Hikes, fen, and magic mountains

Terrific weather here, and we continue to have lovely rain showers late on a lot of days so things are staying green. Mid 70's as a high and 40's at night. hard to beat.
We had our annual homeowners meeting and picnic over the weekend, which is always nice, informative, and a good way to see whatever neighbors are around. It's definitely not the same as living on a block in the city. We are very scattered here.
On the informative note, learned at the hoa meeting about something quite magical - fens. Fen is a type of wetland similar to a bog, but characterized with massive amounts of peat. There are very few in the rocky mountains, and are protected as they are virtually irreplaceable. About 8,000 years old. And there is one up Ohio Pass, so off we went to do the hike. Nice hike with open meadows, flowers, woods before you get to the lake/fen.The start of the trail is close to the shooting range for those of you familiar with the area. We've passed it a million times, and of course it's not marked in any way. The secrets are everywhere here.

fox saying hello on our way up the pass

Mark thinks no fish are there, too bad

almost 11,000 ft

lily pads

We are seeing deer more frequently within our fence. They eat, take little naps, feed their babies. I think they're enjoying summer too.

Finished another book. Lindsey Davis - Three hands in the fountain. Great historical fiction set in Roman times. Trying to read all of the series since I found her stuff, but some books appear out of print. There are 19 in the series and I've only read 5 so far.

Weasel, peaches, fishing, mountains, and fun

A new theme has emerged here - animals we don't see very often are out and about. Hmmm, look out chipmunks and ground squirrels. The day after we saw the badger, a weasel appeared on our deck. Disney darling, but vicious too.

First time I've ever done this - great advice from my mother, I have frozen those special Palisades peaches which are dripping with sweetness and only available here for a few weeks every summer. Come November we'll be thrilled to have them.

Haying is going on at a ferocious speed now. One crop a year with worry this year at the beginning with low snow and no rain for a month, but all is well. They send this everywhere - very special hay in the Ohio Creek Valley.

Nugget Cafe at Taylor Park - still going strong

Great fishing trip up the Taylor for Mark and I went along. He had good luck fishing and fresh trout for dinner - how do you beat that? I painted and enjoyed it a lot. Hurray for the fun things.

in parking lot, guy painting his car?

Art -something for everyone

next to our lunch place - people coming and going (at peace)

live music everywhere

classical here

art in the driveway?

oh the life, notice the smallest child - no pedals!

Went into CB for what we thought was the farmers market - not so. The annual art festival was in full swing, shutting down the main street in its entirety. Ate at Ryce, walked into the non entrance where the hippie bakery people are sharing a space with Montanya rum (sorry Heather still haven't gone!) and bought a loaf of their fantastic bread, and walked the line. LOTS of people, close to the amount we see at 4th of July. Crazy.

trust me on this - Bear Footprint

The Rock

10 inches for sure

bizarre last view as we left - man and his Bull

Went on to Brush Creek, something Mark hasn't done for 35 years, and had yet another great fishing/jeeping/painting experience. He caught, did not keep this time, good size browns - surprise in this tiny water. Gorgeous area. And the bear tracks...everywhere. Okay then.

And have to put in the recovering hanging baskets. Hurray for Mark and water diagnosis!

Bread, hiking, deer, elk, and a badger

As promised, we are getting out there enjoying the paradise we live in. Marched back in CB for the farmers market. Ohio Pass is absolutely gorgeous right now. Not very many campers though, another piece of the unusual summer, I guess. We, oh yes, are still planning  the Big Campout. I'll you know our progress.

Talked to another organic farm Big Kids Farm, who are taking on our farm's(Parker Pastures) chickens. Thanks Heather for the tip! They aren't organized yet in how they're going to do this - they already have 75 chickens and taking on 70 more- so I'll be back in a couple weeks to discuss. Maybe there's a chance we will still have wonderful organic eggs.

Bought more bread at the organic "hippie" bakery at the market. Stunningly great bread. This time cranberry and walnut. Yum.

Carbon Peak from a different perspective

just over one of the fences - part of another mine and miner cabins

view from up high in the woods

Castle Mt from up high

We went hiking yesterday on the Star Mt. common property across the road - it's 350 acres and hunting is allowed by our homeowners in the fall. Good time for us to be going now. We'd been once before but hadn't explored up to all the fenced boundaries. Beautiful woods, scared a lot of deer and elk, and  there were more droppings than we've ever seen in one place before. We've heard stories there are bear there, but saw nary a one.

Thought this was bear scratching - turns out elk eat aspen bark in the winter when they can't reach other food. Gnawed this to pieces!

Beauty of a buck and others that we scared in the trees. We weren't close, so thank goodness Mark had his zoom lens.

Two hours later -done.

And a final wildlife sighting of the day. On the road back to the house close to the cabins,a badger ran across the road. Just caught it with my camera. Wow - only seen one before, not all that far from this two years ago. Very vicious creature with 3 inch long claws... Nice sight from the car!
Mark went fishing today with no crowds. Not a super fishing day, but did catch the biggest brook trout he's seen in the Taylor.