ON THE ROAD AGAIN

A friend of ours heard about our "journey of faith, fisher, forests, family, friends and fun" and suggested we set up a Blog. A what? So here we are....on the road again with Bocahontas and Buba. Blessed with the freedom of time, we were inspired by two of our favorite causes. So we organized a road trip to Alaska which should not only be fun but also an opportunity to spread the good word about The Fisher Houses , The Orthodox Christian Mission Center/Programs and some of our National Parks. We are participating in a 2 week Mission in Tyonek, Alaska with the OCMC group in June. Feel free to check out the planned trip on the calendar link. Caribou Cabins? Blue Moose? Tundra Lodge? and our soon to be "favorite" Motel 6. Any and all suggestions, prayers and good karma are welcome and very much appreciated....poor Buba, in a car with Pam for 5 months. Lions, and tigers and bears oh my! Toggle down to the calendar and see where we are over the next months. We ask for your prayers.

Grab yourself a cold one and come along for the ride. Enjoy and laugh along with us viewing the daily blogs which are archived on the left side of this page in chronological order. We started April 22- Happy Trails!

THE LONG & WINDING ROAD

THE LONG & WINDING ROAD

The Fisher House

The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The Fisher House Foundation, through the kindness of donations received, provides "comfort homes" that are built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable America's military families to be together during extended treatment for serious illness or lengthy physical sessions....very much like the Ronald McDonald homes for families of children in a similar situation. We were first introduced to Fisher House while visiting Brooke Army Medical Center (Burn Center) in San Antonio. We were so moved by the dedication and love of the staff and volunteers that we returned for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Currently there are 44 Fisher Houses (more in the works) and our goal is to visit all of them and spread the good word to family and friends. Please feel free to peruse their website for a detailed explanation about the Fisher House Foundation and programs. Perhaps you will be inspired by the work this group does on behalf of our Armed Forces.

Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC)

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center is the official foreign mission agency of all the Orthodox Jurisdictions (i.e. Greek, Russian, Serb etc.) The goal of the OCMC is to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ where it presently does not exist and to establish vibrant Orthodox Eucharistic Communities throughout the world. We have had the privilege and pleasure to admire the work of this organization (headquarters located in St. Augustine, Florida) for years and now that we are retired we have the blessing to participate. We are on the road to Alaska to join a Mission Team in Tyonek for a couple weeks to do some construction and teaching in an Athabascan Indian Village. "If I had a hammer"...you'll be happy to know I deep sixed the acrylic nails in anticipation of caulking and painting. :) Please take a peek at the OCMC web site for details on all of the programs they are involved with throughout the world. And do stop in to see Father Martin and his kind and loving staff when you are in St. Augustine! We will also be visiting family, friends and Orthodox Churches while on the road to share the marvelous work of the OCMC.

National Parks

Most people know that the National Park Service cares for national parks, a network of nearly 400 natural, cultural and recreational sites across the nation. The treasures in this system – the first of its kind in the world –have been set aside by the American people to preserve, protect, and share, the legacies of this land.


People from all around the world visit national parks to experience America's story, marvel at the natural wonders, and have fun. Places like the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Gettysburg are popular destinations, but so too are the hundreds of lesser known yet equally meaningful gems like Rosie the Riveter in California, Boston Harbor Islands in Massachusetts, and Russell Cave in Alabama.


The American system of national parks was the first of its kind in the world, and provides a living model for other nations wishing to establish and manage their own protected areas. The park service actively consults with these Nations, sharing what we've learned, and gaining knowledge from the experience of others.


Beyond national parks, the National Park Service helps communities across America preserve and enhance important local heritage and close-to-home recreational opportunities. Grants and assistance are offered to register, record and save historic places; create community parks and local recreation facilities; conserve rivers and streams, and develop trails and greenways.


We hope to see you soon in a national park and invite you to explore the ways we can help you preserve what’s important in your hometown.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Day 100 SOUTH DAKOTA/WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK AND CRAZY HORSE MONUMENT

One of the world's longest and most complex caves and 28,295 acres of mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine forest, and associated wildlife are the main features of the park. The cave is well known for its outstanding display of boxwork, an unusual cave formation composed of thin calcite fins resembling honeycombs. The park's mixed-grass prairie is one of the few remaining and is home to native wildlife such as bison, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, coyotes, and prairie dogs.

The Wind Cave area has been protected since 1903, when it became our seventh oldest national park. Regarded as sacred by American Indians, cave exploration did not begin until 1881, when the entrance was noticed by two brothers, Jesse and Tom Bingham. They heard a loud whistling noise, which led them to a small hole in the ground, the cave's only natural opening.

Wind Cave has always been a world class natural resource. However, it was not until explorers first entered, and then continued to push further underground, that the significance of Wind Cave began to be realized. When most people think about the importance of Wind Cave they tend to dwell on boxwork and the cave's vast length. Over many years of exploration and mapping, Wind Cave has grown to be one of the world's largest known caves. Currently over 132.05 miles of passages have been mapped in Wind Cave. This places Wind Cave as the third longest cave in the United States and fourth longest cave in the world. As people explore the cave, they learn more about the geology and formation of the cave, and about how it became the world-class resource that it is today.

Pleep made friends with the nice Ranger lady. He wanted to make certain she would come looking for him if he got lost in the cave.


Pleep's new favorite song is - "Home, Home On The Range". He keeps singing "Oh give me a home, where the buffaloes roam." After a day of playing Pleep and Buffalo he sees the sign...oops now they tell me. Pleep wants Buba to raise them on the range in Texas.

CRAZY HORSE MONUMENT...A WORK IN PROCESS
We had a great visit at the Crazy Horse Monument. Started in 1950 and projected to take 100 years to complete. Way bigger than Mount Rushmore. Pam and Pleep are standing by the model, 1/134th the size! Pleep likes the monument and the name. He's thinking he needs an Indian name too. Maybe One Who Loves Cheeps? Wildmonkey Pleep? Big Chief Pleep? Stands on Hands? Drinks A Lot? Brown Cloud? One Who Hangs By His Tail?



Finally, after a day of running wild, Pleep insisted he have his favorite Cheeps. Plus it's the party size!! He had trouble figuring out what was causing the bag to be so puffy but then he decided it would be a good place to take a break and contemplate life in the West.


At the end of the day there is nothing better than a hot bath & clean towels. What's this? Pleep says he is not going to use these to dry off his nice clean monkey butt. He guessing his Mom will not appreciate the shoe cleaning clothes to double as her face cloth. Pleep wants to go back to the President's Club and their nice giant, fluffy, Egyptian cotton towels. This monkey is certainly becoming more spoiled and high maintenance. It must be a DNA thing with the Collins.....
Posted by Sharing our Journey of Faith at 8:24 AM