Sun Valley and Stanley

Greg and I went to Sun Valley last week for his Optometry convention. I hiked while he went to classes as usual! :) After a false start on a trail I found uninteresting, I discovered a nice trail through the pine trees along a rushing stream in a narrow valley. I hiked several miles until the trail became very steep and very narrow along a steep drop off. At several points the stream went through tunnels of ice! The snow from last year was still there, covered with branches and pine needles from a landslide.

After Greg's last class, we drove to Stanley, which is just north of Red Fish Lake. We lodged there right on the river. We ate our dinner on the balcony just a few feet from the river and with a majestic view of the Sawtooth Mountains. SO relaxing! We watched Canada geese swimming and eating the marsh grass along the river. We also watched a hawk as it spent quite a while hovering over the river then diving to try to catch fish. There was also a cowboy on the distant hillside riding a horse to check on his cows. We had good binoculars so it was fun to watch all the different things going on!

The next day we went to Red Fish Lake and Greg was able to get into a motor boat from the dock. The water was almost like glass it was so calm. We went slowly all around the lake enjoying the water, the wonderful views of the craggy mountains, and the fresh piney smelly air. At the end of the lake are two little waterfalls. I got out of the boat and climbed up the bank to the waterfalls. I just sat on a log right in the middle of the falls and enjoyed the spray and just felt happy. It was wonderful. It was huckleberry season and I ate a few berries. Then I collected a handful of them and brought them to Greg, who stayed in the boat. The sun was very hot, but the breeze from the water make it very pleasant. It was a heavenly day. I will remember it during the cold days of winter.

It was good to have a few days to relax. Usually, I feel like I am in a hamster wheel - running like crazy all the time! LOL! Someday things will slow down I suppose.

Greg will go in for surgery to get his permanent hip on Thursday. He is doing great and we hope he will recover quickly. He has a really good doctor.

I have been researching a healthy diet for Greg since he came home from the hospital. We both agreed that we don't want him back on the drugs he was taking for his arthritis, since they were the cause of his infection. So I studied what foods to eat to manage inflammation. We are eating a lot of vegetables and fruits, lots of fish, nuts, and lean meats, and avoiding starchy foods and sugar. We have both noticed a difference in how we feel. Greg no long feels sleepy in the afternoons, and we have lots of energy. His arthritis is manageable and my allergies are better too!