Friday Fun Day-Kayak season begins

Two weeks ago we had planned to take a weekend outing, but everywhere within driving distance was either raining or snowing, so we stayed home and Calvin had an epic end of the season ski day.  This weekend we thought about taking a trip again and the weather was nice everywhere. I looked at a few locations thinking about what we would like to do, biking for Calvin and kayaking, and decided Reno was the best location for both.  It was a good decision.

Friday we went to Pyramid Lake. It is a good "early/late" season choice because the elevation is lower than Lake Tahoe.  It was a beautiful clear day, not too many boats on the lake, but the shore was thick with fisherman.  Fortunately with our sleek little kayak we can leave the crowd behind. You can see "the pyramid" of Pyramid Lake in the background.

Anaho Island in Pyramid Lake is a bird sanctuary with one of the largest nesting colonies of the American White Pelican. We didn't see large numbers of pelicans, but enough to clearly identify them.  The challenge with trying to photograph flying birds is that they are flying, but we pointed the camera in the general direction and actually caught one in flight.

Photoshopped so you can tell it is not a gull.

Pyramid is beautiful in a serene desert sort of way.

I'm practicing my backwards photography.

This is forward photography, but a little blurry.  I was trying to take a picture of a fisherman sitting on a chair on top of a ladder fishing, but I missed him.  There were ladders all along the shallow water where the fishermen would sit in chairs to fish.  Already by Friday afternoon the beach was wall to wall RV's. We weren't the only ones who thought it was a beautiful day.

Saturday we went to Lake Tahoe.  While the temperatures in Reno were in the mid 80's, the Tahoe forecast was for the high 60's to lower 70's.  I thought that might be a little cool for kayaking, but it turned out to be one of the nicest days we have ever spent on the lake.

Fay and Vance Gabbart went with us, which made it even more fun.  Calvin took this picture, which makes it look a little like they are paddling up hill.

We had perfectly smooth water, warm weather and gorgeous scenery. This is the view headed toward Chimney Beach, so named because there is a chimney on the beach.

Still working on my backwards photography.  I forgot that I had zoomed for a previous shot and I got lots of pictures of Calvin's elbow.  Part of the beauty of practicing photography in the boat is that Calvin paddles while I get a rest.

We were headed back here and I missed Calvin all together except for his hat, but the mountains look good.

Another shot of Fay and Vance.  We were paddling at about 6pm.  I have never seen the water this still in the evening at Tahoe.  What a great day!

Daffodils and hyacinths

We always say that April 15th is the prettiest time in our yard, and usually it snows on the 16th.  This year the snows came a little earlier and our bulbs are a little slower but it still looks pretty today.

We have a mixture of bulbs under the ornamental cherry in the back.  We have daffodils because they are cheap and we have hyacinths because my granddad Wesley Roehr loved hyacinths.

He told me the story of when his family moved from Oklahoma City to Kalispell, Montana when he was in the 4th grade.  He said the highlight of the year was when a neighbor lady gave him a hyacinth that he had been admiring in her yard.  He thought it was the most beautiful flower he had ever seen.

I can't say that I think the hyacinth is the most beautiful or my favorite flower, but I can never see one without thinking of my granddad.

The driveway is in full bloom too!

One thing the driveway is missing is Peter's car.  He moved to Denver this week.  We are missing Peter too.  Today was an epic ski day for Calvin that he had to enjoy alone.  There was about a foot of fresh snow and it was still snowing.  My idea of epic skiing is blue sky and groomed runs, so Calvin had to go by himself.  We miss having Peter here, but I'm sure that he is going to have a grand adventure in Denver.

Alexandria April1, 2012

We got to spend a long weekend with Sarah and Toby and Clare this weekend.  Calvin brought the camera and we got literally hundreds of pictures.  Much as it pains me not to post all of them, I will post a limited selection.

Clare had just been to the doctor on Friday and gotten a shot.  This is what she looks like when she is cranky.

Clare is getting more and more mobile. Juice wisely exits the danger zone.

Saturday we went to look at the cherry blossoms and a kite festival on the mall, but we didn't take the camera, so here are a few more pictures of Clare looking adorable.

She has the prettiest sing song voice that sounds like a whip poor will.  She is also acquiring new teeth.  She likes to grind the top and bottom teeth, but they don't line up exactly so she has to make funny faces to do it.

Sunday we went to the National Arboretum to the azaleas in bloom.

Prettier than the flowers

The Bordelon family

We haven't seen sunshine in a while

Those eyebrows are a strong genetic trait.

I always assume Sarah is showing disgust for her Easter bonnet here.

The circle of life.  I'm so glad we get the chance to know our wonderful grandchildren.