Gavin Swims

I used to hike a bootpack up to the top of Glory Bowl on a daily basis. I would get all of my gear together and hitchhike up to the top of the pass. I would usually meet others up there as I hiked but some days I was the only person there. It didn't matter. I was there for myself. I would use good judgement and avoid avalanche conditions but if it was just blowing snow or poor visibility I would still persist. Sometimes I was the first person and I would need to make the bootpack. I had gone so many times it was second nature. I knew where I wanted to end up. It wasn't just about going down for me. It was the challenge of earning the descent. I would rest in the snowcave, drink some water, eat a snack and then make my way back out and clip into my snowboard bindings. I loved the comfort that I had come to associate with what others might consider just exhilaration, which I also felt, exhilaration and comfort. That was worthwhile and valuable and I miss it very much.

What it looks like inside a Rustic loaf. No knead.

Hey Karen, here are some pics of the changes in the gardens around the house. The first picture is of a Cycad called a Coontie. I rescued some plants from development sites where the plants were going to be destroyed to make way for new homes. They have had pretty good success with reestablishment. It is not an easy plant to transplant. It has a very long tuber with little roots growing off of it. It is easy to sever the tuber when you are digging the plant up to transplant it.

The orange inflorescences are the blooms from the bromeliads around the tree and in the front garden. As you can see I am a little behind on my weeding after being away for a little while.

Here are the pics of my Rustic bread. No kneading required.

Rustic Bread

I am trying my hand at making Rustic bread (no knead) www.aresrocket.com/bread/
again. I think I will bake it in the romertopf. It is overcast outside but not raining. Yeah, the house is heating up with the hot oven. Better cooked in the winter than the summer. An outdoor oven would be good too. I am also making some French Onion Soup to go with it. It isn't great to be without a job but I am making the best of it. Pictures to follow.

When you visit Fort Desoto Park be sure to take advantage of the child care facilities so you and your honey can get a little "alone time". The old bomb shelters are out of the sun so forget about the sunsceen.