splash

First bath time at Mim's house!

 

Now why did I not figure out that the baby tub that I used in our bathtub (on my knees, reaching over the side of the tub) when Luke was an infant actually fits perfectly in my kitchen sink?

It is so much easier to bath an infant while I am standing up!

The high gooseneck spray faucet head is just the thing for giving a shower bath to a three month old.

Using a fast shutter speed the shower droplets look like falling jewels on our little gem.

He certainly was fascinated.

"Hey, do ya mind?  I could use little privacy here please!"

He nearly zoned out.

So relaxed.

After the bath, in a clean pair of jammies Calvin holds hands with his Mim.

My brown eyed baby boy.

It is so good to have a baby-baby to hold and snuggle once again.

I treasure my Tuesdays and Wednesday with Cal.

Silver Lake, near Tribble Lake....

 A month has past since I last blogged.

Life has been mellow and hardly blog worthy; not a bad thing at all.

 But now....

Autumn has intensified its colors while leaving the temperatures in short sleeve wearing range.

The colors and the perfect weather: Time to go on a hike!

 

Luke, Jeff, Bernie and I drove down south to an area in view of Mt. Timpanogas.

We let Luke scamper around a bit before he was loaded into a back pack for a hike up into the mountains.

He selected a leaf and rock to hold.

I selected a perch where the sunlight and shadows would fall just right on his face.

"Show me your rock".

"Show me your leaf".

(Note his new fun lego themed fur lined ready for winter crocs...)

We were hiking through aspen groves, some of which had turned beyond the traditional gold to a rich orange and even red.

About collecting rocks: A big one would be better, right?

He was quite disappointed that we felt that particular rock was a tad heavy for carrying along on a hike.

Especially since both he and the rock would have to be carried on his father's back and shoulders!

The easy part of the trail.

My menfolk all in a row.

There is something nearly holy about every aspen grove in autumn.

 

The aspen ranged from still quite green to nearly finished.

 

I was not the least bit reluctant to take breaks as needed.

Sitting and looking,

looking,

looking...

I take in the scenery deeply.

Later Bernie and Jeff discussed how often they hike in conquer mode and really just see their feet on the trail, forgetting to look up and around them.

I reminded them that that was why I enjoy hiking with others who are doing photography.

We take our time and enjoy the view on the way more than arriving at the trail's end.

Playing in water with many small waterfalls was enjoyed in the pleasantly warm sunshine.

Jeff reminded Luke to be careful.

I reminded Jeff to be careful.

The endless role of a parent is to look after their child's safety.

Did Luke slip and get his bottom wet?

Of course.

In fact Jeff almost did too.

Smile.

Breathtaking views.

We kept saying wow....wow...wow.

Back down the trail we came and it was time for a lakeside lunch.

I would argue that there was not a restaurant any where in the world with a better view on this particular day.

Trees blushing red at their crowns.

Still photography does not do justice to the shimmering lake and shivering leaves about us.

Jeff brought his small propane fired grill, brats, sauerkraut and all the fixings for making a perfect autumn picnic.

We sat and ate and watched the occasional hiker come around the bend of the path.

We wondered at this view: Usually aspen begin their color change up high and the colors ease from green to yellow down to the valley floor.

Here the aspen green was up high and the yellow down below.

Patchwork colors with the red oaks nearly spent, muted due to rain and some snow the previous weekend.

No complaints from us.

In fact we just marveled at the beauty around us and agreed that living here was simply amazing right now.