A weekend outing

On Saturday we packed up the girls and headed to Belknap Hotsprings to visit Q's parents and Nolan and Beth who were camping (trailers, not tents!).

One word - BEAUTIFUL!
It's so good for us to get a little nature in our lives. The postage stamp size back yard that overlooks the neighbors postage stamp doesn't really even compare to the forests and McKenzie river we sat and watched roll by.

As we were playing in pine needles and dirt (and keeping Brynn from eating it) with the river in front of us, there were these flickers of silver and black that kept coming out of the water. Salmon spawning. I've heard about it, read about it, but never seen it in person. These salmon have swam upstream from the ocean to return to the exact spot in the river where they were born, to die.

This is no small journey.
Where we were at, is about 200 miles upstream.
Yes, all upstream. These fish, swim and swim and swim to return to their final resting place.
It's really amazing to think about. The trip takes about 4 weeks total, and they never stop swimming...ever.

We were able to hike down to a shallow point in the water where about 3 of them were and they looked so tired and so old. They were huge, about 3 feet long, and their little eyes were sunken in, and their color was dark, dark grey and silver. All I could think about was that we were witness to the completion of this salmon's circle.

I know, I sound ridiculous, writing about a salmons' 'circle of life' - but it moved me inside. No tears, just some thought provoking.

And then reality snaps you back as Elsie started crying because the fish were too scary, and she needed some ''pony snacks" - as in My Little Pony fruit snacks...her favorite thing...this week.

So - my first official blog has been written...next time I'll write about hugging a tree...just kidding!~