still travelling together...

After all these years!

Thirty-nine years ago...July 31,1971...

we got into our 'going away outfits' at the end of  the day...

and away we went.

It our first road trip...

our first journey together.

We still love to travel...together.

And road trips are the best!

We've spent a few anniversaries on the road...

over the years.

We've celebrated in Manitoba...

in Cheyenne, Wyoming...

in Alaska...

on Vancouver Island...

and now...Utah.

We will be spending the next few days in Utah...

and then homeward.

Yesterday we visited Zion National Park...

an amazing place.

I had intentions of leaving you a postcard from there today...

but the limited 'wi-fi' here in the canyon is not allowing any photo uploads.

Today we are off explore Bryce Canyon.

The national parks are so amazing!

Still enjoying the journey...

a postcard from New Mexico...

Though we are not entirely done with Colorado...

we are spending some time in northeastern New Mexico today.

We dropped from the Colorado Rockies to the plains of New Mexico...

then climbed back up the hills to the resort town of Taos...

where we are spending the night.

English, Spanish, and Tewa—a Native American language—are spoken here.

But the universal language in Taos is art.

And the weather?

It's raining!

a postcard from the garden of the gods...

Greetings from Colorado Springs...where we are camped next to a river.  We saw so much yesterday...

..spending a few hours in the 'garden of the gods' park and being amazed once more at God's handiwork!  We toured the air force academy just north of the city...visited Focus on the Family headquarters...and saw Glen Eyrie Castle.   Today we are off to Pike's Peak. 

Have a terrific day...

greetings from Littleton...

We found some more family we had never met...out here in Littleton...and spent an evening touring about.  We had dinner on a hillside golf course with an great views....saw amazing red rock formations...

...and caught a glimpse of Denver in the distance.  We saw deer, red fox...and a rattlesnake...while the Colorado moon hung in the evening sky above us.  Today we are off to Colorado Springs.

a postcard from Rocky Mountain National Park...

Greetings from Estes Park, Colorado...where we are camped for a few days. 

We spent today in the national park...hiking to several lakes and waterfalls...

and breathing in the fresh mountain air. 

We did not meet up with any mountain sheep, bear, moose or elk...

but saw plenty of squirrels, chipmunks, deer, and coyotes. 

Oh...and we had our 'Colorado Rocky Mountain high'! 

Even the main road through the park climbs to 12,183 feet above sea level. 

It was a good day.

a postcard from Wyoming...

We came...saw the amazing show...and so much more!

a postcard from Philipsburg...

Greetings from Philipsburg, Montana...

...located on a scenic highway in the western part of the state. 

It's a little historic town full of surprises...and very friendly folk! 

 More about that...later.

We are at West Yellowstone this morning...with plans to explore the park today.

on the road again...

Not all those who wander are lost.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Two roads diverged in a wood and I...

I took the one less traveled by.

Robert Frost

We have set out for Colorado...

and so you won't be seeing much action on 'My Front Porch' in the next while.

I may just send you postcards along the way...

if the 'road less traveled' has a post office.

Until then...

unexpected pleasures...

At times days just don't go as planned!

At times it is best to throw the plans out the window...

and go with Plan B.

At times Plan B is the much better plan!

  Yesterday was one of those days.

I had every intention of finishing the yard work...

of finishing the bookkeeping...

and doing all those things that need to be looked after before vacation.

I was plodding through my list...

when I got a phone call...

an invitation to join my uncles and aunts at Minter Gardens in an hour.

My mother passed away ten years ago this July...

and a few days before her passing we were together at Minter Gardens.

She has three siblings left...
and they (together with their spouses) were spending the afternoon at the gardens.

Of course I would join them!

I found them laughing it up in the rose garden.

We made our way from one park bench to the next... 

...and then attended the wedding to which we were not invited.

Impromptu weddings...what fun!

Though I'm sure the 'impromptu' was only on our part!

At Minter Gardens...one can attend a wedding any day of the week...
any time of the day.

So I spent my afternoon in a garden much lovelier than my own...

attended a wedding...

and had a lovely time visiting with my mom's siblings.

It was far better than what I had planned...

and I'm so glad I took them up on the invitation.

Aunt Marguerite from down valley...

Aunt Betty  from Saskatchewan...

and Uncle Jake who lives in this area.

Many of my uncles and aunts have passed on...

and so I appreciate my time with those who remain all the more.  

It was a good time!

getting our raspberry fix...

One must make hay while the sun shines...

and jam while the berries are ripe!

And so we made raspberry jam yesterday...

...the grands and I.

They rather like the 'stir-to-own'  jam program we started here a few years ago.

They each leave with their own stash of freezer jam...

 ...and they are sure to lick the bowls before they are on their way!

And since we are planning on leaving the raspberry vines to fend for themselves when we go on vacation...

we are trying to fit in all our favorite raspberry treats these days.

Fresh raspberry pie...

...raspberry cream pie (recipe coming to Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog soon)...

raspberry ripple pie....

raspberry scones ....and raspberry muffins.

Can you tell that I worked at a B.C. Raspberry Grower's booth at the Pacific National Exhibition once upon a time?  It was a good match...since I really do like raspberries!  Oh...and we wore T-shirts that said...

'Give 'em the old raspberry for dessert'.

We'll be all razzled out by the time we hit the road...

and ready to switch to blackberries when we return home.

still bringing smiles...

Raggedy Ann and Andy were a big hit back in the day...

and my mom-in-law made a set for all the granddaughters in the mid-seventies.

She was always about 'being fair'...

and though we had no daughter at that time...

she thought our household should have a set as well.

And so my boys had a Raggedy Ann and Andy.

They were more room decor those first years...

and then our daughter arrived and she adopted Ann and Andy.

When she left home...they stayed on...

and so they still make their home with me!

Maelyn snuggled with them on the couch the other day.

There have been tea parties...

...and dramas.

All the grands have enjoyed them over the years.

After thirty-five years...

Ann and Andy are still going strong.

I still have the original pattern...

looking a little worse for the wear...

but all the pieces are there.

I'm not really planning on using the pattern though...

since I'm thinking Ann and Andy have matured gracefully...

and will still be smiling thirty-five years from now!

My mom-in-law has no idea how many smiles she has brought to her great-grandchildren...

six of whom she has never met.

All these years later...

her memory lives on in the many treasures she left behind.

Enjoy your day....and smile!

on this day....

It all began in Colorado...

where they met as they spent a winter at Capernwray Bible School...

near Estes Park.

She was American...he was Canadian.

She was a city girl...

he was a country boy.

He was young...

she was a little older and wiser.

A few years later...

on July 13th...

they tied the knot.

She became a country girl...

and a wonderful addition to our family.

There has been a lot of  'water under the bridge' since that day...

and they have always been there for each other.

Jeremy and Bronwen...

wishing you two a wonderful anniversary get-away today....

and God's continued blessing on your marriage

as you continue the journey!

It was a good thing...that started in Colorado way back when!

We're planning to see what other good things there are in Colorado...soon.

party in the park...

After a two day delay...
we celebrated a few birthdays with a family picnic.  

We drove to the nearest provincial park...
a mere ten minute drive from our place. 

We made ourselves right at home...

and let the Colonel do the catering.

And since he recommends we lick our fingers...

he likely doesn't care at all if we eat right out off the buffet table either!

It was perfect picnic weather...

rather like what we would have ordered for our camping experience last week...

if we had been given the chance!

And the birthday boys had their cake pie...

and ate it too!

A lot of things floated down the river...
but the grands stayed dry...mostly!

Nap time cut the party a little short for Maelyn.  

It's just hard to find a time that works with everyone's schedule!

And since we were picnicking at Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park...

of course we made a  hike to the falls before leaving for home.

No matter how often we go...we never tire of it!

Up was a piece of cake!  

Down...with flip flops...a little trickier.

The grands wondered if there were any bear along the trail...

and I assured them that they would be in hiding with so many people out and about.

After the fact...I noticed there was a warning to watch out for a large black bear...

sighted numerous times recently in this area!

Oh. 

Glad we missed him.

Have a great day!

good reasons to celebrate...

It's July 9th once again...which always brings back memories of a certain July 9th back in the seventies...when all else was overshadowed by the arrival of our second son, Jeremy. What joy!

Also in the seventies...another family was rejoicing at the birth of their son on July 9th. For several decades he had his own celebrations...ones that we knew nothing about.  Since he joined our family...we have two birthdays to celebrate on July 9th.

Happy Birthday, Tim and Jeremy.  (You can be sure they are always cooking up something!)

Jeremy chose a most inconvenient time to arrive...way back when...and it seems his birthday often falls at an inconvenient time. There is no time for celebrating today...since there is hay to be made on the farm. But celebrations can wait...right? Let's try for Sunday!

And for tomorrow...Happy Fifth Anniversary to Kris and Lisa!

To all of you...

May you look back on the past with joy...

Celebrate today with laughter...

and anticipate the future with hope. 

Wishing you all many blessings...