purple flowers

This beautiful clematis was left here by the previous owner and persists in blooming every summer despite little attention by the current owners. All we have to do is help it find the trellis each year and it rewards us with deep purple flowers that brighten up our day.

cottage life

One of many big poplar sphinx moths found on the neighbor's light post. We made several trips to view them. By Sunday morning they were gone.



Tony and the boys enjoying a paddleboat ride. They also took the canoe out on a turtle-finding expedition.



Following the "Great Frog Races of 2008", Owen helped return the contestants back to the water.





This piece of machinery is from some old factory. All of the visiting kids like to climb, sit, and jump off of it.



Uncle Denny shows Logan how to operate the big Cat. He lifted the scoop and spun the deck around for all to see. Owen's favorite part was when they honked the horn.

friday fish fry

No trip to Rhinelander, Wisconsin is complete without a stop to the Al-Gen Supper Club. The all-you-can-eat Friday night fish fry features delicious haddock fried to perfection. This is seriously our favorite fish in the world and the whole family looks forward to our annual visit. The meal also includes cole slaw, potato salad, pasta salad, french fries, potato pancakes, apple sauce, and a bread basket.



No trip to the Al-Gen Supper Club is complete without a stop at the gameroom. Both boys played their first pinball in this little log cabin room. This year we were seated immediately so we had to play games after dinner instead of before.



Two of the classic pinball games available. There is also foosball, and several 1980's era video games such as Donkey Kong, Xaxxon, Burger Time, Track and Field, etc.

a taste of summer

In addition to being extremely crafty, Tracy is a world-class berry picker. She recently spent a Saturday morning picking 50 quarts of fresh strawberries.



Some of the berries have been frozen for future use in smoothies, etc. Others have been transformed into three different kinds of jam, one of which is shown here on delicious homemade multi-grain bread.

primary colors

I know, tomorrow, I will have wished that I had packed at least one thing for our weekend road trip, but I couldn't resist. Check out these cool photo effects here (discovered via photojojo). This was a lot of fun! And the clothes will always pack themselves, right?

a favorite place

Contemplation comes easy while gazing out over the world's largest lake.



With over 3000 rose bushes blooming, how does a photographer choose a worthy subject? Ask the boys to pick their favorites.





Each trip to this park begins and ends with a stage show by the boys (shown rehearsing in the wings here).



Rocks are carefully selected, based on a criteria known only to each thrower.





How can you argue with a destination where the fun is determined only by rocks and water?

fireworks

Estes Park fireworks as viewed from a field near the historic Stanley Hotel.

hiking lily mountain

Destination: Lily Mountain
Summit Elevation: 9786 feet
Distance: 3.4 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1006 feet

Logan shows off his new walking stick as Owen hits the trail.



The boys enjoyed looking for the trail markers as we approached the peak.



Successful hikers at the summit.



We didn't have reservations but still got a table for four.



The Lily Mountain trailhead.

rocky mountain critters

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! Actually we didn't see any of those animals but we did see: elk, deer, prairie dogs, marmots, pika, bats, squirrels, chipmunks, trout, pelicans, magpies, osprey, a fox, and countless others I'm probably forgetting.

This elk visited the deck at our condo. If you go to Estes Park, you are guaranteed to see elk. Large populations live in and around the Rocky Mountain National Park and can be seen wandering through town on a daily basis.



A squirrel eating pine cones at Bear lake.



The trout were spawning at Bear Lake.



A chipmunk looking for handouts at Sprague Lake.



A family of ducks at Sprague Lake.

vacation life

Long's Peak as viewed from our tent. On a previous trip Tracy and I hiked this mountain.



Owen tests the water at the Alluvial Fan in Rocky Mountain National Park.



Just another beautiful afternoon hanging out in Moraine Park.



The whole family enjoyed smelling the sweet, vanilla-like scent of the ponderosa pines.



Owen devours a smore next to the campfire.



Welcome to Dream Lake. Nothing ends a beautiful hike better than a view like this.

colorado on my mind

Owen leads the hike around Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.



I haven't confirmed this, but it might be illegal to hike around Bear Lake and not stop at this rock for photos. Seriously, everyone takes family portraits on this particular rock.



Surrounded by mountains in Moraine Park, Logan finds a nice place to eat lunch.

summer mowing

Plenty of rain + warm summer sun + busy schedules = an overgrown lawn. As always, Logan and Owen pitched in with their matching mowers.

dish washers

Owen has been enjoying playing in the sink lately. The other night the boys surprised us by washing the dishes. Owen washed while Logan inspected and rinsed. At this rate we won't even need to hook up our new dishwasher currently sitting in the garage while we decide how to rebuild our cabinets.

young artistry

Owen paints his masterpiece.