summer adventures in Idaho, Wyoming & Montana

I spy… a trampoline, a shoe, a map, a buffalo, a house, water balloons, bathing suits, a book, a water-bottle, nature, Old Faithful, road signs, a camera, an ice-cream, a butterfly, luggage, a raft, legos, cups, Idaho, mountains, an owl, hearts, a moon, a spoon, music, a tether-ball, a mint, a backpack, a bear, a life jacket, sandals, stars, clouds, an acorn, a hamburger, marshmallows, a hat, a fire, an airplane, binoculars, a fork, trees, a compass, a zip-line. Can you see them all?

The icons recap a lot, but you may be wondering for example why a mint? it is to remember a sweet object lesson about focusing on the good. Why is the hamburger so big? because there is a place around there that sells a 1 lb. burger. It was gigantic! fed 25 of us, ok maybe a few of those hamburgers with some fries and ice-cream on top. But, we were stuffed.

25 of us? who is we? Have I ever told you that I am semi-adopted?
I was blessed to be an exchange student and my host family welcomed me fully into their lives.

They are amazing! Amazing enough to still be involved in my life after 20 years. So cool that they ARE grandpa and grandma to my kids whose 3 grandparents have passed away. So neat that they listen for hours on the phone when I need to sort my dilemas out. So loving that they notice and teach us. They are the ones who showed me that love is abundance, it always multiplies and there is always more to give.

So 25 of us were together in Ashton - Idaho, and went to YellowStone. I know Old Faithfull is not in Idaho, but it was part of our memories.

Ashton - Idaho is a small seed producing, farming town. Their rolling hills were mesmerizing, they looked like retouched, color saturated pictures. So, my acrylic background of layers of hills/mountains was a great match. Plus remind me of the Grand Tetons that we could clearly see from where we were at.
My brother in law challenge me to put the fascinating pattern of wood worms somewhere in a piece, and this was it. The filler between the icons is an interpretation of those patterns. What do you think U?