I may be old...but I'm not blind.

Hike #7  Ice Box Canyon

I have mixed emotions about this hike...it was a "love it/hate it" hike.  But it's  90% loved it.

It was beautiful...the spring flowers were out in all their glory.


Bouldering through the canyon...magical.

I'm sure Steph got tired of hearing me say "Oh...this is gorgeous."
But it was.

There was some challenging "bouldering"  through the canyon.

Usually Steph would take the quick but gutsy route

 ...me, I always chose the longer but safer route...

Until we got to the last 200 feet... 

I knew better...but I caved in to peer pressure and followed Steph.

(besides, there was another couple all ready up at the end...and they didn't look like the "extreme sport" types.)
And long as I didn't look up....and I didn't look down.

As long as I didn't think about it ...I could stay calm and not freak out.

Problem...
As soon as I got to the end...I realized what I had climbed up...

Now I had to get down and I was starting to feel the "panic" rise. And I knew I had to get down NOW!

When the before-mentioned couple started their descent, I knew I had to follow right behind...keeping the thought "if she can do it I can do it".    I zipped through the first "gut wrenching" section with the "don't-look-down"  mind set.

As the before-mentioned couple were pondering the best way to get down the second steep rock face...I chose my route and went for it.  About a third of the way down I realized I needed help and panic was coming on...

 Now let's back up this story just a bit.
It just happened that we had arrived at this last challenging section of the climb at  the same time as two other hikers with their little chihuahua dog "Tank".  Not that it matters...but these two guys were like
"I-just-want-to stare-at you" specimens of the male gender... young, shirtless,  tan and ripped.  
We had chatted with them briefly and laughed at Tank's antics.   That little dog would just trot up anything and at one point the "tan-est and buff-est"  fellow scooped him up before he jumped off something that was a bit too high and said ..."Tank, don't be a hero."  Which made Steph and I laugh since that phrase has become a Tobler family slogan.
All six (7 counting Tank)  of us were at the top together and we all chatted a bit.   Then the two "buff guys" started down ...followed by "the couple"... followed closely by me.   Steph wanted to wait until everyone had left to make our descent...just in case it was going to be embarrassing.   Not me...at that point I didn't care about being embarrassed...I just wanted to get DOWN. NOW!


Now back to the story...at this point I'm clinging to the rock face and I'm "losing it"...my nerve and my footing.   I'm not sure if  "buff guy" noticed my predicament or if I yelled.."ahhh...excuse me" (Mr. buff guy.)
But he said "...do you need some help? "   Me:   "Ahhh...YES...and could you hurry I'm slipping!"

So Mr. Buff-est guy hands Tank to the other buff guy and races back up the rock face to help the old lady down.

Picture doesn't look as high as it really was.

  Then he showed the rest a better way to go down.  The other girl went next.  Mr. Buff Guy said "Don't worry, I won't let you fall" to her. She believed him because she  fell/ flew/jumped the last six feet into his arms. Then came Steph.  Mr. Buff guy probably would have really liked to have helped Steph, but gutsy Steph slid down that hill like it was fun.

Picture doesn't look as steep as it really was!

  Mr. Buff guy even stayed positioned to help the last fellow (with the bad knee) down if need.
Then off the "Buff Guys" went down the trail.  The next we saw them they were scaling the face of a jagged cliff...with Tank under one arm.

Happy Birthday to...

 

someone we really love.

We call her the Alpha daughter-in-law

 

because she was the first one brave enough 

to join this family of boys.

She's really smart

She's the family lawyer

She loves learning

...relaxing always includes a good book.

She also loves to bake.

But says she hates to do it cuz she loves to eat.

But she doesn't need to worry cuz she loves to run

and exercise.

She's pretty handy too.

And she's pretty good at a lot of things.

She's a good mom. 

to two of our really cute grandkids.

Happy Birthday Kimberly

 

We love you.

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Found a treasure.

Gotta love those yard sales.
Last week Steph and I went yard sale-ing ...as usual.  And as usual, I'm watching for good old sewing machines for next to nothing.   Especially since I had advised someone that their old singer had broken (plastic) gears, that it wasn't worth fixing and that I would watch for a machine for her.
 
So I spot this little sewing machine and ask "how much?'    $5.00.  [Hmmmm.. something must be majorly wrong with it].   "Can I plug it in?"   As I pick it up I notice that  the slide-off plastic part on the bed didn't sit flat to the machine and the back leg of the machine had been broken off. [poor baby...it's been dropped]  It ran a little sluggish but sounded okay. [probably only good for a boat anchor...but I can get $5.00 worth of parts off of it]
So I buy it.

Wednesday while I was cleaning a friend's serger...

[I love taking apart sewing machines]
I decided  I would look at my "little boat anchor" and get the parts off it.  But first I'd see if I could get it to sit straight..so I took a hammer to the front leg [it's already cracked].  Now the crack is a little bigger...but it sits level.   I opened it up [poor baby...somebody oiled you cheap oil that solidified]   All metal parts [my heart is happy].  Then I noticed there are no signs of wear...no needle dings in the needle plate, no pin scratches on the bed.  Wiped off... this little machine shines like new.   Cleaned it up. Oiled up.  It purrs.  [actually better than my sewing machine...hmmm].
Next I took my dremel  [yes, I got my dremel at a yard sale for a dollar : )] to the back where the leg is broken off and smooth away any rough edges that might snag fabric.    Now I'm trying to think of a way to replace that missing back leg.

But for now this nice little plastic lid under the free-arm totally stabilizes it.  No one sees it.   You forget it is even there [okay...it will probably be it's permanent fix].

Steph sewed on it Thursday [daughter-in-law training day : ) ]
She loves it.  

Sorry Sydney... maybe I'll find a sewing machine for you at the next yard sale....but this little baby is staying in the family.

A new Buddy.

Meet Buddy.

Up until 36 hours ago Buddy hated us.   We were the enemy...the intruders in his life. Then Buddy's worst fears came to be...his family went on vacation and left him with the enemy!

It took Buddy a 40 minute drive from Boulder City and five minutes in the door to became Karl's new best friend.

His name should be Shadow...he is always within three feet of Karl.

The first night Buddy slept in his kennel just fine.
Night #2   that was too far away from his new buddy and Karl is a softy for an unhappy Buddy.  So we tried putting Buddy where he is use to sleeping...on our bed.   That wasn't to Buddy's liking either.   At 1:30 am I found Buddy and Karl asleep. One on each couch.   Buddy had the better blanket and I had our king-size bed all to myself all night.

When Karl took a shower Buddy stood on the tub edge watching Karl.  Until his caught a glimpse of the dog in the mirror.  Then the "guard-dog" kicked in and raced around barking...success... other dog couldn't be found.

Karl left for early meetings at church and Buddy searched the house for him.  Then he settled in to a mild state of depression next to me.

Poor Buddy...

he's even starting to act like Karl.

Hike # 6 LaMadre Springs

Another windy day in Vegas.
We left for this hike wondering if we would fighting the wind again.
No wind in the canyon.
It was perfect hiking weather.

Check our start time...watch gone. Bummer.
The band broke again...the watch was not to be found.
Farewell to my favorite 17 year old watch with the broken crystal.

Hiking into what we call  "the lone and dreary world".
 But even that is beautiful...in it's own way.
Maybe I've lived in Vegas too long : )

Least favorite part of this hike...

hiking on "ankle twisting" loose rock called a gravel trail.

  The remains of a home from days gone by?

Makes ya' wonder...Here?  How?  Why?

Favorite part.

The springs
 
Beautiful.


We followed the Springs up until the trail disappeared and going further meant a steep climb up a rocky mountain.  We turned around and headed back.
 
As we stopped to take more pictures a couple of  female hikers caught up to us also headed by back to the trail head. We had never passed them nor seen them at  the trail end.
Mystery...where did they come from?
So we asked.
They had hiked on up the steep rocky mountain to a rustic structure (cabin?)  and  a couple of mines and a view well worth the climb.
We stopped 10,15, maybe 20 minutes short of the finale.

That just give us a reason to do La Madre Springs again,

It was...as always...a fun adventure.