Arizona grand kids

Halloween ward party.....Macy.

Porter, holding Sadie, Marlee, and Addison

Baby Sawyer  (Jordan and Chelsea's little one.)

The whole family!!

Arizona landscape

Jason and Marlee 

Yup, Jason let me drive the rhino!!  So fun..

Monument Valley

Colorado Colors

Another Utah mountain shot..

Trip to Utah

This isn't the greatest picture, but for my friends in Portugal, this is the first snow in the mountains, and some remaining fall colors.

We are home!!

Just before leaving Portugal we finished the quilt project.  The Sisters seem to really enjoy this activity.  Thanks to my RMOA friends that bought and sent the fabric.  We couldn't have found such cute material in Portugal.
Our last day in Lisbon.  It is tradition that the missionaries meet at the mission office, have an exit interview with the Mission President, go to the mission home for dinner and testimony meeting, and bed early for early flights home.  It took some doing to get our bags under 50 pounds. 
Home in Colorado with the Colorado Monument in the background.

Another view of the Monument and the last farm land in the area.  Often we see deer in these hay fields.

to the Spain boarder on the way to Marvão Castle

You aren't seeing double, but I can't figure out how to delete this picture.
Portugal has so many many rocks!! I think that is why they have cobblestone sidewalks.  It view so beautiful for us as the Algarve (area where we live) is getting dry.


One foot is Portugal and one in Spain!!  All looked the same, but we were in Espanha!!

Marvão Castle

Marvão Castle

Gardens at the castle in Marvão, a city on the hill near the boarder of Spain.  It was a quaint little city and the hills were green and beautiful.
More pictures of the garden, I don't know if you can see the sculptured baskets.
The lookout cove, but the poppies and purple flowers caught my eye.

Ultimate Secret Garden

The home and follows is the adventure of the Ultimate Secret Garden!!
Behind us is the main house which looked like a palace.  It was first bought by Baroness da Regaleira in 1840.  The house was actually built in 1697 and changed hands several times before sold to Baroness.  It was transformed into an elegant summer retreat.  In 1893 it was sold in a public auction to Carvalha Monteiro and he bought land around the house to create this back yard for his children.  This was started in 1898 under the direction of a set-designer and architect Luigi Manini.  My brochure said that Monteiro was of Portuguese descent and celebrated capitalist born in Rio de Janeiro.  He graduated in Law and was a distinguished bibliophile, collector and philanthropist.  A man of an enquiring scientific mind and vast culture.  He hired Manini to create this garden for his children.  It took 14 years to build.
The little chapel that was build with stain glass pictures of Christ.  Under this chapel is a passage way to the main house.
This is the front area of the large play area where there must have been activities, theater, and behind that wall are caves and tunnels to explore.
This is a large area for games and gatherings.  I love the old tree and notice the look out tower.

Sintra Ultimate Secret Garden (Quinta da Regaleira)

Another view of a lake with the stepping stones.
This is the lookout tower on the playground that you saw earlier.  Wouldn't kids just love climbing this and playing whatever their minds could imagine?
I loved this bench, notice the back rest carved treelike in the stone.

Plants found along the path.  I don't know the name of this plant but it looked like wood.

The Ultimate Secret Garden continues

Stairs leading to somewhere, I can't remember where this went, some cave probably.  The garden was full of Cypress, cedar, pine, magnolia, chestnut, lime, and other trees.
Another entry to an underground tunnel going to the opposite side of the garden.  This garden is about 13 acres, taking 14 years to create and build.
The brochure called this the Ibis Fountain, but it looks like a children's playhouse to me, including a drinking fountain, behind the flowers.
Another path to explore I love the green, I am not sure my camera captures the real beauty.
Taking a little rest on a stone bench.  With us is President and Sister Terry.  They told us that they have been to this Garden 3 times with their grand children.  The young missionaries love this as they can export and run around, climb, and be together.