Polar Opposite

It's really difficult to be winter-depressed in this landscape.

IMPORTANT: In order to see the panoramic view in all of its glory, you'll have to click on the photo...

The photo, above, is a panoramic shot that Scott took with his mobile. What has the world come to when you can take a picture like this with a phone? It's the top of the mountain that my sister and her family live on.

We hiked through the brush to get here. Although you can see a road in the distance, that's road access from the opposite side of the mountain. We can't get there from our side but by ascending through the woods. It's only 200 feet of elevation from the cabin to the top, but man, it's straight up.

Mind you, Scottie wanted to be at the highest point of the highest point, hence this photo:

Can't decide if it's manly or Napoleonic :-)

This is the sky:

People, it's azure.

And here's the weird shot of me, petting a little Xmas tree (they were all over the place and so cute):

I find my crazy-look kind of hilarious (if decidedly not glamorous).

We also discovered an ominous school-bus wreck, said bus, crushed to the ground like a pop-can, brush growing over it, rhododendrons encircling it like a wreath. I wonder how long ago that accident happened. Goes to show, tragedy and beauty live together.