Yosemite - Wait for me, I'll be back!

I hiked, I climbed, I beheld the glory that is Yosemite and I can't even begin to tell you how spectacular it was. Nature was hurling itself at me at every turn, each sight more breathtaking than the last.  I pushed my body to its limit (which isn't much) and I was sore from the task, but richly rewarded.

I rested my weary body each evening in the quaint Wawona Hotel.  I was so seduced by the front porch of our cabin, I watched the sunset there while sipping on champagne and eating plump strawberries.  I'm telling you, camping is hard work.  After I ran out of champagne, I had to walk at least 50 steps over to the main hotel bar to get another drink.

After a good night's rest, I packed my backpack with water, snacks, camera, maps and hand sanitizer (trust me on this one) and headed down to the valley to behold the Yosemite Valley I had only read about previously.

Spring in Yosemite means the falls are flowing.  The sight of Yosemite Falls as I climbed out of the car almost caused me to fall on my face.

I had to climb.  I had to get closer to the falls whose sweet song in the distance was calling me.  As I got closer, their sweet song gave way to a fierce roar.  The gentle mist I felt in the distance became a shower as I tried to get too close.  The falls have a way of telling you to keep your distance.

Not one to be dissuaded I followed the mist trail uphill 1000 feet on the lore that I would be greeted smack in the face by Vernal Falls.  As I climbed the granite stairs leading to the last portion of the falls, I felt the spray getting stronger and stronger and as I climbed higher and higher I started to realize just how high up I was.  It was hard to collect my thoughts at that moment; I was just there and in awe.

I had my heart set on climbing Half-Dome, but darn it you had to have a reservation to do that.  I just sat there and drank in the view.  If you slip a pair of binoculars in your backpack you can watch for climbers and wish it was you.

I thought maybe perhaps I'd go cool my heels in the hotel pool.  Yeah, no.  I think Half-Dome was less frightening.

Hot Dog Dude on the other hand had his own plans.  He told me, "Next time I kill a bear, I'm having it mounted like this!"  Being our anniversary and all I didn't want to be "Major Mood Killer" so I withheld my response.  "Over my dead body..."  Then I thought wait, "What if he did that to my dead body?"  Then the mood was totally ruined anyways.

John Muir wrote, "Yosemite Valley was by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter..."

He also wrote, "The Yosemite trip only made me hungry for another far longer and farther reaching, and I determined to set out again as soon as I had earned a little money to get near views of the mountains in all their snowy grandeur, and study the wonderful forests, the noblest of their kind I had ever seen..."

Yosemite indeed made me hungry, hungry to return and stay longer.

Yosemite - Wait for me, I'll be back!  I'll probably even bring Hot Dog Dude with me too.

Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bars and Surviving Vacation

I tried a Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bar recipe I found at Smitten Kitten for some friends I had over a couple of weeks ago and they just loved them, I promised them I'd share the recipe.  But between kids on summer vacation, our vacation, and niece number 15 being born I've been running just a wee bit behind.

Honestly I'm not going to miss my home away from home, while it was fun; I spent most of my time clicking my ruby slippers together and chanting, "There is no place like home."  I was looking forward to packing this house up and putting it into deep storage in the garage.

There was lots of fun to go with all the whining (from yours truly).  We found this little spot on the lake  and named it "Vulture Island".  On it we saw about a dozen Vultures and one huge Bald Eagle, must have been some good eating over there.  We stayed clear of the birds so we didn't end up on the menu.

I'll miss watching the kids pluck huge fish monsters out of the lake; well maybe that is a bit of a stretch.  They all caught some and we decided to free them rather than having one bite fish tacos for dinner.

I'll miss watching the kids tear it up on the tube, not to mention some pretty epic wipeouts from the big kids.  

This photo sums up just how much my nephew was enjoying himself.  The day before he fell asleep in a chair it was so adorable but I couldn't find the camera.  Who puts me in charge of these things anyways?

Some things I'm not gonna miss at all; such as my friend the "S.S. Relief".  That's not something you see everyday, huh.

I'm pretty sure I won't miss the seven loads of laundry we brought home or the sunburns either.  I think camping is like giving birth; it's hard as hell, but you forget about it soon enough and eventually you are ready to do it again.

As for those lovely Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bars, I made the recipe per her directions and I added the juice and zest from one lemon to the crumb mixture.  Also I baked mine for only about 30 minutes, but I know all ovens vary.

You can get the recipe here, hope you are having tons of fun this summer.

Enjoy,

Gina

The Queen will be sitting on her "Throne" for a while - please no tears friends

Not that throne, let's get our minds out of the twa-let for a moment.  The Queen is tired and ready for a little vacation so she will be sitting her royal rear-end in a glammed up throne a.k.a. lawn chair.  Don't be jealous because I'm getting to go on this glamorous vacation called camping.

I know exactly what you are thinking, "Damn girl you must be a blogging baller to afford such a swanky va-kay".  Matter of fact I've made so much blogging, I was able to upgrade our site from the one that had the dumpster on it with the bear proof lid to one only a mile away from the lake.

Actually instead of the blog the girls and me were thinking about starting up another business; dog coats.  Mr. Rusty is sporting the Marine Biologist look according to my daughters.  What do you guys think?

Please don't shed any tears for me, it's always been a secret fantasy of mine to go without a shower for so long that a swarm of flies form a regal crown around my head; why on earth would anyone rather be wading their toes in the Italian Riviera, not me.

It's been a life-long dream to sleep in a bedroom that is co-habited by bears and every insect known to man.  I can just imagine how drafty and unbearable it would be to sleep in an Irish castle with a turreted bedroom and servants.

Besides who would want the hot Brazilian butler bringing them breakfast in bed when you could wake up and enjoy your cold breakfast that the raccoons wouldn't even touch the night before.

You have never lived until you've experienced the unforgettable aroma of an outhouse.  I'm quite sure strolling the streets of Paris and inserting my nose in the flower stands I pass on the street would pale in comparison.

Please no tears friends; I will be shedding plenty for you.

Instead I thought I would leave you with some recipes you might want to try.

I'm going to miss breakfast like this, sniff, sniff:

Strawberry Lemonade Waffles

Or lovely lunches like this:

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Dinner I'll miss you:

Pork Tamales w Red Chile Sauce

Desserts - How could I choose just one?

Spiced Eclairs w Pumpkin Cheesecake my old friend, I love you.

Maybe I will bring some of these Pastry Hearts for good measure. What if I meet a bear and need a bribe to save my life?

I just wanted to say thank you for your continual support of this project called a blog/therapy session.  You guys are the best and I can't wait to see what all of you have been cooking; if I ever make it out of the woods alive.

Gina