At last!  Dave was ready to try out his two new knees someplace other than on the tennis court.  To that end, he researched a number of small, remote (read “obscure”) lakes and told me to pick one.

I did, and today, we headed out to find Summit Lake, an undertaking not for the easily discouraged.

Well, maybe this was a little discouraging:

This was somewhat encouraging  — but it did not mean that we had arrived.

Maybe just a bit farther up this logging road.

Oops.  No.  That wasn’t it, so we found wide spot to turn around.

And then, suddenly:

And so worth it.

Dave’s new knees were definitely up to the challenge.

And we two old bug lovers spent several hours observing the tiniest species of wildlife.  

These two blue bottles needed to get a room.

Wildlife highlight of the day:  Dave spotted an albino frog, but, sadly,  it was too quick for the camera.

I felt like we were a million miles from anyone and anyplace, but after we took out and loaded up, and headed back to the main road,  there was our magnificent mountain.

We drove back the other way, along the tumbling Clackamas, turned off at Estacada to Molalla where we scarfed down chili rellenos, fajitas, enchiladas, Dr. Peppers, coffee and churros to fortify ourselves for the rest of the drive home.

Today’s winner (loser?) on the list of new baby names in the Statesman Journal this morning is:  Lunabella Nevaeh.     I hope the mean girls in school don’t call her Looney Bell.

One Saturday evening, we took a drive to the south through some beautiful country.  

Saw some interesting man-made things, old and new.

Only one petro-boom photo here.  That topic gets its own post.

Met up with some dear friends who treated us to a delicious meal at a superb restaurant in Marfa.

Their adorable boys, Jeremiah and Zechariah, had just polished off their creme brûlées and were sporting the caps I had brought them.  They share a lot of things, but not dessert.

Marfa is the County Seat of Presidio County which has a beautiful courthouse, as do so many small county seats in Texas.Also an interesting county jail:

Saw this inmate in his pajamas doing a little landscaping  work.

On the drive home, we were blessed by this amazing sunset.  Amazing sunsets in the Great Chihuahuan  Desert are commonplace, but I am always blown away.  Surely makes you think the Second Coming might be imminent.

Unexpectedly saw two films I really liked on several different levels while on my trip.

Million Dollar Arm was a delight and I recommend it to all ages.

Here, before reporting on the next movie, I need to interject a bit about a trip Joannie and Terri took to San Antonio while I got to have some quality time with Mother and my three canine nieces.  Terri had given Joannie tickets to  Journey concert for Christmas so they went primarily for that.  Best bonus: when they checked into their hotel, the concierge asked if he could get any other tickets for them, so they went off that first night to see the Spurs shellack the Thunder.  (Mother and I watched at home.)

Next morning, they set off for a historians’ morning, touring The Alamo, which neither had visited since childhood.  My memory is that is was a very boring visit for a child, but these retired school teachers loved it and came home with a very surprisingly excellent film of the siege.  Also, with this scarf for me, which is a replica of a flag remnant from the Alamo:

Love it!

And that night at the Journey concert, someone we know and love was caught singing her heart out.  Love that too.

Turn the sound way up!

But back to the DVD they brought back, try to erase forever from your mind the ghastly John Wayne movie.  This one from 2004 was such a surprise. An excellent film. Watching it was a meaningful thing to do after working at the cemetery on Memorial Day morning.

Of course, there is nothing much right about a story of people stealing territory, which is, when you think about it, what most wars are about.  I am reminded of a bit of history from my birth state, and a highly-orchestrated land run where, once again, land was taken from indigenous people.  Adventurers who couldn’t even abide by the orchestrated plans and dashed in ahead of time were called “sooners.”  I can’t think why we Oklahoma natives would call ourselves by that soubriquet.  Cheating is not something to be proud of.  It might be nice to honor the Indians, but now it’s hard to find something that isn’t “inappropriate,” — Redskins, Savages just won’t do.  But I digress.

I recommend the 2004 film The Alamo, with Billy Bob Thornton as David (not “Davy”) Crocket.  It is highly authentic,  while, at the same time,  intricately  weaves in powerful mythology  That is, Myth with a capital M.  Myth that captures a greater truth than simple facts.  Something like the parting of the Red Sea.   Please put it in your queue so we can discuss it later.

I really was looking forward to a good visit  —  but hadn’t expected a vacation.  I arrived to find  “my” room and bath all tricked out in new furniture, an incredible mattress, new linens, spa products, HDTV, WiFi, dogs, and a humming bird.

Definitely beats the Motel 6.