Saturday, July 16, 2011

In Search of Wildflowers...

I absolutely LOVE the wildflowers you see in the mountains! 
In fact, the mountains have inspired many of the things I have planted in my yard. I wanted to replicate the feel of being in the mountains in my yard. I love this time of the year as I have so many pretty flowers blooming in my yard. 

I can't get enough of being in the mountains and back country.  
July 6th, 2011
I had another Wednesday where I did CHATS from home from 7-9 am and then we had the rest of the day off.  As usual the kids wanted to go on a hike.  
I was SO excited as this time of the year the flowers are absolutely gorgeous

However, it's been a strange year and in many places on our hike, it was barely spring with snow still melting, plants just starting to sprout up and we had to look hard to find many blooming flowers.   
Even though it wasn't what I was expecting it was another perfect day out in nature with my family!

We have driven the drive SO many times over to Driggs Idaho, that we have never taken the time to top and read this sign.    
We learned so many interesting things that we never knew before. 
AND we had the most stunning view shown below! 
This view is exciting as we are just a few short miles away from the trail head to start our hike up Teton Canyon.
I never tire of looking at the wonderful Teton Mountains.

CRAZY...
this is a photo someone took on June 29th 
of how much snow was up Table Mountain. 

And we're heading down the trail 
for a wonderful hike!

My three favorite people!

Cool rocks we enjoyed while eating lunch!

Jade is SO excited to be out hiking!  
He is passionate about hiking and backpacking and he gets us out doing things, even though sometimes we'd rather stay at home and work on projects. 
Anytime we ask him what we should do for the day or the weekend, we always hear the same response...
"I want to go hiking"!!

Tracy doing what he does best on the trail...
stopping to talk and visit with other hikers!


What...Snow in July!
We had NO idea we were going to come across these snow fields so low in the Canyon.
This was debris from an avalanche that happened this winter.  LOTS of fallen trees.
I love looking down the trail 
and seeing my family hiking along. 
Jade is always the leader and then Ethan and then Tracy and I am usually at the end snapping photos of scenery, flowers, rocks, mountains, sky and of course, my favorite subjects of all...
MY FAMILY!!

Loved the way the snow had melted 
and created this edge along the stream.

Stopping for a snack break...


Made it to the fork in the road...

Love this kid...he is SO much fun to hike with!
His smile and zest for life make me melt!

Spring time in the high country...
As you can see with the photos on the right, 
the trees are just starting to bud out.
Crazy!

Made it half way up to Devil's Stairs,
but it was getting late and 
so we took photos and then headed back down

I LOVE this guy...
I never tire of being with him! 
  
And we're headed back down...
more snow to cross.
Awww...
nothing more sweet than a little boy 
that wants to be just like his dad! 
The family that hikes together, 
stays together!

And down some more...
across streams, 
mud and more snow!
Such beauty...
blossoming Pussy willows, 
with snow in the background in the month of July.


ACTION and energy 
of a nine year-old Ethan Kip!
Gorgeous sky, green foliage, 
and more snow fields to cross yet again...

Ethan spied these cool plants growing on one of the rocks we saw. 
He begged me to take a photo of them. 
I have to admit, they are pretty awesome looking!


I am truly going to miss it  
when my boys are all grown up and I don't have these views to see as we hike along. 
Ethan and Tracy are best friends and wherever Tracy is...Ethan is!
Love the profile of my cute, FULL OF LIFE Ethan Kip. 
Sad he is growing up SO fast!
Finally at the end of the trail
after a 7.5 mile hike!
Did we find any flowers, 
you might ask? The answer is YES!! 
I savored and enjoyed each little patch of flowers we encountered on our wonderful hike in the mountains!
Absolutely Gorgeous!
Bye Bye Tetons...
we'll be back to see you again soon and enjoy more of the BEAUTY that you so abundantly offer!
The End!

4 comments:

Small House said...

Kimmie, The pictures are gorgeous. You are the hiking queen! Nope...a little snow doesn't stop you. Our family went hiking a few years ago, starting at Cub River and hiking over to Bloomington Lake. BELIEVE me, I was so happy when we ran into Huge snow mounds, and couldn't go any further. I was dead tired.

The boys went back a month later to hike the hike, leaving me at the camping trailer.

With that said, I have to hand it to you for being in such good shape and enjoying hiking.

Thanks for the beautiful pictures, enjoying the Tetons. They are gorgeous.
Sandra

CB said...

What a great post!
When all our kids were home and we did alot more hiking and camping than we do now I was always the one in the back snapping pictures as well, and my favorites are all the pictures of my kids with their Dad hiking on the trail. His arm draped around their shoulders and talking about life.
Such great memories and precious photo's!!

This hike looks so beautiful! It was a long, cold, snowy winter which makes it kind of fun to find snow now!!

Love your picture of the Tetons - Gorgeous!!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I love to be able to go through your older posts and see how those cute boys have grown!!!!
You totally scored going hiking on that weekend! Yikes! Snow!
Not ready for that already.

Love Love Love the picture of you getting caught taking a bite of your delicious looking sandwich!

You are the cutest!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Oh, and just so you know.....
this weekend while I was at work, I pulled out some of "Kimmie's applesauce muffins" out of the freezer, cuz I was trying to be "kimmiesuperwoman" and everyone LOVED them.
That was the only thing poor Dr. Miller got to eat all day long because we were so busy.
Nita (the one taking pictures at my photobooth) got on your blog and copied down the recipe.

You are everyone's hero.

AND you made me laugh with your comment worrying about your boys at the buffet table at the reception. I am so glad they were able to enjoy it and so so so happy that you came.