The activity for the day was actually the idea of another sibling, who will be going out of state for work for a few months, and so this was a last chance thing. I originally thought that it was going to be another normal day at home, but when the family figured out a way to arrange it that I could join in, it happened!
Today's activity ended up being a trip up a nearby canyon, where extended family owns a ranch. It was originally homesteaded by my great grandfather as part of the Homestead Act in 1904. Most of the property is still owned by descendants, including an uncle of mine. It's located up in the mountains, and so it can get extremely dirty, and for today, I got to experience the great adventure of having stickers coated mostly on my pants! Those things were so attracted to me, but the feeling wasn't mutual. A separation was necessary.
The ranch is a special place for many in the family, because of memories made there between them and family now passed on. Some of us didn't get to experience that, but even to those of us who don't have those types of memories still enjoy it as a quiet place away from the chaos of daily life and it has amazing views! The fall can be absolutely stunning as you can see multiple mountains blanketed with color. It's almost like a patchwork quilt. I haven't seen it in full color since it experienced a dangerous fire a few years ago, but good news is that growth has come back and even though there are still patches where the fire's mark is still there. I particularly love to look out at good viewpoints to look over the valleys and also see the mountains upon mountains in the distance. It's not quite the top of the world, but it's still an awesome sight.
I walked along a few trails and roads to observe the natural settings, even hiking a dirt road that was constant uphill. That was quite a workout for me since it's been a while, and it was about 95 or above, but when we reached closer to our landmark, a cool breeze came in and it felt extremely good. I have to say that the views from there and coming down were worth the effort.
Fresh air. A little alternative exercise. A little enjoyable time outside. It's what I've need for some time. It was a beautiful day, and for the moment my high spirits are up and well charged.
Let's make this next week the best!
