Moose, Bear, Bucks, and heavenly weather

What a wild week! Animal sightings galore, gorgeous weather, no more freezing craziness, and boy, have the out of town people shown up. Our area is definitely on more people's radar these days, probably because Vail properties bought out Crested Butte Mountain ski resort. That's a big deal around here.

We made a drive up to Taylor Reservoir. It's especially beautiful at this time of year with snow still on the peaks. The dam is letting out a ferocious amount of water which is keeping Taylor river extremely high.

And the moose rules

The moose! We came around a bend on the other side of Taylor Reservoir and boom there they were- two males, one clearly much younger. The only other moose I've ever seen was a female, and that was 6 years ago. They are huge animals and these paid no attention to all of us who wildly stopped to get photos.

Hog trough below the dam. Lots of people fishing as usual. It's one of the few places fishermen, fisherpeople?, can get in right now. There are monster size fish in there and it's firmly catch and release only.

Bear! I was actually out doing my early morning walk and thank goodness, always have my camera with me. While I've seen a number of bears over the years, it's been a very long time since I was out there up close and personal. This bear wasn't concerned about me at all, and as it got closer I did back up still snapping away of course. It's not as close to me as it looks - that's the fabulous zoom on my compact camera. This is exactly why I mostly stopped using my phone for photos. Can't do this...

These are two different views of the same sunset from the front and back of the house. Crazy different look, right?

Come on in boys

This group of bucks have been coming by multi days and they are using our under deck deer spa. Pretty sure they're the same ones that have come back for some shady siesta the last few years.

Montanya

Soupcon

Made our trek to Crested Butte to Montanya for a pre-dinner rum drink before reservations at magical Soupcon. After the change of ownership last year, and a slightly less than perfect meal, we were a little anxious over how it would go. Back to fabulous I'm happy to report. The long time sous chef has come back as an owner so perhaps that had something to do with the great food.

Freezing temps, snow on high, and magnificent sunsets

Craziness in weather here. New snow! At least up on the peaks. Verdant green fields surrounded by fluffy ice white peaks. Really spectacular. But June 22...are you kidding?

Drove into CB for breakfast. Busier than this looked.

Drove into CB for breakfast to celebrate Mark's return. They got the dusting of snow on the peaks as well. He's here for 2 weeks again before going back to Miami. Back and forth all summer - a good way to get whiplash.

Before the front came in I was out enjoying a cup of coffee on the deck with my friend, daddy bluebird. There's a nest underneath the deck and we're all awaiting the little cheep cheeps.

Water is still very high most everywhere. This is Ohio Creek, normally a meandering peaceful kind of stream.

Wild Iris

More wildflower pics. Good thing I took these when I did. The iris are almost done as of this morning, and the sunflowers may have taken a frost hit last night. It was 31 at our house.

The Castles a day apart.

Every summer the sunsets are breathtaking. This was last night a few minutes apart. We'll just be a hangin' around this gorgeous place.

Explosion of wildflowers feeds the soul

Breathtaking views any which way you look, and the mass movement of out of state visitors are showing up by the day. I welcome all of you, just treat the land gently please.

Our cattle have been moved to the common ground. They're not really ours, we lease out our community land for the summer and fall to a local 5th generation rancher. Good for us (ag tax) and good for them (it's great grass). They'll stay there for about 3 weeks and be moved to the main acreage after the larkspur die down. Larkspur is a beautiful wildflower here but toxic to cattle. I wasn't sure how serious that was I recently read an article about cattle dying in an area in New Mexico that, due to unusual levels of rain, had larkspur growing where it normally does not, and ranchers lost a number of cattle before they realized what was going on.

Deer are everywhere now which is lovely to see, but the one deer I'm looking for has not shown up yet. Flap. She has been coming every year since we built the house, now 10 years. A very special deer indeed, so named as she has part of one ear split with a "flappy" part. She has eaten more flowers than I can count, flowers that other deer leave alone, but I have a soft place in my heart for her anyway. Hope she is still going strong...

Lupine

Bluebells

Sunflowers

Larkspur

early shade loving sunflowers

On my, the flowers.... It is going to be a banner year. Since our area is designated one of the wildflower capitals of the world, a lot of visitors are going to be happy I think.

Ahhh, the coyote. We hear them at night but don't see them in the daytime that often. I say 3 in one day, two on my morning walk. I am not afraid, they stay clear of humans in this pristine wilderness.

Along with all things blooming, it is also all things repair. The hard winter means lots of things took a hit, including our front fence. We've moved it back this time away from the road. Normal snowfall does not damage the fence, but no guarantees on any given year just what we're going to get.

You can barely see two of the three hummingbird feeders up on the deck. The second the wildflowers started blooming away went the hummingbirds. We have almost none, really. For those of you who've been around for the hummingbird mania, where we literally go through a gallon of sugar water a day, this is different. We've had slowdowns before, but this is the most severe I remember. It's also, no coincidence here, going to be an astounding wildflower season. So, in the end, the hummingbirds go for the au natural, which is a good thing.

Our house way in the distance

Mark is back Saturday which is fabulous. He misses every minute he's not here. That work thing...