#57 Wildlife Web Cams!

I got an email at work today about the barn owl couple who lives on campus has eggs!

This led me down the rabbit hole of webcams. The one I regularly check, even though I live on the other side of the world, is the Bogus Basin mountain cams page (see them HERE).

As I watched the barn owls, I went down the rabbit hole of wildlife web cams. What I found was the same sense of calm and comfort I get from the Bogus Basin web cams--a sense of the familiar; a warm wash of peace and connection to the world that I kinda miss. And during these days of cold and lockdown-living, the sounds and sights of my favorite outdoor activities of skiing, diving and African Safari-ing make me so grateful and comfortable!

Here's some samples I found.

There are bird cams--a LOT of bird cams. One I liked is the Cornell Lab All About Birds. Cornell is THE place for birds. Here's a fun one in Panama...

When I saw these cams from all over the world I realized I could go back to Africa!!!  What I really love is the sounds. It is so relaxing and peaceful to "be" in Africa again. Careful, the sounds can be quite loud! Here are elephants from Tembe Elephant Park

This one is on the border of South Africa and Botswana.

And this one is at a watering hole in Kenya.

 And THEN I realized I love diving! Are there underwater cams?

Of course there are! Here is one at a tropical reef in Palau.

Explore.org has a ton of wildlife cameras from around the world. One is call Nestflix--Bahahahaha!

Spring break @BogusBasin #lovetoski

One of the best parts of being a teacher? Spring break!! Beautiful spring skiing at Bogus Basin last week. We are so lucky to live so close to such a magnificent place.

#355: Merry Christmas to me!

I bought myself new skis today, then used them all morning at Bogus!  WooHoo!  Who knew better skis could change everything?

#354: Oh, the places you'll go--down the hill!

My friend Liz and I went skiing at Bogus this morning, and I drove, and it was magnificent.

However, the long version of the story is like this:

1. I wanted to ski today all week long.
2. I'm afraid of driving on the road, particularly the down part.
3. This has been worrying me all week. Really, keeping me up at night because I've been so scared to drive. I could drive by myself. I could ask someone to go with me. What if no one wants to come back at noon?....blah blah blah...
4. Last night in church, with no solution that calmed my fears, I realized I could, in fact, ask God to help with this. [sidebar: I do think that God has bigger things to worry about, but this is the problem of the day. My God
   
   is big enough to handle world hunger, war, suffering, and driving on hazardous roads]
5. I asked God for help.
6. At a party last night I mentioned to Liz that I wanted to ski today, just in the morning. She was game! I was so happy!
7. She asked if I would drive. I was so sad.
8. We decided to meet at 7:30 and that I would drive. I believed that this was a way God was telling me to get over my fear, drive responsibly, and go ski.
9. I prayed my way to sleep last night to calm my mind down from dwelling on the impending
   
   drive.
10. This morning I Googled tire pressure then realized I don't have snow tires then texted Liz and asked her to drive.
11. She reported she doesn't have snow tires either, but she was willing to drive.
12. We met. 
13. I drove. What an awesome experience! With Liz in the car I was extra-self conscious about the ever-growing line of cars behind me going up the road. However, she kept assuring me that she, at least, had no problem with my granny speed (not more than 20 mph). She also put up with my anxious outbursts every 5 miles or so. We made it just fine!
14. Downhill was the same exact way! I went no more than 20, pulled over in just about every turnout to let cars pass me, and we made it down just fine.

The moral(s) of the story:

• Anxiety on steals the right now.
• When I can't stop my own anxiety, I can pray like hell.
• I thought I had been going slowly down the hill, but with another person accompanying me I realized this isn't true; I've been trying to keep up with the speed demons on the road on the straightaways which causes me to break which raises my anxiety level and to slide. Going slow, like everyone has been telling me, really does get me down safe and sound!

#340: First turns of the season!

I may not be a Bogus Basin Mountain Host anymore, but I still love to ski!  We are so lucky to have such a wonderful place so close to town.

Great company, great snow, great morning!

#336: Change

I just got home from the Bogus Basin school advisor's meeting. This is a new post for me, as in the past I have been a Mountain Host, which is much more closely related to Ski Patrol than anything else on the mountain.

There were all new people and a little voice in the back of my head kept comparing this to ski patrol. I started making plans to rejoin the Mountain Hosts even though I know it's the best thing for me to skip this year.

Suddenly I realized there's no problem here—I'm just uncomfortable! What relief!

No longer is change threatening and anxiety producing and excruciatingly painful! For the most part, discomfort is a good sign that I'm doing something different that will lead to something new and good!

#323: Best. Email. Ever!

The Bogus Basin Mountain Hosts have been one of my families for the last 7 years or so, and I love volunteering at Bogus. However, each of the last 3 years I have been so incredibly busy and stressed during the spring that I have contemplated withdrawing, which I finally did this season when I realized I'd have to take a graduate course next spring.  

That was about 2 weeks ago.

Then I got an email from one of the mountain hosts with this as the subject:

It sat in my inbox for a few days and I read it last night.  I assumed it was a pair of ski boots or an old snowboard or something.  Here's what the email said once I finally opened it:

And here's the item that needed a good home:

#313: First snow of the season!

Boise's local ski hill, Bogus Basin, is getting snow!!!

Blessing #60: My Freak Out On Friday

Last Friday I had what I felt like was a major meltdown.  A few of you might have witnessed it.  There was yelling a cussing and God in the same sentence.  One friend told me to stop trying so hard (which made me cry more) and another friend told me that I was just "this close" (she held up her thumb and first finger up about an inch apart) from a surrender.  She told me that some people don't ever get to this point of surrender and that I seem to be approaching (this made me feel much better but still made me cry).

After my outburst I sobbed and sobbed on my way home, where I watched 5 hours of Gilmore Girls and finally went to bed around 11:30. 

In the morning I almost bailed on my running friends.  Wallowing seemed necessary and it's draw was hard to escape.  The 51% of me that wanted to go got me dressed and showed up at the bottom of the Robie hill.  About 5 miles in, I was so glad I hadn't stayed in bed!

My mind started to clear.  My spirits lifted.  The grogginess passed and my body started to feel good.  My whole day turned around.

Next I went to church to "feed the hungry" (see post from Saturday), took a nap, then on my way to dinner at my girlfriend's house, I saw a rainbow over my house!!

Today I got to spend the whole beautiful day skiing with the Mountain Hosts and was so excited to see some friends I hadn't seen in over a month.

Now, I'm not saying that the meltdown on Friday made the beautiful day today or the rainbow yesterday, but I am saying that they meltdown on Friday was a cathartic release of emotion.  It was like the pressure cooker of my spirit went off.  I feel so much relief.  I feel like I am letting God be in charge these last two days.  I'm saying that the blowup on Friday cleared the space inside of me for God to move in. 

Thank God for meltdowns.

Blessing #56 of 2015: Bogus Basin on a school day!

I got paid to be at Bogus Basin today!  I was lucky enough to be a chaperone for a program where we take students up for the day.  Many of these kids have never been to Bogus ever and today was their first ski lesson ever!  The kids were awesome!


The skiing was way, way better than I thought it was going to be.  It was lovely.  I'm so grateful this was my job today!  I even got to spend some time skiing by myself.

Day 32: Snow at Bogus today!

It snowed at Bogus today!!  As of right now, the snow marker says only 1.5 inches today, but it started to snow around 2 and in within an hour the skiing had improved immensely.

Proof of snow on Pine Creek chair!

 

I look like a bank robber, but note the snow collecting on my coat.

Blessing #24: Five hour naps.

Yes, really.  I was so exhausted this morning that when a fellow Mountain Host said hello this morning I burst into tears.  I had no idea I was that tired!

The thing about being tired is that its affects sneak up on me.  A few nights of 6 hours of sleep....a run in the cold...a graduation on a Thursday night....staying late at school a couple afternoons in a week.  Suddenly I'm crying when someone asks me how I am. 

And I don't realize my brain function has been affected until after my exhaustion as been rectified.

I came home early from skiing today and watched two Gilmore Girls episodes (taking full advantage of my free month on Netflix) then fell asleep at 2.  I opened my eyes briefly at four but quickly went back to sleep.  Next thing I know it's 7.  It's dark outside and practically every light in the house is on.  I feel like I'm in a fishbowl, but do I get up and close the blinds?  No way!  There's more episodes to watch!  I'm only on season 1!  I watched another.

Then my brain turned back on!  The sleep had restored neurological functioning and I suddenly realized I had to get out of the house.  I was still in my long underwear and turtleneck from skiing, hair still in braids.  I realized I had spend 16 of the past 36 hours on this very couch in this very position watching these same people. I went to a birthday party I had forgotten about then decided to skip in my sleep-deprived state.

Joy not tired.

The moral of the story is that sleep is super important for me.  Here's what I noticed today about why:

Joy tired. (note the time: that is A.M.)

• The NIH says so.  See here.  [note the first section heading:  Healthy Brain Function and Emotional Well-Being]
• When I have enough sleep I do not cry when someone asks me how I am.
• I am friendlier when I have enough sleep.
• When tired, I eat.  A lot.  Hunger is not a factor, I just keep eating.
• When tired, I watch more tv.  And while good for Netflix, not so good for Joy's well-being.
• When tired, I forget things, then miss out, thereby making my fear-of-missing-out come true.
• The bags under my eyes are way, way smaller when I get enough sleep.
• I don't exercise when I'm tired which makes me feel stagnant which makes me cranky which makes me eat which makes me gain weight which makes me feel icky.
• I am a much, much better teacher and planner of teaching lessons when I am well-rested.
• I don't get sick when I stay sleep-hydrated!
  
  
  
  
  

Blessing #3, January 3rd

Lunch at the Pioneer Lodge and a beautiful view!!  Not to mention, popcorn afterwards with good friends. 

Blessing #2 of 2015

Cross country skiing with the girls up at Bogus.