We spent a WONDERFUL week in the White Mountains. It was supposed to be our last "hoorah" up north - but we think there will be one more trip that way, just to enjoy the beauty of the fall colors. The weather was RAINY, but we did manage to get in some fishing, hiking, mountain biking. We also helped mom & dad put away their "circus tent", which is really their "kitchen tent," and front deck. How can 2 "old" people have so much stuff?
We camped at Big Lake - and when we arrived the camp host told me it was "mushroom" season, and that some were edible. To get out and take a look at all the different varieties. There surely were so many different shapes, sizes & colors of mushrooms, but I was not about to chance it, with my luck, I'd pick the one poisonous mushroom on the whole mountain! There was a lot of people around there, with baskets gathering the bounty the Lord provided.
The elk were all gathered in their herds, groups, harems, whatever you want to call them. One bull to 15+ cows. We also saw a lot of calves too. With all the rain, came lots of flowers, it was sure beautiful.
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| So many squirrels in camp for Sadie to chase |
We hiked up to the Big Lake look out tower - what remains of it. It was burned in the Wallow fire. So sad, such devastation, but on the "UP" side, the forest is recovering beautifully. I could not believe the growth of the Aspens, so thick.
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| Big Lake lookout tower |
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| I found it funny that this bathroom survived the blaze. Dain told me it was made out of concrete that is why. |
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| Plenty of fresh drinking water |
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| The fire burned so hot it melted the metal galvanizing off the tower! |
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| These steps didn't survive. We hiked up there Pre-Fire time, & thought how awesome those stairs were |
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| 29-R |
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| Mushrooms |
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| Sadie had a good work out on this trail |
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| More mushrooms |
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| I chased this butterfly around camp - until it opened it's wings! |
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| This is "Crazy Bill" pulling a double! Time to head down the mountain. Heading out is always a sad day |
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| Working day at mom & dad's camp. We took apart the deck. |
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| Golden mushroom, growing out of a cow pie! EWE gross. |
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| Time for the circus tent to come down!!! |
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| You gotta hustle before the rain comes..... |
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| Blue Jay |
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| Hummer |
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| And then the rain came!!! Good thing mama packed her a rain coat. |
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| A bit embarrassed wearing her jacket........ (Rosie do you have to wear jackets?) |
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| SQUIRREL - made her forget about the jacket |
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| Even the rocks were green from all the rain - a rolling stone! |
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| Big Guy near Sunrise Lake |
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| Keeping an eye on his "harem". |
We took a drive to the Black River and saw these turkeys. I've never seen so many turkeys in a flock (?) There was at least 15 - 20 of them.
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| Lots of baby turkeys too |
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| Fall is just around the corner WOOT WOOT. We survived another summer! |
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| Some aspens on the verge of turning seasons |
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| Fall colors "teaser" |
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| Our boat, which I was tasked with pulling up the mountain, (scarey) |
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| Our home away from home |
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| Dain & Sadie drive the truck & pull the trailer, through the Salt River - YIKES. She's a great co-pilot for him! |
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| To the very end she chased squirrels. She had a BLAST. She usually sticks close to us, but this week she was in SQUIRREL heaven! |
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| I'm beginning to not like mushrooms anymore - they grown anywhere! Yucko!! |
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| Packing up day - :( |
