We three ~ Jeff, Emma, & me ~ went for a short & sweet trip to High Sierras over the weekend for our anniversary. There was a little hiking, cooking, tea & coffee drinking, fishing & knitting, sniffing around….
Restorative in many ways, as always, the alpine scenery soothed a yearning that only it can do. What is it about pitching a tent in the wilderness at high altitude to claim some spot in nature as our home for a few days?
Something about the fragile alpine flowers …
and gnarled trees.
fast and furious rain storms …
The granite everywhere and deep crystal clear blue lakes …
wide horizon of jagged ridges and expressive skies.
A storm is brewing!
Windy thunder & rain storms which suddenly take hold for a couple of hours in the afternoon,
sending us for cover in our cozy tent to wait it out.
Granite Lake in Mokelumne Wilderness was just what I craved. Bundled up quite puffy in down and wool layers, knitting in the cold & windy pause between storms …
Abandoned my knitting to go fire up the camp stove and make hot coffee!
Jeff got to fish a couple of times, though he didn’t get even one bite, too stormy.
Then it was time for trail coffee & tea !!!
We found that Emma was perfectly able to handle carrying a doggie pack and hike as she did once before, and it was as if her little arthritic limp of late almost disappeared completely. 
She is in top form !
Most importantly, this trip to the Sierras was to celebrate a very important mark in our partnership,
We were so lucky to have Granite Lake all to ourselves, at near 9000′ elevation & less than three miles from the trail-head. It is my theory that the forecast dramatic thunderstorms cleared the lake for us. We were prepared to hike cross-country (off-trail) to another lake for privacy, but had no need, it was a total stroke of luck.
With only a little over 3 hour drive, we can be in the High Sierra, fishing & knitting at a granite bowl. It just doesn’t get any better than that ! Off we go back home, but we’ll be back . . .
