Chugga Chugga Whoo Whoo!

When we went to Glacier this summer, we stayed at the Izaak Walton Inn, a hotel which also has a working train yard on site. The locomotives at this station help get the trains over the mountain pass. I took this picture from the walking bridge spanning the tracks on our first evening there.



This photo is my submission for Thematic Photographic's "Transportation" theme, Unique Exposure's "Travel" photo challenge, and the Thursday Challenge's "Technology" theme. Be sure to check out each site to see more interpretations of these themes!

Lone Tree in the Mountains

Perceptive Perspective's theme for the week is "Nature." I'm submitting another cool nature shot I took in Glacier.

I took this as we were walking back to our van to leave Many Glacier. I happened to look to the side and saw this lone tree with the mountain behind it and thought it could make a nice composition.

The Mountains at St. Mary

This week's Thursday Challenge theme is "Outdoors."

I took this "Outdoorsy" pic when we were at the St. Mary Visitor's Center in Glacier at the beginning of July. Such beautiful mountains!

Mountain Valley

Unique Exposure's theme this week is "Vertical Landscape."

And, guess what?! I just happen to have a pic I took in Glacier that fits the bill! :)



I really like the bowl shape formed by the glaciers with the stream running through the center.

Be sure to go to Unique Exposure to view more vertical landscapes.

Contrast

As I mentioned, we did a LOT of hiking while in Glacier.

The current photo challenge theme at the Thursday Challenge is "Sports." I know hiking isn't a competitive sport, but if sports=exercise, believe me hiking qualifies! Hubby went online afterwards, and he concluded that the day I took this picture, we hiked 8-10 miles.



I just love the contrast in this image of my "small" 6'4" hubby with two of the kids set against the trees and mountains. What a reminder that we are but a tiny part in the majesty of God's creation!

Visit the Thursday Challenge to see more sports themed pictures.

Our Family on Vacation

Thanks for being so patient while I've been going through all the pictures I took while on our vacation to Glacier, cropping and editing them.

This week's photo theme at Thematic Photographic is "Family." (Click on the link to see more participants in the "Family" theme.)

I've chosen "family" as this week's Thematic Photographic theme because as time goes on, I realize little else matters beyond this. It's the one constant in most of our lives, the one foundation on which all the other good things - career, health, interests, etc. - are ultimately built. Many of us are lucky to be surrounded by strong families, while others, sadly, wish that could be the case.

Since I tend to wear the family thing on my sleeve, anyway, I thought it might be fun to explore it for the next week. As you both capture and choose which photos to share - and let's be clear, you're free to participate as often as you wish - please give some thought to the definition of family. Specifically, it doesn't always necessarily have to be someone directly related to you.

What better way to showcase some of my favorite pics of some of my favorite people from our trip?

We stayed at the Izaak Walton Inn. It had a pool table in the basement that got much use from us in the mornings, especially by our Oldest Son.

We stopped at many lakes and rivers while on our trip. The kids (and Hubby) had fun playing on their shores.

Something for everyone to do

Looking for treasures

I counted to three and all three boys were supposed to throw a rock in the water at the same time. This shot looks like an image progression of the a toss instead.

All tuckered out after a long day of hiking

The main reason we went to Glacier was to see the mountains.
(Hubby took this picture of our Middle Child at Logan Pass.)

We walked the Trail of the Cedars. Here the kids are resting like bumps on a log.

I like this pic because it shows their different personalities:Oldest=trepidacious
Younger Daughter=a bit of a diva/princess
Youngest=happy and willing to go along with whatever the big kids are doing
Oldest Son=does NOT like having his picture taken unless it's his idea
Middle Child=goofy personality and doesn't care what others think (Just look at the socks!)

Our family at Many Glacier

(We asked someone who was standing nearby to take this picture of all of us.)

Our bookend children taking a rest while on one of our many hikes

Majestic Mt. Rainier

I fell in love twice while in college. I met Hubby in 1993, and by early 1994 I'd already fallen in love with him. But in Summer 1994 I fell in love again, this time with a mountain.

The first time I saw Mt. Rainier, there were no words for the stunned awe I felt. The blatant, majestic evidence of God's power in creation was right there in front of me, and I just basked in its glory. And Hubby was right there with me (although he was only my boyfriend at the time). As a native Washingtonian, he was eager to show me "the Mountain", and I'm so glad he did!

I took this picture of Mt. Rainier the last time we visited Washington back in 2005. This is a scanned image since I took the original with my 35mm SLR. An enlarged 16x20" hangs on our living room wall. Sadly, the picture doesn't really do it justice, but I'll take it in lieu of seeing the real thing in person.



Mt. Rainier epitomizes "majesty" in my mind, and that is why it is my entry for this week's "Majestic" photo challenge at Photo Sunday.