Sunday, August 21, 2011

Heaven on Earth! (2011)


What is heaven on earth you ask?  
To me, 
Heaven on Earth looks something like...
 this , this
this and THIS!!  
(you can click on "this" to see previous years FUN)

Heaven on Earth 
means having a few days 
without kids to spend with my sweetie! 

What a blessing these moments in time are, because facts are facts...
children grow up, graduate, and move on and 
 someday it will just be Tracy and I again.
SO, these precious times of the year, where it is just the 2 of us, are cherished and greatly  looked forward to, where we can enjoy one of our passions, that of of being out in nature together.

Each year, we always do some kind of backpacking trip
as we LOVE backpacking and being in the high country SO much! 

This year we decided to head out on a trail 
that we knew nothing about.  
A really nice man that we met on our Alaska Basin trip told us about this trail and we decided to give it a try. WOW, what amazing and gorgeous country we saw and we were SO thrilled that it connected up with a part of the Teton Crest Trail.

August 11th and 12th 2011

And we're headed off ...
 at this point of the day, we're not sure where the trail will take us, 
but, as usual, we're  EXCITED to see gorgeous country and have yet, another night of 
sleeping in our tent, seeing the sights, hearing the sounds, smelling the smells and enjoying each and every moment that the back country has to offer! 

(albeit the photo below of Tracy placing his hand by a bear track that we saw in the first 1/4 mile of the trail had me a little nervous, but we didn't encounter any other tracks, or see one bear sighting either...WHEW! What a relief!)
Stopping to enjoy some cucumbers and apples for a snack (yummy), while Tracy gets out his map so we can plan our route

This is why they call this the "Moose Creek" trail, as you can the moose that down in the bright green colored marsh. 
The fluorescent green color of the water was breath-taking!

Dehydrated bananas provided LOTS of energy 
and fresh mountain stream water was refreshing!

Can you say COLD!!
The snow run off was SO much that there was no physical way to cross this stream without taking off our boots, putting on our "Crocs", rolling up our pants and wading across it!
This is the Canyon of Moose Creek Falls
WOO HOO!!! 
We were SO excited when we found a sign that was part of the Teton Crest Trail! (truly our favorite hiking trail ever!)
Excited to get to a sign that showed just .5 miles 
until we were officially in Grand Teton National Park!
This was an small unnamed lake at the top of the mountain...
Love being there with the love of my life!


And we're headed off to find a spot to camp for the night...
We had to hike out of Grand Teton National Park, 
because you can only camp there if you have a permit.
This view = Happiness!!  

Heading out...
The photo below is our GOAL...we are going to hike up there next year and hike all the way on top of the grassy mountain that you see being lit up on the left. 
It is a very doable hike and one that we are SO excited to do!
The end of a PERFECT two day adventure!
I truly could spend every waking moment with "Mr. Smith"
and NEVER, ever tire of being with him!!
Life is wonderful and OH SO GOOD...in fact,
Life is perfect!

 "The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain singing to it.  You and you alone make me feel that I am alive.  Other men it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough".  
~George Moore

4 comments:

CB said...

I enjoyed going on your hike with you it was beautiful!!!
Gorgeous country for sure!

It is soooo very nice to be able to get away, and be alone with your husband and enjoy the world together. Tracy definately looks very much in his element out in the high country - but you do too Kimmie. You two were made for each other :-D

Hey I think you should have zipped those sleeping bags together (wink!!).

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

How fun!!!!
I love the pictures! It looks so peacefull and I can almost smell the crisp mountain air. Yay that you could get away for just a minute before the rush and busyness of school and all the activities.

The meals look delicious. Amazing what one itty bitty looking campstove can do.

Thanks again for stopping by to get jars. It was good to see you.

Oh, and Cherie's mind is obviously in the gutter!!!! :}

Connie said...

What beauty! Love the green, the wild flowers, the sky, the trees! What a wonderful time you must have had. Oh, that stream must have been cold!! We're doing a 17 mile walk in September commemorating Francis Webster's life. You walking through that cold water reminds me of the story of the 3 18 year old boys who crossed the river time and time again to rescue the Saints in the Martin Willie Handcart company. Brrr!!1

I think it's great that you spend the time with Tracy out in the great outdoors. You two are a great example of how a marriage should be.

Hope you're doing well with school starting and all the busy-ness of life!

Doran & Jody said...

Oh SMACKERS!

I would love to this kind of activity. My brother hikes and we keep saying we will go with him sometime but I can't figure out who is going to pull the wagon with all my food and a porta potty on it.

Someday maybe. I should just try a one nighter....maybe in my backyard.

But give me the time and I will pull my trailer anywhere! I LOVE to camp...in my trailer. Haven't done the tent thing in years either.

Just one more question...do you pack a gun when you go on these hikes?