HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY CHRISTEN!!!

August 31, 2001 Christen Lyn Backes was born!

Look at that black hair and look at her now!

Christen just donated her blond hair to Locks of Love!

This is Christen with Kit Kittredge and her new doll Ruthie Smithens, who is Kit's best friend!

These girls grew up during the Great Depression.

Christen loves to read the books from the era of her dolls. The Really Truly Ruthie book tells the story of Ruthie: she's loyal and generous, and she loves fairy tales! When her father, a banker, has to call in unpaid loans from Kit's family, Ruthie finds a way to help that protects her friend's pride.

In Happy Birthday Kit, Kit wishes she could have a grand birthday party, but there's no money to spare since Dad lost his job. When Aunt Millie arrives with all her "waste not, want not" ideas, she suggests a Penny-Pincher Party. Kit isn't so sure about it, but she discovers that family is worth more than all the money in the world------and happiness really can be homemade.

Jodi and Christen took the train to NYC on Sunday and went to the American Girl Store so Christen could purchase Ruthie with her birthday money. It was their first trip to the American Girl Store, had perfect weather and a wonderful day in the city!!

Happy Birthday Christen!

Love You!

Granny & Pa

Trip to Glacier National Park, MT - July 2010

John Muir states Glacier National park is a gift, one to be savored and one to be treasured, for it can be our gift to future generations. Whether your interests include geology or natural history, wildflowers or wildlife, recreation or solitude, a vacation here will add to the "sum of your life." Glacier National Park, called "Crown of the Continent" is located in northwestern Montana on the Canadian border. It was established in 1910. This year it is celebrating its 100th Anniversary! This is the Two Medicine Campstore where Micky works and lives for 3 1/2 months out of the year. It was at this Campstore that FDR did his fireside chats.

The present day general store is the latest incarnation of a historic lodge built in 1913 before there were roads into the parks interior. To promote Glacier to adventurous tourists in the early 1900's the Great Northern Railway built a network of hotels and chalets a days ride apart throughout the park. Horse parties would arrive here from Glacier Park Hotel and continue from chalet to chalet across the park. By 1925, more than a thousand horses and 10 thousand people traveled the park trails each year. Two Medicine Chalet was no solitary outpost.

This was the scene from the porch of the Campstore on Memorial Day 2010!
~Photo by Micky~

Here the placid waters of Two Medicine Lake reflect Mount Sinopah. The name Sinopah is a derivative of two Blackfeet words. Sinopa is the word for the kit (prarie) fox, and Sinopaki means "Fox Woman." Sinopah was the Indian wife of trapper Hugh Monroe (Rising Wolf) and daughter of Lone Walker, a powerful Blackfeet chief. All three of the mountains bearing the names of these individuals are in the Two Medicine area.

Mount Sinopah is the crown jewel of the Two Medicine area, not because it is the highest, biggest or most dramatic, but because of its striking appearance as it rises dramatically above the western end of Two Medicine Lake. It has an elevation of 8,271 feet. It is an irresistible visual magnet!

Tour buses stop at Two Medicine while giving a grand tour of the park. It takes you along Going-to-the-Sun Road which is approximately 50 miles long bisecting the park east and west. Probably one of the most scenic in the world, the road is carved out of solid rock.

The Blackfeet Indians considered the Two Medicine area "The Backbone of the World." There is a story of how the area came about its name. The Blackfeet Confederacy was divided into three tribes: the Pikuni, the Bloods, and the Blackfeet. In the spring each tribe held an Okan' -- a religious ceremony -- and it just so happened that one year two of the tribes, the Pikunis and Bloods, happened to hold theirs at the same time and in the same place. After that the river was called Two Medicine Lodges River -- later shortenend to Two Medicine.

Jim & Micky near Twin Falls

Mount Sinopah from the porch of the Campstore.

Jim, Bonny, Ina & Micky

Glacier National Park is probably one of the oldest scenic wonders of the US, and is often referred to as the "Switzerland of North America." It gets its name from the huge ice age glaciers, which carved its rugged scenery. More than a half mile deep, they covered all but the highest peaks.

Ina & Micky at Haystack Falls, one of the many spectacular Glacier Park water falls.

Glacier National Park contains over a million acres of the finest mountain scenery in America. Geological processes have formed and sculptured the more than 50 glaciers and 200 lakes. (I believe there are only 25 glaciers left due to global warming). The mountains to the east are the result of an overthrust of the earth's crust. Rock layers about a billion years old can be found lying above other layers many millions of years younger. Broad U-shaped valleys are the signature of a glaciated landscape that were formed here durning the last ice age. Most of the lakes are of glacial origin.

Bonny & Ina

Words cannot adequately describe this very scenic trip over Going-to-the-Sun Road, from mountains to tunnels to lakes and streams.

This park is an adventure in splendor and serenity but there is still CONSTRUCTION going on!

It is hard to imagine how they mangaged to build this road 100 years ago! It was completed in 1932.

The drive on this road affords magnificent views of Alpine scenery.

Bonny, Debbie, Ina, Micky

Logan Pass

St. Mary Lake lies at the foot of the Lewis Range, a front barrier of the Rockies. Peaks soar majestically a mile above its waters. Milky glacial meltwater and light reflected from rock flour suspended in the water gives the lake its aquamarine hue.

St. Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island

Mount Sinopah early in the morning.

~Photo by Ina~

Mount Sinopah in early spring.

~Photo by Micky~

Mount Sinopah with the early morning sun shining on it.

~Photo by Micky~

Advice from a GLACIER

Carve Your Own Path

Go Slow

Channel Your Strengths

Smooth the Way for Others

Keep Moving Forward

Avoid Meltdowns

Be Cool!

~Ilan Shamir~

Hiking on the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park - July 2010

Jim and Micky leaving the Campstore for an 18 mile hike that made a loop up through Dawson Pass, along the Continental Divide, through Pitamakan Pass and back down to Two Medicine Lake. Glacier National Park has hundreds of miles of hiking trails.

They took the boat across Two Medicine Lake to the trailhead to cut 3 miles off of the hike.
Sinopah Mountain is straight ahead.

The Continental Divide lies along the summits of the Lewis Range in the heart of Glacier National Park. Park boundaries encompass 1 million acres of wilderness. Visibility of 200 miles allow them to enjoy the view. Blackfeet Indians called the high mountain vastness of the park "The Backbone of the World."

Hiking above the tree line you see a narrow trail far ahead.
At this northern latitude trees seldom grow above 8,000 feet.

Breathtaking views!

Mountain goats live on the rocky ledges.

Back below the tree line.

"I am restored in beauty. I am restored in beauty. I am restored in beauty."

~Navajo prayer

August 13, 2010

Today Jason & Olivia arrived in Snoqualmie. Jason & Jim are going to hike the Wonderland Trail on Mt. Rainier this week and Olivia and I will hang out!!

Back in Indiana Gavin is helping Julie harvest her prize winning carrots!