Summer of HOPE w/ Juliet & Jaymark:

First, the KEY:

Jlt = Juliet

Jmk = Jaymark

JJ is both of them

Jny = Johnny

and

I'm deb

Up again Early --- We have to pick up Chris, (the Escort from the Philippines, he flew over here with them. We need to go to 3 Forks for their well-child check up with Doctor Johnson.

First though came the dilemma of solving this question: if Chris in 45 minutes to the East, and we have to go 45 to the West, what time do we leave or how do we get him here ? 7 a.m. we have to leave ? It would take 1 1/2 hours just to go get him.

Then Julie Blockey helped solve the problem by telling us she worked in Belgrade where we are, and would bring him out at 7 a.m. when she comes to work ! Yeh ! We can pick Chris up at 8:15 and get to where we are going.

This is also the day that Jlt tells us that Jmk has been sleeping under her bed in the mornings because he is lonely. They come from orphanages where many kids sleep together, so we understand.

This will be a LONG DAY ! We have accepted an invitation to go to Anna's Wambeke's Youth Center, and also to a rodeo in 3 Forks in the evening. AND we are planning to go even farther west, while we are in 3 Forks and go to Lewis & Clark Caverns. I have been there, and I know kids love them. Johnny has always wanted to see them, too, so here is his chance. Afterwards, he will understand why we are not taking his mom --- there are so me tight spots, steep stairs and a place where you have to slide down to the next room, somehow by separating the top of you from the bottom of you, and moving it more to the right than your bottom has to go. Tight & twisty squeezes along the way, and bumpy. I forgot about this little roughness. Great for kids. AND a very busy day.

Whenever we go anywhere in the car, they often fall asleep. Travel has been no problem. So far. Except that while we are going very slow stuck in construction traffic between Belgrade and Manhattan (they have to resurface the roads & highways in the summer !), Jmk opens the door, and I pull off the road immediately. Chris tells him we can't open the door while we are moving. I was only going 20 mph but it scared the rivets outa me. Ever been glad you were going so slow in traffic ? However, they will be enticed by the windows, locks and doors the entire time they are here, and finally we will have to lock them in more permanently with the kid lock, but they will figure it out, and I will try to use the window lock but they will always catch it the moment I have to open it for a good reason (like to stop at Yellowstone Booth before entering the Park) and they will make the windows go up & down as much as they can---either to frustrate us or to have "wars" with each other. Eventually, Johnny will take the fuses out of his truck, and out of my windows, but that will have other problems !

Anyway, after this episode, it takes forever to get back into the traffic, because the line of traffic must go all the way back to Bozeman, and no one wants to let us in. Finally I can pull back in in front of a semi-truck, but it is not my favorite thing to do.

They do very well at the Doctor's, and entertain themselves, but also, they are tired, and so pretty quiet for the most part. There is a nice play corner for them, books, so they have plenty to do while they wait for each other.

BUT, I am already tired and exhausted, so since Johnny and Chris are there, I sneak out to the car and catch a few winks and that really helps. After they come out, we go to Anna's Youth Center, and J & J get to try all kinds of games, ping pong, and foose ball, watch & play TV games, have snacks, pizza, and other treats, and we are here 2 hours, at least !!

Then as planned, we go to Lewis & Clark Caverns --- such a cool idea on such a HOT day !

We arrived at the caverns about 12:30, go get signed up for a tour, and go find a lunch spot I thought might have tables in the shade, but instead we got mosquitoes and a see saw for a table. I can 't even reach the ground where I sit down, but we got some shade for a while, because we move the table. BUT, it is still a flat table an a sharp hill, held up on one end with a few rocks ! NOT real stable.

We take the tour. The kids do really well,and enjoy the Beaver Slide. Jmk wants to be first, though, and we have a challenge keeping up front with him. They show no fears when the lights go out and where the cave is the darkest. The problem we had was the guide. She talked so fast, that I couldn't understand her so I ask her to speak slower so our visiting kids from the Philippines can easier understand her. She trys, but isn't too good at that. At the end, she asks if she did better, and I answer, "better". I can't help wondering if the Chinese guys on the walk could understand her fast words.

Next, we check out the gift shop, and tell them not to touch, but the first thing at the door is the really cool magnetic rocks, and we all have to touch that !! oh, brother ! Since I live with an "gotta have ice cream Sherer" (I think they believe that 's what makes them tall & skinny!), we have ice cream.

Then, Chris, deb, & J & J decide to hike---I had asked if they wanted to walk down to the camp ground, what I thought was 1.3 mile, but it was 1.8 instead. Took longer than I expected. But when I said "walk down", I found myself and Chris nearly running down to keep up with J & J !!! We stopped them to warm them that if they fall, the rocks are very sharp and they would get very hurt. That didn't stop them. We finally had to warn them off rattle snakes, though we saw none (PTL !!!), but that didn't slow them down either. So I said I needed to see them and when I couldn't keep up, and they got too far, I would go "YOOHOO !" and they had to stop until I caught up. Then they started playing games, like hiding when I called, and letting us think we were left behind, and then they popped put behind a tree or rock. It was fun, and made the hike go faster than I expected---UNTIL THE HILL: Then Jaymark goes, "How far" Answer: "Until we see the campground." "How far is the campground ?" I don't know---we'll know when we see Johnny, who had driven the car down, and was to have dinner waiting for us, chairs out, water poured, and he did. But Jmk didn't like the last part of the hike where we had to hike up hill to get over the last hump. "How long ? How long ?" Same answer---but it did seem longer than I expected, and it turned out to be 1/2 mile longer than I expected, yet I have hiked here before, so I knew we were almost there. Once they saw the campground, though, off they took, running downhill again. BUT we couldn't find Johnny at first !! We got some drinking water, and had to get them wet to cool them off. Jlt didn't like the water on her and made an awful face. SO did Jmk, but at least he retaliated ! The hot day needed us to get wet and it felt good, but finally we all (including Jlt) got just enough wet to be happy.

We did this for a few minutes before they ran off to the climbing gym/playground equipment for the next 15 minutes, and while Johnny got the cold part of the meal out of the cooler. Jny came over to show us he had found a nice spot under some trees, and it was already 5:45. We didn't have much time to play, and all I had dreamed of coming down the mountain was the moment I could show them the great play ground and then sit in a chair read, watch them & take a nap while the guys watched them. Got jiped of my nap. No time. Eat & go to be at the Rodeo on time to meet the Wambeke's. The day went so fast !!

The rodeo was also very cool, though I haven't been to one since 1979. I was a bit worried of the kind of people who like being thrown off animals like that ! I can't even imagine what J & J were thinking. I can't tell if they like the Rodeo or not, and I know they had to be very tired. They did well, though, so we got to see most of it. It was so cute when they leaned over to me and said, "Time to go" but we really couldn't yet, as the part they wanted to see was supposed to be next. But it wasn't, and J & J said to me again, "Time to go home now" and soon after that, we were able to leave. They slept all the way home that night.

They fell into bed, and I didn't even care that they didn't clean their teeth or went to bed dirty. They cleaned those teeth though and wouldn't forget that. But, we bathed the next morning.

Chris stayed with us tonight, because we are taking him up to Canyon Ferry tomorrow. Good Night !!

For some reason, there are no pictures of this very busy day --- I don't know how that happened.

Day 3---Thursday, July 16

Summer of HOPE w/ Juliet & Jaymark:

First, the KEY:

Jlt = Juliet

Jmk = Jaymark

JJ is both of them

Jny = Johnny

and

I'm deb

They are up and showered & bathed & dressed by 6:00 a.m. AND playing quietly when I got there at 7 a.m. Later in the day, Juliet will tell us that Jaymark, after being told he couldn't sleep with Juliet, crawled under her bed to sleep after he got up in the middle of the night, probably to go to the bathroom. All I had to do was ask them to where sneakers (tennis shoes) or shoes that covered their toes and they do as I ask immediately but when they come down to breakfast at 7:30, they are both in other clothes.✼✽✾❀. Oh, well, I really did like what they had on at first, and told them so. This will happen for the next 2 days, too.

Today, they go up to Lion's Ridge for the day with Johnny, Nicole and Craig Blockey. I want to work in the garden, but I end up at a specialty dentist who charges me $75 for not finding anything wrong, after being referred by the family dentist. Grrr. By the time I am cleaned up in the kitchen, it is time to go to the dentist, then I drive all over town looking for a booster seat for Jaymark because he is so small. I looked at Sacks, salvation army, New2U, and then came home. The one excuse I got is they don't take them in because they have no way of knowing which ones where recalled, so it is safer not to handle them. I drop a note to Pastor Chip about needing a booster seat, he sends out a note to church body, and 5-6 persons respond right away and we have a booster seats to choose from. Then Johnny comes home with one ! Lots of help with that---all so greatly appreciated everyone ---THANKS !!

Lion's Ridge Trip, which is a trip to a camp in the mountains & where they play on a ropes course, play games, take a hike and do a variety of outdoor activities. When they get home, Johnny mentions that Jaymark has trouble keeping his mind on one activity, listening to instructions, and staying on task. I think it is normal for a child who only understands some english, is so young, has had trauma in his life (as he has had many) and is exposed to so much at once. He is interested in many things at home too, but eventually he finds his favorite thing(s) to do. I guess he seems like he is doing well considering --- but maybe I am just looking at it from a Preschool Teacher perspective.

Johnny also mentions what a wonderful drawer of flowers Juliet is --- I haven't seen this aspect yet. Good news. He doesn't think of grabbing the picture and saving it as I would so I have no proof, but I find a picture some one else has taken. (Thanks Nicole !) Jaymark seems to be hyper active according to the guys at the ridge, with low attention span. BUT, I ask if they had a good day, and it seems, that they had a GREAT DAY !! They tried all kinds of new things like hiking & a ropes course, they stayed safe. Good enough for me on day 3 of their time in a very different country !

Right now, the Doll house is the favorite toy in the house. Jaymark does try cars for a while, but prefers the dollhouse with Juliet. Later on, when I show him a pirate ship, he gets all excited, but only plays with it a few days. They will meee their favorite thing this evening.

Evening:

Spagetti tonight, with lots of vegies in the sauce (it is how I always make it) and they eat well. After dinner, we walk down they alley to meet our pastor---he isn't there, but the boys are, so we get a bigger bike for Juliet. My extra bike is too big and the one we found for Jaymark is too small. This extra bike from the Pastor's family is just right for her ! She takes off riding on her own and does pretty well. Wow ! Jmk is running down street after her yelling in his language and laughing. Fun scene sketched in my mind forever. Thanks YOU Zabrowski's !!

I go to work in the garden out front so I can see her riding, and as Jlt rides by she is yelling, "Tia, tia I riding !!!" How proud she was that night ! I cheer her on and laugh as Jmk is running as fast as he can to keep up with her !! What a big cause for celebration !!! Everyone is smiling.

I try and dig a hole in the ground for a plant, and Jmk wants to help. I show him how. Pretty soon it is too dark and we all go in.

It has been a big day for first's. They tried alot of new things. They eat all they take. They didn't like my putting hummus on their sandwiches for lunch, but after it is scraped off, they do better at eating their lunch. Sorry guys ! I thought you might like it. Juliet starts helping by washing the dishes at the sink and clearing the table. So wonderful.

They are such wonderful kids !! BUT, off for a bath now, clean teeth, a book, prayers and beds.

Jmk is again crying, and I sit with him and rub his back for a long time. I go & get Johnny and Jmk hides from him. Johnny just tries to assure him that he is safe & will protect him from any harm. At different times through out the month they will express both fear of Johnny and complete love for him, on & off, as it was the father that was harmful to them & their mother. At times, Juliet will actually flirt with Johnny and prefer him to me, and then another day she will avoid him and choose to be closer to me.

Yipes, another late night !

For more photos, see:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033896&id=1053788011&l=5afd94d9c1

Wednesday, September 23

Hopefully, I'll be back later today to add to this---had some company and helped a neighbor with her kids while she got ready to move---In the mean time:

SInce my garden (did you see the pics ?) is mostly flowers, I have to be thankful for the many cherry tomatoes I have to snitch everytime I go past the cherry tomato plant ---the other plant is regular tomatoes, is very heavy with pink & green tomatoes, but boy am I thankful for a very warm September---so much better than starting (& Losing everything) right on September 1st like last year with a heavy frost. AND---my Morning Glories have lots of buds and is just starting to bloom YEH, YEH, YEH !!!Maybe beans and beets next year ! I don't know---kinda like my flowers. May have to dig another garden (but not until next year) ! What I didn’t like was the heavy wind I came home to Sunday, when I found the big, thick strong 7’ tall Cosmos laying on the ground, snapped off at dirt level.

Day 2: July 15 with Juliet & Jaymark

All that I wrote about the first day ? And now comes the first full day of journaling --- Three pages handwritten:

First, the KEY:

Jlt = Juliet

Jmk = Jaymark

JJ is both of them

Jny = Johnny

and

I'm deb

Since they didn't get up until 10:30, which I actually thought was pretty early considering they had been on the plane nearly 24 hours getting here, I was able to make hot cereal, boil the eggs, and start writing in the journal before they got up. After we ate, I asked J&J if they wanted to go see animals, and from then on all I heard was "rabbits & horses." First though, we went to the Emerson to have lunch on the Lawn and hear the music. J7J seemed to love watching the other children run around, do cartwheels, dance & and chase the Moose around. BUT, they also seemed content to sit in their chairs and watch everyone. The music was country, not my favorite, but still fun to be outside. Juliet ate her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but Jaymark didn't like his. She kept telling him to eat it or try it, but he wouldn't. So I scratched off the jelly, and later he ate that. I didn't try PB & Jelly sandwiches for another 2 weeks.We found plenty of other things they did like.

On the way to The Emerson Lunch-on-the-Lawn, we drove past Ted's (Turner's) Grill that has a sign with a buffalo on it. I told J&J that it was a buffalo. Later on while still at the Emerson, Jmk grabs his penis area, and says "CR" like he did at the Airport, (maybe so we don't mistake him ?) so we go running inside to find him the bathroom. Afterwards, we stop & stroll a bit through one of the rooms or "Artist Closets" open with paintings. He shows off his english words by telling me what he sees: " apple, frog, house", and other items, but the biggest surprise was that after being told the word "buffalo" only once, he seemed very proud of the fact he could tell me that the biggest painting was a buffalo !!

I learn a batch of the English he knows.

After this, we go over to the County Fair to see rabbits & horses, and of course, I take the money in the form of a card, not thinking that they would prefer cash. So we have to go back to the car, but I am not sure how to explain this to the kids. I just said, "Oh, we'll go back to the fair." But what I really have to do is get cash and my checkbook, and then go back. I was wondering what they were thinking.

we saw chickens and pigs too both which also seemed to amaze them. As we leave the first pavilion, 2 chickens are fighting each other from their cages, and we all get a kick out of that. Someone stuck a card board between them, but that wasn't going to last long. Finally, the meaner chicken got some of the feathers of the other bird, and I thought it was a good time to leave. Looking for the horses, we came upon the pigs first, and we had fun trying to climb the gate to get Jmk up high enough to see the pig & piglets. Wasn't sure we'd get out of their, so a few times I reminded Jmk that we should go find the horses. As we came out of the shelter, up comes a few horses, but I am not sure where to find the show or the judging, but it is clear that they were glad to see horses that close. As we go through where the horses are, some of the kids tell us it is OK to pet the horses, but the first one scares me as he is jumpy, so we were hesitant, but after a while we were able to pet their noses and neck. We head over to the arena, which looks more like a practice session, and it is near some swings. We sit in the shade of a big pine tree and have a snack. When other kids get off the swings, Jlt tells Jmk, and off they go laughing and babbling together. But they can and still are watching the horses, and more come. After about 15 minutes, they come back to me and say, "Time to Go" and we do. On the way out, we stop at the kids play arena, where they can play & build with legoes, blocks, rocks, and other gadgets, and then we got to pet the baby animals---There was a piglet, llama or alpaca, goats, miniature horse, and several others. J&J are brave and want to pet the animals, but when the animal comes over or moves, they jump. It was pretty funny ! Even I did at one point, because the goat bit me. Some example I was ! Wednesday Evening is approaching fast, so we must hurry home now, and get some veggies & rice steamed up for the FIRST of the weekly potlucks with the other hosting families.

The pictures of the day will be of J&J playing ball at this potluck. Turns out there are about 100 people at the Blockey's for this --- people who have adopted and families that participated in the program to Host kids in years prior to this year. We get to see the Johnson's & their Jonathan, and tons of kids as well as the other kids who came over from the Philippines this year. What fun and what a beautiful evening. Everyone is here.

J&J pick out a lounge chair, and make themselves at home in that, but J&J don't act like they want to play with others yet. Then they get tired of sitting & waiting for dinner when we line up so they go over to the swings because no one is there any more. They are in line to get food. Since I've met John, we are almost always last inline at any potluck, (he loves to talk) we get J&J to join us at the end and all they take is rice & HOT Dogs. Well, now we know they like hot dogs !

WHile we are visiting, J&J go off and start playing on the playset with other kids, and I was glad to see Nicole got pictures of that because, I wasn't.

Highlight of the evening for us:

#1: They wouldn't play with other kids at first, but by the end of the evening they got better---Jmk was afraid to go down the tunnel slide before dinner, but afterwords, he conquered that. Got some fun movies of this, where everyone was chasing somebody, racing, jumping, pretending to go down then not going down, tricking and laughing.

#2: Juliet takes off on one of the host family bikes and starts riding. One of the other boys who came over with them is helping her. Eventually, JOhnny goes out to join/help her but she doesn't need him anymore, so he works with Jaymark more. Then out came the training wheels & he was happy to be riding with his sister. They wouldn't quit until the sun went down, like about 10 pm out here.

Fortunately, someone else talking photos got some great pictures of J&J (and many others)

with some great character & joy on their faces.

Concern or observation: Not playing too well with other children, and of course, with those they don't know well. Jmk woke up on Jlt's pillows on her bed. They were both laying sideways on the bed like I have often seen in a foreign country.

Grateful, though that they understand enough commands that we are getting around quite well. They are quick to respond, & follow directions. Jmk had made his bed perfectly without even being asked. He is very neat.

Late night getting to bed. They just fell right in. But Jmk cries, a quiet whimpering sound. I rub his back for a while. Then Johnny goes in and about 12:30 (after midnight) I go and find Johnny has fallen asleep in the chair next to Jmk !! Should have gotten that on camera.

4 select pictures from today are included. For more, go see:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=685282&l=b6f494ac82&id=1053788011

Wednesday, July 15

Summer of HOPE w/ Juliet & Jaymark:

First, the KEY:

Jlt = Juliet

Jmk = Jaymark

JJ is both of them

Jny = Johnny

and

I'm deb

When I awoke early the next morning at 6:00 am, I found Juliet and Jaymark sleeping sideways on her full bed. He was on the pillows, she at the other end. But they slept until about 10:15 am, so I got some pictures on Facebook, some journaling done, and breakfast cooked. I couldn't believe all I wrote about the first day, and they were only here about 8 hours (awake) so far !! OH MY !! Today , I will include a few pictures Juliet took in the house, but most were on her first, non digital camera. I'll be back later.

The journal for today is very long. So maybe pictures first ?

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033081&id=1053788011&l=f9c0b62b92

Tuesday, July 14 --- The journaling begins !!

First, the KEY:

Jlt = Juliet

Jmk = Jaymark

JJ is both of them

Jny = Johnny

and

I'm deb

Juliet Sarmiento & Jaymark Lameseria arrived at the gate with very anxious, but ambitious faces surrounded by all the children that came to Bozeman for the summer, and Chris, the Escort who flew from the Philippines with them and will be available to the children through their month here... We are invited to a room to meet with them in family groups. Several other kids will act as interpreters, as they have been adopted in earlier years. It is good to have them with us !

Most of the kids were quiet, shy and probably a bit scared. Juliet & Jaymark look a bit like they are cornered by a tiger, but everyone is trying to be friendly. Soon, ANother couple who have just adopted their son from the same orphanage, Larry & Jeanie Johnson come over and say hello to them. Johnny had interviewed them one evening, so we had seen good pictures of Juliet & Jaymark before they arrived, as the Johnson's had pictures from a birthday party while they were in the Philippines. They recognized Matthew Jonathan right away, but only with a sign of recognition. They still wouldn't say anything. But their eyes lit up ! Then Jonathan said he didn't know what to say because they wouldn't talk to him. Great ! Jeanie said to Juliet, "I heard ...you know English pretty good and we know that." Still no one would talk---but we weren't the only ones to experience this. We know some kids were talkative, and some cute little girls were going around taking pictures almost from the minute they arrived. Sometimes Juliet ( Jlt) would lean over to talk to Jaymark, but it was so quiet no one could hear her. Finally, she leaned over to me and whispered if she wanted something, or what Jaymark wanted or was saying.

Someone finally brought us star cookies & chocolate chips with juice, but all they wanted at first was water --- when Jaymark (Jmk) tried the juice, he just made a face, though Juliet tried to encourage him to drink.

Eventually, we were escorted out to show them the bathrooms, and then Jmk came alive at seeing the different animals at the Airport and in the gift shop.

We came home and showed them their rooms & toys (doll house in Jlt's room and cars and pirate ship in Jmk's room) But as Jlt was showing me her Photo Album of her life that the orphanage folks had put together called "Life Books" Jmk started plying right away with the doll house and seemed right at home.

While I got dinner ready, they went with Johnny to try and ride their bikes. They don't have the balance down very well, and Jmk keeps putting on the brakes to go, but they are getting very good on the first try. "Jlt is almost doing it" said Johnny as he came in from dinner, he had been running up & down the alley with them on the bike, and was exhausted, but said they were doing "very good" and that they loved it.

Jmk does push back on one pedal while pushing the other one forward, so may be a bit frustrated when he doesn't go anywhere, but with a little more practice, and balance, he'll have it.

Dinner at home went well (Stir Fry, vegies and rice with homemade bread) Jmk watched me put butter on the bread and then did it the same way. Jlt ate her bread like Johnny does, plain. It remained this way the whole month they were here. They ate everything they put on their plates, and after we put blueberries on frozen yogurt, and they gobbled that right up.

After dinner, Juliet gets up goes over to wash up all her dishes, and then ours, but has no idea about soap or the dishwasher, so that will come later.

The best icebreaker of the night though came when we asked if they knew UNO. They talked happily among themselves and their eyes lit up bright, and Jlt told us " he (or we) know UNO"

They started talking. They knew their colors and numbers, and it was such a great way to get started with some conversation. They could read the reverse, draw two and skip and wild cards. But we found their was an American & Philippine way to play.

When they don't have a card they need, they just picked one. WE, on the other side of the table, take many, and so we had to do it their way the first time, then explain why Johnny took many when he needed a card. So the second game was played the American way and lasted much longer. Right up until we were all yawning.

Bedtime would turn out to be some of our favorite moment with them, so after bathtime, where Jlt didn't want any help (aged 11) and Johnny helped Jmk, for some good conversation (bonding time ?) we read books to them the first night. That is after, I had Juliet move: she had just laid down on the floor where I needed to pull out the hide-a-bed too. SHe was so tired, I didn't think I would get her in the bed, but we did. No prayers tonight, she fell asleep too fast !

Jmk climbed right into bed, but started crying. I rubbed his back & then he calmed down a bit. so I went and go Johnny to check on him in a few minutes, but by then he was sound a sleep.

Summer of HOPE w/ Juliet & Jaymark: Juliet's Shots

Picture's of Jaymark, mostly at the house. Remember, it was July 10-August 10 that they were here, and we also had the company of Johnny's sister, Mary Ann, his mom, and his nephew, Ben. She does a nice job of catching Jaymark's character.

For more of Juliet's pictures of her brother, see:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032994&id=1053788011&l=9f568ef0d5

Commercial time:

Here is the cat's favorite place:

Commercial: The cat was terrified of all the company & attention she got his summer, and we never knew quite where to find her. BUT, she is back in sight now, but has taken up a new residence !

Borrowed Pictures

Here are some pix borrowed from another family's Photo Album of Juliet & Jaymark:

Summer of HOPE w/ Juliet & Jaymark

For the next few weeks or months, I will be recording here most parts of the journalling we did about the summer with our 2 from the Philippines. There were 4 other families here in Bozeman area that participated. A new church in Hamilton, MT participated this summer also. Under the program called Sacred Portion Children's Outreach, we got our health exams, background checks and the social worker, Lynne Hooper, came to check on us, asking a thousand questions required by the state, and then checked out our house. The result ? A provisional foster care license, and a home full of activity this summer, some of the greatest new friends, and the best of memories.

Here are a few of the pictures Juliet took --- if I can. When they first arrived, we had a regular throw away camera for them, but they took pictures of everything and used up the 27 pictures on both camera's within a day and a half. So we bought them digital's ---Jaymark dropped his about 10 minutes after we gave him his while we were at Yellowstone Park, and it came all apart. We couldn't get the pix off it either. BUT the blessing was that right after that, a man came up to me and asked if he could use the batteries, as his had just died. We were at the Yellowstone falls overlook, and he had 3 of the cutest girls in the world. I said, " "sure" --- so he got his photo op. We, on the other hand, could not get the batteries (he gave them back) to stay in the camera. We were then depended on Juliet's camera, but on the way home, as they were playing with it, all the ( WONDERFUL ) pictures they took were erased. So we had to hold on to the camera until we got the pictures on to the computer each night. Then she could have it back, but Jaymark loved it just as well, and she didn't mind sharing it at all.

Let's see if we can get some of her favorite pictures to join us here:

Great Blue Heron watching YOU !

Great Blue Heron watching YOU !

Labor Day @ Wade & Cliff Lakes

We were able to get away for the Labor Day Weekend, and so for all the days that Johnny worked in Butte getting the computer system installed, the staff trained, and the burps worked out, we got an extra day away which was real nice considering I really haven't seen him in a month ---like since Obama came to Belgrade.

Also, since we have 4 canoes, like to explore and are physically tired from a great but busy summer, we can get out to the wilds in a canoe---but where, and, then which place should we choose ? So we ended up at Wade Lake Campground on Friday then went to Cliff Lake on Saturday. It was really to windy to fish, so mostly we explored. I just can not believe I took 101 pictures !!

More...

What I could not believe was all the fowl, birds, falcons, and Osprey there were ---plenty of them. We arrived Friday at the campground, and after setting up the tent, we got in the canoe about 2 pm and didn't get back to the tent until 7 pm. With nice gentle waves in the afternoon , and then getting as calm as glass about 5 pm, I had no interest in going back to camp --- too much to see and explore. We first sat on a point in the sun having our crackers and whatever lunch, and then I went north and Johnny went south.

What I saw was incredible: at the side creek, a few ducks, but also the waters just coming out of the ground (springs) and creating a pool where log lay to dam it, with the water pouring over it like a waterfall. The a falcon or Osprey holding a fish in tree over my head. After that came the first wood gator I saw, and I almost ran over him. I say this because I had just been looking at a few pictures of a friend of mine in Florida where there are alligators where they canoe, and I have no interest in canoeing where the animals are big enough to eat you and your canoe if they are hungry. I'll stay up north with my cedar canoe.

Because I had the dog with me, I let Johnny take the canoe. BUT he never used it and for 100 reasons after this I wished I had the camera. So for the next few days I tried to take pictures of all the things I saw that reminded me of the first night, but it was never the same. But I got 101 pictures trying !!

When I asked him if he took pictures he said, "no". BUT he had seen many of the same things I did @ the other end of the lake.

What I saw Friday night was incredible: After the wood alligator, a nice log in the beautiful aqua waters of Wade Lake, I crossed the bay and immediately saw a deer starring down off a cliff at me, curious & watching my every move. Right after that, a peregrine or prairie falcon flew out of the bushes forward of me to a rusty ol' tree, and as I floated slowly and quietly into the bay below him, I was wanting my camera so bad as he sat there waiting for me to take his pix. Signs differ on what is here in the lake area, and after reading the bird book, I don't know if he had blackish "wingpits" ! It was just awesome to see him fly over my head !

While I floated around in the bay, I could see an old boat bottom in the white sandy ash beneath me. Cool. Then I went chasing a big batch of mergansers (not too close) as I tried not to crash into to end of the lake, I had to go out a bit deeper into the lake. Then the Osprey flew over, and soon I found his nest. On the way back to camp ( I guess that sometime you have to go back) I stopped to sit in the sun for a while, hoping I could come back earlier in the day and swim. There was just a narrow shelf before the ground plunges way down in the deep green depths. I did come back on the last day and swim, and yes it is cool, but as you go down deep, you can see anything, and it gets so very cold, you feel like you are in another world.

Gosh, so much life to see here. This has become my favorite camp spot close to home.

There are only a few pictures here, but be sure to see more on the facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032837&id=1053788011&l=353a0ab181

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032835&id=1053788011&l=8b7060748a

TO SEE MORE PICTURES, SEE FACEBOOK FOR THE WHOLE ALBUM

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2031557&id=1053788011&l=8f843f4f97

Waterfalls we saw on the way home going towards Yellowstone