Birthday hike in Yosemite, & random vocab quiz! =)

Happy Birthday to me!

Therefore, Bear & I hiked in Yosemite Valley today.

Other years we bike.

I ADORE biking in Yosemite Valley--it's the perfect scale for it.

However, bikes are still dusty from last year, so we hoofed it.

Here's a hint of how glorious the dogwood is right now:

It's a VERY good year for this tree-o-white-blossoms,

so if it's an option, I strongly recommend you get here ASAP.

We hiked up the west side of Mirror Lake Loop,

where we saw forest delights:

There are deciduous forests, and there are delicious forests.

This is a delicious forest. 

 Wild ginger. Check out that GORGEOUS glossy sheen. Phew!

More stunning dogwood flowers.

It's like passing by a supermodel on the trail;

can you REALLY ignore it?!? 

No.

Cool forest fungi

 Hubba, hubba.

Having crossed the river to the east side of Tenaya Creek,

we alit upon the source of the pungent trail decor...

 Might I say, though, nice buns!

On our way out,

we stopped to look at a fungus-laden tree Bear likes.

We were forced to park in this dreary spot

(panning from right to left).

*sigh*

Thank you, Yosemite & National Park Service.

You ROCKED it, hard.

Okay: QUIZ TIME!!

This week my eyes have landed on an outdoor object,

and every time, a word pops into my head:

ootheca

Discuss.

Please tell me what you think this means,

without looking it up,

and if you have ZERO clue,

please fling the wildest guess you can fabricate.

I heart correct guesses* (& bow to your brain),

but those who bravely chuck forth

creative BS guesses

have a special place in my heart.

=)

You know who you are.

xoxoxobb

*spot on "guesses" WILL be posted, but not right away,
so other folks can take a stab at it, unencumbered by the facts. =)

oops, 1 year bloggiversary was ...

  
well, see, this morning I was reading about Kyna's 1 year bloggiversary, then thought, hmm, I know I started in January last year, so looked it up, and lo and behold, my first post was January 6th of last year.

Yup, yesterday.

Classic.

=)

Hee. Never been super into birthdays, anniversaries, etc., but at least now I know that my inattention is global--I apparently ignore myself as well as everyone else.

You might guess I have exceedingly forgiving friends, si?

Anyhow, I SHOULD thank you all for stopping by, taking a peek, and commenting whenever inspired. So,

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

A photographic thank you: (DO click on these, SO much better big...)

There are SO many interesting, smart, observant, insightful, talented folks out there (uh, that'd be YOU), it's been a total pleasure learning about YOU guys. Deelightful. That's been just about the best part of this blog, and it was totally unanticipated. So, thanks! =)

And of course, this blog has been very fun to create, I'm lovin' sharing photos, learning stuff as I babble about it, and the fact that when I'm deciding whether or not to get out side and check things out, I think about the blog, grab my camera, and GO.

Awesome.

Alrighty. I'm out.

xoxobb