Back home, with camping on my mind...

We're settling back into our routines.  I have to say that the humidity is a bit rough, but at least the heat index is not quite as high as it was when we left.  The air conditioning feels good!  

I have not been knitting much, lately.  I am way too busy with other things.  Mom is enjoying hearing about our camping and Scouting adventures.  She is excited to see Ben when he comes back to Minnesota in August so he can tell her all about his experiences.

Beautiful trail I walked daily during Grey Wolf

Afternoon sunlight filters through the trees.

The light filters through the leaves and the green just POPS!

An old (downed) sign at FCA Scout Camp.
I like the look of the washed out color and worn wood.

This tree was by the road leaving Tomahawk (summer camp).

A gateway made from sheds at Philmont.  The skull with antlers was found by a Ranger.

Looking down the main street in Cimarron.

A fun bike--we used to decorate our bikes like this on the 4th of July.

Buildings in Cimarron.  The light in the southwest is just beautiful.

Pretty purple petunias! 

Grrr...

Outside an antique shop in Cimarron.

View of the other side of the Tooth of Time. 

Mule deer are plentiful around the ranch.

Crew preparing for their trek--shakedown time. 

Beautifully hand-painted decorative beams in Villa Philmonte... 

...and tile work,

...and light fixtures (the star was made in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania).

How Window Rock got its name--Waite Phillips had this window cut into the library wall
so he could see the view.  The horizontal rock formation is Window Rock.

Waite and Genevieve Phillips.  He felt his portrait made him look  a bit pompous,
so he had it hanging in a closet (it is still there). 

Tile work at the front door.

The gardens and plants around the villa are just gorgeous. 

The lovely details around the villa are charming.

I think I could live in the villa...

Branding items is always fun to do.

A couple of the ponies watched the closing campfire.

Linda sings a beautiful solo at the closing campfire.  Her seeing-eye dog, Daisy, was so dear.  We all agreed that she was the most spoiled working dog, period.  She is 12 1/2 years old.  Linda was in Jim's class.  Linda was so interesting to talk to, and musically talented.

Crew packs ready to go.  The TP on the outside is not a great idea
because it can catch and unroll.  Not good...

We pulled off the road on the way to Angel Fire so I could take
photos of the rock formations and this was a nice surprise to see!

Angel Fire, New Mexico

Cloud formation on the road to Denver.

View of Denver from the plane.

This is a chipmunk that resides around our home.  At Philmont, these little critters are referred to as mini-bears.  They are cute, but curious little buggers that love to get into everything!  

Back from the Land of Enchantment

We have been back from Philmont since Sunday.  I caught up the laundry and now have to work on putting away camping gear.  It was a very busy July.
The trip to New Mexico was so much fun.  Jim and I enjoyed our courses--he took Round Table and I took T-BOS (Training--Basic Outdoor Skills).  I will be adjusting my schedule this year so I can help Jim with Round Table and besides--I miss being there and will probably be using my new certification to teach Basic Outdoor Skills!  

Ben was able to take his three-days-in-a-row off while we were there.  It was wonderful to see him and spend some time with him.  Ben is so happy to be trekking in the back country.  He takes a crew out for a total of four days, hikes back into base camp, and then takes out another crew the next day.  On his time off, he hikes.  What an experience for him.  He showed me some of his photographs from the trail and they are just amazing.  

As always, the folks at Philmont (whether at PTC--the training center, on staff, or participants) are very nice.  We all share a love of Scouting and meeting others from all over this great country.  Steffers, our tent city staffer, made Dutch oven cobblers two times over our stay.  What a good treat after a long day; AND with ice cream!  On Wednesday, the day off, we decided not to go into Taos.  Instead we spent time in camp at the craft building making a belt for Ben, tie-dying vests, and branding stuff.  The buffalo burger cookout was tasty and it was Ben's first opportunity to partake of the good food.  Jim copied the little Dutch oven cookbook to distribute at the Scouting Midway.  I also got a couple of good recipes to put in this year's updated version!  Steffers even tried Ben's recipe for S'Mores cobbler later in the week.  It was very popular.  

In New Mexico and on the road to Philmont

Sign on a Com Truck

What Scouts wore in the early days.

Our home in South Tent City--we did a bit of decorating for fun!  I am whittling a neckerchief slide.

Moon over the Tooth of Time 

My course instructors made a floating flagpole.  It even lasted through a couple of storms.

These little birds flew the coop by the end of our stay.  They were right in front of our classroom.

Ben pays us a visit

Steffers unveils Dutch oven goodness!

My morning view from the tent

On the way to the Tooth of Time Traders 

My turn!

Ben's home away from home.

Dennis dressed as a Webelo with his bag of patches for the kids. 

Ben and some of his Ranger friends.  They hiked Baldy the next day.

Inside Villa Philmonte in one of the New Mexico rooms.  It is said the  buffalo charged
 and his head got stuck.

One of the lovely sunsets.

This was our sunset the day before we left.   As I was taking  this photo,
Linda, a classmate of Jim's, was singing a moving rendition of "America."