our last camping trip of the season

last weekend we went camping over in blanding, utah.  sadly, it was our last trip of the season.

we camped in a campground that was inauspiciously called devil's canyon.  there was a "kid's cave" there, where there girls set up a little fort for themselves.

olive had a fabulous time.

we played a lot of music.

(this is my first guitar.  it has now been designated as the camping guitar.)

it's such a beautiful time of year to be in the desert.

we went to natural bridges national monument, which was amazing.

the view from above

we were actually able to complete the 2 1/2 mile (round trip) hike down into the canyon with the girls to see the sipapu bridge up close.  probably the longest hike we've ever done with them and they were awesome.

it is truly a thing of wonder.

(juniper took this photo.)

i am pretty sure hazel is saying "sipapu" in this picture,  hence the face.

there were three ladders along the hike.  very cool for the girls.

we had such a wonderful time.  we have now cleaned out and parked the camper for the winter.  already looking forward to spring.

my new love

i know i used to gush on and on forever about how much i love cross country skiing, and believe me, that has not changed.  but my new love was, i think, born out of a desire for something else to do, something to get me through the other nine months of the year, when i couldn't ski.  i've lived in amazing mountain biking country for years.  but until just a few years ago, i had never attempted the sport.  i just had no desire; i preferred just simply hiking and/or walking through the wilderness, no need to go so fast.  but then glenn's insurance company had this great incentive that gave each individual $1000 towards anything fitness-related.  (the plan is no longer in place and i am no longer covered under glenn's insurance, but i digress.)   i decided to buy a bike and try it out.  i can now say that, as my third season of mountain biking is nearing its end, i am 100% in love.

i went for a ride this evening and it was so perfect.  just what i needed to clear my head, to uncloud my mind, ease my tensions, and work my body.

such beautiful country!  this ride that i did tonight used to present a real challenge to me.  there were certain areas that i could not maneuver without getting off my bike.  that is no longer the case.  now it is just fun- pure joy from start to finish.  there's a place near the end where i am giddy with excitement as it approaches and i often find myself laughing, like a kid on a dirt bike, as i ride through it.

biking has become for me this wonderful balancing practice.  it is just the right blend of climb and coast, of pedal and brake, of thought and flow, of build and release.  it does wonders for my mind, body, and soul.

and olive lives and breathes by whether or not i put my helmet in the car when we leave the house.

on this particular trail that i rode tonight, it is not uncommon to ride right over ancient pottery shards such as this one.

biking for me is a magnificent way to feel alive at this point in my life.  there is a real, true, jubilant rush of life that accompanies a fast descent followed by a quick ascent.  my heart pounds as if it may burst on certain climbs and the thrill of reaching the top is sincere.  a near-crash brings a true fear, followed by genuine relief, and authentic physical pain results when a near-crash becomes a real crash.  how many other activities can bring that range of feeling in so short a time?

i think i am just feeling super grateful tonight for this amazing new love of mine and wanted to share.  soon all of my trails will be covered with snow, waiting to be skied.  but for now, i will  ride them for as long as i can.

nucleus, yucca, and the climb

i have some new pieces for you!

this is a new design i am very excited about.

the nucleus ring,

with a glorious rose cut rainbow moonstone

the nucleus.  the center.  the middle.  the little speck that holds it all together.  indivisible, at the base of everything.  neutral, neither positive nor negative.  that is what this ring is.  it is a simple but bold representation of what keeps you centered in this life.

this moonstone is just fabulous.

we recently spent some time in the utah desert and i was very inspired by this pictograph that we saw on a hike.  the little face is awesome, but it was the floral design that struck me.

at first i thought that it represented some sort of fern, but, as you know, ferns are hard to come by in the desert.  i think it actually depicts a yucca bloom, very common in the utah desert.

here is my version.

the yucca bloom necklace,

with imperial jasper

a gorgeous stone, with soft colors reminiscent of the muted tones of the desert, layers depicting time.

because the people who made these pictographs so long ago are the ancestors of the modern day pueblo people, i put a bit of pueblo wisdom on the back.

and this is the climb bracelet,

with a beautiful little london blue topaz.

this bracelet has an image of a beautiful and rugged mountain range on it, with a blue moon shining overhead.  it represents the climb, the way up, the journey vs. the destination.  as much as we all just want to sit on the top of the mountain, relax, eat our lunch and enjoy the view, it's on the way up that we struggle and challenge ourselves and slip and save ourselves and think of turning back.  that is where we grow.  that is where we learn and change and reap the benefits.  the summit is for relaxation and reflection.

it's the climb that matters, not the summit.

these are the his & hers custom rugged wedding bands.

with a moon for her and a sun for him.

and little rivers flowing along

and, lastly, the katya hoops,

named for my local customer that requested them.

they are made from lightweight hollow tubing, so they look substantial and rugged but are actually quite light.

that's all i've got for today; they'll all be in the shop soon.

i hope you all are doing very well.