I Drove Through Beauty

Last week I went out for a drive, heading south and east, up into the mountains.  It was very beautiful... I wish I lived up there.  Actually, there is a house for sale that I would like to own, but it costs about $50,000 more than I can afford.  If you happen to have $50,000 you would like to donate towards making me happy, please do let me know!   

Meanwhile, below are a few photos I stopped to take along the way.   Once I got up into the mountains, where the altitude was over 8,000 feet, there was still a lot of snow on the ground.  This first photo gives you a good idea of just how much snow there was, as you can just barely see the very tips of fence posts that are probably 4 or 5 feet tall.

These next ones are of a stream that was still partly frozen.  I was taken with this beautiful weathered tangle of roots from a fallen tree which was resting in the stream.  In the first photo I really like the green reflection of the wood in the still water.  And in the last photo you can almost make out the figures in the roots; they look as if they are hugging each other, or perhaps dancing together!

Another site that caught my attention was 'El  Lodge', with it's funky old sign directing you to a driveway filled with several feet of snow...

And these last photos are my favorite, of the clouds that so clearly look like smoke signals coming off of the hilltop.

Raggedy Ears

I've noticed some of my older cats have ears that reveal their history as warriors. Take a look:

(cough, cough) Flu (cough, cough)

I've been very sick with flu for the past week.  Blechhhhhh.  The house has been filling up with snot filled tissues.  Happily, today I am feeling a wee bit better, and was able to take out the trash before the cats and I became totally buried under disease debris.  

My illness doesn't seem to be bothering the cats, as long as I'm able to keep on filling their bowls.  Above is Gracie, taken a few minutes ago, relaxing on a window sill by my desk.  She looks pretty content, don't you think?  Or is there a certain sadness in her expression, one that is saying, "Gosh, I wish the human felt better..."?   

Alright, now that I have posted this, I shall return to my coughing and nose blowing activities.  Please send me good juju for a speedy recovery.  Thanks!

A Portrait Of Me In (Way) Younger Days

My previous post showed X-rays of my teeth, from age 16 - 19. Sometime during that same period I flew over to Switzerland to visit my brother Richard and his wife Lilia. Lilia had me sit for a portrait while I was there. I've had it all these years, and it just occurred to me I should photograph it and post it here on my blog.   Anyway, here it is. Sadly, it has been folded up for many years, and you can see that, but still, the photo came out pretty well. 

The Decline of my Teenage Teeth

I was poking around out in the garage a couple of days ago, looking for something.  I didn't find it, but I did come across an envelope which contained dental X-rays of my teeth from back in the 1970s!  There were X-rays taken from 1971,1973,and 1974, when I would have been 16,18, and 19.  I was surprised to see how many fillings I already had, at that young age, and how rapidly more were being put in over those few years.  I have no memory of all that dental work, or who the dentist was.  I do see that the name shows 'Julie Aaron'.  My first name back then was Julia, and for a period of time I was called 'Julie', which I never liked.  I can also see my sideways sitting wisdom teeth still in place in these X-rays.  If memory serves, I had all four of those extracted in one session when I was 21.   What about you- have you had your wisdom teeth extracted, and if so, at what age?