To the mountains I go…..

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121: 1-2.

I’ve been asked the question, “mountains or beach?” For me, there’s only one answer. Mountains. Yes, I love the beach, but there is something special about being in the mountains that speaks to the depths of my soul.

Last year my husband, dear friends of ours and I began a new tradition of spending a long weekend over Memorial Day in the mountains. We just returned from our “second annual trip” feeling relaxed, replenished and completely refreshed. It was wonderful to run away to our cabin and breathe clean, crisp, fresh air. The weather was picture perfect. Bright blue sky, brilliant sunshine, and chilly, breezy nights. I can’t begin to describe how blessed we feel to have this place to retreat to when life is harried and hurried. We can thoroughly relax and just BE. It gives us time to be still. And having such a true and wonderful friendship with another couple is the icing on the cake. They are such good friends and we have great fun with them! Here are some of the sights we enjoyed during our stay:

A beautiful golden eagle in flight at dusk (photo credit J.Buckley)

The sunset off our balcony the first night was breathtaking. No filter necessary.

The Stellar Jays visited every day to pick up the peanuts we put out.

The water level in Lake Arrowhead is up thanks to the rain and snow during the winter almost ending a long drought. The water was so clear we could see dozens of very large fish beneath the surface.

A view of the dam and surrounding landscape.

We enjoyed morning and evening walks around the mountain.

……and all kinds of birds! (Photo credit J.Buckley.)

Even the woodpeckers stopped at the hummingbird feeder! (Photo credit J.Buckley.)

The views never get old. I love the sunlight streaming through the trees.

Stunning views of the lake from our deck.

True confession time: I collect bears for the cabin. Love them. And our friends gifted us with these precious, vintage salt and pepper shakers from Japan, plus….

….this sweet guy we named “Joe Bear.”

Until next time, I’ll carry that “mountain feeling” in my heart and praise the Lord for His mighty works!

10 Comments
  1. Beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing. I am off to Bryce Canyon next week. Come back to Utah soon.

  2. That sunset looks like the one here in Pennsylvania May 23, 2017. It was fantastic. Oranges, reds and purples.

  3. Beautiful mountain home with great friends. You are blessed, my friend.

  4. What a lovely retreat! I spent a long weekend last summer at a friend’s cabin on a Minnesota Lake. I’m more a woodsy gal than beachy, as well!

  5. On my way home from Cody, Wyoming as I read this..we’ve traveled through the Black Hills and the Big Horn Mountains with visits to the Badlands and Yellowstone. The scenery is breathtaking. I’m so glad I had the chance to make this trip by car and see it up close and personal. The Mountains are beyond amazing. Our God is an awesome God!

  6. How blessed you are and thanks for sharing the view… our world sure is beautiful… we get to visit our two western kids twice a year and do love the mountains….winter for skiing, summer for just enjoying! Our world belongs to God…

  7. When I was a kid, every year we would ask our dad where we were going for our summer vacation. He would say, “We’re going to Steamboat Springs” (or Pagosa Springs or Del Norte or Durango or the Yampa Valley or any number of places always in Colorado) And we would always say, “But we always do something in Colorado.” His response was, “When you live in the most beautiful place in the world, why would you ever want to go anywhere else?” After living in other states and visiting many other states, I have come to realize Daddy was right. This is the most beautiful place I can imagine. The mountains are truly breath-taking. When his job forced us to leave Colorado, I would listen to John Denver singing about my home and cry just thinking about what I had left behind. Hey, it’s good to be back home again.

  8. Thanks for posting pictures & yes it is beautiful up at Lake Arrowhead. I live down in the valley from there around Lake Elsinore. Our lake is up a wee bit also but we could sure use more rain. The mountains are nice & if I had my choice as them or the beach I would have to say the mountains. I’ve lived here in So.Cal since 1953 but I have never been a beach person.Once again thanks for posting all the lovely pictures.

  9. So great to unplug and enjoy the beauty of His creation!!

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