Coffee Cake Debacle – Blame the Eagle

April 26, 2020January 24, 2022by Ingrid71 Comments

Being housebound isn’t all bad. The downtime has given me the opportunity to clean house, binge-watch something, get caught up on RV maintenance projects that we’ve been avoiding, binge-watch something, go for long walks, reorganize a bunch of ~~crap~~ stuff on my computer, binge-watch something, and finally finish editing a video that has been in the works since last August. 🥴

Quite frankly, I had put the whole YouTube channel/video stuff on the back burner. That is until I went looking for a recipe in my recipe notebook recently. When I finally found the blueberry coffee cake recipe that I was searching for, I was reminded that I had shot a video on how to make this easy blueberry coffee cake. So then I thought, ok if I’m going to post the recipe, I might as well share the video. Right?

So since we’re all stuck at home during this pandemic, I’m pretty sure many of you are cooking and possibly baking more than normal. For me, I may be baking more but only cooking slightly more since we don’t normally go out to eat on any sort of regular basis anyway. It’s usually about once a week that we’ll eat out, and I’ll admit, I’m missing that. Sorry, but carry-outs aren’t the same.

With the whole pandemic in full swing during the month of April, Easter Sunday was naturally a little quiet for us. Of course, all along we’ve been adhering to a good practice of social distancing, but distancing from my daughter doesn’t count since I’ve been seeing her regularly ever since the beginning of this pandemic. With that said, our daughter, Ashton, joined us for Easter Sunday and we started off the day with blueberry coffee cake and mimosas. 🥂

You see, the RV park where we’ve been sheltering shortened the hours that the laundry facility is open, making the laundry room more crowded than it normally would be 😬 which kind of defeats the purpose of social distancing in my opinion. Therefore, I’ve been doing my laundry at Ashton’s place while keeping her company during lunch. I feel that’s safer than using a busy laundry facility filled with germs. Since my daughter lives by herself and is currently working from home until June 1st, she gets a little lonely and enjoys my laundry/lunch dates.

So as Easter was approaching, I decided to use up the last of the wild blueberries in my freezer to make this easy blueberry coffee cake. During Ashton’s Easter visit while enjoying the coffee cake and mimosas, we reminisced about picking blueberries in northern Wisconsin and being awed by the bald eagle family that we’d see either in the trees or hanging on the boat dock.

The eagle was a routine distraction for me in Wisconsin and I was constantly jumping out of the RV to try and capture images and footage. It was a frustrating endeavor, but I did manage to capture a little video on my iPhone. (Video deleted) Ah, distractions while trying to follow a recipe is usually a recipe for disaster. And although I didn’t encounter a disaster per se, there was a little faux pas with the failure to add an ingredient … a very important ingredient … the star of the show ingredient … blueberries. Yep, I made a blueberry coffee cake without the blueberries 🤪 I blame the eagle!

Which is better … non-stick or cast-iron?

Oh well, my little mistake in my RV kitchen served as the perfect opportunity to bake a second coffee cake (WITH blueberries) and do a little experiment. Does the choice of the baking pan make a difference? Is there a pro or con to baking in a non-stick metal pan versus a cast-iron skillet?

Is one brand of all-purpose flour better than another? Yes! I’ve been a fan of King Arthur Flour products long before they started distributing across the country. I used to order their products directly and have them shipped to me, but somewhere along the way, I ended up purchasing a different brand, and this little experiment of mine reminded me that King Arthur Flour is superior. It bakes a fluffier, less dense coffee cake, and personally, I think it’s worth the extra buck or two. (This is not a sponsored post. I’m merely a happy customer.)

Anyway, if you’re looking for a tasty and easy blueberry crumb coffee cake recipe, give this one a try. And don’t forget to add ALL the ingredients. Yep, when you’re making a blueberry coffee cake, don’t forget to add the blueberries.

This summer, I swear, I won’t go out of the RV without my big camera with zoom on my person at all times and hopefully there will be another eagle family for me to photograph … but not while I’m baking 😉

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you learn!

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

Servings: 8
Time: 50-60 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Print

Dry Ingredients for cake
2 cups all-purpose
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients for cake
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw, use frozen)

CRUMB TOPPING
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, slightly softened and cubed

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For the cake: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large measuring cup, whisk together egg and milk then add to dry ingredients. With a spatula or wooden spoon start mixing then add the melted butter. Once all ingredients are incorporated, fold in the blueberries.

Transfer to a greased baking pan (9×9 square non-stick or 10″ cast-iron skillet). Set aside.

For the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a fork forming small pea-size crumbles. When all the butter is combined forming a crumbly mixture, top the cake evenly with the crumble, then place the cake into a preheated 375-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. (Do not overbake). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by Ingrid @LiveLaughRV.net

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The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook
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Lodge 10.25″ Cast Iron Skillet

Wisconsin

Lumberjacks, Rainbows, and Unicorns

August 18, 2019May 4, 2020by Ingrid69 Comments

One of my favorite things about RV travel is the ability to spend extended time in diverse landscapes. This past winter, we were exploring the Sonoran Desert surrounded by the majestic saguaro cactus, and this summer, we find ourselves living on lakefront property surrounded by a lush landscape full of tall trees and a forest floor carpeted with ferns and wildflowers. Talk about extremes!

I just love it when the stars align and my days are filled with rainbows and unicorns. Ah, life is good in the Northwoods … that is when one of their insane storms isn’t rolling through!

When we decided to spend our summer with family in northern Wisconsin, Al and I weren’t sure if we’d enjoy spending three months back in the Midwest. After all, since moving west in 1992, the most time we had spent back here was in 2015 when we only lastest five weeks. Yep, after five weeks back in Illinois and Wisconsin, we ended up canceling a bunch of reservations so we could high-tale it back to Colorado.

Although we enjoyed that Midwestern excursion in ’15, I think our mindset at the time was more interested in exploring places west of the Rocky Mountains. These days, I’m feeling a draw to return to my roots and some old stomping ground favorites.

Hayward, Wisconsin

Folks come to Hayward and the surrounding area to enjoy the abundance of lakes and relaxing way of life. As a child, I spent quite a few family summer vacations in this part of Wisconsin, and they were always so much fun that my siblings and I couldn’t wait for dad’s vacation time so we could return to our favorite lake and campground on the Chippewa Flowage. Ah, such fond memories and now we have family that actually live just down the road from that favorite place … with room for us to park our RV. How sweet is that!

RV camped in the northwoods on a foggy morning — A foggy morning at our summer campsite. Yoho!

During summer months, fishing, swimming, and strolling Hayward’s small-town streets are just a few fun activities in this former lumbering town. Hayward keeps its past alive by hosting the Lumberjack World Championships each summer. And guess what? We had the pleasure of attending this entertaining competition. This was definitely a first for me! Who knew there was an International Timber Sports Competition? I know, I didn’t. And it’s even televisioned on ESPN.

Lumberjack World Championships

The Lumberjack competition is a three-day celebration of timber sports with over 120 competitors from around the world. Competitors are from five different countries; Australia, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Canada, and the United States. There are 24 events including logrolling, boom running, sawing, chopping, axe throwing, and speed climbing.

Log Rolling: Lumberjacks and Lumberjills (yes, “lumberjill” … how cute is that!) run atop spinning, floating logs in an attempt to topple their opponents. If opponents don’t fall off after a specific time, they switch to a smaller log. Difficulty increases as the logs get smaller.

Boom Running: Competitors sprint atop a “boom” (a series of linked, floating logs) from one dock to another and back. The logs spin and dip. This is a test of speed and balance.

Boom running Lumberjack competition — Boom running

Sawing: Sawdust will fly when lumberjacks and Lumberjills attack lathe-turned white pine in a head-to-head competition using a crosscut saw or a souped-up chainsaw in a variety of fast and furious events.

Chopping: Lumberjacks and Lumberjills sharpen up their axes to compete in the high intensity standing chop, underhand chop, springboard chop, and standing block chop.

Throwing: Precision is the name of the game as competitors throw a double-bit axe as close to the center of a target as possible from a set distance away … bullseye!

Speed Pole Climbing: Lumberjacks go head to head in the breathtaking speed pole climb as they scale a 60′ or 90′ pole and seemingly fall to earth in record time.

Lumberjack World Championship Hayward Wisconsin — The storm passed just in time for the competition to begin.

Fortunately, the threatening storm clouds passed just to the north of Lake Hayward allowing clear skies to prevail for the championship to begin on time. “Yoho!” This was a really fun and interesting sporting event. The competition moved rapidly keeping everyone entertained. At various times throughout the event, spectators could be heard yelling “Yoho!”.

The story behind the “Yoho” goes something like this… Back at lumber camp (many moons ago), one of the lumberjacks needed to visit the outhouse. The weather was clear when he first entered, but upon exiting the outhouse the forest had become covered in a thick layer of fog. The fog was so thick that it was impossible for him to find his way back to camp. So he yelled out “yoho” to his fellow lumberjacks who in turn yelled “yoho” back. The yelling of “yoho” back and forth helped guide the lumberjack back to camp. “Yoho!” 😏

A special treat

Ah, when those stars align … seeing wildlife in their environment is always a special treat and my encounters with the Loons this summer has been amazing but seeing a bald eagle was equally spectacular.

The first time I saw this gal/guy fly by was during happy hour. There we were, sitting on the back screened-in porch on the upper level of the lake house enjoying our margaritas when a huge bird swooped down from the top of the house and flew by us at eye level. We could literally hear the movement of her wings. I was giddy with excitement. I had no idea that this would be the first of many eagle sightings during my summer jaunt to the Northwoods.

Country living

We are absolutely loving our time and campsite on private property this summer. Not only do we have a lake view, but we also have hookups and access to a house AND boat, not to mention special time with family. Yep, I’m loving those boat rides. But there is a downside to country living, our cell phones and hotspot do not work. Well, I guess somedays that might be construed as a plus, but other days it does present some challenges. Thankfully, my sister-in-law has a landline and a pretty good internet service, so we aren’t totally disconnected … oh, and cable TV. We were able to get caught up and watch the final season of Game of Thrones. Pretty important stuff, ya know!

Heading into town is about a 30-minute drive and once in Hayward, I can find almost anything I need at the local grocery store or Walmart. But Main Street should not be overlooked.

The town of Hayward is quaint.

I love the interesting buildings in Hayward

Hayward has some tasty restaurants.

What’s a tourist town without T-shirt shops? Of course, I had to add to my collection!

Strolling the quaint shops and taking in the interesting architecture is equally entertaining. There are also plenty of restaurants, bars, and treat shops to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. Of course, being the T-shirt addict that I am, I felt compelled to add to the local economy by not passing up the opportunity to add to my collection.

Oh, and I bought a pair of super comfy Teva sandals at one of the local shops, Glik’s. My favorite Merrell’s were wearing out and needed to be replaced. I’m loving this new sandal and have been wearing them almost exclusively ever since I bought them. I found it pleasantly surprising that some of these small-town shops here in Hayward as well as Grand Marais, MN offer such a great selection of trail shoes and offer styles that I didn’t see in the big city of Phoenix. Hmm, do I dare go shopping some more?

All good things must come to an end

I can’t believe that it’s already mid-August and our summer is quickly coming to an end. For those of us that have been RVing for a while, we all know the ups and downs of the RV lifestyle. I usually cringe when I hear people say, “Your living the dream” because there are many times RV life is more like a nightmare than a dream, but this summer has really been a dream for us. We didn’t do the traveling we thought we’d do this summer. Instead, we settled into lakehouse living and enjoying our time with family and that’s fine by us. Traveling all the time can get tiring.

Perhaps we’ll return next summer and do that exploring we thought we’d do this year. Ah, time will tell! In the meantime, I’ll savor the last weeks of summer in the Northwoods before we head back to the desert southwest. Are there more unicorns and rainbows in my future? Stay tuned!

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Arizona, Phoenix

Three Bloggers, Three Cameras, One Desert

March 17, 2019March 16, 2019by Ingrid61 Comments

Wilderness, wild horses, pristine waters, and adventure await, all within a mere thirty minute drive away from the hustle and bustle of the big city of Phoenix, Arizona. I always enjoy my time exploring the far east side of the Phoenix valley, and my recent excursion with blog friends did not disappoint.

wild horses against a field of yellow poppies near Phoenix, Arizona — Salt River wild horses, Tonto National Forest, Arizona

A blogger meet-up

First, I’ll need to set the stage. It was the last week of February and the first pleasant weather of the month. What a crazy winter we’ve had in the desert southwest this year. The wonderful weather was perfect timing for my cyber friend Teri to come to Arizona for a visit.

three blogging gals with wild horses in the background — Nancy, Teri, me, wild horses in the background

Teri and I have followed each other’s blog for over five years, yet this would be our first connection in person.

Let’s add in another blogger, Nancy. Again, she and I started off as cyber friends via our blogs, but since we live only a ten-minute drive away from one another, we’ve socialized regularly.

So, there you have your three bloggers; Nancy, Teri, and me. Our common thread is blogging and a passion for photography. Therefore, our get together had to be centered around gathering blog material and capturing interesting photographs. Oh, we’ll add in a little goofing around just for fun.

It was a sunny Monday morning when I picked up Nancy at her place then jumped on the interstate to head to the FAR southeast side of the Phoenix valley. Nancy and I live on the far north end of the valley. Seriously Teri … could you have picked a hotel any further away? Just asking! 😏 An hour plus drive and a few hugs later, the three of us, along with our three cameras, were on our way in search of wild horses.

More driving, too much talking, distracted driver, missed exits, turned around BUT not lost 🤣 … we eventually made it to our first stop along the Salt River in the Tonto National Forest.

An egret lands along the shore of the Salt River near Phoenix Arizona. Snow capped Four Peaks can be seen in the distance.

Water is life

There’s a saying in the west, “Whiskey’s fer drink’n, and water’s fer fight’n over“. Water is a precious commodity in America’s desert southwest, and anytime one stumbles upon a body of water, it’s a special treat. And the Salt River is indeed a special treat in an otherwise dry landscape.

Through a series of dams creating reservoirs, the Salt River provides water to the Phoenix valley, as well as local wildlife. The wildlife and beautiful scenery were our focus of the day, and we really got lucky scoring a fantastic day.

Our first stop was a simple picnic area just off the highway. Unfortunately, densely covered tall reeds obstructed any photographic view of the water, but our second stop had these three bloggers doing a happy dance. Teri was busy photographing reflections in the water while Nancy was enamored with Four Peaks covered in snow, and of course, it was all about the shorebirds for me.

Teri capturing reflections

Nancy in love with the landscape

I spot an Egret and zoom in

We could’ve spent hours here just exploring and taking photographs, but we were on a mission which included tracking down a herd of wild horses.

Our next stop was at the Coon Bluff Loop picnic area. I immediately zeroed in on a small group of photographers with long camera lenses standing near the river. There’s something about living the RV life that transforms a normally shy introverted individual into an out-going stranger approaching person. Stranger danger … what’s that? 🤣 After a brief chit-chat with one of the wildlife photographers, we took his advice and were on our way up the road to the location he shared. I never did figure out what they were photographing at Coon Bluff.

Supposedly, the guy had spent that morning photographing some wild horses near Saguaro Lake. So, that’s where we decided to go. We hoped he wasn’t sending us on a wild goose chase.

Siesta time for this herd of wild horses

Salt River Wild Horses

Sure enough! We found the herd of horses that the nice gentleman told us about. They were gorgeous and looked healthy. We kept our distance, walked around slowly, spoke softly, and reminded each other that these horses are wild.

Me admiring the horses and field of poppies

Out of respect for the horses, we didn’t hang around too long. After all, they were trying to take a nap. So, once we had our fair share of photographs, we were on to our next stop. For more information on the Salt River horses, please visit this website – Salt River Wild Horse Management Group.

Saguaro Lake picnic

It was already past noon and our stomachs were growling when we bid farewell to the wild horses. Unbeknownst to my friends, I had packed us a picnic lunch and knew exactly where to snag a picnic table with a view. I also knew we’d be pretty far away from any food establishment which is why I came prepared with lunch. A good tour guide knows these things!

“Pssst … you distract her while I go in for the food”.

Setting up lunch! Our picnic table with a view.

Nancy enjoying her lunch

However, little did I know we’d have additional guests for lunch. The squirrels were rather aggressive and when one jumped on the table … well, let’s just say Miss Nancy was none too pleased. I’m not sure if I heard “disease-carrying rodent” or “don’t touch my wine“. 🤣 The words “attack of the wild squirrels” may have even been thrown around. Ah regardless, they provided another source of laughs, wildlife photography, and entertainment for the day.

Saguaro Lake, Phoenix, AZ — Saguaro Lake

After lunch, it was time for a little stroll along the waters edge and more photo snapping.

Our last stop of the day was at a scenic overlook. This is one of my favorite stops for afternoon photography. I discovered this spot about six years ago and always make it a point to stop here whenever I’m in the area, even if I only have five minutes.

Wrap up of Day One

That about wraps up day one of our blogger get together. Day two will include more photography and a scenic hike. That’ll be in my next post. Until then, I’ll share a few more pics of the day and a map of where we stopped. To enlarge a photo in a gallery, simply click on any image.

Bush Highway near Phoenix, Arizona

Salt River with snow-capped Four Peaks in the background

Saguaro Lake – a trail along the shore.

Saguaro cactus that looks like rabbit ears

Teri and Nancy photographing a “rabbit ears” saguaro.

Nancy photographing the wild poppies.

wild horses and wild friends

three different feet wearing hiking shoes photographed near a pristine lake near Phoenix, Arizona

Three bloggers in search of blog material

Nancy overlooking the Salt River

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Arizona

Oatman and Route 66

February 11, 2018February 10, 2018by Ingrid75 Comments

A few weeks ago, a friend of a friend asked me inquisitively, “Would you be interested in a free three-day, two night stay at the Golden Nugget in Laughlin?” Without much thought, I quickly responded with a “Sure”. Next thing I knew, I was given an envelope holding the special certificate. The only downside was Al and I didn’t have much time to schedule our get away considering the certificate was due to expire rather soon.

Thus two days later on Jaunary 31st, Al and I packed a small bag and hopped in my little red truck bound for Laughlin, Nevada. Since we were starting our journey in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, we guesstimated the drive would take a little over an hour allowing us plenty of time to dilly and dally and take a detour off the beaten path. And dilly dally we did!

Route 66 Arizona — part of our drive – traveling historic Route 66 in Arizona

One of my favorite things about blogging is engaging with you, my readers. I love your suggestions, recommendations as well as reading your own personal blogs enlightening me on sites to see and things to do. Thanks to a few of you, Oatman, Arizona made my list of places I wanted to visit, and it just so happen to be “kind of” on our way to Laughlin.

Oatman Arizona wild burros — A couple of locals welcome us to Oatman, Arizona.

Off the beaten path

Route 66 The town of Oatman started life over 100 years ago as a mining tent camp, and quickly became a flourishing gold-mining center.

In 1915, two miners struck a claim worth 10 million dollars in gold, and within a year, the town’s population grew to more than 3,500.

But both the population and mining booms were short-lived. In 1921, a fire burned down most of the small shacks, and three years later the main mining company, United Eastern Mines, shut down operations for good.

Oatman survived by catering to travelers on old U.S. Route 66. But in the 1960s, when the road was rerouted to what is now Interstate 40, Oatman almost died.

Since then, Oatman has undergone a tourism renaissance thanks to the increasing interest in Route 66 and the explosive growth of the nearby gaming town of Laughlin, Nevada, which promotes visits to the historic town.

wild burros Oatman, Arizona Oatman is a fun little place to visit. It’s an authentic old western town with wild burros roaming about and gunfights staged in the street. Although the burros are said to be tame and can be hand fed, they can also get aggressive if you have food in hand. We watched one women get surrounded by the burros and nipped when she wasn’t giving them food fast enough.

And when I say food … for $1, purchased from any number of vendors, you’re given a paper bag filled with hay nuggets to hand feed the burros.

The towns people ask that you please not bring apples, carrots, etc. to feed the wild burros. It all has to do with burro poop 💩 After all, someone has to keep the streets clean of dodo for all the tourists. With that said, I do recommend you watch where you step! 🤭

baby burro Oatman Arizona — The baby burros are so dang cute. I couldn’t resist a little scratch behind the ears.

Do note, the little babies, aside from being irresistibly cute, have stickers on their head saying, “do not feed me anything“. They aren’t ready for solid food just yet and are still nursing. Thus, it’s not in their best interest to feed them any hay nuggets or anything else for that matter.

baby burro — Baby burros have stickers on their head requesting they not be fed anything.

Oatman’s “wild” burros are the descendants of burros brought here by the miners in the late 1800’s. When the miners no longer needed them, they were turned loose. Each morning these burros come into town looking for food. They wander the streets and greet the tourists and will eat all day if you feed them. Shortly before sunset they wander back to the hills for the night.

Oatman, Arizona

The Oatman Hotel, built in 1902, is the oldest two-story adobe structure in Mojave County and has housed many miners, movie stars, politicians and other scoundrels. The town was used as the location for several movies such as How The West Was Won, Foxfire and Edge of Eternity.

Oatman Hotel

Clark Gable and Carol Lombard honeymooned at the Oatman Hotel on March 18, 1939. Their honeymoon suite is still one of the major attractions at the Oatman Hotel. Gable returned there often to play poker with the local miners and enjoy the solitude of the desert.

Oatman hotel Arizona

Al and I ate lunch in “the Saloon” which is located in the hotel. Although the food was average, the atmosphere was entertaining and anything but average.

Oatman Saloon — Al getting ready to order lunch at “the Saloon”. Thousands of one dollar bills adorn the walls.

What’s in a name?

After a few other names were passed over, “Oatman” was chosen for the name of the town in honor of Olive Oatman, a young Illinois girl who had been taken captive by Indians during her pioneer family’s journey westward in 1851 and forced into slavery. She was later traded to Mohave Indians, who adopted her as a daughter and had her face tattooed in the custom of the tribe. She was released in 1856 at Fort Yuma, Arizona.

Oatman, Arizona

If you enjoy history and quirky out-of-the-way places, you’ll enjoy a visit to Oatman, Arizona. Al and I spent about an hour strolling around town and another hour enjoying lunch at The Saloon. It was a fun couple of hours and I’m glad we made the stop, but I don’t think I’d recommend venturing too far out of the way for a visit. Although the drive here was interesting and definitely worthwhile. Another place checked off my list!

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Ingrid's Corner

Wildlife on the Trail?

August 1, 2017August 2, 2017by Ingrid76 Comments

Would you know what to do if you came face to face with wildlife on the trail? Obviously, a lot depends on exactly what kind of animal we’re talking about. A marmot would have me stopping in my tracks to snap a bunch of photos all the while baby talking to it and letting him know how darn cute he is.

A snake on the other hand gets my heart pounding while exclaiming, “Oh sh*t!” but of course still managing to take a quick snapshot 🐍😮 (which I don’t recommend)

coming face to face with a rattlesnake on the trail

Even though I should already know the answer(s) considering my past wildlife encounters, lately I find the need to evaluate my trail safety savviness and ask myself, “What should I do if ….. ?” The reason for my review pertains to my recent encounter with a rattlesnake on the trail last week. This was my second time having a close encounter with a diamondback and I’m hoping it’s my last, but when you spend as much time hiking in their habitat as I do, chances are we’ll meet again.

So what did I do when I heard that unmistakable sound only a diamondback rattlesnake can make? My tale about his tail ….

Willow Lake, Prescott, Arizona Last Thursday was a glorious day offering a much wanted reprieve from the every day rainstorms. However, it is monsoon season here in Arizona and the moisture is very much-needed in this arid climate.

With the sunny blue skies, it didn’t take me long to lace up my hiking shoes and head on over to the Granite Dells area for an exploratory hike with the camera.

I chose an out and back hike at Willow Lake in Prescott, Arizona. The trail started off like any other dirt hiking trail, but soon I found myself scrambling across huge boulders and using the white spray painted dots to guide me along the trail.

hiking Willow Lake, Prescott trails, Arizona — white dots highlighting trail

I was a mere fifteen minutes into the hike when the trail went up rather steeply and I began wondering what I had gotten myself into.

To maintain my balance, I leaned forward toward the boulder and steadied myself with one hand on the ground as I climbed following the white spray painted dots.

I continued to pay close attention to those dots as to not veer off the trail. I was focused on my footing and my where abouts and of course the obligatory photo taking.

About 20 to 25 minutes into the hike, the trail had taken me up and over some beautiful scenery. I was enjoying myself and getting in a great workout. The trail had dipped down only for it to head back up over a rock outcropping. I was slightly winded as I climbed and just as the boulder leveled off, there was an unmistakable sound to my right.

“Oh sh*t, not again!!!” There off to my right about 10 to 12 feet away was a rather large diamondback rattlesnake in strike position. Tail was up and rattling. Head was up with tongue dancing. I slowly and gingerly kept walking (which I felt was my safest and quickest option).

Within seconds, he settled down and both of us no longer felt threatened. I quickly, and I mean quickly, snapped a couple of photos while admiring his unique beauty. Hmm, years ago I owned a pair of snake skin shoes with a similar texture. At the time, I lived in the Chicago area and had never seen a snake in the wild.

For some reason, I kept thinking about those shoes and soon came to the conclusion that it would somehow feel very wrong to me owning a pair of snake skin shoes. Although I didn’t appreciate the encounter on the trail, I do appreciate wildlife and that beautifully textured skin belongs in the wild and not on my feet.

diamondback snake — guess I wasn’t the only one on the move.

For a brief second, I thought about hanging around for more photo-ops. He was rather large and a good-looking snake at that, but thank goodness my better judgement took over. Although he and I seemed to have come to an understanding, you never know what might provoke the guy. He is a snake after all and unpredictable. I’m not afraid of snakes, but I am afraid of being bitten by a snake.

I continued on my hike and once I was on the other side of the ravine, I looked back to see if the snake was still there.

I certainly felt somewhat relieved seeing Mr. Diamondback on the move. Remember, I have to hike back this way 😲 This rattlesnake encounter did take some of the joy out of the rest of my hike and I was almost ready to call it quits, but I’m a stubborn gal and I was on a mission to see the red bridge. Thus, it was onward and upward …. figuratively AND literally.

hiking Prescott trails, Arizona — Eek – all those nifty places for snakes to hide. “Please Lord no more diamondback encounters”.

Red Bridge Willow Lake Prescott, Arizona — The red bridge looks more pinkish than red thanks to the Arizona sun

I made it to my destination; the red bridge. I was tempted to continue hiking a little further, and probably would have had it not been for the snake encounter. It was already 85 degrees Fahrenheit at ten in the morning. With the heat and sun shining, this was ideal snake weather and one diamondback meet up was more than enough.

After a little rest and several photographs later, it was time to turn around and retrace my steps. To say I was on edge or a little jumpy would be an understatement. Each little rustling of vegetation from lizards or grasshoppers would have me whipping my head around in search for the cause of said movement, and lets not even talk about the sounds of crickets or birds.

lizard grasshopper

It really was a beautiful day and Willow Lake is a wonderful place to hike, but I couldn’t relax and enjoy the return hike. I was on edge and just wanted to get back to my car.

Prescott trails — I laid my pack down next to the white trail marker to help show the grade – steepness

I navigated the areas of the trail where I was concerned about the steepness of the boulders with a quickness and ease that surprised me. And to think, earlier I thought I’d be scooching back down this trail on my derriere.

Willow Lake trail Prescott, Arizona — follow the white dots – hiking up to see if Mr. Snake is still there!!!

When I retraced my steps on the trail near the rattlesnake encounter, I felt nervous and heard a large sound in my ears. It was a familiar sound, yet unfamiliar. It was so loud that it nearly drowned out the sounds of birds chirping. I stopped for a second to figure out what it was and soon realized it was the pounding of my heart. “Geez, Ingrid. Get a grip. It’s only a snake”. “Ah, but not any old snake”, I replied to myself.

careful of sneaky critters on the trail!

Okay, now I’m talking to myself. I vowed, when I got home, I’d do some Googling and investigate what to do when encountering wildlife. I felt pretty sure of myself and what to do, but a little review might be helpful and perhaps make me feel a bit more confident in the future.

hiking in Prescott, Arizona — The stick on the trail made me jump thinking it was a snake

I made it past the rattlesnake sighting only to have a hornet keep buzzing around me. Must’ve been the sweet nectar oozing from my pores. Between the heat, blazing sun, and nervous fear this gal, who normally doesn’t sweat, was sweating indeed.

And although I managed to avoid a snake bite or hornet sting, I did return to the RV with a dozen itchy tiny welts from mosquitoes.

At least these were itty bitty mosquitoes when compared to the huge ones found in Minnesota.

hiking in Prescott Arizona

So here are my thoughts on safety guidelines. Although today I’m talking about wildlife, I use the same personal guidelines when visiting a city. Thus, whether I’m in the wilderness surrounded by boulders and vegetation or in a metropolitan area surrounded by concrete and roads, a little street smarts goes a long way.

learn an animals habits and potential dangers
stay calm and back away slowly
appear tall and confident
allow a wide berth
do NOT turn your back
do NOT act threatening or provoke
be prepared and always have an exit strategy
carry pepper spray/bear spray

I know this is a basic guideline and each animal reacts differently, but in all cases, I’d say most important is not acting threatening or provoking. So what would I have done if bitten by that rattlesnake?

First, distance myself from the snake
Second, sit down and stay calm. Try not to move.
Third, call 911 (when I’m out and about, I’m always checking my phone for reception) If my phone won’t work, use my whistle or scream for help (I try never to hike remotely when by myself. Although this day, I didn’t run into another hiker on the trail. Thank goodness I had good cell service)
Always be familiar with your location and surroundings so you can give good directions should you need rescuing. I stopped at every trail post noting my location.
If not dizzy, slowly make my way back to the trailhead
Get to a hospital as soon as possible.
Additional info on snake bites here and here

Willow Lake Prescott Arizona

Have you ever come across wildlife unexpectedly and feared for your safety?

Wild in Arizona: Photographing Arizona’s Wildlife, A Guide to When, Where, and How

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Photography

A Solo Stroll

July 12, 2017July 16, 2017by Ingrid70 Comments

The monsoon season has officially arrived here in Prescott, Arizona. It’s curtailed my hiking and explorations somewhat, especially when there’s lightening present. But the drama in the sky is luring. The other afternoon I ventured out with no real plan in mind. With camera in hand, I thought I’d swing by one of my favorite spots in Prescott, Arizona … Watson Lake.

Watson Lake Prescott Arizona

It was late in the afternoon with ominous clouds looming. The park was relatively empty. I began aimlessly strolling down one trail and then down another. I was alone, but I was never really alone.

The quiet solitude allowed me to take in the sights and sounds around me. I was in my element, and if it hadn’t been for the severe storm, I could have stayed until nightfall. The highlight of my day was coming across a bobcat in the middle of the trail. She was on the hunt and very focused. She knew I was there, but could’ve cared less. She glanced at me once and immediately returned to focusing on her prey.

Lynx — 108 mm – What a rare treat to come across this beautiful bobcat. She was in the middle of the trail and wasn’t about to move. She was intent on her hunt and very focused.

I waited and watched this elegant cat for awhile. However, she obviously exuded more patience than moi, and I soon found myself walking in another direction. I hadn’t ventured far when I heard her success. Tweetie bird’s beautiful chirping was halted in mid chirp along with some serious rustling of the bushes. I quickly swung back to the previous trail where I had spotted her, but saw no signs of the majestic cat. Although, I knew to keep a very safe distance, and didn’t walk past my original spot where I photographed her. Ah, the circle of life!

A collage of what I saw along the trail that fine day illustrating I was never alone ……

A busy Bee

Waiting to attack her prey. She could care less about my presence.

Cormorants resting

Tweetie’s not tweeting anymore 😦

Hey Lady, got any food?

Fingers crossed the storms aren’t too severe this afternoon and I can head back over to Watson Lake and visit with the locals while getting in some trail hiking. In lieu of exercise, I’ll settle for more shutter clicks 😁

Update – Oops in my exuberance to share these photos, I failed to do my homework on the cat I encountered along the trail. Because of the ears, I assumed it was a Lynx when in reality I believe it’s a bobcat. Thanks Laurel for pointing that out 😏

This post was written in response to the WordPress photo challenge = collage

YI 4K Sports and Action Video Camera (US Edition) Night Black

Photography, Texas, wildlife

Third Times a Charm

January 30, 2016January 29, 2016by Ingrid91 Comments

Today is our last day along the Texas Gulf Coast. We’ll be working our way back to Phoenix Sunday morning, and although we did contemplate extending our stay, the pull of appointments, seeing our children, and the anticipation of the desert blooming can’t be ignored. This was our third January camped near Rockport, Texas, and was our best visit yet. Perhaps the saying third times a charm is true, because this visit certainly was a charmer.

Last year’s visit found us dealing with the Polar Vortex meaning lots of cold, wet weather. I also contracted pink eye aka conjunctivitis which put a real damper on my photography. This year with all the talk of El Nino along with the fall flooding in Texas, Al and I actually thought about canceling this trip to the coast, but since we already had the RV park reservation lined up, as well as friends waiting for us, we hit the road and arrived New Year’s Eve. And boy, am I ever glad we decided not to cancel.

Al and his buddy had a fun month of taking the boat out into the St. Charles Bay every morning doing what guys do best; hunt, fish and BS. I had a fantastic time playing with my camera(s) but when new neighbors pulled in next door my fun was taken to another level. During a casual get to know the neighbor conversation, Mary Ann informed me she enjoys photography. Well, she didn’t have to tell me twice. Next thing she knew, I was getting her out of bed early, loading her in the truck, and sharing all my favorite (and not so favorite) photography spots with her.

The vibrant pink of the rosette spoonbill is easy to spot.

Our first full-day outing was up to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. I skipped a trip here last year because of my eye illness, and therefore, I was looking forward to a visit this go around. And just like my first visit, I was somewhat disappointed with the refuge. Aransas Wildlife Refuge

There were very few birds to be seen with the exception of the vultures, but we did spot a javelina in the far, far distance. We even saw one cross the road, but quickly disappear into the brush. Looking at the photo, I do wonder if this is a hog and not a javelina. Regardless, I’m telling my friend, Mona Liza, I finally saw my Javelina 😆

Took my digital zoom to spot that javelina or is it a hog? — it took my digital zoom to spot that javelina or could that be a hog?

Vulture The showing of birds at the refuge was poor, and several trails / viewing overlooks were closed. I don’t think I could honestly recommend going out-of-the-way to visit the Aransas NWR. If you’re in the area and interested in a picnic outing, then by all means, but if you’re looking for a well maintained, wildlife rich place, this isn’t it.

Next…. I always enjoy a visit to Mustang Island and the town of Port Aransas. I cruised the island twice by myself and once with Mary Ann. Commutes via ferry never get old, and are a fond addition to a day of adventure.

This is the boardwalk at the birding center. The woman is carrying a newborn baby. Look in the water to her right. Mr. Alligator is eyeing her. He was hungry that morning and on the move.

In the town of Port A (aka Port Aransas) a stop at the Leonabella Turnbull Birding Center and stroll at Charlie’s Pasture is always worthwhile. Then there’s driving on the beach and sharing lunch with feathered friends. Seagulls can always be counted on for a little entertainment.

It wasn’t long before I discovered my partner in crime (Mary Ann) was adept at spotting those vibrant pink beauties; the roseate spoonbill. I can never seem to take enough photos of these unique characters.

But then I do love the vibrant white of the egret ….. How about a little vibrant pink and white together with a touch of striking yellow? Aren’t these two beautiful? birding

The highlight of my visit to the Texas Gulf Coast was the morning Al’s friend, Dennis, took me out for a boat ride for the specific purpose of photography. I just can’t thank him enough for two hours of sheer perfection and joy. We launched the tiny vessel twenty minutes before sunrise. It was a cold 32 degree morning (one of the coldest all month) with no wind and clear skies. He thought for sure I was going to cancel due to the cold. Not a chance! I couldn’t wait to get out on the water. St. Charles Bay

I wore my winter coat with one of Al’s camo coats over it along with earmuffs, camo hat, warm gloves, and sweatpants tucked into rubber rain boots. Sorry folks, no photo of this fashionista. I was super comfy and with no wind, it was a perfect morning.

Can you see the two whooping cranes? — Can you spot the two whooping cranes?

As we slowly cruised the waters, the sun rose. We kept an eye on the shoreline in search of wildlife, and from time to time, we could hear the familiar call of cranes.

Once we spotted the cranes, the boat motor was turned off, and we floated toward shore. I carefully stepped on the front of the boat steadying myself and raised my camera up over my head as high as my five foot four frame would allow. This is one time I was grateful my Panasonic FZ200 had a flip out monitor.

The three front sandhills are getting ready to fly.... camera ready. — The front sandhills are getting ready to fly…. camera ready.

I was thrilled to see not only the endangered whooping cranes, but a smorgasbord of coastal birds; egrets, sandhill cranes, killdeer and those lovely pink roseate spoonbills. I was tickled pink with delight and this was by far the highlight of my visit to the Texas Gulf Coast.

I would be remiss if I didn’t share the highlight of Dennis’ morning. While I was clicking away, he was drinking his thermos of hot coffee and enjoying the scenery around him and that’s when he spotted a dolphin. In a whispering tone, he informed me of the dolphin.

Center right - dolphin feeding — Center right – dolphin feeding

When I turned around to look out over the water, there was a sudden flurry of activity as the dolphin was feeding. Dennis had never seen this before and was as giddy as a school child…. or as giddy as me seeing the wonderful variety birds.

He and I both enjoyed our morning out on the water. My boat ride ended with a photo of this trio. Birding

Yes, this was one fun month filled with a bunch of wonderful surprises. Al and I are already looking forward to returning next January, and who knows, we may even extend our stay. The desert or the coast? I’m glad we can split our time between the two, because I don’t think I could pick. Let the tug of war commence!

Colorado

Our Perfect Day continues

September 9, 2014February 26, 2018by Ingrid82 Comments

Rocky Mountain Wildlife

Our drive continued up Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park. Hubby and I could not contain our smiles after watching the cute little Pikas darting amongst the boulders and through the alpine tundra wildflowers.

If it weren’t for the high altitude making me feel a tad woozy, I would’ve stayed on that trail all day.

Yep, pull up a chair and watch the Pikas and Marmots scurrying about the tundra! Yes sirreee, I’m easily entertained. Al and I could sit for hours and watch wildlife. So hubby was equally enthralled.

We tore ourselves away from the Pikas and continued our journey, but we didn’t get far. We saw folks with pointed cameras and a couple of park volunteers donned in orange vests standing along the side of the road. I quickly found a place to park and joined the group.

The three male bighorn sheep were magnificent. The orange clad volunteers directed traffic as well as ensured tourists maintained a nice distance from the animals. It was clear the bighorn sheep were used to visitors. They were more interested in munching the meadow grasses than they were in the shutters snapping.

Supposedly, the area near Iceberg Pass is a popular location to spot bighorn sheep.

Moving on …. Near the highest point on Trail Ridge Road (12,183 feet – 3713 m), we spotted a herd of Elk in the distance. We were getting accustomed to seeing Elk in the park, but those antlers were never the less impressive and check out those wildflowers – they sure were pretty!

We took a pass on stopping at the Alpine Visitor Center and continued our trek toward the town of Grand Lake crossing Milner Pass and the Continental Divide. This marks the location of the direction of water flow. All creeks and rivers on the east side of the divide flow easterly toward the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean. Creeks and rivers on the west side of the divide including the Colorado River flow toward the Pacific Ocean.

Shortly after Milner Pass are a series of five switchbacks that helped us navigate the 2,000 foot drop in elevation to the town of Grand Lake. We found a nice place to stop along the shore of Grand Lake to enjoy our picnic lunch.

It didn’t take long before we were joined by company looking to mooch a morsel.

One of these chipmunks was running across Al’s foot and even started begging. When we threw him some lettuce leaves he actually had the audacity to spit out my fresh, organic butter lettuce. Then another chipmunk came over and tried the lettuce. He too spit it out.

“Well guys…. if you were looking for junk food, you picked the wrong couple”. Al and I have been trying to eat a little healthier lately and feeling much better for it. Perhaps sometime I’ll post about our Paleo diet, but for now I’ll just say it’s made a huge difference in our overall health.

After a very enjoyable lunch, we headed into town to stroll some of the shops.

Grand Lake is a small town that Al and I would visit each winter when our family of four would spend the Christmas holiday near this part of Colorado. Ah yes, wonderful times. This little mountain town will always hold fond memories for us….. new and old.

While I made a quick dash to the Ladies room, Al stepped into one of the shops and upon my return, he surprised me with a gift. You see, my birthday was just a few days away and hubby decided to surprise me with a necklace.

Five years ago I might have questioned his taste … I much prefer a combination of gold and precious gems, but our new lifestyle is so different from that of our suburbia world that most of my fine jewelry was either given to our daughter or sits in storage. I was almost brought to tears by the lovely sterling silver moose hanging from a silver chain. A moose necklace; how perfect.

Al and I have been together well over thirty years, and we stopped doing the surprise/gift thing a long time ago and I’m totally fine with that. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure it was initially my idea.

Anyway, I found the gift very touching and adding to an already amazing day. But the cherry on the sundae was yet to come as the guy in the fudge shop (yes, you read that right ‘fudge’. Chocolate IS healthy and we’ll leave it at that)….. the guy in the fudge shop recommended we drive down Columbine Road if we wanted to see moose, thus off we went.

We drove around the residential neighborhood for about 15 minutes before deciding to call it quits. We had a long drive ahead of us back to camp and figured we would just have to return next summer to focus on that moose hunting. I no sooner turned the corner to head to the main road when Al urgently said, “Wait….. look”.

I glanced between two houses out into the water, and there he was …. the largest moose I had ever seen. He was standing in the water munching away. I couldn’t get the little truck pulled off the road and parked quick enough.

Isn’t he gorgeous? Oh my gosh, this was definitely the icing on the cake, cherry on top, pièce de résistance turning this day into one heck of a perfect day. Boy, did we hit the Mother load of wildlife that day; pika, marmot, elk, bighorn sheep, and now a moose!

It was tough pulling ourselves away, but we still had to cross the Continental divide back over Trail Ridge Road to get home to the Glacier Basin Campground.

What a fabulous day it was …. sheer perfection. A day I won’t forget.

Nature Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park
Wildlife Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

Tag: wildlife

Coffee Cake Debacle – Blame the Eagle

Which is better … non-stick or cast-iron?

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

Lumberjacks, Rainbows, and Unicorns

Hayward, Wisconsin

Lumberjack World Championships

A special treat

Country living

All good things must come to an end

Three Bloggers, Three Cameras, One Desert

Water is life

Salt River Wild Horses

Saguaro Lake picnic

Wrap up of Day One

Oatman and Route 66

Off the beaten path

What’s in a name?

Wildlife on the Trail?

A Solo Stroll

Third Times a Charm

Our Perfect Day continues

Rocky Mountain Wildlife

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Which is better … non-stick or cast-iron?

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

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Hayward, Wisconsin

Lumberjack World Championships

A special treat

Country living

All good things must come to an end

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Water is life

Salt River Wild Horses

Saguaro Lake picnic

Wrap up of Day One

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Off the beaten path

What’s in a name?

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Rocky Mountain Wildlife

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