The best times are the unplanned ones

I had an amazing time the other day hanging out on playground toys too small for us. I hung out with two junior high girls. We first visited another Wyld Life leader and ate entirely too much Yummy's cake (or maybe that was just me...) and then we randomly decided to stop at a playground and played on those springy animal toys that you can rock back and forth on. It was great fun. It brought me back to my "little kid Katie" (as Addie calls it). Really, I think the best kind of fun is the unplanned, spontaneous, laid-back, random kind. We laughed so hard and made silly "pew pew" noises as we threw woodchips at each other. It made me happy to remember that you don't have to try to be anything you're not at anytime - like happy and energetic when you're really tired and apathetic. I just decided to be myself and relax and we had a blast.

So I packed (pretty much everything I need for the next month, minus toilettries) last night. Now, I'm just lounging, watching TV and movies, hanging out with my dad a bit. And I realize I have a few errands/odds and ends I need to tie up before I leave, such as paying rent, buying last minute Wal-Mart items, saying bye to my roommate who will be moving out while I'm gone (don't worry, we're not too attached to each other...).

I rarely enjoy doing nothing with my day, but today, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I needed this "nothing" time before spending time with family and then work crew bossing at Castaway!

Such a great summer:)
G'night!

Back in Iowa City for a bit

I am back in Iowa City for a bit. It is good, but odd at the same time. After being gone from the community for a while, I have difficulty engaging in it again when I know I'll be gone for another 4 weeks. I had some good time with my junior high friends tonight, but I realized I felt a little detached because I haven't spent time with them in a while. I know this is temporary and relationships will be reestablished when I get back in August.

My next stop: family reunion near Green Bay Wisconsin (July 20-24), then work crew boss at Castaway Club (YL camp) in Detroit Lakes, MN (July 24-Aug. 14).

I'm taking these days to do laundry, visit a few friends, rest, appreciate alone time, pray, and pack for the next part of my summer.

I have a bunch of pictures from the past few days. We went to Black Canyon near Montrose, CO. We also went to Leadville, CO (a mining town) and stayed at a supposedly haunted hotel. We've started to talk about mining minerals and the economic/political/etc. issues involved. We also went to the mining museum. Cool stuff:)

Me at Black Canyon

Pegmatite (white igneous rock) in the precambrain (darker) - forms 2 dragons!

Me at Black Canyon again!! (Deeper than the height of the Empire State Building)

We drove a lot:)

"The best geology is done on the hood of a car or on a napkin in a restaurant." - Professor Dunkhase

A geology birthday cake - complete with the dragons from a previous picture and the Morrison Formation on the right (sandstone=yellow, red and green = shale; from Jurassic Period). And gneiss (said "nice")= a kind of precambrian rock... lots of jokes made from that:)

Love the continental divide passes:)

An old mine (from the 1800s) above Leadville, CO.

A pretty church in downtown Leadville, CO. (about 10,200 ft elevation)

Sun setting over Mt. Crested Butte (from our condo:))

The sky as the sun sets - awesome:)

First day of Geology class in Crested Butte

This morning (Monday), we took a relatively mild hike to get acclimatized and start to take in the scenery. We learned some about the Cretaceous period - including learning how shale and Mesa Verde sandstone was formed during this time (shale from the mud of the ocean that was once here, sandstone from the beach of the ocean). Then, about 35 mil. years ago, igneous intrusions shot up through the weak areas in the soft shale and formed the peaks we now see. These intrusions caused the shale to turn into slate (the heat caused the shale to harden into slate).

Here are a few pix from our day. Really - it is probably one of the most beautiful places I have been. It is so green and the mountains are breathtaking. The wildflowers are in full bloom right now, too!

Beginning our hike this morning. Not too bad:)

Our trusty guide (professor), John Dunkhase. He's a professor at Iowa but is a mountain man at heart.

A typical day in the field - gorgeous, learning about rocks. John dubs it a "learning vacation" - so great:)

No words for this one, really...

Living a dream: laying in a field of wildflowers. "In open fields of wildflowers, she breathes the air and flies away. She thanks her Jesus for the daisies and the roses, in no simple language. Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all." (Jars of Clay, Love Song for a Savior)

Yep, just taking a break from rock-learning in a field of wildflowers - columbines to be exact, and checking out the scenery.

That's all for now - time to get some rest - tomorrow we're heading to Gunnison to learn more about rocks:) Til then - have a wonderful evening.

And remember - our God is the God of all - of Iowa, of Colorado, of flat "boring" plains, of towering gorgeous mountains, of you, of me. It boggles my mind.

A couple things I learned while at Wilderness

Single ladies - rest in God. If He has put a desire in your heart for a relationship with a man, He will provide. Do not believe the lies from the Enemy. And don't compromise for any old guy. Also - no one is perfect, so resist the temptation to put people on pedestals.

It's the people, not the mountains that make Wilderness Ranch an amazing place. Sure, the mountains don't hurt, but the people are what makes the community great. Even being there for just 4 days - I felt loved, met nearly everyone there I hadn't yet met, and felt a part of the community.

Everyone feels lost in the crowd sometimes. Turn to God at these times - don't put your efforts into securing human praise, because it is fleeting. God is unchanging and He is always seeking your heart.

Next post to be some pix from my first day at Crested Butte.

Couple pix from the Ranch

Here are pictures from my trip to the Ranch and into Crested Butte after the Ranch. I am now at Mt. Crested Butte in a condo - the first night of our Geology class. We start tomorrow.

I only have one pic from my time there - from fireworks on the 4th at Lake City!! I didn't take too many pix while at the Ranch because (1) I already have them from 2 years ago and (2) I was helping out most of the time and not picture-taking. Enjoy the ones I did take:)

The road into the Ranch! So pretty:)

Fireworks on the 4th in Lake City, CO! My first time as part of this Ranch tradition:)

Lake San Cristobal scenic overlook off of 149 on the way to Lake City. It is SO beautiful:) I wish I had taken a few more minutes to take it in and less picture-taking:)

You can see the 14er Uncompagre (sp?) just above the other mountains. I think it's the mountain that Dr. Seuss used as inspiration for the mountain in Grinch.


Just getting into Crested Butte - I think that's Mt. Crested Butte on the right there? Not sure...

Just beautiful mountain and sky!

View from our condo at Mt. Crested Butte! SO great! A little ritzy- but this is where we get to stay for the next 9 days!

Our awesome king size bed that I get to share with a classmate - Anne. I got to the condo first and got dibs on the room - and definitely fought for it! It has a great view:) And it's comfy and great. It's where I'm sitting right now and going to sleep:) Nighty night!

At Wilderness Ranch

I made it safely to Wilderness Ranch yesterday by 5pm - in time for dinner:) And I'm done with driving for a few days - probably 17-18 hours total over the last 3 days - ick...

The Ranch got satellite internet since the last time I was here so I am near the office on the internet... Today's most people's day off at camp, but I am staying around to help out with whatever work needs to get done. The pace is slower on day off - well, it's slower at Wilderness than most camps probably anyway, and I'm waiting for lunch which a few people went to go pick up from Freeman's (a short drive away). I got to help foodpack this morning - put a bunch of apples and oranges and brown sugar in double bags (just what they sound like - two bags put inside one another) for next week's trips. Not sure what the agenda is for this afternoon, but I think I need a nap at some point (didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night - new bed and all... top bunks are difficult to get in and out of...).

I am at the Ranch til Sunday - and then headed to Crested Butte for the class. I'm excited to catch up with old friends (have done a bit already) and meet and work alongside a few others too. I'm trying to remember that I'm a guest and not a true member of the present community here - trying to respect their space and not be too demanding of people's time or resources. A few people I know are out on the trail right now, too - so I'm excited to see them on Friday - not sure they know I'm here - so that'll be a fun suprise:)

I hope that I can serve this community well while I'm here by being willing to do whatever needs to be done. I also hope that I let myself relax and dig into the Lord during down time - I have difficulty relaxing sometimes and finding something "to do."

Hope y'all have a great day and I will post again tomorrow:)

Katie