Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Selection of Photos

Well, I've tried several times to upload photos and video, so I think I am probably going to upload to Facebook. Blogger isn't my friend when it comes to photos, even though  I'd really like to include them here.

I'll do some descriptive photos... memory photos.

Ryan finally goes to bed early while we're camping. Mommy and Daddy get some alone time. We're in the thick of the woods. The campfire is lit and the woods smell of evergreen and pine.  It's not hot or cold. We're talking and sitting on a big boulder. It's summer, and it's just around the time 6 years ago that we would have been doing exactly the same thing. Chatting, telling stories, and getting to know each other under the bright moon. Now, we're in Minnesota when previously we were in Wyoming. But, it took me back to the place where it all started. The summer that it all began. We were two amongst a beautiful backdrop of landscape. And, we explored it.

We still love to do the same things, and we still don't know everything about each other. We never will. But, I love to ask Adam to tell me stories, even though I hear some of them more than once. I hear new ones too, but I sure do love when we talk- and it's not about bills or responsibility. It's true we have a lot of that now, but I try to forget about that often.

Minnesota camping was a really good reminder of that. That being in the moment with the one I love is just incredible. It makes me thankful again for this adventure.


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Swimming is something that I love to do. and, refraining from it was a real challenge. Especially the chance to indulge in swimming under a waterfall. It was a little like torture. And, in the middle of summer, the idea of jumping into a cool pool of water is like a slice of heaven.

But, I watched the water fall and remembered that there's always next time.  The sound of the water falling is unlike any other. Gooseberry Falls is loud, and they are walkable/accessible. Unlike Niagara Falls, which you can only watch, these falls you can climb around, through, over, and swim in. It's able to be experienced and enjoyed. I've been to Moose Falls in Yellowstone, and they are pretty similar to Gooseberry, however, it's one spot  and you can only swim... I never jumped off the rock- seemed too scary.

I happen to have a fascination with waterfalls. I have seen quite a few, and I think my top choice is the Bridal Falls in Chile, or the waterfall off the wettest part of the island in Kauai.  They tie. This summer in particular, I've seen many. Artist Point in Yellowstone is breathtaking at dusk. And, there are tons of others in Yellowstone too. But, the accessibility of Gooseberry is unmatched.... We were right there!

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I love the city and I love the outdoors. The art, music, food, and culture in cities attracts me. I love St. Louis and the free activities that I have written about before. A different city always opens my eyes something fresh and new.  Minneapolis is so different from St. Louis. The downtown is so different. It's  not like Washington Ave... its 10 times better.
Before we left St. Louis the last time, we spent quite a bit of time downtown St. Louis. For the fourth of July, we went to Fair St. Louis under the arch. Then we have a friend that lives in a loft downtown and we went swimming on the rooftop of a building on Washington. We overlooked the City Museum.  And, it is a taste for what a big city is really like.
I like St. Louis because it's bigger than Memphis. Yet, it still has a small town feel. It's not a metropolis- Minneapolis/St. Paul.  It's funny that I notice this: When we were in Buffalo, The Boston Bombings happened, and I watched a city that I was not apart of watch it happen. And, in Minneapolis, we watched people peacefully protest the Trayvon Martin verdict. Our country is so beautiful that we can speak individually, and mourn together. I just wish that we could get along. We're so opinionated that we can't agree to disagree... it's our nature.
I include this because I observed a protest in Minneapolis. I don't think I've ever been that close to a march-  I saw a union march in Chicago, but this was different- It was seeing something that was happening all over our country. It was moving.




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