we are still
growing
strong!
In the best way(s) possible.
Yes, I do know the saying is "still going strong" but that would only apply on certain days - other days our "going" may be somewhat weak, or slow, depending on the circumstances. I am not saying we are getting older - just a little more careful. ha, ha! :)
(But any kind of going is better than not going at all - in my book. When I was quite young, I referred to myself as a "Go-Go Girl" (because I liked being on the GO). This made my parents laugh hysterically and then call me that (the Go-Go Girl) for years after. It took several years to figure out why that was so funny - I probably said that in '69 or '70 - those of you familiar with that era will get a kick out of that).
Jonathan and I are still learning and facing new challenges which cause us to grow, as are all of you, growth can be difficult, can't it? When we were first married, I thought by the time we were married for this long, we would have everything figured out. Life has a funny way of keeping us on our toes and training us to become better folks. Growth is necessary and worth the effort; like GOing, growing is a progressive motion.
Onward and upward!
Take this lovely tree in Glacier - it has been growing, stretching, reaching heavenward for many, many years. Most likely withstanding plenty of storms and difficult conditions. If we were to saw the trunk of the tree, we would see the 'scars' of it's growth; rings that mark each year of life. Compared to many of the trees surrounding it, this one is still fairly young. Yet, it is a grand old tree; sturdy and strong.
East Glacier:
Wild Goose Island:
Wild Goose Island has quite a little legend attached to it. The island IS the tiny island in the middle of St. Mary Lake. It is such a lovely place! Here is the legend:
Wild Goose Island
A Montana Legend
retold by S.E. Schlosser
In the middle of St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park is a small island halfway between two shores. Many moons ago now, there were two tribes living on either side of the lake. While there was no direct warfare between them, the two tribes avoided one another and had no dealings one with the other.
All this changed one day when a handsome warrior on the near shore saw a lovely maiden from the other tribe swimming toward the small island in the middle of the lake. He was instantly smitten by her beauty and leapt into the lake to swim to the island himself. They met on the shore of the little islet, and the maiden was as taken with the warrior as he was with her. They talked for hours, and by the end of their conversation, they were betrothed. After extracting a promise from his beloved that she would faithfully meet him at the island on the morrow, the warrior swam home to his tribe, and she returned to hers.
Oh, what an uproar they met upon their return. Neither tribe was happy at their meeting, and all were determined to break the betrothal instantly. What to do? The man and the maiden had no doubts at all. In the wee hours of the morning, each swam out to the little island to meet one another -- from there to flee to a new land where they might marry. As soon as they were discovered missing, warriors from both tribes set out in pursuit, to bring the renegades back by whatever means available.
But the Great Spirit was watching, and took pity on the young lovers. He transformed them into geese, which mate for life, so they could fly away from their pursuers and so that they would always be together. When the warriors arrived on the island, the found not a man and a woman, but two lovely geese walking among the small trees and bracken. At the sight of the warriors, the two geese stroked their necks together lovingly and then flew away, never to return.
From that day to this, the little island at the center of St. Mary Lake has been known as Wild Goose Island.
Oh Canada!
Waterton, Canada. The most lovely little town! It is quaint and pristine - so typical of Canadian towns.
West Glacier:
Although it is difficult to see in the collage, there are skiers skiing just at the base of the mountain in the bottom photo. So fun! July skiing! It's what the kids do on their days off who work for the tourist industry during the summer. They were having a blast!
It seems that I must fall in love (or strong like) with a flower or plant life wherever we travel on vacation. While in Alaska, it was the fireweed! So beautiful! In Glacier, it was the "bear grass." The heads of the bear grass are so light, airy and delicate looking. As I looked more closely at the bear grass, it was like looking at thousands of tiny daisies on one flower. (And you know how I love daisies!)
The bear grass got it's name in a unique way; well, I think it is unique. We were told it was NOT named bear grass because it resembles a bear, nor is it eaten by bear...
but was named bear grass when Lewis and Clark came through that beautiful part of our country. As they entered the valley, they saw a bear laying in a field filled with this tall flower; so, that is how it became known as bear grass. When Jonathan and I walked down a steep hill to get a better look at the bear grass, we noticed lots of wild strawberries growing among the bear grass and forget-me-nots. Makes me wonder, if they had gotten a better look at the area where the bear was laying, would we be enjoying bear berries each summer? Ha, ha!
We also went through Yellowstone on our way to Glacier and then again with the kids (quick day trip) at the end of our little getaway.
While we were in Yellowstone, the little kids who were looking at everything were so funny! Their parents wouldn’t pay attention to them – too bad! While we were looking at the paint pots and mud pots, and watching them bubble up (and let off steam), a little girl was standing next to us. She kept talking to her mom but her mom wasn't interested in talking with her right then. She didn’t understand what was happening with these hot mud pots that were spewing and slinging mud while releasing gasses…she asked her mom, “Is it trying to go potty?!” All her mom said was, “Just a minute…” Jonathan and I were laughing so hard! The poor little girl seemed so distraught.
At another hot spring (with a sulfur smell), we were admiring the beauty of the water and all of the different colors when a dad and his daughter walked by. The dad said, “I really like this one, don’t you think it’s pretty?” His little daughter, probably around age 5, was walking a few feet behind him and said, “Yes, daddy, it’s really pretty…and THEN there’s the smell!” Ha, ha! Well, that became a favorite quote of ours for the rest of the day (at least); and THEN, there's the SMELL!
There was a lot more to our little getaway and I will try to share more a little later as I get a chance.
Couldn't resist one last photo of the bear grass in West Glacier.
25 years of marriage on the 29th of July. What a time warp! How did 25 years go by?
We did go to see a special production of "Fiddler on the Roof" together for our 25th anniversary.
It seemed rather fitting.