A Quick Hike

 A couple weeks ago I was really worried that all the fall colors would disappear rapidly (as they do some years), so I dragged the kids up into the mountains to go for a little hike. The vibrant rabbitbrush along the way caught my attention. Most years I am allergic to it, but for some reason this year it hasn't bothered me. (Ragweed, however, is another story.)

 We stopped at Mather Overlook, but I had a hard time getting the photo I wanted. The sky was overcast and kind of blah, but there were nice colors scattered all around.

 As we continued higher, I just got more excited by the colors. I stopped, hopped out, and looked for scenic vistas to capture to remember of all the color when we soon enter the monochrome season of winter. My kids weren't nearly as impressed. Someday they will be.

 The sun peeked from behind the clouds to dust these aspens with a few rays as we drove by.

 I was grateful that hardly anyone else was on the road, as I kept stopping to take more photos!

 This dead limber pine is one of my favorite trees in Great Basin National Park. It's just past the Wheeler Peak summit trailhead.

 Finally we reached the parking lot and got out. You can see how excited my kids were. Desert Girl was really tired, so I knew there was no point in even trying to get her to hike. Instead, I put her in the stroller.

 Soon Desert Boy was feeling better.

 Even Desert Girl managed a hint of a smile.

 This aspen tree is part of the reason I wanted to go up there. I love how it curves.

 Desert Boy even helped me with a smile.

 We decided we had enough energy for  a walk through the campground.

 But first I had to run and get a different camera battery and couldn't resist a photo of the trail to the amphitheatre.

 It was so incredibly beautiful that I wanted to dawdle and spend as much time as possible. However, it was a little on the chilly side.

 I tried experimenting with more creative compositions. I figure if I take enough photos eventually I'll end up with something good. I need to learn to be a little more aggressive with the delete button on the computer so I don't fill up the hard drive too fast.

 Desert Boy really enjoyed pushing his sister, and she was content. She just let her feet, encased in cowboy boots, dangle, as it was too much work to put them on the footrest.

This has to be one of the prettiest campsites anywhere. We're going to have to try to stay there--next summer! I'm not too eager for camping in freezing conditions!

A Strawberry Stroll

 We wanted to find some bugling elk, so we headed up Strawberry Creek. The end of the road has been closed all summer, and you can see by Desert Boy's expression that he wasn't too thrilled about walking.

 So it started out a little more like a drag than a stroll. But we persisted. Actually, I had the idea that this nice autumn day could be a good day to take a family photo, so we gave it a try.

 The disgruntled looks don't make for an enchanting photo. Oh, well, onwards.

 The feel of autumn was really in the air. I love this time of year--we're about to quiet down and have some time to relax!

 I think some of that eventually soaked through to the kids, as they calmed down and started finding things to enjoy. Desert Boy was entranced with the beetle galleries on a piece of bark.

 Before long, Desert Girl was even interested.

 At the end of the road we reached the reason the road was closed: a new parking area.

 On the other side we crossed the very long pedestrian bridge.

 We tried again for a family photo, but it didn't work out so well. At least this one of Desert Girl and Daddy turned out decent. While my husband and kids amused themselves with the creek, I walked a little farther, still with hopes of seeing some elk.


 I didn't see elk, but I saw lots of sagebrush (and tried to get a sunflare photo for a photo challenge).
Eventually it was clear that the elk had moved on, so I turned around and headed back.

 On the way I saw a sudden movement across the trail: a snake slithered across, with something in its mouth. How cool!

 The snake had caught a rodent, and she moved quickly to go enjoy her treat.

Back at the bridge it was time for me to play in the stream and my husband took some photos.

 The kids had gotten pretty happy after playing in the water for awhile. And they weren't even too wet!

Even though we didn't see any elk, it was still a nice family outing. It was also interesting to see how the leaves hadn't changed much, even those the ones at higher elevations were very colorful.

Fishing at Cave Lake

 After the race, we wandered along the beach at Cave Lake. Some nice guys from Las Vegas were fishing and let Desert Boy reel one in. He was so excited!

 Desert Boy was intrigued with the whole process.

 Like the duck in the background?

 Here he is with the fish.

 The hook was in pretty deep, so it took some serious plier work to get the hook out.

 Don't you love Desert Boy's expression?

 Next it was Jenna's turn.

She also had a great expression that cracked up the guy.

We really appreciate them taking the time to share their fishing experience with the kids. They caught their limit fairly quickly. We're going to have to go back and give it a try some time. Apparently Zeke's Powerbait is the magic tool.

Irrigating, Bones, Cows, and More

 It was my husband's day off and he said he just needed to spend "a few minutes" irrigating. I raised my eyebrow--as much as I could raise just one eyebrow--and pursed my lips. "Plus driving time," he amended. I sighed and agreed to go. If that was the only way we could spend time with him, we might as well make the best of it. I grabbed my camera, as I figured there would be a good chance of some fun photo opportunities.

 The kids were happy to go on a little trek, Desert Boy in his new cowboy boots that are too big (but much preferable to his better-fitting gym shoes), and Desert Girl in her ladybug irrigating boots. She's been wearing those almost every day for over a week. The kids are getting pretty good at negotiating barbed wire.

 While my husband moved irrigation dams, I found myself interested in pollinators on the rabbitbrush. The huge eyes on the fly help explain why it can be so hard to get one with a flyswatter--they see it coming from a long way away!

 Here's a different fly. Although we often think of flies as pesky, most are actually really important to the ecosystems around us, helping to pollinate and perform other functions. If we could just put up signs at our houses and campsites for them to stay away!

 The kids trailed Dad, checking out the sprayed thistle on the way.

 At our next site I found some lovely sunflowers attracting a wide variety of insects.

 At our next stop (oh, yes, we had many stops and driving over bumpy tracks!),the kids spotted something that they had been looking for. It was across the ditch, so they needed help getting over.

 Daddy's hip waders made it easy.

What were they looking for?

 Why, bones, of course! We didn't find any at the first site, but we did find a couple at the second site, along with a dead cow that will be a good bone source in a couple of years. The kids occupied themselves with taking bones over to the edge of the ditch and matching them up. Some of them came home with us. Desert Boy still lists paleontologist as one of his top ten career choices. (National Fossil Day is coming up on October 17--we'll be celebrating!)

 My husband didn't want to carry me across the ditch (why not?), so I wandered down the track to the next stopping spot.

 I found a lovely cow out in the meadow.

 Then I came across a crowd of cows near some dead trees. This used to be a homestead, but has long been abandoned. Although the humans had fled to more populated places, the cows were happy hanging out there. Most of them took a break from chewing their cud and got up to take a look at me. Cows are curious creatures.

 As I watched the cows taking a few steps and pausing, looking at me, then taking a few more steps, I started thinking of them fashion models.

 Here's one sauntering through the meadow. Swing those hips, babe! Show off that eartag.

 They have the look down pat.

 Hello, ladies.

Before they could get really close, my husband came with the kids and the bones. Some of the bones were a bit on the smelly side and we had to leave them behind. Another year and we'll pick them up.

This turkey vulture may help clean those bones.

It was a fun morning. Even though it took a few hours instead of a few minutes!