As you have probably gathered from my last few posts, I did something very special over the last few days. Me, my father and my five-year-old daughter Sophia took a three-generational ski trip to Taos, New Mexico. It was the first time (except when Sophia was a meager four-months old) that I had ever truly traveled alone with my daughter and it also was the first time the three generations got together for a weekend away. My son and husband were off on their own adventure thus it was just me and Sophia this time.
We picked Taos for many reasons. First, it is relatively easy for us to access. It is a non-stop flight from Tucson where my father lives as well as from Minneapolis (where I live). Second, it is really a cool little trendy ski town. Nothing at all like the big ski resorts in Colorado or even Utah. Taos is tiny, tough and has a unique southwestern style and flair that quite honestly can’t compare. Finally, for some reason New Mexico is the only place in the country this winter that actually has good snow. Colorado, Utah and Northern California are struggling with terrible snow. Meanwhile relatively untouristy, trendy Taos has plenty of snow. That fluffy, powdery, heavenly snow that skiers dream and drool about having.
Yesterday my five-year-old daughter Sophia and I left for our first three-generational ski trip. My father, me and Sophia headed west to test out the slopes in Taos, New Mexico.
The last time I’d been to Taos was at least fifteen years ago, when my family and I took the ten-hour drive from Tucson to Taos in the “purple people-eater” minivan. (Don’t have any idea where the name came from but it stuck). Over the years, Taos has become quite an interesting albeit historic town known for its flavorful mix of art culture, gay community and Bohemianism. If that isn’t enough to bring you there, Taos’ world class skiing should (without the insane crowds as trendy venues like Vail and Telluride). When my dad proposed taking our annual weekend ski trip out west, Taos instantly came to mind as a place to revisit.
Getting to Taos is pretty much equivalent to going to Colorado as it requires a two and a half hour flight followed by a two to three-hour drive. But the main difference between the two is size. Colorado ski areas are huge and Taos is just one little resort tucked away and isolated in the mountains. Continue reading →
We landed in Christchurch a little before noon and I found it peculiar to be setting my watch ahead twenty-one hours. For me, flying long distance is one of the most surreal experiences ever. To pass through so many time zones and to see the sun’s confusion of setting and rising is startling. I always am amazed and bewildered when I finally step foot off the airplane that transported me miles away from home, across continents and oceans and into a new, unexplored place.
As I mentioned in my last post, I was feeling like a deflated balloon when we finally stepped foot into the Christchurch airport. The gray skies and pelts of rain were effecting my mood. Thankfully our luggage had made it through three different flights and two airlines (that is always a bonus!). Yet we had a little mishap with the car rental agency that took an hour to square away. It was my first encounter with a native Kiwi, and I instantly realized that New Zealanders are perhaps the most laid-back, fun-loving people on earth.
We were finally on our way, heading in our rental car towards Christchurch while driving on the “other” side of the road and trying not to get killed by forgetting to turn into the “other” lane at the roundabouts. This proved to be a daunting challenge that would remain with us for the full two weeks of the trip. For some reason driving on the left side of the road seemed against reason. It also always proved a challenge to remember to not hit the windshield wipers as opposed to the turn signal when we were desperately trying to pass. Countless times, in the heat of the moment, my husband inadvertently hit the windshield wipers instead of the turn signal while we were frantically trying to pass some unexpected soul along the curving New Zealand roads. This should have made us panic but instead we burst out into laughing attacks which only made it worse.
Christchurch is the provincial capital of Canterbury and the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island. Often viewed as a gateway into the South Island’s magical wonders, Christchurch is a fabulous launching off point and definitely requires a few days to visit this lovely, charming town with outrageously delicious food.
Yesterday was a gorgeous winter day here in Minneapolis. The sun was shining brightly, launching its powerful, magical rays across the glittering white snow-packed ground. The birds were chirping cheerfully and it was unseasonably warm. Almost 40 degrees F which is considered balmy in Minnesota (if it is above 20 in January or February, we are considered lucky). It was the first morning in a long time that I woke up and literally sprang out of bed to the call of my children greeting me “Mama. Mama. Maaaaaaa-maaaa!” I instantly opened their bedroom shades and jumped with joy. Yeah! The sun is here! I was so happy to see my long lost friend.
My kids thought I was a bit crazy but they don’t understand my need for sunshine and vitamin D. It is said that most people living in northern climates are highly insufficient of vitamin D in the winter months. This can lead to intense fatigue (check), lethargic behavior (check) and sometimes depression (hmm….I have been feeling a bit blue). In winter months, our days are short and the nights are long. Although it can be quite sunny in the winter, the sunshine often brings bitter cold forcing you to hibernate and be trapped inside your home staring longingly outside your window wishing for spring.
Yesterday was different. Not only was the sun shining brightly, but our typical January thaw had arrived! For a few days we would get this nice warm weather (you know I’m from Minnesota when I’m calling 40 warm!). Thus, I decided to take advantage of the day and spend as much time outside as possible. The morning started with a run around the lake and in the afternoon, I took my daughter snowshoeing by the Minnehaha Falls.
Here are some pictures of what we saw at the falls which freezes into a magical display of ice during the winter.
Photo above taken last Monday, January 1st in Tucson, Arizona. A family walk through Sabino Canyon with Grandma, Grandpa, me and the kids.
After nine days in sunny, warm Arizona and two weeks off of school, we are back in balmy Minnesota (it has been record highs lately making me wonder what month it truly is) and off to another new year. The kids are back in school. My son started today and my daughter will resume preschool tomorrow. The weather has been uncanny and odd. It reached 50 degrees today, we have absolutely no snow and for the first time I can ever remember, the lake is not frozen solid. Either we are in for some serious payback in February or global warming has landed hard.
Today was unseasonably warm, a high of 50 degrees (normally it is in the teens and that is considered warm). My daughter and I went down to the lake where she rode her scooter, unbelievable for January! There is no snow (last year we had a few feet by now and 82 inches by the end of the season). And, as you can see on the picture below, the lake is not completely frozen! There is a huge hole in the middle!
Normally Lake Harriet and the other metro lakes are frozen solid by early December. The ice is so thick that cars, yes that is correct, can drive across them and ice fisherman drill their holes into the ice and set up their ice homes across Minnesota lakes. There are skaters, nordic skiers and snowshoers galore. Not this year! At least not yet.
The odd weather has left me confused and thinking that the Gods Must be Crazy! But as I know, having lived in Minnesota and the Midwest for almost all of my life, that I don’t have to worry one bit. Winter will come, and when it does decide to show up, it will be long, brutal and cold. For Minnesota is notorious for harsh, long winters. That is what makes us Minnesotans such hearty souls.
As I get back into my daily routines, it is time for me to start focusing on 2012 and all the exciting things coming ahead. Tomorrow, my post on my upcoming involvement with the UN Foundation’s pilot program, Shot@Life will be posted on World Mom’s Blog (I will add a link tomorrow on my blog). At the end of the month, I’m headed to DC to be trained as a grassroots advocate for this exciting program that focuses on providing immunizations to millions of children in developing countries. After that, the fun begins with blogging and hosting events to raise awareness of the dire straits of children around the world who don’t have access to life-saving vaccines.
In February, my daughter and I are going on a big ski trip out west to Taos, New Mexico to meet up with my dad. Both of my children have been learning how to ski this winter and we’ve spent every weekend at the ski hill (except of course when we were in Arizona). It has been a wonderful way to be together as a family and to see my children learn to ski. I grew up skiing and love the sport. Thank goodness they have the equipment to make snow on the hills here! The balmy weather has been ideal for weekend skiing.
In March, I am off on another adventure to volunteer and learn Spanish in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. I’ve been dusting off my old spanish grammar books and have started my evening lessons at home reviewing, memorizing and praying that I will be able to communicate with the locals when I’m there! I have no idea what to expect but that is what will make the experience so fun.
Other than that, who knows? I find that life is always an adventure and I look forward to what 2012 will bring.
Stay tuned..my next series on China will be about the different neighborhoods of Shanghai. Then, I will take you on a trip to a nearby water village dating back hundreds of years. Thanks for reading and comments welcome!
The mission of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is to inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world by fostering love, appreciation, and understanding of the Sonoran Desert.
One of my favorite places to spend an afternoon in Tucson is at the fantastic Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum. Located in the heart of Saguaro National Park in the outskirts of Tucson, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is part living museum, part botanical gardens and part zoo all combined in one great outdoor venue.
You can spend an entire day at the Desert Museum, however, an afternoon works out just fine as well. The Desert Museum is a wonderful way to explore and see all of the Sonoran deserts’ diverse flora and fauna. There are several exhibits featuring Arizona wildlife in its prime, spreading across over 21 acres of beautiful desert and two miles of walking paths. You can see Javalinas, coatis, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, ocelots, wildcats and brown bears, all native species to the Southwest.
You can also go inside and peek into the dimly lit caverns of the bats, many different species of snakes, scorpions, Gila monsters, tarantulas, black widows and more. It actually kind of creeps you out a bit to know that all these creatures live in the desert right beside human beings (especially the ones that are poisonous such as the black widows, scorpions and rattlesnakes). Best be ignored, though, otherwise you’d never leave your house! (Fact: I have almost stepped on a hairy tarantula the size of a small plate. My parents have to spray their home for scorpions as they both have accidentally stepped on one before which causes your entire leg to go numb).
What amazes me is how the wildlife in Tucson lives right next door to civilization. There are a series of washes (dry riverbeds) that run throughout Tucson and act as a reservoir to handle the rainfall and snow melt in case of floods or monsoons. This is also the home of many of the animals mentioned above so it is best to be careful!
The Desert Museum is a lovely place for all ages and kids love it as well.At the entrance, for one dollar you can buy a Desert Museum Stamping book in which kids can run around the museum collecting different paw prints or “stamps” of the animals and learn some fun facts along the way. It is a great way to keep them engaged in the museum!
Max and Sophia at the entrance of the Desert Museum, sitting on a Javalina, Arizona’s notorious troublemaker.
As you can see, the Desert Museum is truly in the heart of the desert!
Getting there is half the fun. Once you pass through Tucson, you will climb upward towards Gates Pass, a dramatic view of the flat desert landscape below. Some have said that you can actually see the curvature of the earth from the vantage point but honestly it all just looks flat to me. As you drive up towards the pass, there is a great place to stop and take a short hike up and see for yourself. I have done this before however since I was with young kids, we decided to “pass on the pass” and get right to the museum.
Max and his cousin Hanna listening to a volunteer docent tell them about snake skeletons and skins.
Rattlesnake skin.
Some of the beautiful cacti along the outdoor paths of the museum.
The museum boasts over 300 different animal species and 1200 kinds of plants on display, all alive in their natural desert setting.
In back is a mountain lion. It is very rare to see them (thank God!) however sometimes they do end up in contact with humans which isn’t a good thing as they can be quite dangerous.
My son Max getting his first stamp in his animal booklet.
My niece Hanna and nephew Brody watching the prairie dogs in action.
The infamous jumping cactus. They do jump and they do hurt if you happen to run into one!
Here is a coati out to play.
My daughter Sophia found the special viewing window!
The birds adore hanging out on the Saguaro cactus.
A saguaro cactus skeleton.
The cousins having fun and filling up their stamp books.
As I always say, there is no better way to experience the raw beauty of nature than to do it by a good hike. Sabino Canyon is just one of those places. It is achingly beautiful and perhaps one of the most stunning places in all of southwestern Arizona.
Nestled in the southeastern foothills of Tucson, Arizona in the Santa Catalina mountains, Sabino Canyon is a true gem. The formation of these mountains began over 12 million years ago, long before the first sign of man. Over time, a significant canyon formed that would eventually turn into a lush, verdant desert oasis deep inside the canyon.
A massive earthquake in 1887 centered in Northern Mexico caused even more change to the canyon. Massive boulders dislodged and crashed down thousands of miles below creating an even more dramatic landscape. In 1905, the U.S. Forest Service was created and took over the administration of Sabino Canyon. Nothing much happened to the area until the 1930s. The onset of the Great Depression prompted the US Government to put people to work by building infrastructure and one of the places that benefited was Sabino Canyon. The Sabino Dam as well as over nine bridges were built during this time, creating a 4.5 mile paved road up through the canyon. Plans had been made to continue the road all the way up the canyon up to Mount Lemmon but fortunately they ran out of money and the project was dropped. Had the road been built, the entire beauty of Sabino Canyon would have been destroyed and lost.
Sabino Canyon officially opened as a State Park and recreational area in 1978. Today, it ranks one of the top tourist destinations in all of Tucson and is a haven for hikers, walkers, bikers and anyone else who wants to enjoy its raw beauty.
A tram service runs daily every half an hour up the canyon and back. For only a few dollars, you can ride along and listen to an informative narration on the history, geology and flora and fauna of Sabino Canyon. This is a great thing to do as a family and of course we have done it many times. However, the best thing to do in Sabino Canyon is to get out there and experience it firsthand with a hike.
There are several hikes in Sabino Canyon and over the years I’ve done many of them. However, my most favorite hike of all is called The Phoneline Trail, which is about an eight mile round trip hike, located about two-thirds of the way up the canyon, giving you a bird’s eye view of this spectacular place.
The start of the trail is flat but not for long.
There are many types of cacti found throughout Sabino Canyon. The Saguaro Cactus is perhaps the most well-known. It takes on average 65-70 years for this cactus to grow an arm. They also can live for over 200 years! What also is amazing about the Saguaro cactus is its root system. Saguaro’s roots only go down about twenty inches deep, however, the roots spread out as wide as they are high. Pretty unbelievable!
After a mile or so of flat walking, it is time to climb up! It is best to be prepared with tons of water, hiking polls, lots of sunscreen and of course extra stamina. It is not uncommon to see college aged kids running up the trail! I even saw some people running barefoot. Crazy given all the rocks and obstacles.
Soon the hike leads you gradually and then steeply up the side of the canyon walls.
My favorite barrel cactus which bloosom beautifully in the springtime.
Finally after a couple of hours hiking we are nearing the top of the hike where the Phoneline Trail flattens out and you basicaly walk along the edge of the canyon.
Down below is the paved trail which is another option for seeing the canyon. But I prefer to view from up top!
At the end of the canyon in back is Mount Lemmon, a beautiful area that hosts many pine trees as well as a ski resort.
Sabino Canyon is home to a wide variety of wild life including the elusive mountain lion, bobcats, ocelots, skunks, foxes, deer, javalinas, raccoons and coyotes. They also have lots of different kind of venomous and non-venomous snakes (I’ve seen a rattlesnack but not on the trail) as well as scorpions and tarantulas (yes, unfortunately I’ve seen these two things yet at my parents house! Not on the trail!).
I only wished this photo could have turned out better but we were hiking right into the sun. I have never seen the canyon as verdant as this in December. It was simply spectacular. Who would have ever imagined a desert could be so green? It is even better in March and April when the brilliant desert flowers are in bloom and the green is a vibrant lime-color that almost hurts your eyes.
There has been a ton of rainfall and snow in the upper mountains causing the streams to flow with force.
The Canyon also has an ample and diverse supply of beautiful trees such as the Cottomwood (in this picture, which still has its golden leaves on from the fall), the white-barked sycamore trees, and the dark-wooded mesquite trees. Another favorite is the Palo Verde tree which means “Green Stick” and has green bark and green leaves.
The white-barked tree in back is an Arizona Sycamore. The bark is lovely.
This is a mesquite tree which proves great firewood as well as a food source for many animals within the canyon. The tree produces bean pods which are enjoyed by many small canyon critters.
After an eight mile strenous hike through record-high heat (who would have believed it was December?), I was exhilared and fatigued. It was a great hike and I can’t wait to do it again!
Stay tuned…I am headed back to a wintery Minnesota tomorrow. I’ve heard that we finally have a few inches of snow and am looking forward to it! I am not looking forward to the cold January weather, though.
“But I got a great deal else from the experience. I learned to pitch a tent and sleep beneath the stars. For a brief, proud period I was slender and fit. I gained a profound respect for the wilderness and nature and the benign dark power of woods. I understand now, in a way I never did before, the colossal scale of the world. I found patience and fortitude that I didn’t know I had. I discovered an America that millions of people scarcely know exists. I made a friend. I came home.”
― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
I can’t think of a better way to spend a beautiful fall day than to be outside enjoying the splendid fall colors.Fall is my uttermost favorite time of year. I love the incredible tapestry of colors that brighten even the dullest, cloudiest of days. The scarlet reds to the pumpkins oranges and the brilliant yellows are nature’s biggest delight. The air is invigorating and fresh and I feel incredibly alive doing what I love best: Being outside and taking it all in.
My husband’s family lives in the town of Warrenton which is located about 45 miles southwest Of Washington DC. We have been visiting Warrenton for years now yet have never made it to the Shenandoah National Park. With fall in full swing and the colors almost at their prime, today was the day for our autumn drive through stunning Shenandoah National Park.
We headed west on 211 for a lovely half an hour drive through the lush, verdant countryside. We drove through rolling hills, passing by farms, vineyards and orchards with the distant shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the spectacular Shenandoah Valley in the background. The colors did not disappoint nor did the low level of traffic. It was a weekday thankfully thus we were able to drive at a leisurely pace and avoid the bumper to bumper traffic that rolls through the scenic drive throughout the weekend.
We reached Sperryville, a small town on the outskirts of the Thornton Gap entrance to the park, where we saw stand after stand selling local products. The stalls were lined with buckets of red, yellow and green apples as well as round, plump orange pumpkins in any size or shape your heart desired.
As we approached the park, the foliage became thicker and the golden yellows and oranges of the trees were peaceful and serene. I longed to get out of the car and go for a hike, my most favorite pastime in the mountains. But of course that was an unrealistic dream as we were with our two young kids who would never had made it past an hour.
We reached the entrance to Shenandoah National Park and headed right in to our first of many stops at one of the 75 overlooks along the 105 mile stretch of the scenic Skyline Drive which curves around the entire length of the Shenandoah National Park.
The overlook was stunning even with the not so perfect cloudy day. I closed my eyes, breathed in a huge breath of fresh, clean air and relaxed. It was beautiful. I can only imagine how brilliant it would be on a bright sunny days. I’m certain that the leaves would shine like gold.
We continued on our drive for another half hour stopping along the way to take photos. There are over 500 different hiking trails throughout the park which connects to the grand-daddy of all American hikes, the mighty Appalachian Trail (which passes through 14 states!). Our journey through the park reminded me of Bill Byrson’s famous book “A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail” (if you haven’t read it, it is a great read).
Photo of my husband Paul and I at one of the many outlooks in lovely Shenandoah National Park. It is getting colder now, as the temperature dropped from 60 to 42 degrees F here. We are at about 3,100 feet.
I love to take pictures of trees. For some reason, they truly appeal to me whether it be a blooming, flowering tree in the height of Spring, a tall Douglas Fir reaching to the sky or this plain old skeleton of a dead tree left over from years and years of life.
I also like this picture of the small rural farms, orchards and vineyards dotting the landscape below.
We arrived at our destination, the Skyland Pass just in the nick of time for lunch. There is a beautiful, historical lodge located there that has a nice restaurant inside serving hot meals and offering its guests a sweeping view of the fall foliage over the Shenandoah Valley.
The restaurant opened for lunch at noon and we had a short wait for a table. Had we arrived any later, we would have had at least a thirty minute wait which would not have been well received by our hungry children. Carloads and busloads of people were arriving as we paid our bill and headed back to town. I can only imagine what it is like during the weekend when all the people from DC head out to see the colors! I’m sure it would be a crowded, annoying experience! Nothing like the relaxing scenic ride we experienced today.
Although Skyline Drive continues and meanders on throughout the breathtakingly beautiful Shenandoah Valley for another sixty-five miles, at 35 mph it would have taken us hours and our kids, who were behaving nicely in the back of the car, would have gotten really restless. (I must admit that they were watching “Rio” on the DVD player! I know bad mom, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do!).
Finally, we were home, me feeling a bit carsick, yet happy with our visit. It certainly was worth the drive! Not only did we find some beauty and solitude to fill us up with joy, we also just so happened to get our holiday card picture!
I hope to go again when the kids get older and actually do some hiking. There are plenty of places to stay in rustic cabins or either by tent. The only thing with camping is that you’d better watch out for the bears! I’ll never forget reading this quote in Bill Bryson’s book:
“Black bears rarely attack. But here’s the thing. Sometimes they do. All bears are agile, cunning and immensely strong, and they are always hungry. If they want to kill you and eat you, they can, and pretty much whenever they want. That doesn’t happen often, but – and here is the absolutely salient point – once would be enough.”
― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
My sister Jen has lived in Southern Virginia for over ten years and I have visited her annually since her move. Her home in Gloucester Point is only a short twenty minutes from Williamsburg yet I had never visited perhaps Virginia’s most historic, number one historic place: Colonial Williamsburg.
Of course I’d heard of it before and wanted to check it out but the time never seemed right. Once kids came along, the thought of going to a huge tourist destination like Colonial Williamsburg seemed out of the question. I could only imagine the meltdowns, tantrums and boredom on my young children’s face. I’d have to wait until they were older.
A timely article in the Washington Post made me change my mind. The article, called “Williamsburg: Actors bring to life the nuanced tangle of history, heroism and daily living” intrigued me and light a spark of fresh interest in my mind. The article discusses the use of reenactments to teach people about the past. There are revolutionaries, slaves, wig makers, blacksmiths and even a real working plantation. What a better place to learn about history than a real live “living” museum?
Of course I’d heard about Colonial Williamsburg before yet didn’t fully understand what it was until I went there. Per Wikipedia:
“Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia’s capital”.
Colonial Williamsburg was opened in 1930 by the project’s founder, Reverend W.A.R. Goodwin with the help of the Rockefellers in effort for the public to have a living museum in which “the future could learn from the past. The major goal of the Restoration was to re-create the physical colonial environment and to facilitate education about the origins of the idea of America, which was conceived during the decades before the American Revolution”.
My sister and I had no idea if four young children ages three to six would be able to do Colonial Williamsburg and actually have fun. We knew it would be crowded and there would be a fair amount of walking. Yet we were ready for the challenge!
We left her house at 9 am thinking everything would go smoothly. The kids were packed in the car, we had snacks and water, and had already purchased discounted tickets online. All we had to do was redeem the tickets which would only take us a few minutes, right.
That was the first mistake we made. We drove to the overcrowded visitor center where my sister waited in a painfully long and disorganized line for almost an hour before we got the tickets. I waited with the four hyper getting near naughtiness kids. Thankfully there weren’t any major meltdowns…yet.
The visitor center is located about ten minutes away from the actual entrance to Colonial Williamsburg. Thus we had to load everyone back up in the car, drive again and find a parking spot which was fairly easy since most people must park at the visitor center and take a shuttle bus.
An hour and a half after we started, we finally arrived at the entrance to Colonial Williamsburg to see a small, relatively unknown ticket counter with no line, where we could have redeemed our tickets, avoiding an hour of extra hassle and waste of time. Oh well. Next time we’ll know.
By that point it was already past twelve and knowing we had four hungry kids on our hands, we had to make a beeline to the nearest place to eat. Being in a touristy place, there were not many affordable options. We had to settle for the quickest, easiest place which of course wasn’t healthy and was way overpriced. I paid $26 for two kids hot-dogs, chips, lemonade and a kid’s size BBQ pork sandwich for me. It wasn’t great but it did the job until we were attacked by bees! Our lunch was a stressful, quick affair as we swatted at bees, did the dance to get away from them without getting stung and scarfed down our food as quick as possible so we could get out of there. Oh well.
Finally, by almost one o’clock we were there, fed, and ready to see the sights! I was concerned that the kids were going to loose interest at any moment given the bad start to the day but to my delight they embraced every minute from then on. The actors at Colonial Williamsburg were the key ingredient. They kept the kids interested and engaged in every building we entered. There was always something new to learn and something to see. The kids even received a kid-friendly map that showed all the sights for kids and allowed them to get a punch in each place they visited. After three punches, they received a free souvenier which they loved. Then, it all became a game for them (being a parent, I’ve learned that having some kind of game at a museum or historic site is key to keeping a child’s interest in being there).
Here are some of the highlights of the places we visited:
First stop at the Weaver. Here the kids saw a live demonstration of how people in colonial times made wool and dyed yarns.
Here are some of the dyed yarns and threads:
Next stop: The colonial garden where we saw all the plants and vegetables grown and learned about how the colonists watered their plants (below a photo of my daughter learning how to operate the watering bottle):
The working well:
Fragrant English boxwoods for sale (my most favorite type of shrub):
The lovely pomegranate opened and waiting for the birds to eat:
The historic courthouse:
Just when the kids started to misbehave…
The ox drawn carts:
Cool historic buildings along the Duke of Gloucester Street. Here is a brew pub:
A stop in the Bindery where the printer prepares newspapers, books, and more on his fully-operational colonial press. Apparently kids as young as thirteen would come here to start an apprenticeship which was one of the better jobs in a town that had no school.
A stop inside the milliner and tailor where beautiful clothing was custom made for men and women. (My young daughter loved the gowns!):
The 18th center silversmith who was an artist in his own right during the days:
Next we stopped at the wig maker where I was asked if I was looking to be fitted for a wig! In Colonial times, the very wealthy and affluent people which made up only 5% of the population wore wigs to show their status.
Here are lovely wigs for women:
And an entire wall in case you don’t want one custom made:
We continued our walk down towards the Public Gaol (prison) where I knew the kids would enjoy checking out the old cells. Back in Colonial times, the jail owner lived and ran the jail, with his entire family of 14 children living within the small jailhouse. The children would have to walk past the creepy cells every night on their way to bed. I wouldn’t think they got a lot of sleep with the prisoners nearby! (Note: I did not get a good picture of the jailhouse as the lighting was poor).
After our creepy visit to the gaol, we reached the last place we had time and energy for, the historic Governor’s Palace and grounds. Here is a picture of the majestic entrance to the Governor’s Palace where the governor lived and you can do 35-minute tours of the full-restored home. With young, restless kids we passed on the tour and instead opted for the gardens out back which have a huge maze made out of fragrant hedges.
The gardens and maze:
At the end of our stay, I think we worn them all out!
After a long afternoon of walking and exploring life in Colonial times, it was time to head back and get our tired children home. All in all, the day visit was much better than I had anticipated and my almost seven-year-old son said he loved it with a big grin and thumbs up sign. Next time we visit, we will definitely return. There is so much more to see and it truly is fascinating.
If you go:
– I highly recommend skipping the visitor center altogether and going directly to downtown Williamsburg where you can easily park and walk over to the small ticket window to buy your pass and get your map for the day. It will save you a lot of time and hassle.
– I would either pack a lunch or eat outside of Colonial Williamsburg on the main square. There are tons of restaurants and sandwich shops which are much nicer and cheaper than inside Colonial Williamsburg. The main square is only a block away.
-Plan to arrive early in the morning, right when it opens to avoid crowds. Going during the week is your best bet and not during high season if you can help it. It was still relatively crowded for a mid-October day yet we were still able to get into every place we wanted to and not be pushed out by crowds.
-If you have children, you can rent colonial costumes at the visitor center so they can dress up for the day. There is also a horse and carriage ride and tour and a Kid’s Corner and orientation walk. (We didn’t do any of these things but would consider it next time we go).
-Definitely bring a stroller for young kids and wear good walking shoes!
-Finally, make sure you get a punch kid’s map to keep them busy and interested. Without the map, I bet my kids would have lasted not even an hour.
Photo above of the kids in front of their beloved minivan Airport taxi. We don’t have a minivan yet they LOVE them. So whenever the maroon colored Airport taxi arrives outside of our house, they are thrilled.
It was a LONG LONG day. It always is when traveling with kids. I can fly for 24 hours and survive it. Yet when it comes to traveling by myself with the kids it simply wears me out. I don’t have just myself to look after but two additional young beings that are constantly needing something. It is exhausting.
A few days before we left, the typical cold came on. My son developed his annual case of croup last Sunday in which he wound up at Children’s Hospital ER at 1 am. It is always scary when he gets croup because he can hardly breathe and it is frightening as a parent watching the child you love struggle to breathe. By now we know the drill. We get him dressed ASAP, get the car running, throw on clothes and take him the ten minute drive to the hospital where he gets some medication and resumes breathing normally. After the croup, he is left with a terrible hacking cough that keeps us all awake for nights and usually is passed on to me. No matter how hard I try to not get sick, I find is impossible and usually wind up sicker than a dog before every major trip. Oh well. One of the “pleasures” of being around kids!
I didn’t sleep a wink the night before our flight. I never sleep well before a morning flight. There is always so much last minute packing to do for the kids. I also had my coughing son sleeping on the floor next to my bed. By 6:30 am, I was already awake with a stuffy nose and tired. I was able to pack everything up, finish a post, make sandwiches and get us all ready for the arrival of our lovely cab.
The flight was uneventful except for the crazy, roller coaster landing. It was extremely windy in DC thus our landing into Reagan National was like being on a fighter jet. My stomach lurched and the kids screamed in delight. No matter how many hundreds of times I’ve flown, I still get jittery in extremely turbulent landings.
We landed and got off the plane. I was alone with the kids thus the three of us had to lug our huge suitcase, two car seats, and Dora and Star Wars mini backpacks to the car rental shuttle. My back nearly broke! It is never easy carrying all that stuff.
The shuttle dropped us off at the Enterprise Rental office where we picked up our bright, cherry red Chevy Impala. No offense to those who have one, but it has the worst most uncomfortable seats I’ve ever sat on. I had to stuff pillows and shirts behind my back to keep it from throbbing.
(Unfortunately I’ve had a bad upper back and neck since I was 13 and have recently resumed physical therapy to try to manage the pain and continue being a somewhat normal human being!).
I jumped on 95 South and was instantly reminded that I was on the East coast. The speed limit was 60 but everyone was driving 85. I forgot about the crazy, aggressive driving out here. (Minnesotans are more passive aggressive. Plus they generally drive pretty darn slow which drives me crazy).
Stress hit me as I was nearly run over while adjusting my seat and trying to get my kid’s DVD players started. I held my breathe so I wouldn’t have a near panic attack after almost missed my turn. Of course I didn’t have a map so the last thing I wanted to do was get lost.
It was smooth sailing at 80 mph out of DC to 95 South until I saw the sign that said “Caution: Accident 5 miles ahead”. Oh no. The sea of red headlights were endless and I was in stop and go traffic for the next half an hour. Things were not going too well.
I called my sister who gave me directions on a back road. I got off 95 and headed towards 17 South, a country road that would bring me right to my sister’s home in Gloucester Point, Virginia. Unfortunately once again, I missed the turn and wound up driving on some even smaller country road the wrong direction. I was surrounded by fields of gold, old white Baptist churches and nothing. It was much more relaxing and quieter than 95 but we were in the middle of no where!
A half an hour later, I finally found a side road that brought us back to 17 South. We had gone at least thirty minutes out of the way and I was beyond exhausted. This was going to end up being an eight hour day.
The kids had to go to the bathroom and were of course starving. But we were in the middle of rural, country Virginia and there was nothing, and I mean nothing in sight. We were surrounded by deep forests on bumpy, country roads. No bathrooms. No gas stations. No signs of civilization whatsoever. We could pull over along the road. But that wouldn’t fly.
Finally, like an oasis in a desert we found a tiny little roadside gas station. It was definitely a thirdeye moment. They sold fried chicken livers to go! But they did have ice cream and a small outhouse with sort-of running water. Relief. Yet we still had another hour and a half to go.
Finally, when I was at my wits end we pulled into Gloucester Point, eight hours after leaving our home in Minnesota. I was tired, cranky and grumpy. Yet, the wine was waiting as was my sister and her family.
Yesterday was my last hike in the White Mountains of Arizona. It wasn’t the hike that I had imagined or wanted to do. Not the 16-miler haul to Mount Baldy. Instead, it was a much shorter hike to a different part of the White Mountains where perhaps we would be able to see some wildlife and scenic views.
We left early in the morning and unfortunately the monsoon clouds were already forming and turning black. It was not a good sign yet we were already in the car and on our way. Plus I’d been offered a free babysitting morning from my mother so I couldn’t pass that up.
My dad and I pulled into the trailhead for the Blue Ridge Trail around 9:30 am hoping it wouldn’t rain. We were mainly going on this hike to view wildlife as I still had not seen a thing since I’ve been here except for a giant bullfrog and a jackrabbit hare the size of a small dog.
The mountains of Arizona is known for a huge variety of both big and small mammals as well as a very diverse assortment of birds. I was hoping to avoid the big mammals such as the Black and Cinnamon (very rare) beers that range for 300 mile territories. I also had no desire to see a Mountain Lion, Coyote or Wolf lurking around. Yet I did want to see a Rocky Mountain Elk or a Mule Deer. That was the main reason why we selected this trail.
We set off walking against lingering clouds and stillness in the air. I also tend to talk a lot and walk with a nervous gait when I know there are bears around. I know they generally are more afraid of you yet I wouldn’t want to find out the hard way, especially if we surprised a mama bear with cubs.
We walked for an hour or so through the trail and saw absolutely no wildlife or views. We were quite disappointed. However, I did see something that was spectacular: The trees. The trail hosted the craziest, spookiest, and most beautiful trees I’d ever seen beside from the firs. Some looked like ghosts or monsters while others just looked plain old weird. I also thought that the alligator junipers with their scaly grey trunks were wild.
Here are some pictures of what I saw. Hope you enjoy!
Also, at the end are some photos taken to another short hike we did that day to a scenic view of the Mongollon Rim. The Mongollon Rim is the dividing line between the Colorado Plateau and the Gila-Salt River watersheds, and contains the largest grove of freestanding Ponderosa Pines in the world. It is quite a spectacular place.
Note to readers: I am here on vacation in the White Mountains of northeast Arizona, home to the largest freestanding Ponderosa Pine Trees in the world, thinking that I would be writing my next few posts on a past trip to Australia. Before leaving, I uploaded all my pictures from Australia and prepared some of the posts. Yet, when I arrived here in the small, hilltop town of Show Low, Arizona, I realized that I was missing the “third eye”. There is plenty of incredible awe-inspiring nature, beauty and culture here to write about. I just had to use that “third-eye” approach and get out there and find it. So instead of Australia, I’m going to write my next few posts on this relatively unknown area of the world: The White Mountains. I will write about the firs, the pines and the most beautiful monsoon clouds I’ve ever seen. Here is my first post in this series. Hope you enjoy! thirdeyemom
We rose early to the morning sun lighting up the pine tree tops lining the White Mountains. The morning sky was azure blue with not a single cloud in the sky. That would surely come later. For we are in the tail end of monsoon season in Arizona where the magical clouds slowly appear, form and become bigger, whiter, brighter and then darker before they release their angry water.
Three generations were going on a hike today. My father, myself and my six-and-a-half-year-old son. We were off to see the tallest mountain in this part of the state, the sacred Mount Baldy. At 11,4000 feet, Mount Baldy is home to some of the oldest, most beautiful Douglas Firs in the world. Some of them dated from 300-350 years old! We were going to find them.
We took the White Mountain Scenic Byway for a little over an hour, driving through some of the other small towns along the way. We passed through meadows, fields of wildflowers and lots and lots of Ponderosa Pines (some dating over 700 years old!). It was a beautiful ride that took us through some unbelievable scenery. I had to pinch myself to remember that we were in Arizona as we had left the desert and cactus long ago.
The last stop before entering Mount Baldy is the huge White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation. There is the usual casino followed by a stark poverty which is very sad. Even the casinos have not been enough to help them here, in this remote part of the country.
As we drive up to the start of the hike to Mount Baldy, we admire the gorgeous, fragrant pines that dot the landscape. These pines could have all been swallowed up in the most recent and largest wild fire in the state of Arizona. The May 2011 Wallow Fire which was started by some careless campers, engulfed 525,000 acres of ancient pines and took over six weeks to put out. It was stopped before reaching Mount Baldy. It would have been even more of a tragedy if these incredible trees were all destroyed.
Here we are at one of the entrances to the trail. Roundtrip the hike is 16 miles, way too much to do with my young son. So we would just hike an hour to the wall and back. We would be certain to find lots of nature and firs.
I had to take a picture of Dad’s notorious backpack with his Nepal patch that we got sewn in when we were there.
Picture of my son and I on our first hike together.
Grandpa and Max setting off..
Entering one of the trail heads to Mount Baldy.
The once cloudless sky is no longer as the monsoon glistening white clouds begin to form above the pines.
Entering the first part of the forest which is mostly pines. You can hear the distant woodpecker searching for food and the bees buzzing.
There are three meadows to pass through before we hit the deep woods. We don’t see any elk just lots of wildflowers.
More clouds are forming. We have until eleven to get off the mountain before the monsoon starts and lightning flashes.
Finally we are inside the fragrant, deep forest searching for 300-year-old Douglas Firs. We found one!
The size of these trees is unbelievable.
When you look at the bark, you can see years and years of fire damage. Yet, somehow these trees have managed to survive and even thrive.
Looking up to the Gods.
Our destination: The wall. Here is where you start heading up but for us it was the perfect lunch spot.
Grandpa and Max sharing a picnic.
After lunch, it was time to head back. The monsoon clouds were forming and getting darker and darker. Along the way, we saw lots of beautiful, special things in the forest. It was fun teaching Max about how things grow.
Here is how the Douglas Firs start….
And lots and lots of colorful mushrooms!
Me saying goodbye to this lovely tree.
The beautiful things I found in the forest…
Showing Max how to count the rings and age the tree:
As we leave, just on time, the clouds continue to form and develop into magical, white, marshmallows…
We are out just in the nick of time….for the clouds begin to darken and the unavoidable afternoon storm began…
