First snow and spectacular leaves

Snow and a hard freeze. Yes, it's still September but stuff happens quickly around here. A lot of snapping photos going on before the leaves blow off. We've been out and about with Paul and Sherry with the special combo of snow and aspen color. We had 2 inches at the house and the peaks probably had 6 or more. Time to break out the shovels?

The woods walk after the snow stopped

Stunning scenery with leaf watchers everywhere. We went into CB for breakfast and to peruse the farmer's market which has only one more week left. and then a long wait until next summer.

Ohio Pass was a parking lot, craziness. Slippery sloshy road and snow in the trees. Looked pretty but wintery.

Paul, Sherry, and I went the short distance over to Mill Creek to check out the leaves. Mark could not break away from his conference call schedule. He's missing out!

Some fishing and hunting is happening as well. Predawn chilly hiking up to the hunting ground. Lots of elk seen in surrounding areas and elk bugling like crazy but no luck for the hunters. Fishing has been more successful. It's a great time of year for that.

A few more days for Paul and Sherry's visit and happily Tiffany flies in before they leave. It's only a half day crossover but better than not meeting at all. Our time here is winding down fast and we'll be down in Florida soon for most of the winter. Hard to believe I've been at Star Mt. 4 months. It goes way too fast for me.

Gorgeous fall has arrived

Fall color has arrived! Every year it's different but equally spectacular. The leaf watchers are showing up too, very easy to tell by their erratic driving, parking in the middle of the road, and lenses hanging out car windows. Caution is needed...

Lots of fall preparation for winter in the animal world. Our late white yarrow wildflowers have been very popular with the chipmunks, birds, and deer (well Flap anyway). Small mounds of dirt have been appearing everywhere overnight. Our small creatures are digging down deep for their winter tunnel homes. I think literally we have an entire city of small critters under and around our house. If they don't bother us we won't disturb them. My flower pots on the deck look better than they have in months, really because our ground squirrel friends have gone away. It's very predictable but we don't know the reason why. Chippies stay and ground squirrels go-early.

Whetstone - looks like snow but not yet- just clouds

Photos from my walk this morning. You can see we're almost but not quite there to prime color. It moves at supersonic speed from here on. We've had 3 nights in a row at freezing temps although the day highs are quite lovely at mid 60's.

Got there as it was opening - get the best stuff that way

I did make it to the CB farmer's market to stock up on heirloom tomatoes, farm eggs, and veggies. Only two more Sundays before they're done for the season. Early ski season passes are on sale, can't believe this will be a snowy wonderland before you know it.

So this was last night. It's hard to photograph rainbows, something about how light travels, but hopefully you can tell this is a double one. A tiny bit of rain and then boom magic rainbows off the deck.

Quite excited as Mark comes back Saturday as well as a visit from Paul and Sherry. Tiffany comes in on the tail end of Paul and Sherry's visit for a solo visit. Anticipating a lot of fun with all.

Crested Butte razzle dazzle

Anne and Jean popped in for a quick visit. We made the most of it and "did' quite a bit of Crested Butte.

Anne and Jean's first visit to Montanya. Yes they are now fans and yes, there are 2 Maharajah's not three. Anne decided to be a rebel and try some grapefruity rum thing. (She did concede that while hers was good ours was better-ha).

Soupcon with sun flare

Lunch at Sunflower and dinner at Soupcon. Soupcon was marvelous as always and we got to hear the bear story from a month ago.He ripped open the back door sauntered in through the tiny dining room touching nary a thing, not even disturbing the linen tablecloths, made his way into the kitchen eating everything in sight and then wandered out. Oh boy...

The standoff between Anne and one of "our"steers. She attempted to touch a steer. Nope - those big beasts are crazy skittish.

Deer are fully gray now, Flap sightings have been scarce, and our injured doe has disappeared from under the deck. I'm choosing to look at this as good and that she's healing. She certainly was limping hardly at all the last time I saw her and the huge gash looked much better.

Summer and the green are slowly disappearing. No matter how much I want to hold back the seasons, the mountains will have none of it. Marching forward towards the longest season here -winter. We won't be here for most of it but have to prepare none the less. Changing of patterns around here: the coyotes have been howling every night, some wild mountain hail storms, little muddy fox prints left on the front porch today. Taking in every bit.

Festivals, fishing, and early fall fun

And the festivals continue. This was the People's Art Fair that we popped into while waiting for Nancy and Rodney to appear.

Enjoyed lunch at Ryce, of course, and trekked back over Ohio Pass to see early fall color and a doe in the midst of the brown to gray change.

The hogtrough. Gigantic trout - catch and release only and it doesn't show but there were a mob of people there.

Fun ride up to Taylor Reservoir. Perfect weather and lunch at Nugget Cafe before it closes for the season. We weren't alone that's for sure, the upper Taylor has turned into a crazy ATV area and everybody was taking advantage of the Labor Day weekend.

While we were in the area we went to visit the scene of Ralph's infamous snowmobile accident two years ago. Doesn't look like much, right? Take miles of blinding white snow with no depth perception and going 50 miles an hour and its a recipe for disaster. Mark and Special Forces saved the day. So sad Ralph is gone but he did get another two years after the accident. Lived life in a BIG way.

We saw multi fun activities driving around. Rock climbing was one. There is a tiny person in each of these photos. Definitely not gonna happen for me but fun to watch.

We ran the geese off - close to 40 making very unhappy noises

Fishing on the common ground. Nancy caught 2, decent size but nothing like the monsters we had in the pond last year. They unfortunately died during the winter so we replenished this past spring. Growing well.

not as early sunrises mean I will take a photo or two

Great visit with Nancy and Rodney but poof off they went. Awaiting Anne and Jean's arrival. It's a revolving door around here and I love it!