Iceland Trip With the Horne Family- Feb 2019

In October while visiting Laura she discovered low cost flights via Icelandair direct from Seattle to Reykjavik, Iceland.  We pounced on them and started planning for our trip, something we have wanted to do for a long time.  We knew it could be pretty cold but we wanted a chance to see the Northern lights.

We left Thursday afternoon, 14 Feb, from Seattle and landed 8 hours later at 6 am at Keflavik airport.  Sun up was about 9 am so we had some time while we waited for our BnB house to be ready.  We went to Perlan, an introduction to Icelands geography and animals. It was good but we all took a nap during movies in the comfortable lounge like chairs.

Airplane antics, Amos, Margaret and Audrey Horne

Sculptures outside Perlan

View to Hallgrimskyrka

We then found our Airbnb, near the city airport and just off the bay.  It was a great house for us with lots of space.  We then went to a City Walk tour with Erikur, a good guide for knowledge and sense of humor. That was a good intro to Reykjavik and some Icelandic history. After a stop at Costco to get spaghetti for dinner, we headed to the Blue Lagoon for a proper shower and hot pool.  Smoothies in the fog, we liked it despite our near exhaustion.

Our view from our home in Reykjavik.

Horpu the event center and opera house.

Hallgrimskyrka tower.

On Saturday we went into the Horpu opera and event center, it has glass walls that are inspired by fish scales.  We toured a very interesting National Museum. We then went to the old Harbor and had burgers.

On Sunday we went to a small Branch for Church, it was a friendly group and we enjoyed the experience.  Most people speak English very well, and we had a translator for the Icelandic talks.

Ice cave in Perlan.

Geology mural in Perlan.

Outside the Reykjavik Chapel

Inside the Horpu opera house.

Up high.

Overlooking harbor and snowy mountains.

On Monday we headed southeast to the Secret Lagoon, a very fun outdoor natural pool.  There is a small geysir there too, along with some bubbling water pools.  In the afternoon we drove to our next BnB on the Snaefellnes peninsula near Styklishomur.  The main roads were clear but we got stuck driving in a long driveway in to the cabin.  Luckily neighbors helped us out, we had to walk our luggage into the cabin.  It was nice once there but the road in was too uncertain for coming and going for side trips so we decided to head back south for our final days in Iceland.

Land Cruiser pulling out our Renault van.  

Trucking from our van along an icy drive to our
 cabin for the night.

Back in Reykjavik we had a day trip along the south coast to Vik, with waterfalls, the airplane beach, and old houses along the way.

Cindy on the strait and narrow, Eric heading into the
mists.

Glufrabui Foss, short walk from Seljalandsfoss.

We enjoyed the Icelandic countryside and people. Reykjavik has many fun and educational sites to see.  We did not see the aurora borealis because of too many clouds.   I am glad we were finally able to walk in the land where my Icelandic ancestors came from.  

Spring weed burning at Parma Pond

Parma Pond 

Our large pond near parma  has developed many cat tail and bullrushes around its shoreline.  In addition last fall the county found and sprayed some phragmites, an invasive weed that will rapidly take over ponds.  So I sprayed some of the other weeds in the fall.  Now all of the edges are browned out for winter, so it is time to burn.  It is way harder work than I thought, plus I am aging rapidly.  I use some readily available accelerant and use the wind to spread the flames where I want.  So far it has worked pretty well, but I have about 3/4 left...

Looking across shallow end of pond toward where the trailer will be parked.

Looking toward the old wooden bridge and ditch into the pond.

Looking west across large pond.

Looking south-west toward swim platform.

Summary of summer 2017- Christmas 2018

We were very happy to arrive home from Fiji and have our family gathered together. We had some trouble with jet lag so were pretty tired at first.It was worth it to see all of the grandchildren together.  We had some fun with our pool, the Stake Pioneer Day celebration and Parma Pond.  Laura and her kids had an extended visit, what a good chance to be together.

With Charlie and Henry Catmull with our Bula ties.

Judging the jump and dive contest.

Gathering for a patio meal.

Drew gets to try and dunk Leah, Pioneer day celebration.

Combat with Leah and Drew.

We had many meals on our patio, and used the pool and pond everyday.  Hornes,

Sookhoos, Catmulls, Ivesons and regular old Shavers made quite a group.  Cousins make 

the best friends.

Levi getting ready to release.

Josh and Eric ready to release our new pond carp.

Sharing pictures with the cousins.

Morgan and and Carrie slept in the pool in and inflatable pool,
it isn't up to us to wonder why.  They did survive.

In early August the Iversons, Hornes, Meg, Cindy and Rodger went to Sundance to celebrate Meg's birthday and to see her new house. We saw Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat  at the outdoor theatre, we ran into Jane Stewart there which was fun.  We rode the lifts for some hiking too.  

This summer was also a time for Amos and Levi to go to skate parks with their scooters.  I took them to Eagle Park and to to the park in Middleton.  We also had a funeral for a kitten.  Margaret Horne made a volcano. Finally we had a trip to the Boise Zoo.

Levi Iverson

Amos Horne

Baking soda/vinegar volcano.

In the butterfly arbor.

A highlight of our life occurred in August when we drove to near Ontario, OR to view a total eclipse of the sun.  We camped in the tent trailer and in a tent on the Meyer's lawn the night before.  The experience of the eclipse was awesome, I hope to see another some day.

Dawn as the totality disappears.