Clinging to things- not a lot to hold on to

We headed to Madeline Island today!  We went to both Big Bay Town and State parks!  I am proud to say that I am getting more comfortable with climbing around on the rocks and off roading on the other side of the fences. I still get a little uneasy about the whole thing but hey! It's progress.

This is part of a very fun Saturday- first day of summer vacation!!

The edges are far closer to me than it appears.  Lol

Loved being on the lake again

So I will post more tomorrow after I do some photo editing.  I am sort of tired tonight....

Hope all y'all found some joy today!  

Clinging to trees in unusual places: Spring edition

And in our newest edition of Clinging to Trees- may I present one stunning view from St. Peter's Dome!!  Beyond that rock you see behind me is apparently another landing, and reportedly there is an overhang, but you know I will never get close enough to see it!  And kids, let me tell you, that is not much of a tree to cling to.  I went out as far as that middle dip in the rock and that was it.  My toes were pressed down inside those hiking boots I think there are permanent indents in the insoles.

Of course the Mad-English teacher was all over the place- looking over the edge, walking on the paths to each side that I could not make myself go over to.....  he's a brave, brave guy.  Maybe next time I go I'll try those paths....  maybe.

Yeah, and it was amazing, because it was actually somewhat easier on me than last fall when I was up there.  So petrified or not, it was a great view and a great hike!  Photos to come!

A  pretty joyful way to spend a Saturday morning, let me tell you!

Clinging to things with not much to cling to- the lake edition

So in a spin off of a recurring clinging to trees segment, I present you with the less obvious clinging of the height fearing art teacher in question.

This first chapter is when I BRAVELY volunteered to walk across the rocks to get to that concrete landing that you see behind me.  The first several rocks were not too much of a problem.  They were flat, they were not too far apart, but then from there things got a little more dicey.  Really it was not that dangerous or anything, but the heights and the gaps in the rock were more than I could stand.  I did not make it all the way across.  I was just shy of a panic attack when I turned around, thrust my phone into the hand of the Mad-English teacher and told him to take the picture.  He is a good guy. I look just a little uneasy, don't I??

The second segment involves sitting about 5 feet away from the edge of that rock, and that is about as close as I could manage.  Gives me shudders just thinking of it right now.  Like my sister said on Facebook, she knew that my fingers were digging into the rock on the left side over there.  She knows!!

Be brave and find your joy in unusual places!!

Clinging to trees in unusual places- Spring edition

Yesterday my fear-of-heights alarm was pinging quite regularly!  Weirdly, during the trip down to Lost Creek Falls I actually had very few alerts from the interior portions of me.  Even though we were on some fairly narrow paths, and *MAY* have been making some of our own little trails, I mostly felt really fine.  The whole pine needle thing was sometimes an issue, they were a little slick.  I actually had a lot more pings over the ice *DANGERDANGERDANGER* there.

I wish the background wasn't so over exposed, but I would have been in darkness then.  Lol  This gives me the creeps, I was really close to the edge here.....

No, where it all kicked in was at Houghton Falls and there were so many descents to sheer dropoffs.  shudder.

A shot of the rocky outcropping I slid down onto

It was beautiful, though.  Behind me was the really neat cave where I could have gone, and I will another time.  But frankly I had had enough at that point.  Which is laughable because further down the path was this beautiful rock outcropping that, sure enough, was a slight downhill to a sharp drop off into Lake Superior.  But the pictures I took were worth the pings and moments of discomfort.  I am finding myself to become more of a fear junkie- this could be interesting.

Such a beautiful view.

It is fun to get myself into these spots and then turn around and wonder how/if I can make my way out!  I always do it seems.  Have a joyful day!

clinging to trees- the winter edition

Here is a perfect example of what I said in my last post.  My life is infinitely more exciting when I am doing things that scare me.  I was not too worried here- it felt safe and stable, but I would not have gone one step closer to the edge.  Not a centimeter.

Clinging on Madeline Island

THIS, however, at Copper Falls, on really snow, slippy, platforms and sheer drops and other sorts of horrifying, height related terrors was a cling.  Maybe not to a tree, but my hand is hooked on the railing.  And it was cold!  But mostly, heights.

Clinging at Copper Falls!

Ok, NOW I have to finish a project.  I have been avoiding it and/or working sporadically on it and I just need to finish it.  There are all SORTS of things I would rather be doing- and I can come up with so many things to entertain myself. SO, off I go. I mean it really this time.  Really.

Be a joy giver and be brave!

Past clinging to things.....

After my little tiny quick hit post yesterday, I had a memory of an even more horrifying moment in time perched on the ledge.

Those people were MEAN!

I'd like to especially thank my sister for inviting me and Penny for holding my hand as I walked down a terrifyingly steep ravine.  And then they all conspired to get me to do this...

Ah the good memories when they weren't shaming me into doing dangerous things for the sake of photography and "fun"......  

That was such a great week.

Definitely one of the joyful memories I hold dear.

clinging to trees in unusual places

This is apparently going to be a new feature here on the Mad blog.  Because I seem to be doing a lot of that lately.

If not clinging to the tree, then to a building or wall or any solid object when I am higher than my comfort zone.  Which is approximately 6 feet.

So my first example, though by this time I wasn't really clinging--

who am I kidding- looking at this picture makes me nervous.  Lol

Here is clinging to trees on the top of the Sea/Ice caves.

Until next time- find  your joy and be brave!