Gingerbread, Hobbit-style

Here's this year's batch of LOTR-inspired gingerbread; we left architecture behind and tried figures instead.  MUCH easier, though with fewer stories to tell. Made by Erin, Anne and Al, respectively. (Alana left for a wedding in Chicago before we got to it, and Ack was felled by pink eye.) Our Fellowship was battered but prevailed!

A hobbit, Lady Galadriel and a one-armed uruk-hai (a type of orc).

Gandalf, with hat and staff

Sideview - so you can see the deadly lance

Almost Solstice

9am - just the start of the blizzard

Signs of the season at our house, outside and in...

One Favorite Tree

Our Other Favorite Tree

Where are we?

Anne and I were in San Fran for the weekend. Intent was to go mushroom hunting but rainy weather prevented that. So, we toured around and relaxed. He is a satellite image of where we were (look for the blue dot) taken from the SSEC/CIMSS SatCam iPhone App. Anne returned to Madison but Ack remains out here for a conference.

Hiking in Salt Lake County

 Within an easy drive of their house, a beautiful hike.

Planning the route

Straight up then straight down

Looking back toward the city

The reward of the hike

Happy hikers

Erin's New Neighborhood

Down the block:
The Violin Making School of America

Erin and Al live in downtown Salt Lake now, with lots of interesting places nearby.

Right next door: now defunct, too bad.

Right next door: delicious! Their apartment building behind.

Send them a letter and here's where it'll go.

Good Things

Last week, the exhibit I organized, "Wisconsin Folks: Masters of Tradition," opened at the airport. We had a very fun opening reception with performances in the terminal and a party back at the house. The exhibit looks great and will run for 6 months.

On Friday, Ack had the latest of his 3-month checkups and got another cancer-free report card. Yea!

Eileen & Alan Tie the Knot! Fave Fotos 2

Eileen & Alan Tie the Knot! Fave Fotos 1

Alana's Favorites

Looks like Alana liked these two photos best out of our Poland pics - Pops & Maman in Gdansk. 

Enthusiasm in front of one of the gates along the Royal Route.

Fascination with the elaborate Artus Court.

 

Playland in Poland

Here's what makes me think of Playland while in Sopot, Poland...the art deco styling, the white stucco walls, the red tile roofs, a tower and fountain - all on the beach with a boardwalk, just no amusement park.

Poland

The riverwalk in Gdansk along the Motlawa River.

The mermaid fountain in Warsaw (she's the city protector). We had our first meal under the umbrellas in the background.

In Sopot (just like what Alana and I saw in China), couples come to the beach for wedding photos. Sailboard race is ending in background.

We're in our third city and have been delighted in each one: beautiful architecture, delicious pierogi, not too expensive costs, and now a beautiful seashore.  In Warsaw for one day, we explored Old Town, all rebuilt after WWII (a UNESCO World Heritage Site now).  In Gdansk for two days, the "Royal Route" had amazing architecture and lots of beautiful Baltic Sea amber. Day 2 we explored the history of the Solidarity movement with its bringing about the end of Communist rule in Europe at museums, photo displays and poking around the shipyards. Very powerful. Then up the coast just 5 miles to the resort town of Sopot. It's like the Playland of Poland, minus the rides (those photos to follow) - all white stucco art deco buildings with red tile roofs. We're in the conference hotel right on the beach - beautiful. Glad I brought my wetsuit to swim - the water's clear but cold and filled with jellyfish!

Gate 2 at the (former) Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, the site of the Solidarity sit down strike in 1989 - treated as a shrine now.

32 on 23

We celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary by hiking in beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. We spent Thursday arriving at our 100+ year old cabin in Raymond and doing a short hike up Castle Rock.

Ouzel Falls

Ouzel Lake

On Friday - the one year anniversary of Ack starting chemo - we hiked 10 miles RT to stunning Ouzel Lake (10,000') with a series of spectacular waterfalls along the way. Not such a great cabin experience that night in Allenspark.

Saturday, a 6-mile RT to Deer Mountain with stunning views of Beaver Meadows below and other peaks around.

View from Deer Mountain

Very fun visit with Eileen and Alan that night in Longmont with an early departure back to Madison on Sunday. (Forgot to take a photo.) Next time we see them will be at their wedding!

Happy Anniversary!