Tuesday, January 21, 2014

An Unexpected Journey, or, from the Prairies to the Mountains to the Ocean

No, I didn't take a trek to the Lonely Mountain with a wizard and a baker's dozen of dwarves in search of gold. But my sister and I did, at very short notice, fly out to the Golden State last week to pack up my dad's belongings and start them on the road to Wisconsin. (My 87-year-old dad, after a very bad fall last month, has made what his nurse practitioner calls "an amazing turnaround", and will shortly be moving to the Dairy State to be near us. Hooray for Dad and his determination to get better!)

We had such a busy week, there were very few photo ops. But I did take some on the flight out....

My sister casting on in the Madison airport as we wait for our first flight:


(Doesn't everyone travel with yarn?)

Meahwhile, I pulled out this gorgeous stuff (a birthday gift from last year)...


...and with my sister's help, wound it right there in the terminal. A family nearby began to laugh and comment on our yarny activities, and when the ball-winding was done, my sister struck up a knitting conversation with one of them - a gal in a gorgeous Stephen West scarf. We found that they had once lived in Southern California (small world!), and were taking their 90-year old dad to Colorado for some skiing. ("He's not allowed to ski alone any more," said the knitting daughter.)

Next stop, Denver, where we changed planes. As we waited on the tarmac for our second flight, Tallulah climbed out of my purse and gazed wistfully westward towards her birthplace:


Another plane takes off, with Denver and the mountains in the background:


Then it was our turn to head west over the Rockies - which were so clouded over we could only catch glimpses of the foothills on either side. On the western side of the range, the clouds began to break:


Then on over Utah, with its amazing rocks and rivers, buttes and bluffs, and many-coloured landscape:






I'm always amazed at the beauty and diversity of this great land in which we live.

After colourful Utah, Nevada seemed rather brown and featureless (at least the bit we flew over):


Then, before we knew it, the mountains of our childhood were in sight and the SoCal sprawl was beneath us (under a layer of smog):



We had safely arrived in Orange County, where palm trees line the airport entrance.


It was a beautiful day. After a visit with my dad in the rehab center, we headed over to his home.

His lemon tree was loaded with sunny-looking fruit:


A good start to what turned out to be a very stressful week. (Which, I am thankful to say, is now over.)

:)

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21 comments:

  1. Isn't the smell of fresh lemons amazing!!!!

    Wishing you Dad a good trip to his new home. I'm sure he'll be happy being close to family!

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  2. Your in flight images are amazing. Yes the land we soar above in those flying machines is beautiful from sky high .
    God Bless you and Your dad

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  3. So pleased your Dads move was a success and you can now have him nearer to you. Stunning landscapes Sue, love Utah photos xox

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  4. Fantastic photos from the plane.
    The smog is probably smoke from the fires outside LA.
    Hope your Dad's all settled in but he'll have to adjust to the cold!
    Susan x

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  5. I enjoyed your flight photos and the yarny fun in the airport. I just made reservations to fly to Ohio from Oregon in late March to spend 10 days with my daughter and 2 granddaughters. Sorry the week there was so stressful.. but hopefully all will settle down soon. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. Wow! What beautiful views from the airplane! That is my favorite part of flying.

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  7. So glad to know your dad is making good progress and that your trip though stressful was successful, Sue. I am glad you are able to be closer to your family even though this may be a difficult season of life for you all. I am so grateful that my sisters and I were able to work together to help our folks in their last years. And I loved your photos of your trip and knowing that a certain Miss Turtle got to enjoy the adventure as well :) Welcome Home!!! xx

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  8. What wonderful views from the plane! I loved your airport yarn activities with your sister. I hope your dad settles in well in his new climate.

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  9. Have yarn will travel. I am glad that your stressful week is over. When will your Dad be able to actually make the move?

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  10. I always love your photos! I have never been on a plane, so to me, this was kind of magical seeing all the cool sites from the window. Thank you for sharing your adventure with us. :)

    I am glad that everyone is back safe and now you have your Dad even closer. Yay! :)

    Oh, tell us more about your knitting sister...does she also have a blog? I love that the knitting girl had on a Steven West scarf and that all of us hookers/knitters can spot each other...it just cracks me up...yarn, the universal language! :)

    Blessings to you and yours always

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  11. Lovely photos. Lucky to be able to move your dad closer, and lucky to have a sister who knits. Mine think of it as a peculiar hobby, I think.

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  12. I loved the photos of your beautiful country taken from the plane. Well done to your dad, and to you and your sister, I hope the moving and settling in a new location goes well. Juliex

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  13. I'm so glad your dad is recovering nicely from his fall, and that he will be moving near to where you live. And to answer your question, yes, I'm sure everyone travels with yarn. :-)

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  14. Glad to hear that your Dad is doing well, you have a long, hard job ahead of you getting him moved. That smog is one of the reasons we left southern California, I love the clear air where we live now.

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  15. The Dairy State?!?! I did not know that....mmmm...I'm moving there too...oh wait, dairy does not agree with me but I could indulge in heavy cream and clarified butter. Oh yes, we Norwegians like our butter! I hope your dad does well with the move and that he like dairy too. There are deep discounts for 80 plus to ski here in Utah. Wow - I can't even imagine, my knees hurt now after skiing.

    Good luck with the continued arrangements Sue.

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  16. Bless your heart, such a lot of stress going on with you right now. Hope your Dad makes the move into his assisted living facility smoothly. Hope you make the transition to having him near by smoothly too.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  17. I love your art yarn, I am wondering what you will make with it. Looking after elderly relatives can be so hard (I know!) but your father sounds amazing, I hope all goes well from now on

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  18. What beautiful photographs, I especially love the lemon tree. I'm sorry it was a difficult week, and I'm glad it's over for you. What good news that your dad is doing well, and that he will be coming to live nearer you. And how nice to meet a knitter at the airport - you're right, everyone should travel with yarn.

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  19. It must be such a relief to have your dad near you. I agree that everyone should travel with yarn. :)

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  20. Welcome home! So glad your stressful week is over and that your dad will soon be nearby. Glad to hear he is recovering well. The Lizard said the goosenecks you captured may be the San Juan on its way into Lake Powell near the Utah/Arizona border, and the striped jagged landscape might be near where we have been this very week (and just south of where we are at this very moment)!!!

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  21. Wow, what beautiful pictures. Glad Tallulah enjoyed herself. It's a little more difficult for us Brits to fly with needles `~ dangerous apparently.

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