Bear number two, elk, and part one of Penny and Juliet's great adventure visit

Could it be anymore beautiful here. Ahhh gorgeous summer. Still more snow than normal on the peaks. That was quite the winter...

Much fun being had with Tiffany and the girls here. But first, I have to share that we had bear number 2 show up. This was in the same general vicinity as the first. This is classified as a black bear as well, even though it's cinnamon colored. Big bears both of them. And no, haven't really made any changes when I walk. I took a whistle one morning but decided I didn't need it.These bears are wild and stay away from people. It's when bears find trash combined with people that the trouble starts.

And the elk. Wow, a giant gathering with babies in tow. They won't stay around much longer now that they've had their babies. It's an annual pattern I don't quite understand but pretty spectacular wildlife viewing.

The girls are here! Tiffany and Penny and Jules are here for almost 2 weeks. A record. Lots of fun to be had. We started off with a lunch time picnic in the woods.

Next playclothes dress up and racing/dancing not sure which.

Playground number, lunch at McGills, and Third Bowl ice cream of course. The rivers are still raging but going down slowly.

Columbine - one of my all time favorites

Weather has been perfect and wildflowers in mass profusion. It goes quickly so paying attention every moment.

Monday free concert at Center for the Arts. Good band, and lots of excellent people watching. Crested Butte is surely way up there on the list of small cities with giant characters. What is not shown here was the concert aftermath of a very flat tire. Thank goodness Mark was with us, but it still took 3 extra guys to man handle the car system into releasing the spare. P.S. we now have 4 new tires.

Now what would a mountain vacation be without a teepee. I ask you. I'll be back with part two of the great adventure.

Seattle visit

I had a great time in Seattle visiting family. It's just a fun city and there's always something going on. For instance, the naked (Solstice) parade in Fremont. No we did not participate. In a way, it reminds me of party central Crested Butte. The same wild and free atmosphere except on a much bigger scale.

My mother's little house is quite cute. It's light and airy inside with remote control skylights with a shade attachment. And I love, love the little garden. My sister Anne and my mom have been at work transforming.

A different cruise ship sight than Miami

Took the car ferry over to Bainbridge Island. Anne, Mom and I went for lunch and a bit of shopping. Always fun.

Gorgeous sunny day to shop at a nursery there as well. Just load up the trunk and get back on the ferry. There are so many islands off Seattle and this is a way of life, including daily commuting for some.

Of course I had to join on the Zia dog walks. Anne's neighborhood to so cute and eclectic and the dog parks/nature trails amazing.

Lovely lunches out, great dinner out (missing Justine though!) and I was included in Jean's Father's Day brunch. It's a foodie town, and of course, a coffee town. Special blends and roasts everywhere you look.

Mt. Rainier 14,411'

Time zoomed by. Until next time...

Magical spring/summer at Star. Mt.

Can't believe I've been here 10 days already. I know this well, the time here in magic land speeds up to the point that I can hardly catch my breath. Sloooow down.

My first bear sighting in a couple years. He appeared as I sat drinking morning coffee on the deck. I had neighbors concerned I was too close from the photos, but no worries, I  had my trusty camera with its marvelous lens - a safe distance away. He was tiptoeing, well, lumbering through the wildflowers.

Let's back up a moment. When I arrived (10 days ago) I was so happy to see our winter blasted deck whole with a new and improved railing. Our winter damage happened as the 6 feet of snow on the roof literally blew off the railing and damaged the posts. We replaced the railing with  removable railing this time. Brett, our fabulous guy who watches our house when we're not here and happily works for a construction company. They did all the hard work. Another duty added in October - take down rails. Of course the crazy winter we had is now not going to happen for 20 years, but hey, we're ready.

It goes without saying, it's absolutely gorgeous here. The spring/summer season is something to behold. Perfect temps with a high of 70 and low right around 40, although this morning it was 33. Freeze date is right around the corner, crazy that it's so much later most of the country.  "Our" cattle should be coming any day now, starting out on the common ground then moving to the main area to munch on grass until October. We still have broken fence rails from the winter that I hope our fencer will get to soon, before the cattle show up. So much damage from the winter means all repair people are jammed full in their schedules..

Flap- that crazy ear

Flap! Yes, happiness there. She looks pretty healthy which is fantastic. Everyone asks how old is she? Best guess is at least 9 and deer in the wild live to around 11. Hoping she has some years left. Flap has shown up a few days in a row and with a group. Her family? She came the closest to the hammock. You may notice there is stuff in the hammock, and no, it's not a body, just a pile of sleeping bags, pillows etc. We all love this hammock and Lisa and Charles had helped me put it up. Lisa felt it was time to try the full experience of spending the night in the hammock which no one has done. Okay, probably no one is going to repeat this experience. Lisa will tell you no on all night sleeping in a hammock, way too uncomfortable - stick with napping. She made it to 1:45am - pretty good I'd say.

Cute shaggy little boy

Finally I've seen elk. They've been very scarce, in fact I started to worry their every year pattern had changed. Waiting to see babies now.

Water is so incredibly high everywhere and its not peaked yet. This is Ohio Creek, normally a calm quite small meandering creek. It will be awhile before fishing is good and rafting is  banned in certain areas of the big rivers until the levels come down.

I will be leaving Star Mt. for a few days, yes I know I just got here, but I'm going to Seattle to visit my mother and sister and her family. It's a quick trip from this side of the U.S. which is nice. Leaving all 4  hummingbird feeders out and full in hopes that it will last until I get back. AND when I fly back into Denver I am meeting Tiffany and the girls who are flying from Virginia to come to Star Mt. for a good long visit.  Whee, let the summer fun explode!!