A few additions to the previous post, which you'll see first since that's the way blogspot does it.

So we got out of the truck, and I saw the little kiosk with flyers pinned to it.  "Hey," I said.  "I bet there're maps of the park over there.  I'm gonna go check."  Vinnie took all of the following photos.  Notice that three out of four are at my expense.  That's what friends are for.

This photo is not a set up.  The snow next to the parking lot was frozen solid, and I walked across it.  The snow on the far side of the pile was considerably softer... and chest deep!  I had a heck of a time trying to get out of it.  Vinnie found it quite comical.   Speaking of things Vinnie cracked up over...

Lest my readers think that only Vinnie fell over.  This little fiasco started with a little hop over a hump of snow.  Again, notice how deep the snow was beside the trail!  We were on a hard packed snowy highway.

Digging into some trail mix after a 5 mile ski.  Need to refuel.

New tele set up

I skied in my new telemark set up for the first time last night.  Of course, I got everything on the cheap and went old school.  I tell myself that old school stuff reflects a respect for the roots of a thing.  Axes, hand tools, hard-tails, all leather hiking boots, straight skinny skis, 3 pin telemark set up with leather boots, etc.  In reality, the beautiful thing about having old or out dated ways of doing things is that one always has an excuse for screwing something up or not finishing a project.  See my on-going kitchen table project or continued ineptitude on the mountain as examples.  Anyway, I had so much fun that there was no time to take pictures.  We're going out again today and maybe there will be something to add to this post later.  For now, I submit for your amusement an image from the internets.

source: http://www.pmags.com

Always something new... and old

Snow and wind.

Is there anything better than keeping yourself and those you love warm with your own muscle and know how?

Went out to the barn the other day for a walk.  Rambo is mostly blind now, but he is healthy otherwise and seems in good spirits.  Fortunately, he has a seeing eye primate.  You gotta love the love in this picture.

Warming myself a second time.

Ok, I'll admit the house coulda been a little warmer last night.  "Fire it up!" says Sarah.  Teacher friends will know what I'm talking about when I relate that it's been so heart warming to listen to Sarah learn how to use her sewing machines.  Every couple minutes I hear "hmmmm" or "Oooh" or "Ah!" ...or "Shit." The sounds of learning.

"Look what I did!"  After a test drive, Sarah proclaimed the pillowcase fit for her sacred pillow.  Not a bad first project!

A Better Than Average Weekend

It started with snow.  Then there was snow in the middle.  Also, there was snow at the end.  In between, there was snow.  Also, there was chili, and walking, and lots of good food and conversation!

We went to a couple museums, but I only thought to take photos at the Johnson Art Museum.

The bodhisattvas are always inspiring in deed as well as in the artwork they inspire.

This statue is a thousand and a half years old, and another bodhisattva.  He's not nearly as old as the Sumerian receipt for chickens and goats that we saw.  That was dated to 2029 BCE and had the oldest known representation of a human riding a horse!  And we saw it!  

After we left the Museum of the Earth (no pics, sorry) we went to Dano's Hueriger for some great meat products and conversation.

Bob got a new toy.

Of course, there were a thousand great moments that we didn't catch on film.  We shared lots of different beers, both at the restaurants and at home.  We shared stories of travel and talked a lot about our dogs.  Mostly, we just enjoyed the diversion of each other's company.  

All in all, I'd say it was better than...

New Years, or there abouts

 Saturday I helped my friend Sam move some stuff into storage.  Across the tracks, over a one lane bridge tucked away on a no name street, I found this!  Sarah and I returned later in the day to check it out.

 Inside we met Frederic Bouche who is a fourth generation vintner, and the first to move the operation stateside.  He makes just two ports.  A red and a white.  But he has a beautiful and interesting collection of artifacts from the old winery in France.  Above is a home made smugglers belt.  It would hold 18 bottles worth of moonshine.  We both were enamored by Frederic and really appreciated his time and the incredible port that he makes.  I wish we'd've taken more pictures, but I guess we'll just have to go back again.

 We took a break from running errands to have a bite to eat at the new and improved Ithaca Beer Brewery.  Sarah and I have already begun saving bottles to make a clever up-cycled decorative divider like the one they have.  Yes mom, if it works out we'll build you one, too.

 This is the patio that is going to be so fun and entertaining come spring.  There are hop plants all over out there and the beams, poles, and strings will act as an elaborate hop trellis.

 Sarah enjoyed a flight of their heavier, winter beers, and looked lovely doing it.

 We drove past Buttermilk Falls on the way home.  It is apparently hibernating.

 Ummm... Sunday(?) we went skiing.  It was a lot of fun and already better than all of last season.

 Monday we went out for a little ride.  The horses are unshod and the ground is a little precarious.  I thought we were going to call it quites, but then Sarah saw the sled.

We had a lot of fun working with Rambo.  We remembered from the lariat days that just because the rider thinks the rope is not a snake does not mean the horse thinks the rope is not a snake.  And let me tell you, a horse reacts just like you would if you came upon a 30' snake that was striking at your neck! We got to work with the rope and dallying and pulling and backing and not freaking the heck out and jumping sideways... LOTS of fun!

So as you can see, after a little bit of time, things were going well enough to add a rider to the sled!

 Here is Sarah having a go at it as well.  We started with just the sled, then added the rim for some weight, then added a rider.

 Rambo was such a good sport!  You'd never suspect he was gonna be 30 this year!

 This is Erik's kid, The Bandit.  I think he's been introduced on the blog before, but he's acting more and more like a human being.

 A pretty cute one too.  He really likes my hat and kept putting it on and running around even though it comes down over his eyes.  He didn't scream or poop much while we were over for the New Years dinner and drinks which was cool, too.

 We took a potato soup that Jennifer gave us a recipe for.  Everyone found it delicious!  Sam grilled some moist and flavorful venison and made a great cashew chili.  We also took a bottle of port that we'd picked up for the occasion.

 This is from this morning after the dogs and I went out and played in the yard and brought in some firewood.  Indy had to warm her tootsies.

 So she could go back out and play some more!

 And go for an awesome hike.

This little guy is a common redpoll!  He is at the very back of my bird book and there was a whole flock of them on the feeder that Sarah was watching.  The red spot on their crowns is brilliant!  There were eight of them on the feeder a moment before I took this picture, but you'll have to just enjoy this guy and know that he is the bravest (or hungriest) in his flock.

Looking forward to another great year.

Christmas in Ohio

 On Christmas Eve we accidentally got locked out of the Bassman house.  Dad came over in red rider and saved the day, like a regular Cat Woman (or cat burglar... whatever)

We had a very skypey christmas.  "Wait, you're frozen, what did you say?"  "What?"  "I said ........." "what?"

 But really, it's pretty cool being able to see your niece or grand daughter tear open her presents two time zones away!  Think about it, 150 years ago the telegraph was the most convenient form of communication... 20 years ago I had to use pay phones.  It's a brave new world

 This is the awesome breakfast quiche that Veneta made for us this morning!  She also made gouda grits to accompany it.

 This is Sarah being a punk when I point the camera at her... as a punishment for her behavior, I present an example of it here for all the world to see.

 Here she is looking happy and pretty.

 It's really hard to take pictures in the arena, and I know it's blurry, but here's a photo of Veneta and Will working together well.

 Sarah and Will demonstrating his flexion and agility

 AWEsome photo in the barn.  Next life, maybe.

Will made a horse angel in the snow after he was done working.

Sarah and Will look so good.