When Jeanine envisioned a sun porch where she could relax and enjoy dining as a family during the summer months, I doubt she could have imagined how much the boys would make use of the space. Nicolai organized a poker party this evening that included a healthy meal of pizza, soda, chips, and ice cream (his guests all chipped in for food). Although I am not a big fan of gambling, I must say that hosting a bunch of teenage boys on a Saturday night for an alcohol and drug-free activity during which they enjoyed howl-out-loud fun is something I can support.

With Kyle in Washington, DC checking out colleges, Maya was invited to take his place joining Nicolai and me for our traditional weekend boy’s breakfast. She ordered a three-egg bacon omelet, breakfast potatoes, toast, and a hot chocolate demonstrating that she was in the same gastronomic league as her brothers. She also entertained us with her salt shaker balancing skills.

Twice each year our field is mowed for the hay and each time I find the scene worthy of a photograph. This season I have found what I believe to be the best composition yet. Nala is less pleased with all the activity in her domain and is barking up a storm. Early this morning I drove Jeanine and Kyle to the airport where they will be leaving for Washington, DC and Richmond, VA to visit colleges. Kyle has now seen a number of schools and the next few weeks are going to be busy for him as he narrows his choices and begins the application process.

This is a cardboard model of a French hotel created by a student in the Peabody Middle School. Jeanine and I are attending Maya’s Back to School Night where we meet all of her teachers and learn about the subjects she will be studying this year. She has switched languages from Mandarin to French, a decision I lament. On the positive side, she will have an exceptional teacher and will enjoy, as Nicolai did, the construction of a scale size French town.

Jeanine and I participated in Back to School Night at the Concord Carlisle High School during which parents attend classes, on an accelerated basis, according to their child’s actual schedule. This provides a great opportunity to meet with teachers and get a sense of what the school day actually looks like for their kids. Jeanine covered Kyle’s schedule and I covered Nicolai’s. We overlapped when one or the other had a study hall.

Jeanine has been putting the finishing touches on her professional website which is now live. I think the results are fantastic and can be found by following this link (Jeanine’s Website). Followers of this blog interested in healthy eating and/or nutritional cleanses are urged to sign up for one of her programs. I am very pleased that she selected me as her husband and photographer.

Today Jeanine and I flew back to Boston from Wyoming and found all of the children alive and well. Maya insisted on duplicating a science experiment from school for me. She carefully removed the tea from a Bigelow tea bag and formed the filter material into a hollow cylinder. She then lit the top of the paper and we watched as it burned down and then lifted off the counter sailing through the air. Not the best photo but I was a little distracted watching a flaming tea bag sail through our kitchen.

Our next destination is the top of Signal Mountain where you can see forever in all directions and get a real feel for the composition of the park. There, Jeanine learns of a bear that has been spotted eating berries in a Hawthorne tree. Naturally, we decide to check this out and are rewarded for the effort. After doing her best to avoid bears for the entire trip, it is Jeanine who has located one so that I could capture photos that have eluded me for years. After this very rewarding encounter we drive through the Teton Village to Wilson where we dine at the Stage Coach Bar which is an authentic cowboy/cowgirl hangout. The food was excellent but our attempt at the Texas Two Step to the music of the live band left something to be desired.

Our hike today takes us around String Lake with an extension out to Leigh Lake. Of the two lakes the latter was the more beautiful and we were glad we to have made the extra effort to reach it.

An anniversary getaway would not be complete without a portrait of the happy couple. This is the exact same location I chose for a self portrait when I visited Wyoming two years ago.

We are tempted to stay in our room all day enjoying the views of the mountains and pond around which the cabins are built. The weather is too perfect, however, and we are compelled to return to the GTNP for one more day of hiking and exploration.

This morning Jeanine elected to sleep in while I returned to the Oxbow Bend Overlook during the pre-dawn hour so that I could photograph at sunrise. When I returned at about 9AM we enjoyed a phenomenal breakfast at the Granary Restaurant located steps from our room. Any return to the Jackson Hole area will demand a return to the Granary.

As the sun starts to set we begin our return drive to Jackson Hole and are treated to Aspens along Jackson Lake at peak fall color in golden light. For the next two nights, we will be switching from roughing it to living large. We have reservations at the Spring Creek Ranch, a mountain resort with outstanding views of the Tetons and Jackson Hole.

Our final destination for the day is a return to the Grand Prismatic Spring. This time we hike in from the back side for access to a higher vantage point. What I thought would be a quick 10 minute hike up a small hill turned into a one hour major climbing adventure that lasted for an hour. From the top of the easy hill I could see a higher peak with an even better view. Twenty minutes later from that summit I could see an even higher and more advantageous peak. Using my tripod as a walking stick and mustering every bit of strength I had left, I was able to reach what I feel is the ultimate location from which to photograph this spring. As I post this image, I think to myself that it was worth every ounce of effort. Jeanine, who was worrying about me while awaiting my return at the bottom, may have a different perspective.