Where The Lava Once Flowed (Sunriver, OR)

The following photos are from Newberry National Volcanic Monument - Lava Lands.  Talk about feeling like I have walked through a portal and into a different world!  There was a 1-mile paved path that led us up towards the crater through the old lava flow.  The different lava formations were very interesting along with what manages to survive in it.

If you go to the link above, you can see an aerial photo of the crater.  It is quite fascinating to see.

Golden Mantle Ground Squirrel

We read about why the trees get so twisted.  New seedlings will get one strong tap root into the hard rocky ground.  That one root only supplies food to the one side of the tree, so the tree slowly revolves to get nourishment to all sides.  Hence the twisted tree trunks.  Amazing what Mother Nature can do to survive.

twisted tree

The lava land covers thousands of acres.  It is such an unusual sight to see where the lava stopped and suddenly there is a lush forest with Ponderosa Pines, rivers, and creeks.

Mt Bachelor and Sisters Mountains

Below are fireballs.  Like snowballs, they grow bigger as they rolled down the lava's downhill flow.

fireballs

 The beginnings of a new twisted tree...

Amazing to see this tree growing here

Okay, I ran out of things to say about Lava Land, but I have a few more photos that I can show you while I talk about something else....

In May, we marked our 4th anniversary of full-timing.  June 30, we celebrated 38 years of marriage.  We have been so busy spending the month walking and becoming more healthy that the anniversaries just came and went by without our notice.  Okay, we did celebrate our anniversary with some Ben & Jerry's ice cream....

and flowers

Anyway, we have put a lot of miles on our feet and our Fitbits.  The best part is seeing the results.  Sleeping better, more energy, and a loss of extra pounds!

lots of flowers

Yep, this has been the best way to celebrate our anniversaries instead of dinner out, overeating, and feeling like napping all day.  Usually, I have a dull headache for the next couple of days to remind me of my overindulgence as well.  Instead, I have feel great and ready to go for another walk...and more picture taking, of course.

chipmunk

Cathedral Windows by Clare O'Donohue

Surprise!  I managed to finish a book between all our explorations.  This is pretty short - less than 80 pages, but a wonderfully written story about a small town with a big heart in the spirit of giving.  Nell is teaching Elementary students how to quilt when a young two-time Afghanistan War Veteran now teacher is accused of burning down his own home.  He has already lost all of his family and depressed, he feels there is nothing left for him in his old hometown.  Nell soon enlists the help of her quilting friends to help solve the mystery and to show this beloved teacher that he has not lost everything in the world.
Happy Trails!

With Rain, You get Deer (Sunriver, OR)

All our neighbors left earlier this week and it started raining, well more of a drizzle than rain, that lasted for 3-4 days.  Needless to say, the traffic around our loop went down to a couple of vehicles a day.  The cats did not mind the drizzle, so we took them for walks in the rain.

With it being so quiet around our site, the critters started showing up and giving us quite a show.  Big grey squirrels were running around, but my favorite sightings are the twin fawns romping around the site through the woods while Mama deer was munching grass.

They hung around our motorhome for a couple of hours so we got to watch them run full-speed through the trees and kicking up their heels.  So cute!  I took these photos from our window since Mama was very skittish and jumped at every sound.

On another day, Squirrel (B&W cat) let himself out for a walk when he found the door ajar.  Dan found our escapee on the backside of the motorhome having a stare down with this doe.  The deer did not seem as timid as the others.  We were able to get within 10 yards of her.  She disappeared while we were gathered the other cats and their leashes.

Same day...different cat....Across the dirt road in another site, Hitch and I ran into the deer again.  After a brief stare down, Hitch decided he did not like her and trotted back towards our site.  The doe followed us back and started munching while watching our cats.  

Dan took a couple of picture of the cats with the doe nearby.  Hitch just did not know what to think of his new shadow.  The doe, on the other hand, was probably trying to figure out what was up with this strange small critter leading humans around by a string.

Hitch watching the doe

She became so curious that she got within a couple of feet of Dusty.  Dusty started to growl and Dan clapped his hands to scare the doe away.  We were a little worried what would happen if they got into a confrontation.  Especially if Dusty scratched her nose and she decided to stomp him with a hoof.

We have been doing a lot of walking.  Here are a few photos along one trail in the Newberry Volcanic National Monument.  I have more photos that I will upload for the next posting.

I have to admit with all the walking we have been doing, I'm feeling a little tired and I'm ready to just sit for awhile...maybe a little sewing.  I have a feeling I will not be getting a whole lot of that done tonight.

Trail to Benham Falls

yawn...Happy Trails!