Lake Granbury's Quiet Moments

Mariposa Maya

While Finn was sailing the canals of Lake Granbury in search of treasure, Maya was seeking a prize of her own: Butterflies!

Success!

Setting Sail in Granbury

We made a spontaneous trip to Texas recently while Wes was on set in Dallas. The kids and I stayed at the Beauchamp Bed & Breakfast (aka, my parents' house), while Wes did his thing in town. I'll be posting some of the highlights this week. Finn and Maya love the lake, but the life vest is a must, of course. Finn's a-ok with this rule. But Maya? Less than thrilled. There was a lot of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. But in the end, we did get her to cheer up once she was allowed to drive the boat. :)

Finn Swims: Also called the "Proud Mom Post"

This summer was a big deal for Finn. He learned to swim. Not perfectly, but it doesn't matter. Finn has always been very cautious around water. OK, that's an understatement. At every lesson he would try to lawyer-talk his way out of every request. It was exhausting for all involved. Thankfully, he had the sweetest, most patient teacher. And the progress from the first lesson to the video below is astonishing. Way to go, Finn!
(And no, that is not my pool...I wish.)

Down to the last days

Finn starts school in one week. For the first time ever! I'm excited. Not sad, or nostalgic. Just excited. And totally ready to have a change of pace around here. It's going to be so good for Finn, and so good for me. We both need this new chapter.

Going through my photos, I came across a few that were neglected as the summer passed. So I thought I would share just some more posts of summer pics before the season's officially over!

Glacier National Park Recap: A note on where we stayed

We've had quite a few questions about where we stayed while in Glacier National Park. So I thought I'd post a little more about it. We wanted a kid-free experience for a few days. So after saving our pennies, we opted for a private, cushy experience. The Great Bear Inn was 10 minutes from the park entrance (maybe less). And it was situated on a backroad, secluded from other resorts. Driving up, it seems as though you are going to stay at someone's really nice cabin retreat. It's not really an inn, like the name implies. It's more like a very nice Bed & Breakfast, with more privacy and amenities.

Walking in, we were immediately met by the 10 or so other guests (of the 18 guest maximum), during a gourmet happy hour. We were taken to our room (holy smokes, it was so nice), down on the bottom floor. There were pool tables, free laundry facilities, only one other suite downstairs, fireplace in the room, Tempur-pedic bed, huge bathroom in each suite, flat screen TV with a zillion channels, private patio, and that's only downstairs. I was pretty pampered, and loved every minute. The place was so homey that no one had a key! You just closed your bedroom door when you left for the day. It's new within the last few years, and had just undergone it's final renovations. Everything, even down to the soap in the bathroom was thoughtful.

The owner, Susan, was a doll. Breakfast was minimal (croissants and muffins), because local diners are best for breakfast. Lunch is on your own. But dinner is a 5 star, 3 course gourmet meal prepared every night by two chefs (one is the owner's son). We had the best BBQ ever (and I am a Texan, y'all), duck, prime rib, Italian, and desserts I could not believe. It started with a "happy hour" wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres (or Pepsi tasting, if you don't drink...ahem). We mingled with guests (we made great little friendships in the few days we were there). Then we all ate in the dining room with panoramic views—all together at a long table. We were served whatever was prepared for the night (so no menu, but it was all amazing, and they make exceptions for people who don't like certain foods or are vegetarian). The happy hour area and kitchen were in one long room. So we chatted with the chefs, and marveled at the amazing kitchen (the stoves made me swoon). They also have two brand-new separate cabins for families/groups. And they even have their own culinary garden! I am telling you. It's the greatest way to do this vacation (if you are going sans little kids and don't want to camp...ahem). It was so friendly and inviting. Everyone was excited to get together in the evening and share our adventures from the day. Thank you, Great Bear Inn, for making Montana that much better—five stars! :)

Glacier National Park Recap: DAY 3

Start the journey HERE.

Read Day 1 Recap HERE.

Read Day 2 Recap HERE.

Thursday, June 30th

Rise & Shine: Sleep in! (until 8)

No hiking today. The weather is markedly cooler—in the 50s—and we're not complaining! Lots of layers kept us comfortable all day. Clouds moved quickly through the skies, one after another. White, then gray, then white, then gray again. Bits of blue peeked through. Rain came and went. The wind, as well.

We headed straight to Polebridge on the West side of the park, and the famed bakery everyone kept raving about. The 30 minute+ drive was much different than the East side of the park. New growth pushed through a charred wilderness, damaged by a fire in 2003. Clouds continued to travel through the blue skies, headed for the peaks and beyond. This side of the park was especially isolated and free of most tourists and traffic. The roads were narrow and winding gravel paths. So in other words, slow going. But the view of the mountains continued to be astounding.




Polebridge was all everyone said. Remote, authentic, and delicious! There was a small, red, wooden general store and bakery, standing in the middle of vast green fields. A few other small, rustic buildings completed the scene. Making a note to come back for lunch, we pressed on.

 

The road entered the park at a helpful ranger station, then made its way up to two lakes. We opted for Bowman Lake, 30 winding miles up the road. A glacial river came into view on our right. And on our left, a green, lush wonderland of new pines, aspens, and wildflowers bloomed in every color. They were all thriving among the black skeletons of former forest giants. Wes pulled over to photograph the layered landscape—all the stages of death and growth. The faraway thick pines, closer burned forest, and determined small and verdant new trees. Aspen leaves shimmered in the sunlight, giving in to the cool, blustery air. Pink, white, and yellow blossoms dotted the intensely bright green grasses, tall and wild. The only words to describe the ridiculous scene would be utterly lovely. 

 Finally reaching Bowman Lake, we were greeted with yet another stunning panorama of a glacial lake, flanked by pines, encircled by snow-capped peaks. Wes set up his gear and began a time-lapse, as I chatted with two pontoon boaters. A dad and his daughter had been out all morning, fishing with little luck. They lived in the nearby town of Hungry Horse. I tried to imagine growing up in Montana, taking weekend trips into Glacier National Park. Would it remain a novelty? Or would I crave a city life? I sensed that this girl knew what she had. :) Not to mention that she was quite skilled with that Pontoon boat!

 

Time lapse in the bag, we headed back in clouds threatening rain, and wound our way back to Polebridge. We had the most AMAZING huckleberry turnovers and hot sandwiches for lunch. We ate on rugged picnic tables in the dancing wind, watching the gray sky move in. As the rain began to fall, we climbed back in the car, heading for the next stop: Goat Lick.

Now, Goat Lick sounds odd, but is exactly what the name implies: A natural salt lick in the side of a sheer cliff, where mountain goats come to, well, lick. There is a wide and expansive gulch and river between viewers and the goats, so it was a good thing Wes had a mega zoom lens (which he has a fancier name for, of course). Two mother goats, each with a single sweet baby moved deftly along the sheer wall. And that was our closest encounter with Montana wildlife, aside from the chipmunks and occasional spooked marmot.

With rain on the horizon, we headed back to our room a little early, ready to pack up for a next-day-departure. It was an end to a truly memorable, unique much needed vacation. The next day we'd be returning to Ontario, Oregon to scoop up our babies and get ready for the 4th of July! Thank you, Glacier National Park. For all of it.