Sand Dunes

I have now been to the Great Sand Dunes National Park in all seasons and at different times of day. It fascinates me how each time has been different. This is what makes Photography interesting to me. No matter how many times you use the same subject matter, you can always find something different.

A Tree with a View

Hiking Mount Katahdin

Here are some pictures of our 5 and 1/2 hour ascent up Mount Katahdin. Its the highest point(5,270 feet or 1606 m) in the great State of Maine. It is either the starting or ending point of the Appalachian Trail. It was definitely the most difficult hike that I have been involved with. Only for the amount of boulders that we had to climb to reach the summit. I would definitely climb it again. I don’t have any pictures of our 6 1/2 hour descent do to the fact that  our descent was in the RAIN!!!

Stream Bed, Nope, It’s our Trail up to the top of Katahdin.

The Rocky Hunt Trail

Katahdin Stream

Paul scurrying up the Hunt Trail

A little break in the fog, but it didn’t last long.

A brief look at our surroundings, the break in the fog didn’t last very long.

Hiking a Foggy Appalachian Trail

Foggy ascent

The Crew at the Summit of Mount Katahdin. The end of the Appalachian Trail.

Looking back at the boulders we just climbed.

Looking back at what our ascent to that point had been. SO MANY BOULDERS!!!

Me at the top of Katahdin. Resting before our descent.

Ship Rock, NM

I spent yesterday in Farmington, NM. I was down there attending a class for my job. I had never been to Farmington before, and  I looked in a visitors guide to see what I could do. It recommended Ship Rock for some photo opportunities. I decided to check it out.

Fun With Sparklers…

For our Saturday night fun I had the girls play with some Sparklers, which were  leftover from the 4th. I was able to take some Long Exposure shots of them spinning and twirling around. I even jumped in on the fun. We had such a great time!!! Hope you enjoy!!!

This one was me wanting to get in on the action!!!

I like the ghostly effect of the girls in some of the pictures.

Small Town Living – Street Fair

Small Town has a street fair that is popular with EVERYONE every year. It is the one even where you are assured to see anyone and everyone. We live within walking distance of the venue so every year we invite people to bring their kids to the house and I paint their faces (because the face painting at the event is woefully inadequate and outrageously expensive.) Then we walk over and peruse the booths, get a turkey leg, pretend like we are pirates and leave, completely broke.

This year is an election year and we saw every candidate that was up for election handing out flyers and recruiting votes. It was very interesting. The republican booth was clear across the park from the democrat booth. However, everyone was in the middle of the park kinda hanging out and chatting. It was all very amicable.

It’s nice to see that however strongly people may feel about their politics, they can still interact kindly and just have a nice conversation.

Small Town Life – Circus Circus

Every year in the beginning of summer, the circus comes to Small Town. Because we are a small town, we get a small circus mostly staffed by Vegas show girls that haven’t gotten a break yet and ex convicts. However, it’s the Shriner’s and the proceeds go to fund children’s something or other and the kids love it so… we go. What else do we have to do here in Small Town America? This year the 4 yo opted out and the infant is just way to young to expose to the disease infested masses so it was just the 6 yo and me. As we are driving to the fair grounds, I notice the sky is looking dark.

We soldiered on.

There was a multi-animal bit where the miniest of mini horses escaped the ring and started to run off into the fields beyond Small Town. Better yet, it was running toward what looked to be farmer Brown’s horse yard where The Black Stallion was running like a mythical creature, tail in air. Pretty sure Mini horse thought he was going to run free with farmer Brown’s amazing beast… until he was chased around the field for half an hour and finally recaptured during the clown set… by the clowns. Seriously! The clowns actually saw Mini horse coming back toward the fair grounds and added into their little bit his recapture.

The whole show, a lady behind me insisted on using her smart phone to look up all the citations the circus had received and read each and every one loudly, putting more of a damper on the experience than the rain.

I wanted to deck her.

I didn’t.

Be proud of me.

 

This Oriental Trading Company horse was marked up 1000% to $15. I asked Abby to choose one thing and this is what she chose…even over snacks including cotton candy. I’m broke and pretty sure I should own an elephant after the tickets and this purchase.

 

Abby’s reaction to the clowns. She doesn’t do slapstick.

These guys are all over because it’s a Shriner’s event. What is with the hats?

This clown was giving away the only free thing at the circus, stickers. We got two.

This cotton candy was $5 a bag. I drew the line here. It’s sugar and I found a machine that came with the stuff to make the cotton candy at Walmart.com for $35. I’m actually thinking about getting it just for the summer as there are so many events at which they sell outrageously priced cotton candy, the thing would pay for itself in a week. I could add it to my birthday party stuff…

Here are a few of the ex-Dallas cheerleaders. No… Not really.

I was sooo happy to see that we were going to see tigers. After the horse show that I didn’t even take a picture of because it was just horses… going around in circles, I was concerned.

Pretty sure this guy stole this piece of equipment from Cirque du Sole. The most awesome part of his act was to walk on the apparatus with a blindfold. I was just glad he didn’t die. It did not look effortless. Just sayin’.

Who knew all that Hoola Hooping in the 80s would turn into a career?

This ladies only job during the elephant show is to advertiser her plastic surgeon. “He do amazink verk, no?” Best part was when all the elephants were lined up and the one right behind her sneezed (an elephant sneeze is basically a shower of water and snot) right on her back. To her credit, her smile never wavered but her teeth clenched a little and the trainer laughed hysterically.

This trick wins best in show. Having just been pregnant for 9 months, the fact that they are willing to lay down knowing they are going to have to return to a standing position is AMAZING! I should know.

Two things about this photo: 1. You are seeing me only 3.5 weeks after having a baby IN A PHOTO! Be proud of me. This is not how I want to be immortalized in your reading mind, however, my daughter wanted to take the picture and had acquiesced to my many photo requests that it was only fair. 2. Seeing that I have cotton candy in hand, you may notice that this is at the end as we were leaving but that in no way was the reason this clown looked, shall we say, HARD UP! We took the picture just so we could show you all the reason coulrophobia is a real thing.

After the show, the ring master asked if anyone wanted FREE COTTON CANDY? Abby nearly had a heart attack. HOW DO WE GET THIS FREE COTTON CANDY? They handed out trash bags and said kids could trade a full trash bag for cotton candy. She picked up trash… voluntarily… in the rain. I made her bring the cotton candy home and wash her hands with the most stringent stuff we could find before she was allowed to eat it. I only made her share a little with the 4 yo. Best part of the circus for me was seeing her connect the fact that she had worked for something and actually getting it in her hand.

 

Snapshots

Looks like she is Ready for a Tough Mudder

Our Little GoofBalls

Footprints in the Sand

A good Mud Toss

Sand Dunes in Black and White

Enjoyed an afternoon at our Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Four Year Old Fashion plus Fishing

Pine Cone & Frost

Purple Aster