This Week: March #2

- Spring
- The walking shots are courtesy of Thing 2
- Thing 1 broke his finger in 2 places
- Fran's reaction time is 42 for 60 seconds
-Felix's color is changing to more brown
- Of Mice and Men made brought tears to my eyes
- Fran's parents were in town for the weekend
- This is how one should be buried
- The Box Car Children
- A cat amongst the ivy
-Gorgeous walk to Leith
- The Royal Brittania

London: Part II

Our final day together

we spent it with our old friend from Singapore, Louise


at the palace

tower bridge

tower of london
[I do wonder if this isn't where Lewis got the idea]


he could be a model

so could she

beef eaters


Abby conquered her fear of the grim

at this museum

later we watched this play


with these people [with Dr. Simon]

[with Professor Karen]

back at the hostel


we relaxed with a cheery game of pool

this one says it all

Our Northern Lights Experience

So we went to see the Northern Lights.

As soon as our bags were unpacked in our rooms, the city of Reykjavik entered a 3 day snow storm. On Tuesday our excursion to see the Northern Lights was cancelled. On Wednesday, we piled onto the bus along with other tourists and drove out onto a field. The clouds filled the sky like an unceasing blanket. For a small moment, a rift appeared low and to the horizon. But we saw nothing.

The final night we were in Iceland, we decided not to go on the tour. Fran had a bad cold which I caught, and the idea of wading out in the cold for something that most likely wouldn't show up was depressing. But. Fran had read earlier that day solar flares had occurred so strongly they interrupted satellite signal. If we weren't going to see the lights tonight, he said, we woudln't see them at all.

Mitch, Fran, and Abby piled on their clothes and stalked off to the Saebrut. Just as the road bent toward the mountains, the lights ended and one could see the sky. Snorting and sneezing, I went to bed, ocasionally looking out the window for those lights you see in magazines. None.

Suddenly I'm wakened by Mitchell pelting through my room with visible, electric excitement. He had seen the Northern Lights, they all had, and he had dashed back to come get me.

Over my jammies I pulled on my coat, and hauled myself outside, depressed in spirit and certain I wouldn't see them. These wispy clouds kept coming through and blocking any sight we had. But the wind (or providence) was in our favor and blew all the clouds out of the sky. And then there was nothing.

Just sky. And I saw another wispy cloud about, and I was getting cross and ready for bed again, when that wispy, low arching cloud strengthened in appearance, but stayed fixed. And slowly it grew a very pale green. At first it was one band, and then a second, stronger band appeared directly above it, so faint it looked like clouds, and then stronger. And then a third. It stretched across the sky like a rainbow for the night, but without the vibrant color, just the one. As the arch ended over the mountains on the east side of Reykjavik, the arch digressed into many fingers.

The pale green steadily strengthened in light, but never brilliant. Then like an olympic figure runner across the arch, one bit grew brighter and faded into the next section's brightness, running like a dollop of brighter light until it dispersed into the many fingers.

Finally, the clouds blew back over and our every body member felt the cold and we turned, silent and happy to the indoors. Content. I couldn't take pictures as my camera was just inadequate. And I'm glad it was. That way I could just enjoy, and not focus on the harried moment of getting the right photo. Abby said, she felt that God gave us moments like these to slow down and admire and just be still. I must wholeheartedly agree.

Blue Lagoon

Last Day in Iceland we went to the Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport.



ready to go go

these craggy walls- i loved them

the weather beckoned with blue sky

snow in my hair

it was so coooold

And that's it for Iceland. We had one spectacular day in London after this, but all in all, we saw all we came for.

Movies: Iceland 101

I wish I had taken more movies while we were away! But here is one of a teeny geyser which disappointed both Mitch and Francis (as you will hear).

This second is a movie I took while Abby layered up to go outside and see the Northern Lights. Now my use of the word 'fat' may horrify many of you, and to the outside observer, I should be jailed for bearing hatred towards larger persons. THIS IS NOT THE CASE! It has been a family joke for years now, that Abby, try as she might, (and my mother for the majority of her life), can not gain weight. So we both find it hysterical she puts on so many clothes she seriously cannot move.

Iceland: Day # 3

On our last full day in Iceland, we went on probably the highlight of my time there. It was a tour of The Golden Circle which included the Rift Valley and Parliament, geysers, Gulfross Waterfall, and a volcanic crater.

Here we are at the Rift Valley: the separation between the North American and EuroAsian tectonic plates. We're standing on the North American side (as it should be!)


And in that fog are the Mountains that stand on the EuroAsian side.

moore ass


we happy few

a section of the high cliff we're standing on


This is immediately below the ledge we stood on at Þingvellir for the assembly of the first parliaments (ever) called Althing. You can read about them in the old Iceland Sagas.

The Icelandic Horse is not a pony, and has 5 gaits, one of which is so smooth it will not slosh a pint of water you hold in your hand while riding.


Now onto the geysers. Pronounced "gay seers"

Here she blows

BOYS



"Little Geyser"


The biggest one we saw

Look at this smoky ground: perfect for all sorts of goblin creatures


Stop #3: Gulfross Falls




Playing tag along the wintry planes




Extinct Volcanic Crater

Greenhouses run off of geothermal electricity

My sister bundled up to see the Northern Lights. The only time in her life she will ever look big.