A Drive Up North

It was late one afternoon early this week.  I had "Cabin Fever" again.  We had to get out and see some other sights.  It has been way too long since I saw my brother up north of us.  So, that is where we headed, and as usual, I took my camera.

I am going to share with you some random pictures that I took on the drive.  Most of them are while we are moving down the highway.  Most of them have lots of telephone poles and wires in them.  You will see local bill boards, fields, foothills and the Teton Mountains.  Because that is what is around the country where I live. 

So, sit back and take a ride with me.  Un-plugged!  Literally.  Un-edited, as well.  The photos are SOOTC  Straight Out Of The Camera.  No editing...because I don't have time.

First, you will see a donkey on the left and a camel on the right. 
We don't see camels in Idaho everyday....that is pretty exciting!
Notice the lack of snow on the foothills.
The White Poles on the foothills are the base of the windmills.

This is taken from the highway leaving Ammon, headed to Ucon.  The rather small rural town in which I grew up to be a sassy sexey teenager.  I walked a lot when we lived there.  My pals lived in Ucon, too.  Marsha, Bonnie, Myrtle, Bill, Don, and a bunch more.  I can't wait to see them all again next summer at our 45th high school class reunion.  Sheesh, 45th!

The sights of the farm land thrills every cell in my body!  I love to watch the colors change during each season.  To see the changes of the mountains, and on clear days, to see the tops of the Teton Mountains gives me goose-bumps.  Truly!

The grain fields go from brown to green to gold to beige and brown and green and gold and beige and it never looks the same.

Even though this photo is a photography disaster (for lots of reasons) I still like it.  You should never have the horizon in the middle of the frame, and I do.  The sky should be 1/4 or 3/4 of the frame, and mine is almost 50%, I don't care.  This photo is not in a contest.  It is my photo, for my joy.  And I do get joy from it.  Because, it has empty grain fields, foothills, leafless trees, the peaks of the Tetons and a farm.  This is South Easten Idaho at it's best.  A Winter without snow, and most days reaching 39 or 40 degrees.  I love it!

Continuing on down the road, actually it is up the road because we are headed north, we are now on the Interstate and passing  Rexburg, Idaho.  The home of BYU-Idaho.  And the home of the fairly new Rexburg, Idaho LDS temple.

I warned you about the telephone poles, the wires, and possibly blurry pictures, because we are going about 65 miles an hour, but this is what the edge of Rexburg looks like.  Again, not much snow, and pretty mild temps.  The college is getting bigger every year with new buildings and tons of apartments.  I think they have 9 or more Stakes in Rexburg.  You will know what that means if you are familiar with The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints, which I belong too.  Maybe it is 12 stakes....I am not sure.... But, for the geographical area that is A LOT of college kids.  My dream would to have my grand daughter go here.  I know she would love it.

We visited with my brother, and then headed home at sundown.

This is what the Teton Mountains look like not far from my brothers home.  Isn't he lucky to get to see so much of them.  They are near Jackson, Wyoming.  That is a ways over there, and they are pretty dang big.

More farm land and the Tetons .

"Soak it in Mirilla".  Do you know that movie?

It is from Anne of Green Gables.... I use that phrase frequently.  It says what I feel.

As I was taking this shot my Darling Husband pointed out something else just off to the right. 
Look really close at the shot.  Look for a dot of color above the mountain range and you will see it.

Some brave soul isn't afraid of the cold here.  With the wind chill, that has to be very cold!
They would go lower and then rise back up.  It was fun to watch.
But I was getting cold being out taking the pictures......I wasn't sure why I was so chilly, then I remembered that I left my coat at my brothers.  I was in a t-shirt.  No wonder I was getting chilly.  The sun was setting and the temperature was dropping.

I am here, and I still get home sick for it.   It is strange to feel this way.  I have missed this land.  This place.  It is my home.  It flows through my blood and is in my bones.  It makes me realize how much joy I get by seeing this land.  The wide open spaces.  The wildlife, the seasons.  All that and more.  I am so grateful to be here again.

I already shared with you, in a recent blog post about Bambi.  It was on this drive we discovered him/them.  After watching them, and taking about 200 shots of them, I am not sure if I can put in for an Elk tag next year.  They taste great, but I an not sure if I could get one in my scope and pull the trigger.  They are extraordinary creatures.  So majestic.  So graceful.  To see them in the wild is truly a spectacular sight.  To hear them bugle to each other is even better.

My Darling Husband and I had a wonderful drive, a  nice visit with my brother, and a spiritual experience on this day.  My bucket was refilled for another 24 hours.

My photography needs improvement, as I want to be able to know what settings to use on my camera, and only take the "perfect shots" and not have to delete 500 pictures every other day, but, with this kind of beauty surrounding me, it may never happen.  How could I possibly pick "just one" and know that it was the best? 

So, until next time......

Love, Me