Vacation Download - Part 1

M'kay...sooo...obviously not back in the blogosphere on Monday as I had originally planned. Why does everything wait to go to hell while I'm on vacation so it's just sitting there, waiting for me, in a big ol' pile of *(()A$& !! when I get back?


I think the universe hates me. Or, at least, it's like a finicky pet that is glad to see you for about the first 5 seconds when you get back and then spends the next week "punishing" you for having been gone in the first place.

The vacation itself, however, was FABULOUS! We totally scored on the amazing cabin we got to stay in (shout out to my sis-in-law who did all the research and booking and picked the place). The kids had a fantastic time and even the weather cooperated by providing just enough snow for great sledding but not so much that it prevented us having a good time.


And, just to prove it, here are some of the pictures I took:




When we arrived at the cabin rental office to check in and pick up the keys, we were greeted by happy faces on all the trees. Apparently, it's a "thing" in Idyllwild because I spotted more of these tree faces all around town.






The current occupant of the happy face tree condescended to pose for a picture all the while chattering at me to warn me that this was HIS tree!





His friend on the ground was a little more cheerful owing to a bribe of fresh peanuts.

Did I mention there are a LOT of squirrels in Idyllwild? Found this guy as we cruised around the town checking out stores and restaurants.

Another thing to be found around town and in the yards of lots of the cabins are these amazing wood carvings. We drove by the yard of the company that produces them, but I didn't get a chance to get out and take pics there. They had a huge totem pole right in front that had an eagle, bear, wolf and mountain lion all carved on it. But this guy in the picture was on one end of a bench in front of the local bank.

Here's the bear on the other half of the bench.

We also went exploring in the area around our cabin on the first day and found more evidence of wild creatures (of the non-squirrel variety). In case my fabulous photography skills have left you stumped - that's the hoof-print of a deer.

And then the weather started to change...

(BTW...that's the view from the balcony of our cabin - pretty awesome, eh?)

First we had rain. And then there was hail (pictured here on our balcony).

And more hail.

And then...stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow!

KJ