Last Friday was my BIRTHDAY and after a very frustrating and stressful week, I decided it was time for a solo adventure (before someone got hurt)! Although I did have to work in the morning, I headed for the mountains as soon as I possibly could! Some fresh mountain air definitely proved to be just the attitude adjustment I needed! Before I left for my solo, my parents met me in Boise and treated me to some delicious egg burritos from my absolute favorite breakfast place. Yummy! And then I was quickly off in search of a WATERFALL my Uncle Ben had told me about last fall BUT not before being receiving some traditional birthday serenades (via phone). Mr. Isaac sang my favorite version . . . "Happy Birthday to you. Haaaa . . . MOM! I can't sing when the dog is licking my toes! Haaaappyy . . . STOP IT! That tickles!" And then Claire's version, "Haaaappy Birthdaaaay. See you in a second!" That song was quickly explained by my sister who explained they were surprising me for dinner after my adventure! So I hurried to the hills feeling VERY LOVED!
AS I TRAVELED ALONG BLACK'S CREEK ROAD, I FOUND MYSELF (OF COURSE) STOPPING FOR WILDFLOWER PHOTOS. HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DECIDED THAT UNLESS I SAW SOMETHING REALLY SPECTACULAR OR NEW, I WOULD DRIVE ON BY! (ONCE YOU SEE ALL THE WILDFLOWER PHOTOS I HAVE YET TO POST, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY)! FURTHERMORE, I WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE IT TO MY DESTINATION AND BE BACK IN TIME FOR DINNER!
BUTTERFLIES WERE NEW!
THESE WERE NEW TOO! :)
ENGLEMAN SPRING
AND SINCE I WAS ALREADY STOPPED, I FIGURED IT WAS OKAY TO SHOOT A FEW OF THE FLOWERS I FOUND AT THE SPRINGS!
IN SEARCH OF THE WATERFALL . . .
MY UNCLE BEN TOLD ME ABOUT A WATERFALL OFF BLACK'S CREEK ROAD, THAT, WITH A BIT OF EFFORT, YOU CAN HIKE RIGHT UP TO AND ACTUALLY GET BEHIND! I HAVE BEEN SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS ADVENTURE SINCE HE TOLD ME OF IT! HOWEVER, THE DIRECTIONS HE GAVE ME WERE PRETTY CRAZY! HOWEVER, IT WAS SURPRISING THAT AS I TRAVELED ALONG, I BEGAN TO REALIZE HOW ACCURATE THOSE ODD BALL DIRECTIONS MIGHT BE! EXCEPT THAT THERE WAS ONE PIECE OF CRUCIAL INFORMATION MISSING!
THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE FALLS ARE DRY!
NEARLY ALL THE WATER IS DIVERTED FOR IRRIGATION! :(
I DIDN'T EVEN FIND WHERE THE FALLS SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNTIL MY RETURN TRIP!
THE "FALLS" DO GO THROUGH A RATHER SPECTACULAR CREVICE!
HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT THE TINY AMOUNT OF WATER RUNNING THROUGH THAT CREVICE RIGHT NOW, EVAPORATES BEFORE IT ACTUALLY MAKES IT TO THE CANYON FLOOR! SOOOO, IT LOOKS I'LL HAVE TO ADVENTURE HERE EARLIER IN THE YEAR NEXT YEAR.
YOU KNOW I'LL GET BEHIND THAT WATERFALL YET!
AFTER STRIKING OUT WITH THE WATERFALL ADVENTURE, I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS GOING TO TO DO! I WAS CRUISING AROUND PRAIRE, IDAHO WHEN I SUDDENLY SAW A SIGN FOR HOUSE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT! A LOOKOUT???
I LOVE LOOKOUTS!
SO THAT IS WHERE I ENDED UP!
HOUSE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
JUST BEFORE I HEADED BACK DOWNT HE MOUNTAIN, A COUPLE ON FOUR-WHEELERS PULLED UP. THE MAN SAID TO ME,
"YOU ARE CERTAINLY BRAVER THAN I AM!"
THINKING HE IS REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT I AM COMPLETELY ALONE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, I FRANTICALLY TRY TO REMEMBER WHERE EXACTLY IN THE TRUCK I HAVE STORED MY TASER. THEN HE SAYS,
"I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BRAVE ENOUGH TO DRIVE A VEHICLE UP THAT ROAD."
I HAVE TO ADMIT THE LAST STRETCH OF THE ROAD WAS PRETTY RUGGED BUT . . . THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GETTING THAT CLOSE TO THE LOOKOUT WITHOUT MAKING IT ALL THE WAY! WHAT AN UNEXPECTED GIFT THOUGH--FOR A RANDOM STRANGER TO TELL ME I AM BRAVE!!!
I COULDN'T RESIST THE LIGHTING ON THESE! ;)
LAST WINTER I READ THIS AMAZING BOOK ON BASQUE TREE CARVINGS.
I HAD TO STOP IN ALL THE ASPEN GROVES AND SEE WHAT I COULD FIND!
BASQUE ARBORGLYPHS
AFTER RETURNING FROM THE MOUNTAINS, THE PIERCES TOOK ME TO DINNER AT JAKER'S (WHERE CLAIRE INSISTED ON FEEDING ME)!
US GIRLS!
GARRETT AND I
GABE AND I
AND THEN WE WENT TO YOGEE'S FOR . . .
BIRTHDAY CAKE FLAVORED YOGERT OF COURSE!
(LOOOVE IT!)
A FEW OF THE FANTASTICALLY ORIGINAL GIFTS I RECEIVED . . .
DANIELLE BROUGHT ME MY FAVORITE GUAVA ROCKSTAR AT WORK!
ALEJA FROM MY OTHER WORK, FOUND OUT I HAD NEVER TRIED CHOCOLATE-COVERED GUMMY BEARS! SO SHE GAVE ME SOME OF THOSE AND . . .
BECAUSE SHE KNOWS I LOVE THE "HOUSEWIVES", THIS MAGAZINE!
MOM AND DAD GAVE ME A SUPER CUTE PATIO HEATER!
I CAN'T WAIT TO GRAB MY BOTTLE OF PATRON AND HEAD OUT BACK!
AND LAURA (AFTER LEARNING OF MY "BAD" WEEK) GAVE ME THESE!
AND THE PIERCES ALSO GAVE ME A NIGHT STAY AT . . .
THE DOG BARK PARK INN!
JACKSON, SADIE AND I GET TO DRIVE TO COTTONWOOD AND STAY IN THE WORLD'S LARGEST BEAGLE FOR A NIGHT! WE ARE OBVIOUSLY SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS ADVENTURE!
I HAVE THIS REMINDER ON MY DESK AT WORK SO I'LL REMEMBER TO SCHEDULE IN A TIME TO GET THIS ADVENTURE DONE SOON!
THANKS EVERYONE FOR MAKING MY BIRTHDAY SPECTACULAR!
YOU GAVE ME GREAT CARDS, GREAT SINGING, GREAT FOOD, SUPER-GREAT GIFTS AND I EVEN MANAGED TO FIND A GREAT ADVENTURE TOO! YOU ARE ALL SO WONDERFUL TO ME!
I LOVE YOU!