Random From 27255

It's been fairly quiet at 27255.

I haven't been sick for two to three years, but caught the flu and I almost died -- just kidding. I was sick for a little more than a week, and still have an icky cough and wheezing.

The Spring/Summer helicopter work season is shaping up very nicely. We'll be returning to Valdez for our third heli-ski season with H2O Guides.

An apple a day keeps the doggie happy.


Cierra's flu sympathy face.


My little blanket hog.


A cloudy morning.


Suki.


Fun with the water hose.


A wet dog is a happy dog.


My little lioness at the waterin' hole.


Blue sky whiskers.


Suki loves the water.


Suki is a pretty kitty. We miss Neko. We estimate Suki will be one year old mid-April.


Le meow meow.

"Oh, The Places You'll Go"

[Pause the MUSIC, on the right --->
Then play the video].

I LOVED THIS:

Hiking: Sunrise Mountain

3.6 miles.


Yesterday afternoon's moon.
(Which has nothing to do with today's hike, but I had to put it somewhere.)


It's still very warm, 80 degrees during the day.


Up we go.


A sunny afternoon.


A look back.


My pretty girl.


Looking back at the trail we came from.


A lot of good sniffs on the mountain.

Hiking: Thunderbird Park

Today my friend JJ and I hiked at Thunderbird Park. Cierra had the day off. We have very warm weather the first week of January with highs in the 80's.

A simple two mile loop with mild elevation gains.

New Years Resolutions

Photo credit: Bakerella

I don't normally make New Years resolutions.  I can do something good for myself or my family and I don't need to wait until January to make it happen.

This week, I made a list of resolutions, about a half dozen of the usual things, blah, blah, blah, and who cares.  I won't bore you with the details.

I want to share just one:

I will continue my journey to better health and wellness so that in the year 2013 I can become a living kidney donor. 

I'm doing this in honor of my mom, and others like her.

My mom was born with kidney disease.  She had one kidney removed in her late teens and is currently living with one kidney functioning at 30%.  She believes she can live out the remainder of her life with what she has, and hopes to avoid dialysis if possible.

My mom is my hero.

Seriously.

My mom is strong, she can run circles around me and I'm supposed to be the young, healthy one.

She has dedicated more than 20 years to taking care of retired, ill or elderly horses.  With her, they have a place to live their end days with love, comfort and dignity.  Every day she works HARD taking care of her horses, she currently has four.

I may not be able to donate to my mom, but in her honor, I can still share.  And, I will.  That is my most important resolution for the new year.

Hiking: Westwing Mountain

Today I took NK (neighbor kid) and Cierra (woof!) for a hike at Westwing Mountain.  We walked through the neighborhood for an easy warm up (I ate too many Christmas cookies), to hike from the back side of Westwing Mountain up and around to the front.  We also stopped by New River Dam so that NK could see what was back there (not a single drop of water). 

[Click on photos to see them enlarged]

Our tracks, 3.2 miles.

NK with Cierra.

I'm wearing my new Asolo's today. 

The East side of Westwing, from the Dam.

This rocky road heads downhill in to the desert near the New River Dam.

NK tossed a rock for Cierra and it landed in the bushes, she was retrieving her rock.

Scenery from the trail.

Best hiking dog.  Ever. 

Up we go.

One of Westwing's ridgelines.

Little Moo eating grass. 

Looking down on to New River Dam.

Me and she.

A pincushion cacti in bloom.

The ridgeline again.

Neat rocks. 

My pretty girl, coming back down the trail to check on me.

NK looking at one of Westwing's peaks that we've hiked in the past.

Looking down.  Someday that cul-de-sac will be filled with homes.

"You Are Here".  I hope to continue hiking 2 - 3 times a week in 2012, I may be here often.

Hiking: Lake Pleasant

Today I did a repeat hike of yesterdays Slot Canyon hike.

I took the littlest hiking buddies, and their daddy, JJ.

It was a relatively flat hike, except for where it wasn't.

We hiked about 1-1/2 miles.

Me, myself & I.  Cierra had the day off.

A little slot, in the slot canyon.

My friend JJ, peeling a cutie.

I told him I prefer my cuties to be tall, dark and handsome.

A cutie is a hybrid fruit that's a cross between a sweet orange and a Chinese mandarin.

JJ's son, Johnny.

Johnny really seemed to enjoy the hike - climbing, jumping, and the occasional pebble in his sock.

JJ's daughter, Emma.

Emma was awesome-possum on the hike.

JJ picked the place to stop for a snack and couldn't have picked a better place. I could see something up there...

Honeycombs =D