Hiking in New Mexico

Annette and I explored the canyons in the South Jemez Mountains, Cochiti, Del Norte and Medio dia. We discovered a ghost town, a private wilderness preserve, tent rocks and beautiful views of the distant Sandias, as well as a dire warning to stay out of a private developement.
We used several maps, and found old abandoned trails and roads to travel on. We hope to bring our hiking group to these places next summer

Christmas Newsletter, 2010

Once again we are back to skiing. We had two great weeks at Vail in November. Lots of snow, and time with family and friends for Thanksgiving dinner. The front of the mountain was open, many good runs and three days of fresh powder. We plan to go back in January for more good skiing. We may have two weeks there in January. So far it hasn't snowed here, just an inch or so during November. It is predicted to be a dry winter in the southwest. So there are lots of opportunities to hike and enjoy the sunshine while we wait for the snow to come.

Looking back at the calendar It was another peaceful year. Good snow here and in Colorado so lots of skiing last winter. At the end of April we did some hiking in Utah at Bryce Canyon National Park with our hiking group. There was plenty of sunshine, snow, wind and cold at 8,000 feet. But it was beautiful and we were prepared for spring weather. In September Ken Ball, Kathy's brother came for a visit. He drove in his truck with his canine companion, Max, a black standard poodle. We baby sat Max while he tried to catch some fish at the Valles Calldera Preserve. He broke a personal record, the largest he ever caught was 38 inches, the smallest was 1.5 inches. Now he can boast that he caught a 1 inch trout. If the fish were sparse and small the country was at it's most spectacular. The fall colors were bright and started early and ended in November.

Ken came not only to fish but to join us in celebrating Kathy's 75th birthday. We had a big party and the weather was warm so we were able to use the patio for the overflow of friends.
Milestones in the lives of our grandchildren: Shauna graduated from high school, Parker and Aven graduated from Middle school, Lanelle was married July 3 (read blog below), Andrea has a job and lives near her mom Jeanne, Sam will be 9 years in a month, Jordan is attending New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, Jared is doing very well in the navy still stationed on the carrier USS George Washington. Their parents are all working and each is doing well with their chosen field of expertise.

Milt worked hard this summer with a bulldozer at the ski area. He was helping the effort to capture more water for the snow making pond that was excavated last year. Plus he spends time making sure our investments don't tank too much.

Kathy has continued helping with the Good News Club outreach at our local elementary school as well as the Community Bible Study ministry for women and children. Quilting projects were finished but nothing new started since September.

Again we are thankful for our health, our family and church family.

We wish you all a peaceful and fulfilling New Year.

Marriage of Lanelle and Trow

July 3, 2010 our grand daughter Lanelle Marie Ferguson was married to Second Lieutenant Andrew Trowbridge Ward, U.S. Air Force. The wedding was held in DeKoevend Park Pavilion on a beautiful day in Littleton Colorado. Family and friends came from many states to witness and to help them celebrate the start of their new life together. Lanelle's pastor, Chris Austin of New Covenant Church Woodland park, officiated. Trows sister Teresa read 1Corinthians 13 and at the end a blessing was given by parents Harold Ferguson and Allison Ward.

After the ceremony we all went to the reception in Denver at the Mercury Cafe, a dance club that and they and their friends enjoyed. After dinner there was great music played by a DJ friend of the family. These young people really know how to dance, graceful and full of rhythm. Even the grand parents joined in on the fun.

The couple drove off at 9 PM to a honeymoon in the Caribbean. Some of the crowd went back in to dance till midnight, and some of us went back to the hotel for a well earned rest and sleep.

It had been a busy three days, a shower for the bride on Thursday, a rehearsal dinner on Friday night at the Prime Steakhouse in downtown Denver and then the excitement of the wedding on Saturday.

Trow will be stationed at Vance AFB, Enid Oklahoma for the next year as he trains to be a pilot. They have an apartment near the base and it will be a new and different life for them both. We wish them a happy marriage and joy through Christ their Lord.

Bryce Canyon in April

In mid April about 18 of us from the hiking group spent three days hiking in Bryce Canyon. There were beautiful colors and forms that surrounded you at all times. The weather was variable, from warm and sunny to a wind chill factor of 10 degrees the last snowy and windy day. We were all hikers so we enjoyed it all. Milt's knees held up well, there was a hot tub to soak in and recover at the end of the day. Bryce had a big winter and some of the trails were still completely covered in snow. The drive was beautiful also, through canyons and desert. A great southwest experience.

Lotusland Garden in Santa Barbara
October 2009

Ken and Gerd, Vail September 2005

On January 2, 2010 Kathy's brother, Ken Ball, lost his beloved wife, Gerd, after an illness of over a year. She died at home with the care of Hospice and family. The picture above was taken on a beautiful day in the fall colors of Vail Colorado. They came to help me, Kathy, celebrate my 70th birthday. In the next few years we had occasion to visit them at their home. This year we spent a weekend together in Santa Barbara.

They were married for over 52 years, raised two children, and established a successful business in Southern California. They built a lovely home in Rancho Palos Verdes and lived there the past 20 years or more.

I will miss the phone calls and conversations we had over the years since moving to New Mexico. I find myself thinking of her as I live each day, composing in my mind what I would like to tell her the next time we talk. This a habit of many years and it will be a long time before this habit goes away.

Wish I could say she is with the Lord because of her trust and belief in Christ, but only God knows our hearts during those last few fleeting moments.

She is greatly missed by us.

Christmas Greetings

2009 Newsletter from Kathy and Milt Gillespie

This year has rolled around pretty much like last year. Skiing at home and at Vail, hiking in Colorado and New Mexico, visits with friends and family, a trip to California in October, Milton and Sam came for a visit in August. We had Thanksgiving at Vail with Janet and family and Ken and family.

In May our grandson Jared Ferguson graduated from Navy basic training. He looked so sharp, and it was a real joy to see our young man growing up. We had a good weekend with him. Janet and I and Harold and his brother Wade were the family that came to celebrate with him. He is now on the carrier USS George Washington, based in Yokasuka Japan.

Our health had been good, getting a little older each day, but aren't we all.

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and a joyful new year.

Kathy and Milt

Christmas Newsletter, 2008

Greetings to all!

Thanks for checking our family blog. The past year is written up in short posts, some with slide shows. Just click on the category in the side bar or scroll down this blog and you can read about us or our children's family as well as link to their business websites. We have several entrepreneurs.

Also there is a link to our church, Bryce Avenue Presbyterian. We are very happy with the teaching and worship service and are involved in two Bible study groups and we help and serve where we can.
I hope you don’t find this an impersonal way to communicate and that you will send a quick comment or two. I can reply back, and then we are in contact!

Have a happy and joyous Christmas.

We send our love,

Kathy and Milt

June 2008 Family Reunion Milt, Kathy, Jeanne, Shauna, Lanelle, Doug, Janet, Parker, Milton, Joanna, Ken, Jordan, Aven Sam was asleep after a big day. Hollis, Andrea and Jared were unable to come.

Sam and Hollis
Andrea and Jared

Active and involved

Milt has been active at the ski area this summer. He helped bulldoze the new terrain park on Easy Mother, he helps keep the grounds of Bryce Avenue Church free of weeds and dead trees, reads voraciously, and works out at the YMCA every other day.

Kathy has been busy with her quilting group, hiking group, leads a Bible study group with Community Bible Study (CBS). Each Thursday she helps the Good News Club at Chamisa School in White Rock. She explores new trails with a friend in the burnt and now recovering forest in the Jemez mountains.

These are a few of our activities throughout the year. We don't seem to want to travel far, we are enjoying the Rocky Mountain west and visits with family right now.

September trip to California

Life was quiet for us in August and early September. We stayed at home and did the usual things, hiking, working at the ski area, church and activities with family and friends.

Our big trip this year, besides our numerous trips to Vail Colorado, was a drive to California to visit Ken and Gerd, see the new Getty Museum, a doctor appointment in Ventura and then a mini vacation with Jeanne and David in Cambria, with a tour of the Hearst Castle and visits to nearby beaches. The details are in the pictures so please watch the slide show.

What the pictures won't tell you is anything about the doctor appointment. Milt was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2007. He was told that all indications said watch and wait. It was recommended that he have a test to determine the location of the cancer. The test was done by a clinic in Ventura that had the best technique. It was a minimally invasive test using ultrasound, and it showed that the cancer is not in a dangerous place and that watch and wait is the best protocol. Good news!

Autumn is here, the aspens are glorious, the nights are cool and we are getting our ski clothes and equipment ready for SNOW, we hope.

What has been happening in July?

Well, July 3 was a blowout! Great family fireworks with the Gillespie boys lighting some big ones. Loud and high they flew! We thought we had invited enough neighbors but maybe not. Our sound and celebration brought us to the attention of the fire department. But the reasoned talk and grey hairs on the head Gillespie saved us. We celebrated our countries freedom with joy and laughter and a big bucket of water for safety.

July 4, after a traditional barbecue in the backyard, we all trouped off to Overlook Park to watch the Kiwanis show. It was another fireworks celebration. Ken, Parker, Crista and John joined us, Joanna had to work that day, but we met her at Overlook to join us in the fun.

The next morning Milt and I drove up to Vail for a relaxing week of concerts, hikes, dinners out, and a visit from Lanelle and Bobby. This doesn't sound relaxing, but it was. The weather was very good, the flowers and music very beautiful and we enjoyed meeting Bobby, a nice young man. Lanelle was looking very pretty and they had an enjoyable few days with us, as did we with them.

We bought a new HDTV, Milt set it up and the Direct TV guy got us connected to satellite. The rest of the month has just been nice summer days, me hiking with my group, Milt bulldozing at the ski area, time with friends at church and quilting. We look forward to a quiet August at home. Here are some pictures of July, home, hikes etc.

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