Old Digs, New Gig

I have taught so many people how to climb by starting on Douglas' Excellent Adventure (5.6, regraded to 5.7). You learn the ropes while top roping on slightly positive slope climbs with easily discernable holds. Fun to see these girls complete these climbs.

How do I lead the climb in order to set up the top rope safely, you may ask? I have the neophyte use a Grigri belaying device that will catch me even if they faint or fall asleep. Then at the rings, I clip in, have them remove the Grigri, and I belay down on my ATC. As they are belaying their friends, I train them how to hold the brake hand to instill habits for future ATC use. Then I, or a friend, back them up when they pull the lever to lower the climber. Both of these young people are exhibiting correct form.

Cool in any stance, my young friend is taking a picture and looking like a shining knight in the morning sun.

Reaching for the top

We all took turns climbing and belaying

Amazed that this girl came considering that she had just gotten home from an overseas trip the day before. She climbed and dealt with jetlag. I guess she is channeling her inner wood nymph persona in the mountain laurel bush.

Speaking of personas, everything about this picture says old-school. They don't even make helmets like this skull bucket anymore. And where did that gray hair come from? I don't remember that being there. One trick I learned many years ago that many say is cool, but no one actually copies, to keep my shoes out of the mud I wear Crocs that are 4-sizes too big over my climbing shoes. They were much needed this day. For those of you new to climbing discussion, I am holding a stick-clip. Mine in on a painter's collapsable roller extension pole, so that I can reach up the rope threaded through a quickdraw to clip the first bolt. That means that I am on belay from the ground up. On easier climbs I don't usually use it, but the rock started off wet, so I clipped anyway.

A combination of things like smiles all-around, stances, wide-angle effect, and lighting make this a particularly good picture.

Back to candid, what next?

Well, move to some more difficult climbs. After so much success, there was some shut down on these two climbs. No matter how good you are there is always a climb to humble you just around the corner.

Stepping up on toes trusting her feet and body close to the wall are good techniques and show level of intensity of effort. The old man is talking to a very good climber down slope.

All were agreed that we want to get out again soon. We already have a plan. I'll show them a new crag and it likely will be a slightly different group, but we plan to have some fun. 

If well taken care of, climbing equipment will last a long time. The rope definitely has a lifespan, but the most often replaced item is the shoes. I have had many pairs of shoes over my years of climbing. I used to have them resoled. You have to make a decision at some point whether that is your preference. I had decided a while back that I was not going to resole this pair. They were especially comfortable but the heels were not good for heel-hooking and the toes were a bit too soft for aggressive footwork. I had already popped through the rand (an underlayer of sole). This day I reached the toe, time to retire them.

But I'm feeling like it is not yet time to retire the climber. I gain new energy from climbing with young, enthusiastic climbers. I am very thankful for the health and opportunities God has afforded me to pursue this fun, challenging, core-building activity. Perhaps I'll show a few more people the ropes.

Together

 For many of the typical busy American reasons, we have not had the whole our family together in one place since the marriage of our third born, six years ago. 

"As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer.
 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
 and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember His 

 precepts to do them." (Psalm 103:15-18)

So, by God's grace, we have five children and sixteen grandchildren. We are indeed blessed to have seen them and feel the fullness of them happily running around in the same space. Their personalities are as different as night and day. Take for instance this little girl. She is rare to not smile and make friends with anyone, young or old.

This little guy is a bit more serious, though I'd say too new to know much of his personality. Will he be like Mom or Dad? Time will tell.

She likes her daddy, especially around new people, but she warmed up after a bit.

To think that she is a big sister to the one in the frontal pack.

Yep, he is the younger brother of his smiley sister.

It is a joy to see them content.

Mamaw and Dad catching up.

Some in that family don't smile as much (I am not telling every detail of who they belong to.). There is just too much to take in.

Our daughter and our oldest grandchild who recently turned 13.

Her little brother is a bit small for his age but he makes up for it in smarts.

Our oldest grandson is recently turned 12, but you would not know it if you stood beside him at 5'9" tall.

Bright light somewhat distorts her smile.

From the picnic pavilion is this view of the lake. 

The young ones were truly fascinated by the train.

The train moves along next to the shore where Canada Geese, Mallards, and numerous fish reside.

Having 4 sons and one daughter, we only have one son-in-law.

Number #2 and number #8 of my oldest son.

Our two youngest sons being dads on the playground.

Dad and Mom with their oldest and youngest. Makes me feel old to realize that our son just turned 40.

Womenfolk are usually the last to eat.

Here is further confirmation of their fascination with the train, though I think that a boat had their attention at the moment I took this picture.

Here is a better perspective.

I was cautious and did not take out my phone to take pictures while on the lake. With my three oldest grandchildren, we canoed to the other end where there is a dam and a cascade.

My second favorite picture of the day was taken by my daughter as I took five grandchildren from my two oldest children for a spin about the lake. Something about the lighting and water makes the canoe appear to be hovering.

A passerby helped us out so that all 28 of us could be in the picture together. It is a near impossibility to get everyone to look toward the camera with smiles and eyes open, so I included the two best attempts.

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

More Intimate Group

 When I speak here of the siblings, I mean the 5 sisters and 3 brothers that make up the oldest generation presently alive. Here is the oldest sister and third brother's wife catching up.

Aunt and niece are standing with two cousins of different siblings sitting. It strikes me how many of these people because of distance, time, and individual lives don't talk apart from this gathering. and at least two here present have not been around for several years.

My wife stands with her youngest sister's daughter whose daughter was seated left in the last picture. My wife is the seventh out of eight siblings.

The banjo player is the third-born's son. They tell me that he had not been to a family reunion in ten years. He played banjo, fiddle, and guitar while sitting around, giving his cousin in orange (the fourth born's oldest son) some pointers as he tries to learn the banjo. The youngest sibling observes.

I enlarged this one so you could see their hats saying something about outlaws. They are really aunt and nephew. Which would you guess is older? She is 4 years older than him and 3 years older than the banjo player. My wife had a niece who was nine months older than here, and therefore, about 5 years older than the 8th sibling. Imagine having an aunt 5 years younger than you.

Numbers 6 and 4 siblings

The orange shirt's wife

The thing about this smaller group was that there was far more and longer conversation than I remember in many a gatherings.

The fourth sibling's husband is in the foreground.

Cousins with the redhead's grandchild.

8th and 7th siblings

Someone suggested that we sing, so I googled, "Rocky Top", and sang it as my nephew (-in-law?) played it. A few added their voices on the chorus. Then I sang seven verses of "Amazing Grace" as he played, and many more including the oldest sister sang along.

Learned from their mother, each of siblings says, "Well" with characteristic accent and various sibling specific meaning. She has that far-off look in her eye that appears just before she says, "Well," meaning 'who would have thought it." 

My wife with her great niece. The Historic Gibbs Cabin in the background is actually an ancestor of the clan, which a good number of people from East Tennessee can say.

I hope we may have more of the siblings, children, grands, and great-grands in attendance in the future and retain the substantial conversations and music/singing. Family is a gift from God.