Monday, September 19, 2016

6 Years of Blogging and a Trip to Kahneeta

Hello my friends!  I've been blogging for 6 years now!  And interestingly my first blog post was about a trip to Kahneeta.  :-)  I've enjoyed blogging.. to be honest it's gotten me out and about more.. taking more photos.. keeping a virtual journal.  I can't tell you how many times I google something to find it on my blog.. it's been nice to go back and see what happened in the past.  I will tell you that the absolute BEST part of blogging has been making friends around the country and even around the world.  How amazing is that?  Pretty AWESOME!  

This is my 1006th post!  20,000 published comments over the years.  Almost 1,000,000 page-views in 6 years.  About 600 page-views a day.  Those are the stats.. but to me the greatest part is that I've made real-time friends locally that meet me for lunch, one friend that I swim with 3 times a week, friends from out of town that have visited me while I volunteer at the falls.  I've talked to my fellow bloggers on the phone, I text them.. we share our lives with each other.  

Now.. back to regular programming :-)  On Friday Dayle and I and our two grandsons headed up the Columbia River to Hood River, took a right and headed up towards Mt. Hood beside the Hood River.. got to the top of the road and look a left and headed to Kahneeta.  This was a shot we took of Mt. Hood on the way up, I pulled over by a farm that grew flowers and fruit.


When we drove through Simnasho on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Caleb spotted a small herd of horses on the side of the road.  They roam free here with is so fun to see, but you have to watch out while you're driving!



Every year I take a photo of the old church there when we drive to swim in the hot springs pool.  I so wish someone would restore this church before it's too late.



We arrived at the pool and I took my waterproof Lumix in with me.. :-)  The boys are now old enough to go down the water slide and tube.. Caleb must have gone down the green tube 15 times!


There are 3 sections of the pool.. the shallow end for kids, the middle part where older kids can swim and use the slides and a lovely deep end where swimmers can lap swim.  I would do a lap, come back and check on Dayle and the boys, then do another lap, etc.



They're doing very good swimming now after lessons this summer, I hope they keep going until they're very proficient.



And here's Grandpa with the boys.



When I was taking photos of the boys I heard a cute little voice say "Take a picture of ME!".. the lifeguard posed for me.. so sweet.  Kahneeta is great as it provides jobs for the young people that live on the reservation and are part of the tribe of Warm Springs Indians.  


One of my favorite parts of the pool is the 3 bears fountains where water shoots out of the mouth of the salmon each bear holds.  :-)  As a swimmer who mostly swims in indoor pools, this one with the desert hills as a backdrop is pure delight for me.  Birds flew low over the pool.. this one had a brilliant blue undersides.. so beautiful.  The fresh breezes.. the sun.. total joy.


Do you know how hard it is to capture a photo of a boy shooting out of a water tube?  Do you see Caleb?  He seems to have come out sideways.  LOL!


There is Hayden.  What, you can't see him?  :-)


After our swim and shower we drove around the teepee camping area to get some photos of the gorgeous tents.. each is hand-painted.. they are for rent for people to stay in.  Very neat.


The horses on this one are reminiscent of petroglyphs found on rocks in the Columbia River Gorge.


Aren't they beautiful?



When leaving the Kahneeta Pool area, you pass over this beautiful river.


Kahneeta is in a canyon and as you drive away you pass by these amazing rock formations with caves in them.  



Aren't these something?


Just a ways past that rock we spotted a small herd of horses, this paint horse is gorgeous.



Three bay horses and a fabulous dun Mustang.



I adore the paint horses.. also called pinto ponies.. 


There is a viewpoint as you come out of the canyon with a great view of the desert countryside and mesas.  The dirt is red.


Mt. Jefferson is South of Kahneeta and I always try to snap a photo of it when we're heading home.  


Here it is from the roadside with yellow wildflowers, sagebrush and the desert landscape.. and mountain.


We came across another band of horses and I LOVE this leopard spotted Appaloosa.


We saw several foals in all the herds which is neat.  Love that Pinto one.


Which is your favorite color of horse?


I hope you enjoyed going along with us on this trip to the big blue pool.  :-)  I think I will do some fall decorating today.  What are you up to?  Thanks for visiting.  Have a super week.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

20 comments:

  1. I love horses and that area is spectacular with its scenery. I think your grandsons will want to return to that pool often.

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  2. Congratulations on your 6 years of blogging, that is certainly a lot of posts. Todays is fantastic, the horses, the pool and the tepee are a feast for the eyes. You certainly live in a stunning part of the world. We have had rain for most of the day so I have been crafting.

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  3. What beautiful pictures! I love the spotted horse and the pinto/painted ones too. You certainly live in a gorgeous part of the country - thanks for sharing it with all of us!

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  4. I hope you continue blogging for a long time to come. Just love your pictures...makes me want to move back to Oregon!

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  5. oh the church and the horses! enjoy your words and pics:)

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  6. Absolutely beautiful, I was almost expecting to see John Wayne, LOL. Those boys are blessed with grandparent like the two of you :)
    Have a lovely week.
    Connie :)

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  7. Oh I almost forgot . . . Happy Blogaversary ! ! !

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  8. Hello Teresa! Loved the visit today. Wow! Your stats are amazing. I think the BEST part of blogging are the sweet friends I've made. To think I would never have met you, Gracie, Becky and Taci without the world of blogging. What a hole in my life there would be without my friends. And then there are the ones I only know through the computer who are no less dear to me. I scrubbed and cleaned in the trailer today and just got home in time to make dinner! Knitting tonight for sure. Have a wonderful Monday Teresa!
    Blessings always,
    Betsy

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  9. Congrats on your years of blogging. I always enjoy my visits here and especially today! Gorgeous photos!

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  10. Happy Blog Anniversary! I always enjoy my visit to your blog. We did visit Multnomah Falls this summer. I did look to see if you were volunteering that day, no such luck : ( However, I'm not sure we would have stopped at Vista House if I hadn't seen you post about it. I told my husband you wrote about it and the pictures you took looked amazing. I'm so happy we added that to our trip. Hope you have a lovely week. Lisa

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  11. I've been blogging just a bit longer than you but I'm only at 852 posts, Congratulations!
    I love your directions. That's how we fly the biplane to Madras which is just a bit past Kahneeta. Fly up the gorge to Hood River and hang a right.
    Keep posting your photos Teresa.

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  12. Thank you so much for another wonder filled post, Teresa! I am so glad you decided to create a blog! It is exciting that the horses can run free, and I can't pick a favorite breed or color...each is beautiful. The caves in the cliffs set my imagination spinning with thoughts of who or what might visit them. Seeing the neglected church building causes me to long for Christ followers to use and cherish it. The gorgeous clear water in the pool and the bear fountains remind me of how much fun I had swimming there, with you and Dayle and the boys in the past, and how I too loved looking at the mountains around it as I swam. The teepees are lovely works of art. Your photos and narratives inspire and inform me and are a precious journal of your life. I am grateful for our friendship! xxxxxxx

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  13. Congratulations dear Teresa...we are both now 6! You have some very awesome stats there..wow so many posts and visits. I agree that it's such fun having blogging friends and I am proud to count you as one. What a fun visit in such beatiful surroundings. Such pretty horses too..especially the spotty one. Enjoy your autumnal decoarating. We fly home tomorrow..it's been such a great week. Hugs xx

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  14. You definitely live in a wonderful part of the world and your trips out are amazing. Every time I read your blog another place goes on my imaginary bucket list as I am sure I could not possibly visit them all. The pool is fantastic. Where else would you see an open air pool in such gorgeous surroundings. I love the painting on the tepees and the real live horses. I live in the New Forest in the UK so pony watching is a common pastime. Thank you for taking the time to blog your life experiences, it makes for interesting reading as I never get to travel much x

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  15. Congratulations! You live in a beautiful part of the world..and your Little are lucky:)So are you.

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  16. Oh, your latest post is so interesting with those beautiful horses and teepees. We camped earlier this spring at Cascade Locks and do wish we knew about many of the places you visit on your blog. Perhaps next time?

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  17. Congratulations on your 6 years,that's quite an achievement. Glad to see you're making the most of the end of the summer, those boys are lucky to have you and live with you in such a beautiful place x

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  18. I so enjoyed your trip Teresa. Happy Blogaversary! I fear I have been blogging longer than you with not near as many comments or visits, I think I may have to step things up! Just kidding of course. The very best thing about blogging is friendships made near and far. You are among the very best!
    Meredith

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  19. Such diversity in Oregon! Love those bear figures at the pool. Looks like a very cool place to camp. The teepees are fabulous! And so lovely to see the wild horse.

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  20. Dear Teresa, so nice photos, it's always a pleasure to read you regulary.
    Bless you and your family.
    I hope you will post many and many years "encore".
    Best regards.

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