New Friends

We met in the forum of Snapshots of a Good Life Photography class...where a few of us have become fast friends! Incidentally, the class changed my photography bushels and barrels full forever. If you really want to understand your DSLR camera and photography...take Karen's class! 

Already planning a trip to the West including Zion, Bryce, and Moab, I invited Marilou and family to come a little bit further North and stay with us in good ol' Logan Utah with promises of pie and a good time!

What do you do with new friends who live in Miami, and whom you have never met in person?

Why of course...here at The Garlick Press, we will take you hiking!

And not just a slight stroll along the peaceful river, we'll take you to amazing heights on The Crimson Trail

so you experience Northern Utah's high mountain beauty.

Never mind that you might live at sea level and not be used to breathing at high altitudes.

Or that we'll bring along our dog who runs by knocking you off the cliff.

I think it was during the descent that Marilou began calling this the Hike of Doom! I'm pretty sure she might have been calling us names as well. And we probably deserved it!

But I do deliver on my promises...pie to anyone who finishes! And for the kids...any sort of prize you want. For rambunctious Ryan...it was a giant bag of Sour Patch Kids.

Cooling her tired hot feet. Isabel...adorable gorgeous Isabel said she wanted chocolate pie. You should have seen her pick up her pace. So later on that evening, together we made Isabel's Chocolate Silk Pie!

One of my favorite shots of the day. Such beautiful, sweet kiddos...I fell head over heals with both of them!

And what else do people in Utah do...we shoot stuff! BB guns are the latest summer evening entertainment here at The Garlick Press.

Isabel is the daughter of a photographer and you pick up on that immediately. She knows EXACTLY where to turn her face to maximize catch lights in her gorgeous, intensely deep, brown eyes.

Trying to redeem ourselves the next morning, we needed something powerful and impressive to show our friends from Miami. We couldn't have them returning to Florida telling everyone how the rude people from Utah tried to knock them off cliffs and deprive them of water in the hot dry desert sun. So back to the mountains we went...this time in a gondola to the top of Snowbasin.

Where we had a lovely lunch in this lodge, experiencing Utah's famous "fry sauce" for the first time.

Enjoying each other's company.

Witnessing the wildflowers springing from their winter hiding places. Our Miami-ans were skeptical about going to the top of another mountain. Do you blame them? I even wore flip flops to convince our guests we weren't doing any hiking!

But look what we found hiding at the tip top of the mountain just waiting for two kids from Florida to discover...snow!

What happens when you combine snow and kids of all ages?

SNOWBALL FIGHT!

And then the teasing banter began...
Her: I nailed you!
Him: Nope, nope you didn't.
Her:Yes I did!
Him: No, you didn't even come close (clearly he is picking the snow off his shirt)

Her: Lisa, I got him didn't I?
Him: No, no you didn't.
Her: Uh huh, and everyone agrees with me...I hit you.
Him: They don't know anything.

It was pretty delightful watching the bantering back and forth. Isabel held her own I have to admit though!

The meadow was gorgeous

as was the company.

Quiet and peaceful at the top of the mountain.

What a beautiful day with new friends! I can't wait for their return visit...obviously I'll have to promise more than pie next time!