Southward Bound

My sister, Erin, is headed to South America today! She will be traveling through Argentina and Chile from Buenos Aires to Santiago. We couldn't be more thrilled for her! Zach and I had a wonderful time touring through this region and know that Erin will too. I wish I could fit into her suitcase to be a travel companion and see these beautiful places again. But I look forward to hearing her travel tales and revisiting them through her eyes upon her return in a couple of weeks. Ciao Erin! Bien Viaje!

Zorro

Zorro is the Spanish word for "fox" as I discovered with Zach in Chile when the bus driver pointed out a "Zorro" darting through the trees. When I moved to the Wood River Valley I instantly feel in LOVE with these little creatures. Elegant like a cat but powerful like a dog I am constantly impressed with their beautiful features. There is a reason why there is a saying "sly like a fox" because they move so gracefully it seems effortless. Today I was on my way to a job site when I came across a young fox pup chasing grasshoppers in the tall grass. I couldn't resist watching and then snapping a few photos to share. I don't think I will ever get over seeing these animals and thinking they are good luck.

Recently, it has been reported in our local newspaper, the Mt. Express, that the fox population in our area is decreasing because of a infestation of mange. Quoted from the paper "...The culprit is a tiny mange mite that burrows under an animal's skin, causing irritation, infection and loss of fur." With a mange infection foxes will eventually starve or freeze to death. The paper continues to say that "...mange is a fairly common disease among foxes, but has become widespread recently in the Sun Valley area because of an unusually dense population of the animals." One of the main reasons for this dense population ,as noted by the paper, is that people are feeding them.

So apparently I'm not the only one that likes foxes but people please! The reason these animals are so beautiful is because of their wild untamed nature. Can you imagine if everyone had a pet fox? It would be the newest trend in animal accessories. That sounds terrible to me! I know that people aren't feeding the foxes to intentionally hurt them. But people need to be aware that wild animals are not our pets. If they become dependant on human food and familiar with human presence the more they will be effected with disease and susceptible to being hit by cars (which I narrowly avoided the other day THANK GOODNESS!).

If you are not intentionally feeding the animals PLEASE make sure you are covering your trash properly and waiting to put it out until the morning of your garbage service pick up. Foxes may be related to dogs but they jump like cats and can get right into a trash container if we are not careful.

I love these little critters and hope everyone else in our valley helps appreciate their wild beauty by keeping them, wild!

Born Lakes Hike

Zach, Lucy, and I headed north for a hike into the Born Lakes area of the White Cloud Mountain Range. I have only seen these magnificent peaks from a distance and had my first opportunity to hike in them this weekend. The name "White Clouds" seems more than appropriate because of the strong white & gray mountain tops that rise sharply out of the valley floor. There were lot's of streams and lakes along the way so Lucy could indulge in what we were calling her "puppy day-spa" behavior. Lounging was all to easy for her as hikers would pass by and comment how she made that look so comfortable.

After our hike we camped at Alturas Lake and enjoyed some delicious wine that I packed home from the Carmel Valley in California at the Bernardus Winery. I can't believe the last weekend in August is already here! Wow, summer is almost over....

Boys & Toys

Nick got a new boat! Yes it's another toy he can add to his collection. Zach probably has more to do with encouraging Nick then anyone to partake in these new machines. Jean and I keep a close watch on them when they are spending too much time together. They are accumulating quite the treasure chest. Snow machines, kayaks, mountain bikes, road bikes, apline skis, nordic skis, backcountry skis, and now a boat....Luckily no motorcycles... yet! They love to tease me and tell me they are going to park everything in our front yard. The idea horrifies me! I can just picture a sofa with beer cans all over and the neighbors wishing we had never moved in...

I must admit though these boys toys are fun! Nick took us for a cruise around Alturas Lake last weekend. He turned the steering wheel sharply trying to make the biggest wake he could behind the boat. I kept thinking this boat was for duck hunting and fishing but then I imagined a ski boat! Maybe Nick should upgrade and get another toy? Now we just need a place to put it....

So after I posted this I found the perfect new toy for Zach! The personal bike powered RV camper...says it all doesn't it!

Old Friends

I had a visit from an old friend earlier this summer. Becca (now known as Mrs. B) is someone I have know since my middle school days in Reno. She is happily married and happened to be in Idaho for a family reunion. She had heard I lived in the area and bravely made the inquiry into my whereabouts via email. And I'm so happy she did! It was like nothing had changed when we saw each other again taking us back to our childhoods in Reno. Neither of us had changed a bit! Her contagious laugh and smile made me miss my old friend. It was wonderful to introduce her to my husband, and meet hers, show her around our home, and meet our 4-legged furry child, Lucy. It is fantastic to have such dear people in my life regardless of where life takes us. Thank you Becca for looking me up and I hope we cross paths again soon!

1st Anniversary

I can't believe how quickly this last year has gone by! At times it seems we were just going through the wedding process and at others it couldn't be farther away from us. But this past Sunday was Zach and my first wedding anniversary. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband that challenges me everyday with new activities, keeps me happy and honest, wakes me up with a hug and a kiss, tells me I'm beautiful before I leave for work and when he gets home, wants to spend as much time with me as he can, works hard at his job so he can play hard on the weekends, makes me strive to be a better person, and is my very best friend. I love you Zach and here is to many, many more anniversary's together :)

Garden of Plenty

We have been harvesting radishes and some lettuce for awhile but our carrots are coming in strong. And my goodness they taste good! It's so clear how eating fresh vegetables and fruit is soooo different then eating something that has been frozen and traveled hundreds of miles to reach your dinner table. Luckily, growing up with a mother who always had a little something growing taught me this difference. Zach snapped some photos of the carrots for me to remember for next year when I am replanting. My tomatoes are not looking great but I've learned to feed them more often since they are in pots. Our zucchini is taking over the south end of our little raised bed, while the snap peas and eggplant are a little more modest. I know Zach is going to be over joyed when we finally harvest our potatoes. I'm a little curious to see how these purple critters turn out myself :) I've learned so much this year finally having my own garden. It's so wonderful to see your labor of love pay off so deliciously!

Family Time

Zach and I jetted off to Reno/Tahoe this past weekend to visit with the family for less then 48 hours. It was great to see everyone, the lake, and enjoy time with our ever growing nieces. My mom was really happy to get a family shot before we had to go our separate ways again. It seems so rare we can all get together anymore. We have a great time when we do get together though! Love you all :)

Lucy's Knee Recovery

Dogs are amazing creatures.

Ms. Lucy had a major knee surgery a little over two months ago and she is back in action like nothing ever stopped her. The TPLO surgery that Lucy had is very common for dogs and not something that can always be prevented. Humans have the same surgery on their ACL tendon in their knee and it normally takes a year to heal completely. Dogs take anywhere from 2-4 months. Since Lucy is still our "puppy" and only two years old we thought this would never happen to her. But since it has we have really learned a lot about the persistent optimistic attitude that animals have and why we must love them so much. Yesterday Lucy got to play at Petit Lake just like any other dog chasing, swimming, and fetching sticks. We are so happy to see our doggy be free again! Thanks Randy and Sun Valley Animal Center for making our dog turbo :)