Catching Up on a Rainy Day

Puddles of water on our chairs

It's one of those rare ( for here) rainy, cool July mornings.  I could go out and sit on the porch, but I finally got in the mood to write in my blog and don't want to lose the chance.  I usually get my coffee and sit in the sun and read or watch the wildlife in our little neighborhood or just contemplate the day until Bob gets up and needs his breakfast.  I always have loved this quiet time to myself each morning.  Even when I was teaching and we started school at 7:00 AM I would get up early so I would have quiet time to myself.  Some of my best ideas and  thinking happens at this time.

Base Camp at the cabin.  We had extra beds in the house so many slept outside!

After our big fourth of July week with over 20 people here, I think we have recuperated!  What a great time we had.  All four of my children were here with most of their families plus we had a few extra friends that we love to have come visit.  One person dubbed our front yard "Base Camp".  I prefer that to "Tent City", which reminds me of jail in Arizona.

Some of us played ladder ball after most of the people had gone home.

Carla even brought up a portable potty with privacy tent included!  A real necessity with our one ugly bathroom (Which, by the way, is still waiting for renovations to happen!  Our life just seems to keep spiraling out of control).

Carla's portable potty tent.  Very handy for a crowd!

Even with about $300 dollars worth of groceries (some due to a power outage of the refrigerator and Danny's method of cleaning it--toss absolutely everything out including brand new mustard, Tabasco sauce and other sauces which last forever--so Kathi can scrub it out real well) and all the great food everyone brought up, we were running low on really basic stuff like salt, butter,bread--you get the picture.  Our car had a recall so we had to take it to Ft. Collins for service on the Monday that our last guests left.  While we were there, we went to Sam's and got stocked up on all the basic stuff to the tune of 400 more dollars!  Did I mention we have no grocery store any more in Walden?  (well, it 's bankrupt for the time being anyway).  We were home for a couple days getting groceries put away and me trying to get some embroidery done for the craft fair at the end of the month and then it was time to make our third attempt at getting Bob's driver's license.

One of the favorite hikes is to the lily pad pond.  It is 4.5 miles round trip and not for the wimpy ones!  Steep hills and a roaring river to cross in bare feet over slippery, sharp rocks!  Quite a group made it, though.

 Before I go on I want to clear up the refrigerator incident.  While Bob and I were in Seattle at Brendin's graduation and commissioning ceremony, a transformer was struck by lightning and threw 2 breakers( refrigerator and hot tub--weird but true).  Danny and Kathi had come up to Walden for Rodeo weekend and found the refrigerator off and very stinky.  They called and asked if we really meant to turn off that breaker.  Anyway they got stuck with spending part of their visit  cleaning out the fridge instead of with high school friends.  We are very grateful that they got that opportunity instead of what would have greeted us a week later when we got home! 

Darcy and Chris are cleaning their fish after a successful afternoon at the pond.

Now back to the Driver's license problems!  Back in March while we were still in Texas, Bob discovered that he needed to renew his driver's license before his birthday in late April.  We were not planning on being back in Colorado until mid May, so we went online to see how you get the license renewed when you aren't in state.  I found all the info and we went through all the hoops for people over 65 years old including an eye exam.  We sent in all the the paper work along with a check for $21 and waited for the license to come.  It had said it could be up to 6 -8 weeks so no big deal.  Well at 2 months I thought we should call to see what the deal was but Bob thought he had waited longer than that a couple times so we did nothing but wait for another month.  Finally the day before we left for Seattle, Bob decided maybe we needed to check on it.  I called Steamboat and they cut me short and told me people over 65 could not get a driver's license online and we had been on a fraudulent web sight.  I tried to explain that we had a cancelled check from the Colorado Department of Revenue but she insisted we had been bilked of our $21.  She wouldn't even look at her computer but did give me a phone number for resolving issues.  By the time I got done talking to her the other office was closed so I left our number.  The next day on our way between Saratoga and Rawlins I got a call from the issues department.  Yes, Bob had a license and it had been mailed on March 27.  They were very nice but said it was a Post Office issue and to deal with them. Our feeling was if we hadn't gotten it by then it was time to just say it was lost and get a duplicate.

How can anyone resist taking pictures of the Columbines.  Here's this year's offering.

When we returned from Washington and while we were stocking up on groceries for the Fourth in Steamboat, we stopped  in at the driver's license office only to find out they were not open on Friday 's and Monday's!  OK so the next attempt was on the next Tuesday.  By then JJ and Ozzie were here and were up for a trip over to Steamboat and a nice lunch at Cantina after Bob got his license.  Some of you are already laughing at us, I bet!  We got there about 10:45 and drew number 66.  There were people out on the sidewalk waiting!  They were on 50 and in the next half hour they never called another number.  They closed at 12 for an hour for lunch and still no number called.  We decided the Cantina sounded good so we enjoyed our lunch and got what we needed in Steamboat and headed home.

My latest effort.  A blingy cap.  Carla and I noticed they were all the rage in the tourist shops up in Deadwood.

The next installment of the saga happened yesterday.  We called over to the Hot Sulfur Springs Office and got all the info on what was needed and she mentioned we better come this week because she was going to have to go help them over in Steamboat for the next 3 weeks because they were having issues over there!  DUH!  Well we went over and got in line (1 person ahead of us no need for a number).  We were out of there and on our way home in less than an hour!  My only advice to North Parkers who need a driver's license is to call Hot Sulfur before heading over there!

That's it for today maybe a recipe for tomorrow.

Note to family who were at the cabin:  The baby robins (all 4 of them) just left the nest!  Bob sat there and watched them and the mother who continued to feed them on the porch.  She kept encouraging them until they finally hopped off the porch and went around the corner.  He never called me to come get pictures!

Did you Decorate?

Memorial Day at the cabin--a few years ago.

Today is Memorial Day and I am thinking about our service people and old friends and family who are no longer with us.  I am also thinking about some of my past Memorial Days. 

I really don't have too many memories from my childhood days in Milwaukee except that Dad would drive the whole family to a big cemetery, I think it was called Forest Home, and we drove around in it and would stop at Aunt Bess and Uncle Sam's graves.  We probably had flowers to put on the graves but I don't remember that part.

More recently, after we were married and had kids I remember that there was school on Memorial Day.  On the ranch, we always had a lot of fisherman camping.  They could not believe we didn't have that Monday off.  It was always a big rush to get going to school and someone was always beeping the car horn to get the stragglers moving.  It also got the fishermen moving and complaining good-naturedly about all the racket.

  I think the VFW always had a parade in town where they would march in their uniforms up to the old cemetery and raise the flag.  I suppose there were some speeches but I don't remember.  The high school band sometimes marched with them and played.

I also remember having picnics at the cabin and trying to go up to Aqua Fria on 4 wheelers.  We usually couldn't make it very far up before we came to huge snow banks but the picnics were fun and we did do some fishing on the streams back then too.

One Memorial Day weekend Bob and I went to Denver and bought a conversion van.  It was our first one and it was interesting.  The seats were benches along each side that made into a bed.  It made some of the kids sick to ride that way.  Anyway, we decided to surprise JJ and Ozzie and kids by dropping by their campsite and staying with them for the weekend.  They were camping somewhere up in Wyoming behind Fox Park.  Keep in mind, this was before cell phones so it was going to be a total surprise.

  We only had a vague idea where they had planned to stay, like somewhere on the North Platte river.  We started down the National Forest road on a cold and rainy Saturday (typical Memorial weekend weather) hoping we were on the right road.  After 2 or 3 miles the van started acting funny and finally, out in the middle of nowhere, it died and there we were.  We really had seen no cars on this road but were hopeful someone would come along.  Remember, no cell phones!  Finally I decided I would have to walk back towards Fox Park.  Just as I was getting out of the van we saw a 4 wheeler coming up the road.  It was JJ and Ozzie and the 2 kids!  Wow, that was so lucky.  We ended up ruining their holiday by having to drive their pickup down to Laramie (where they lived at the time) and getting someone to tow the brand new van down to a repair shop.  Oh well, it was a nasty weekend anyway.  We turned that van back in to the dealer shortly after, it was such a lemon!

One of my strongest ( but bittersweet) memories of Memorial Day occurred up on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation on the border of Nevada and Idaho.  Memorial  Day on the reservation is a really big deal.  There are several main families on the Rez and they each have their own cemetery.  On Memorial Day the whole family including elders down to the babies gather at the family cemetery with flowers.  The family walks through, stopping at each grave to decorate it and for one of the elders to give an oral history of the person buried there.  A wonderful tradition I wish my family had.

The last Memorial weekend I spent up there on Saturday I went to Boise with a teacher friend who belonged to one of the prominent families on the reservation.  We bought lots of flowers and decorations for Monday.  Teola invited me to come decorate with the Mannings on that Monday and I was very excited to hear their history.  Monday rolled around and when I woke up I couldn't open my eyes!  My annual eye infection had hit!  Not to worry, I could run up to the hospital and get some magic eye drops which worked wonders on my eyes and still have time to go with the Mannings.

I got up to the hospital and there was only one young Dr. on duty and one of my student's mother, who was cleaning.  The Dr. decided he needed advice from a Dr. in Boise before prescribing anything,
so I waited and waited and waited for his reply.  While I sat there waiting the mother came over and sat with me for awhile.  She asked me "Did you decorate this morning?" I kind of looked at her and thought, my room? The house? Huh?  Finally it occurred to me she meant the graves.  I always get a kick out of people who get to know you so well that they think you actually are part of their culture.  I told her my ancestors were back East and sadly I was missing decorating with the Mannings.  Hours later I got my eye medicine but I'd missed the history lesson.  I still regret not being able to go with them.

What are we doing today?  It is one of those rare Memorial Days that is clear, warm, and not too windy.  I think I will go fishing this afternoon and probably watch some TCM war movies.....

Meemo Is Back In The Mountains!

Looking over the ranch from the old airport hill.

And POOF! Powdered diet hot chocolate all over my face, down my front all over the counter and my shiny waxed kitchen floor.  Yep, I know we are back at our "cabin" in the mountains!  We have been here a week and I am beginning to get re-programed to our "high life" (as in 8500 ft. above sea level , all my 60's era friends).  I'm still puffing as I haul my laundry upstairs to the Blue Room to get washed.  My lips are getting over their dry air chappedness and I have caught my first fish from the pond so we know they didn't winter kill.

One of my favorite spring flowers, the Dog Tooth Violet

Here are some more fun adventures we have had this first week back home after 6 months on the road.  As usual the humming birds greeted us within 15 minutes of our arrival to let me know they needed their feeders put out.  The Canadian Geese are our alarm clock for a month or so before they head up to Canada.  We have spotted about 20 head of deer, mostly Does up on the ridge road and of course the antelope greeting committee was here as we came off the county road.  There are at least 2 Woodpeckers that have been pecking away on the house every morning and I have to go out and shoo them away.  Since the family spent Christmas up here without us and Thomas has been here several times over the fall and winter, I have to take stock of what is in the larder and what changes have taken place due to family members making repairs and leaving food up here.

An elk print in the mud.

My buddies, the humming birds are back!

As we come home from our winter wanderings, we have always made a stop in town at the local grocery store to pick up the basics before heading out the 25 miles to our home.  Imagine our surprise when we walked into the store and the shelves were bare!!!  Nobody managed to mention that to us over the winter.  They did have some basics but we were saddened to hear that they were in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and only could buy some basics for the last couple of months.  It does not look good for this community having a grocery store any more.  People are having to go to Laramie, Steamboat, or Granby at least 60 miles away to get their groceries.

The elk passed by here....

Signs of spring--some bear scat.

We spent a week using the staples left here and the meat brought up from Danny's and the shrimp and oysters from Rockport that we had brought up from Texas.  I made bread and we had fresh trout.  Someone had left some delicious cheesecake bites in the freezer and Mudslide and Pina Colada mixes in the fridge.  By the end of the week we were running out of fresh veggies, milk, cheese and peanut butter so we definitely needed to make a grocery run. We decided Steamboat was our closest store so we headed for City Market yesterday and picked up a couple weeks worth of food and wine, hopefully.  Bob got some shotgun shells and we picked up prescriptions at Walgreen's.

AAAh!  The buttercup up close.

 I love the drive over this time of year.  The leaves are actually out over there.  Still no sign of them here but give them a week or so.  I love the Yuppie grocery store over there, too. They have some great cheeses and lots of gourmet choices.  All come at high prices, of course.  One thing missing was the little peppers that I have written about in a previous post.  I also miss visiting with neighbors and friends while doing the weekly shopping.  But wait, we ran into two friends I used to teach with who happened to be visiting a teacher friend in Steamboat!  I hadn't seen them in many years!  I think we will be running into more North Parkers there too, as the checkout lady said they are seeing many people from over here.  They even furnished me with dry ice for the frozen stuff at no extra cost.

Spring flowers up in the trees

Back here, we had a few adventures as well.  We got the 4-wheeler out and took a ride up to the Little Jessie headgate to open it and get some water out on the meadow.  The Harvat's had beat us to it, but Bob was determined to set it right.  Since his Parkinson's Disease he has lost some of his balance(although his "miracle pills" are helping him tremendously).  I got him a walking stick and he made it to the dam but as he was climbing up on it he went over backwards.  I caught him and broke his fall a bit but he ended up in a pool of water so he was soaked but not hurt.  Nothing would do but he needed to see how far we could get up to the St. Joe headgate.  The ride was great. The buttercups and Dogtooth violets were forming a carpet  and we saw lots of sign of wildlife.  We made it to the "thinking rock" hill before we saw any snow.  About halfway up the steep hill was a huge snow bank.  It was time to turn around.
 

I love walking in spring!

A carpet of buttercups

I got off the 4 wheeler and decided to walk back so I could take pictures and Bob headed home to get out of his wet clothes. I had a great walk home, my first of the summer and got some nice artsy pictures along the way.

Crossing the Little Jessie weir so I don't get my feet wet.

There are lots more things to get done, like getting all my embroidery stuff set up, but we are pretty well set for another great summer.

I love my Dog Tooth violets!

An evening with the Koesters

Allen and Sharon Koester, Christmas 2012 in Rockport, Texas

 Here is the back story on this event.  Back in the early 1970's we became friends with the Koester family.  Allen worked for the Soil Conservation District.  He, his wife Mary, and their two daughters, JoAnn and Julie, lived in Walden but spent many weekends with us at the ranch and the cabin. They pitched in and helped with the ranch work such as branding and moving cattle.  Al loved hunting, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling and photographing wildflowers--still does for that matter.  We all camped out together and Bob hunted with Al and Mary.

Allen and his family helped with branding for several years.  Allen is on the right working the gate in the chute.

 Al taught our kids how to fish and we used to take long hikes with all the kids into some good beaver ponds up on the Forest.  We also had some very memorable backpacking trips together, which is another story for my blog.

The Koesters and Manvilles taking a break while back packing to Lake Roxyanne in the 1970's

Allen was transferred to Glenwood Springs after 3.5 years in North Park but, as he put it, they "commuted" to North Park on weekends and they stayed with us and we continued our friendship and adventures.  We also spent time with them at Glenwood.
Al was transferred again but this time it was to Palmer, Alaska.  We stayed in touch with them but only saw the whole family once when they came up for Danny's wedding.  They had moved back to Oregon by then and Mary was sick with breast cancer.  She died shortly after that and we mourned their loss.

Mary and I and our kids up at Aqua Fria Resevoir in the 1970's

Life moved on and Allen kept us posted with his Christmas letter and he visited us now and again as he was passing through on the way to or from Iowa where they were originally from.  He married a lovely lady, Sharon, and they came up to see us a couple times.  We hadn't seen the girls in 20 some years!

Allen, Sharon and JoAnn's husband, Larry, Christmastime Barbeque 2012 at the Drifter's Resort in Rockport, TX.

Coming back to the present, last winter we got our annual Christmas letter from Al and he talked about his fishing adventures in Southern Texas.  Bob and I were visiting Micah at the time in San Antonio.  I got out a map and discovered they were only a few hours away so we decided to visit them.  We really liked the area around there and the weather.  We decided we would spend our next winter (now) in Rockport so our friendship circle is complete.

Julie, JoAnn, Anya, and Larry at at our BBQ.

This Christmas season Julie and JoAnn and her family are visiting their Dad and Sharon.  It just so happens that they are staying in a cabin here at The Drifter's Resort right across the road from ours! We all got together for a barbecue one evening and it was great fun to reminisce and play a silly game.

Bob, Julie, Anya and Larry get caught up.

JoAnn and I enjoy a nice visit.

 Allen surprised us with a very special Christmas gift with his annual letter.  He had made a flash drive filled with over 400 pictures he had taken while spending time in North Park back in the 1970's!  I will be posting pictures here and on Facebook!  Stay tuned for more of our back packing adventures.

Julie, Anya (Jo and Larry's daughter), and Larry

Getting Ready For Christmas

We had a big John Deere tractor but Earl opted for his pick up to pull the float.

The decorating and decorated crew!

Last Friday this RV Park had their Christmas Parade.  I am pretty sure it was the first annual one.  Here's why.  It had been advertised for quite awhile and everyone in the park was invited to participate.

Our driver, Earl, gets decorated.

  We were to come and decorate the float, ourselves, our bikes, pets and anything else we wanted in the parade.  Those who couldn't walk the route were welcome to ride on the float.

Working on the float.

Bob and I went up and there were a handful of people taping garlands and such to the trailer.  One lady showed up with her bike.

Cool Bike decorations.

  We decided to decorate one of the golf carts the office ladies use to get around the park quickly.

Julie's golf cart gets decorated.

  Someone went down and got the flag off their RV and we were set to go.

The flag bearer.

  Still no pets and there were enough seats on the float for all of us to ride.  One of the men got a portable generator from somewhere and we even had Christmas music on the float!

Santa is ready to go.

Ready for the parade.

Our tech man, Tom.  That's our music and generator next to Santa.

We set out on the parade route, doing the parade wave and wishing a Merry Christmas to all.

Old Glory led the parade.

She brought up the end of our 3 vehicle parade!

  To our surprise, the route was lined with people in their lawn chairs with their pets in costume to cheer us on. 

Here is one of many dogs who watched the parade in their costumes.

 Many were taking pictures and one group even threw candy to us!  (that was our biggest mistake--we forgot to have candy with us!)  The candy they threw was even Ghiardelli chocolates!

I love these yard decorations!  They also threw us some candy!

  We wound our way through the park and ended up back at the office where the party was ready to begin.

Mr and Mrs Claus are ready for the party.

Party time!  Notice the hats.  I want Bob to have a cowboy one next year!  The lady's hat is like Pat's tree farm hat.

Everybody brought snacks, Santa and Mrs. Claus handed out presents and a good time was had by all.

Some more decorating pictures

Merry Christmas to All!