Thursday, May 8, 2014

Daffodils, snow, elk, hiking, and calves

As I write this it is snowing -on May 8. Welcome to spring in the Colorado mountains.

We climbed to the top of that!
We went on our first official hike a few days ago. Across from Blue Mesa up Rainbow Lake Rd. Not super long (not quite 4 miles) and not terribly steep, but enough (1,000 vertical). The wind was unbelievable at the top - felt like 60 mph as a couple of the pictures show. Hold onto your hat! Deer and elk evidence all over but nary a one.

hunting at our house
We have animals out everywhere suddenly. Elk have returned to Star Mt., fox and coyote abound, and hummingbirds have started to return. One feeder up. The first returning from Mexico get zip - it still snows, it still freezes at night and hardly any flowers are blooming.  Our aspen trees are inches away from leafing out and the snow runoff is in full swing with high muddy rivers everywhere.

The cows are still having calves, and we've been witness to a lot, I mean actual births in the field. I saw another one on the way home from the grocery store yesterday. Quite a sight I can tell you involving a giant white misshapen balloon looking thing. No photos for all parties delicate sensibilities...

Popped into CB for lunch at one of the few places open (Mcgills), which was actually our anniversary lunch. With so much closed down we are really celebrating at a hacienda in New Mexico on our way down to Santa Fe for family wedding festivities this weekend. 42 years - wow.
We watched sidewalk demolition going on up and down Elk St. (some businesses have paid to have heated sidewalk sections put in front of their establishments). Going  a bit upscale for little Crested Butte. The interesting question will be, do people avoid those stores with slippery icy mess in front come winter? Or do the stores participating expect additional business? Stay tuned...
Off tomorrow for wedding fun and the weather is predicted to be perfect - 73 and sunny.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Seattle visit

And once again I am back at Star Mt. after a fast and furious trip, this time to Seattle. Absolutely picture perfect weather with not a single drop of rain. Almost summer like in temps with people out everywhere basking in the sun.

Did lots of fun things with my sister and mom. Japanese Gardens for one: gorgeous, serene and not crowded.

The Birthday Girl
Ferry to Bainbridge Island for lunch and shopping on mom's birthday. For those of you who don't know, Seattle is populated with many islands out in the Sound that use ferries as their transport to Seattle. The only way to get back and forth.

Mom and Anne's garden. It sits between and adjoins their two houses. The big transformation into a flowering wonderland is in progress. They both have marvelous green thumbs and I look forward to watching all the change.

Had meals out at great places including a lovely retro French cafe - Bastille. Wonderful food and fun people watching. Seattle people have their own aura and it involves black colors, lots of hair, dark rimmed glasses, pale skin, and a coffee shop on every corner, really.

I was driven by this bizarre sight. Fremont troll created by 4 artists in 1990 under a bridge. It's 18 feet high and crazy mon...

Mt. Rainier 14,409
So home for only 6 days and then we are off to Santa Fe for an exciting wedding weekend. Love is in the air!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Disappearing snow, hints of spring, and more travel

Drip, drip, drip. The creeks are muddy and the snow is disappearing more everyday. Outside work is starting, spraying down the deck, moving outdoor furniture up, and shoveling the gravel back on the driveway after snowplows pushed it off. Blah, that last one is a killer job, a monstrous amount has to be moved.. Definitely a good workout I guess is one way of looking at it.

It's possible that a pair of robins hopping around on the snow doing the stop, feel for worm, and then attack dance, are "our" robins who come back year after year. I say this because they are a little demented, laid eggs in a tiny bluebird nest with big babies falling out until I knocked it down, subsequently building a really sloppy nest of their own with more babies falling out, and there are no worms in snow. So we will keep an eye on them.

old  miners cabin roof definitely took a hit this winter
Enjoying the quiet of the off season, and also trying to support local business. If you're in the area please pop into The Local Market in Gunnison. Selling Colorado products only: Grass fed beef, farm eggs, homemade bread,cheeses, sausages, honey, milk, etc. It opened in December and is owned by Kathleen Curry our ex-state representative. We've had some great informative conversations about grass fed beef (she and her husband own Tomichi Creek natural beef), and she will carry as much local product as she can fit in.

our spring is quite full
I am on the move again, travelling to Seattle Sunday. My sister and family, and my mother are there and her birthday is next week - perfect timing. I haven't been since August so really looking forward to it. Great city and good weather is predicted right now (small chance of rain yippee).

Wow, very late listing of books read. Here you go:
Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes - okay - to be honest no idea where I got her name
Introducing Agatha Raisin; Quiche of Death/The Vicious Vet by M.C. Beaton -good, new British mystery series
Toast, the story of a boy's hunger by Nigel Slater - good, true,made into a movie,  he's well known food writer in Britain
See Delphi and Die by Lindsey Davis - always good, another in the Roman mystery series
Nightingale Woods by Stella Gibbons - good, written in 1930's so stylized, she wrote Cold Comfort Farm



Green stuff coming next!
Lots of chippies, ground squirrels scampering about (Mark's already feeding them)and coyotes howling and owls hooting in the night. No deer or elk yet- a couple more weeks I think. And bear will be waking up soon. It seems like a dream I saw mountain lion tracks in the woods while snowshoeing. Now where does it go in good weather?

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Beach,snow, and photography


Being back at Star Mt. is lovely even with it the "in between" season. Snow is retreating by the hour, and nary a flake in Gunnison. We have blue birds and robins swooping all over, never have been able to figure why they come back so early - what are they eating?

End of Florida visit was fun, a high rise hotel by the beach, happening seafood restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale. These pictures sort of mess with your mind right? Me too, haven't figured out I'm back in the cold.

Winter retreat is a very slooow process here. Aspen won't leaf out for a few more weeks, my daffodils are halfway up, and looking forward to the time the deer and elk arrive at Star Mt.

Some news on the photography front, I've had 3 photos accepted at the Crested Butte Land Trust, in their 2014/2015 calender and website. Quite excited. Keeps me motivated to click, click away.




Monday, April 14, 2014

Colorado versus Florida




Hi, I'm back although we're still in Florida for a couple more days. What a study in contrast.
This is what we left, a loose bull, more sand hill cranes, and pink snow.








And this is what we found, MORE sand hill cranes with babies (photo courtesy Mark on the golf course), alligators galore (no photo, just imagine), beautiful stay at friends new Florida home, and dinner on an amazing boat with good friends.
















Sandals on,eating at some of our favorite restaurants, and turning on that air conditioning- 89 today. It will be full on mud season when we get back with melting snow everywhere, plus some falling from the sky - always does even into May.
I expect entry back to be a bit disorienting...


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