Early season snow

We've been in Snowmass for 12 years now and had, apart from last year, good to very good early season ( Thanksgiving and earlier ) skiing. None has bettered what we've had this year. It's been superb. Another 6 to 10 inches today - Nov 24 - on top of a good base.  Feet, if not metres,  of it on the top half of the mountain.

Skinning up from Divide on campground pre season

M making steady progress - long way to go

Top of Sam's Knob - made it !

After being pulled up from 20 feet below - stopped by tree. Failed to make the right hand turn from Brush on to Owl.  Scene ( and same scenario but fortunately not quite the same result ) of an incident on the No 3 bus that I had some 7 years ago. Unpleasant to put it mildly.

With Jimmy - Aspen ski bum personified

M showing form on Gunners' View

Thanksgiving plus 2

 "270" - ditto

Oregon

Back in Snowmass for 3 days and off again ! This time to Duncan , Katy , Oliver and Maggie in Corvallis , OR.

Oli, Maggie and Katy in downtown Corvallis

...and what do we find but the Beavers' marching band inviting conductors.  Guess who rises to the challenge ?

This part of OR noted for wet weather at this time of year and it's always been that way for us in the past. Not so on this occasion.

Getting too heavy for this ?

Ireland

This year we timed our annual visit to coincide with the kids' half term break. A glorious week with the Ryans in Killarney National Park.

An unscheduled visit this one. A wee bike spill in front of this ambulance while in our charge preceded it. A text of these 2 pics to Cormac's Mum did not impress !

A happier scene in the Halloween party which ensued

Cormac - the future long jump champ

Outside our ( M and I in separate accom !) in Killarney

The ferry crossing the River Shannon on the way to Killarney

Wilf Stevenson

and his new country abode in SW Ireland SW of Cork

Nice now to see Meghan's name there

Cornac, Angus and Iona

The ferry journey across the Shannon on way to Killarney

The Falls of Torc

Meghan's sister-in-law Lisa with her 2 children Lorna and Donal with Cormac in the middle

A wonderful day cycling through the Park

The hotel at Glengarriff, West Cork my parents spent part of their honeymoon at in 1939

..... and what it looked like then !

Meghan & Dennis' new house outside Ennis ! The beech tree will remain ! This view of the house construction is from the South - i.e the pic is looking north

G in Scotland

I had a hugely pleasurable 3 weeks on my own in Scotland , spending a little time with J, J and Anna in Inverness, some Munro bagging, and then 3 separate golfing expeditions to Muirfield.  Not featured in the pics is my annual reunion with Yorkshire Munro climbing pals Rod, John, Peter Chadwick and Simon Mabey.  Despite John not being able to be with us this year, we had a superb 3 days based in Killin where they helped me to get 4 Munros nearer completion.  Six to go at end of UK trip. Joined by Mary for last week.

John Harding Edgar, Ian Ballantine and Andrew Gray

With Gordon Murray, Mike Healey, Sandy Corstorphine, and Stu Briggs

With old pal Stu - this one for Lee !

The approach to Beinn Mhanach under this magnificent viaduct carrying the West Highland railway line to Fort William

A day with Greg , Di and Meg on Beinn Mhanach

The summit in far background

..and afterwards celebrating in Bridge of Lochay Hotel with Catherine and her two children

With Jane and Anna at Botanics in Inverness

Castle Stuart

Anna in reflective mood

Rosalind and Richard outside the little cottage Jane and Johannes rented for a year in Aberdeen

Our "old", but still very young nanny Vicky

Harry on summit of Ben Challum

Old golfing pal Andrew Latchmore who came up from Leeds for a couple of days golf at Muirfield

My elder sister Jean and her husband Chris celebrating their 5oth wedding anniversary at Braid Hill Hotel, Edinburgh, with their children, spouses and grandchildren

Coffee at Easter Belmont Road with Max and Philly

Sister-in-law Martha with Billy ( naughty !!! )

The "seat" on the Braid Hills with M, Richard and Rosalind

A goodbye to Jane ( plus bump ) and Anna.