Gold leaves in the air

Wind, wind, wind has been the word for the last few days. It's blown off the majority of the leaves and many of us are scrambling to do winter prep things. Lowest temps coming so far - supposed to be 20 degrees tonight - ooh. So outside water needs to be turned off, hoses unscrewed, and those crazy hanging baskets are done tonight, I'm pretty sure. New ones next summer!

Went to Gunnison to celebrate a birthday (Steve) and say goodby for the season to good friends. Steve and Gail are going back to their other home and we won't see them until May. 5 months went by in a flash. New restaurant ( for the four of us anyway, it's been open awhile) Twisted Fork. American Asian Fusion is what they call the cuisine. Big success as we shared the food and liked it all. We'll be back...

I took this photo on my morning walk 4 days ago and it was blown away the next morning. Gotta be quick on the camera trigger finger around here.

So this is our cabin (well half of it anyway). Anyone want to stay there when we're too full up? Really, its so sad all the old mining cabins at Star Mt., aka Baldwin, are disintegrating all around us. We didn't know half this cabin was on our property until this year - we might have tried to do something to shore it up before now.

Like snow but gold leaves instead

We have company coming, our friend Marci flies in for a few days. It'll be fun, but a tad chilly. Hope she's ready!

Ohio Creek

deer are still around but not for long

Finished two more books: Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell, which was okay, not my style - surprising really as it was British country life in the 1930's, and Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters, always entertaining archeological mystery stories.
Fishing report:  Mark's been out a couple of times with good luck on the Gunnison the first time, not so much the second. Water very low, and the Taylor to be "turned down" one more time for winter. Everyone's hoping for big snow, or at least normal snowfall this winter. Is there a snow dance to do?

Bugling elk, cattle drive, and falling leaves

October already - where did the time go? Crisp air, every variety of apple for sale, golden leaves blowing in the wind - aahh...

I know I've talked about this before, but in fact, our only traffic jams are cowboys moving cattle. Really. An out of town friend recently said to me, "You know, when you say the cowboys came and moved the cows out of Star Mt., it's not normal. The rest of us live in the city."
Okay, get that. But it's a reality here, case in point, yesterday leaving Star Mt. I noticed "evidence"(cow poop in large quantities) on the road, relieved I was going the opposite direction for a dentist appt. Met them anyway coming back hours later  from the other direction. Very friendly cowboys though, just telling me to drive slooowly through them. Gotta love it.

The pace has changed here, people are starting to talk about snow and the ski season to come. October is traditionally a month of change, leaves falling and snow coming down in little bits, just a teaser... We have fires going in the fireplace every morning now. And no worries about wood supply - 11 cords here (multi year supply). Anyone need any?

Elk have returned to Star Mt. I awoke to bugling and thought it was a trick of sound that it appeared so close, but jumped to the window after the second noise. A dozen or so were running across the bottom of our hill to the woods on the other side. Missed the head guy though, think he was at the head of his harem. Hope to see him - heard him in the woods this morning on my walk, bugling a warning that I, the nasty human, was close by. It is a big month for hunting, and they know it's protected on Star Mt. (except for the common ground across the road) and our neighboring ranch.

Red, yellow, and gold magnificance

So of course choosing to take my iphone instead of the regular camera since it was low clouds and drizzle this morning for the woods walk, I saw an elk. First one in weeks in the woods, and while the iphone camera is good, its little zoom does not do the job. So you can hardly see it, but trust me it was there.

just a reminder of what the elk looks like!

What do you say about the fall color - words fail. It's magnificent and so short lived.

Lots of deer around for their last few weeks. They leave for other parts not to be seen again here until spring.

All is quiet with no company at the house for a few days. Mark has gone to Vermont on a guys golf trip and I am getting back to painting, reading, and writing. Been neglectful on reporting books read. Black Diamond by Martin Walker - his great 3rd book on Chief Bruno and his French murder mysteries, and C'est la Vie, a memoir of Paris by Suzy Gershman, also very entertaining. And for those who are worried about the chipmunks while Mark is gone, I am throwing out bread, which I'm sure is only sort of fine - I'm not communing on the bench with them. Ah, well.

Gorgeous fall and sharing it with company

Within an hour of putting Tiffany and Penny on the plane we had more company. Lisa, Sue, and Cathy zipped in from Santa Fe for the weekend. We had so much fun and crammed in as much as we could.

Mark and his girls

my new friend Cathy

Took a walk in our woods and then did a little tour of Star Mt. Yes, we were enjoying and yes, we scared off deer. The crazy humans...

yes, had to start with magic spring water

photo courtesy Mark

Lisa yoga pose - awesome (Mark photo)

Jeeping over Paradise Divide was a blast, even though some of our group had a couple nervous moments on those narrow roads. The fall color  is at peak - what great timing for their trip!

Went into Crested Butte for lunch and shopping. Nope, not Secret Stash this time, it's closed for lunch now that we're off season. Good meal at West End though.

See the blankets-Sue decided to order one, not take mine - thank you!

Enjoyed the deck and the brisk night air. And some of us (moi included) stayed up waayyy too late Sat. night. Will I ever learn...

And this creature sauntered up our driveway apparently to say goodby to the ladies. Mark walked up to get a close up photo.  A large porcupine, which Sue and Cathy promptly chased across the road into the other woods.

The last of Penny and Tiffany visit

Oh boo, Tiffany and Penny have gone back home after their week here. We had a great time, played and explored. Miss that baby terribly! Shouldn't complain - saw her for two weeks straight!

Penny liked Sunflower Deli a lot (especially the magpies hanging around) and my roast beef sandwich.

Nana's very poor choice of a toy. It's my bear whistle from my friend Donna. And somehow she just knew it was verboten. All kinds of trouble could be had with that. Had to sneak it away eventually.

Swing action in Crested Butte. What a background!

Purple dinosaur won out over swing at the Gunnison park. What is it about dinosaurs that kids love?