Thursday, July 28, 2011

Horseshoe falls Niagara Canada



A second look at posting from my Droid.

I love this video.  My buddy Ravi has an even better one.  You can actually see into the water, and get an idea of the massive amount of water falling over the falls.   The drop is about 170 feet and on the Canadian Horseshoe side, it's about a 1/2 mile across.  Imagine 6 million cubic feet of water every minute.  Yes, every minute.  One fifth of all fresh water in the world is in 4 Great Lakes.  Huron, Superior, Michigan and Erie.  The outflow of those lakes all goes over Niagara falls.  Amazing.


Sunday, July 17, 2011

Half Dome at Yosemite California

Here we are on the ascent up the Steps, or Switchbacks.  It's the last bit of climb before Half Dome.  Yes, there were rangers checking permits, and said they're there every day, all day to limit the route to 400 climbers a day.  I can see why.  Pictures don't to show how steep, how exposed and how long the Cables section is.  It's an upper body workout to pull yourself up.  Yikes!

More to come.  Great hike with super nice guys.  Great day... :-)

 Does this help?  It's well, a half dome, so you're climbing up a sphere.  Pretty much, if you lose grip, or slip or fall, it's lights out.  We arrived around 10:30-11am, and started at the trailhead at about 5:30-6am.

 That's us climbing by Misty Falls.   It's a good name for this one.  We were soaked.

 Sagebrush.
 Huge run off, making all the falls and river roaring big.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Italian Zucchini and Summer Squash

The harvest is coming in.  I haven't been around much so things got away from me.  I've been catching up, including cooking huge batches of white and red Chard and all the squash.  Love summer mmmm. 
Jib jab
Note Italian zucchini is so much better than the dark green we are used to. Its got a mild nutty flavor.  Great small and even huge. You can identify it by the variegated green skin and it is ribbed


Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Grandkids

That's mom in the middle, and her grandkids.  Starting from top left, Sarah, Kallie, Moira, Bottom left, Emil, Patrick, Mom, Chris, Lauren.

Yes, there was some work getting the previous shot together.  Lauren is getting some help from her aunt Kathy, and Sarah to get her hair ready, and Kallie is enjoying her older cousin, Moira, while her father strums the guitar.  A sweet percussion guitar, I think it's called.  See mom lurking in the back?

Cousins, Kallie, Sarah, and Lauren.  Lewis in the background...  Did I mention Lauren is wearing Sarah's dress and vice versa?

 Kallie, Lauren and Uncle Tim

Pinkie.  I think the CL is Clear Lake.  Not sure about the EO, but 55, well, is '55.  She said she bought it new, but just repainted it, in original colors.


Love the cottage, and plenty of Tiger Lillies. 

Typical

Chevy, 62 Bellaire I think.

The parade down Main Street.

We the People, squeezing a little campaigning into the parade.

Ferris Wheel

King and Queen

 Yep, it is.  Newt and his wife made an appearance.

Dodge Dart or Challenger?

Challenger

No messin around. 



Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Monday, July 4, 2011

Happy 4th of July!!

Lauren and Chris ready to be on the CL Tel float. 

Ferris wheel.  

Family

Tri-tow





Sunday, July 3, 2011

Clear Lake, Iowa

We made it!  We got in last nightca around 1:30am. Still lots of people walking the streets. We were in a Chevy commercial.  

Surf ballroom. Buddy Holly. Nuf said

This is heartland.

Corner drug ang fountain closed Sunday.





Saturday, July 2, 2011

Houston- We Have a Problem

It's thunderstorms but still about 90 degrees in the plane. We're stranded on the runway 'until this passes '. 

First time to Houston.   Hmmm.

I guess we are an hour and a half delayed so far. No word yet but the latest photo shows clearing in the distance.



Summer Harvest

Enjoying the garden and the kids.  Hard to believe its July but the garden doesn't lie. Moira and Christian enjoying their last summer pre-college. Patrick turns 16 in 2 weeks