Wild West Days

  We’ve been taking a break from the blazing Arizona heat the past few weeks. It’s been a real treat. Cool days with plenty of sunshine. We’re at about 8700 feet so the weather is totally different. I’m loving it, and Tikaan is ecstatic. Here he is enjoying the Yampa River  

   We’re not traveling in a Conestoga, thank goodness. Picturesque though they are, I like my comfy motor home much better.  But if you want to try out a Conestoga, check out Sun Outdoors in Granby, Colorado. They rent out the ones shown above. They’ve been modified with A/C, heat, and a door that locks. Bet the pioneers wished they had had those mods!

     My Etsy shop is on vacation, too, until next week. It should be open on August 24. While I’ve been gone I’ve been needle felting pumpkins and acorns. I hope to have some in the shop soon. 

      Until the, Happy Trails to you!

  

Wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park

Wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park

    Last week we went to Estes Park, Colorado, where the Rocky Mountain National Park is located.  It's not a huge park, but a beautiful one.  A third of the park is above 11,000 feet.   

     

     We went up to the alpine visitor center a couple of times. It was nice and cool.  No wonder the elk like to hang out there in the summer.  We saw lots of elk and a family of marmots.  

One of the smaller herds of elk enjoying the sun.

An elk cooling off in one of the many snow patches in the high country.

The mountain weather was a nice treat and break from the heat of Arizona.  I hated to leave.

  

Happy Mother's Day

Moose Watching

      When we were in Colorado this summer, there was a pond near the road that the local moose loved to visit in the afternoon. 

     Ten or twelve of us photographed her from the road, but she didn't seem to mind.  There was a barbed wire fence between us so perhaps she knew none of us would cross the fence to bother her.

    One of people spotted her calf in some tall weeds on the other side of the pond.  He or she was very well hidden.

    My edited close-up is a bit blurry.

  A day or so later she was back in the pond.  Or at least a moose was in the same pond. I'm not sure if its the same moose. She also had a calf. This one looks older and bigger to me, but I'm no moose expert. 

     Moose are such amazing animals.  Huge, too.  I saw my first one in Maine in a state park pond.  In Alaska I saw a momma moose and her calf very close to the Visitor's Center in Denali.  Lots of people around, but at least no wolves to snatch her calf. So she was a smart moose.

     I've made some moose inspired jewelry, too.  

If you like moose jewelry, too, check out my Etsy shop to see what's currently available.

An Escape to Nederland

     

    With temperatures soaring past 110°F here, it was time to escape the desert.  We took off for Nederland, Colorado, a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains.  Nederland is west of Boulder at an altitude that’s a cool 8200 ft.  We chose it because I had arranged to do a workshop with my favorite bead artist, Heidi Kummli, who lives nearby.   It was a magical week that included beading, hiking, wildlife viewing and happy hours.   

      Boulder Creek was right behind our Lodge. An easy walking trail is next to it so you can hear the relaxing sound of the mountain stream.    

       The town is small and picture perfect.   This covered bridge leads to Crosscut Pizzeria & Tap House, which makes the best wood fired pizza I've ever eaten.  A huge selection of craft beers are available, too.  We shared the patio with the other pizza lovers and their dogs.  Nederland is a very dog-friendly town.  

                    

     We hiked a lot.  The mountain are spectacular.   The lakes, when we could reach them, were beautiful. 

   The highlight of the wildlife was a moose and her calf that we saw a couple of times.  She was very accommodating by standing in a pond that was right beside the road.  My knees appreciated her thoughtfulness!

    

  One day we drove the scenic Peak to Peak highway to Estes Park.

          We returned to Lily Lake, where we had hiked a few years ago.  We walked around the lake and saw ducklings, ground squirrels, and a muskrat. On our first visit we had seen a beaver lodge. Unfortunately they died a year or so after our visit. However, a ranger at the Lake said that a young beaver has been spotted a few times recently.  Maybe the next time we go back we'll see beavers.  

      The day I spent beading with Heidi was wonderful.  She helped me lay out a pattern and place my first 3 cabochons. This is my most ambitious project so far so it will take a while to complete.  More to come on this subject.

       In the meantime, we soaked up the mountain air and tried to pack it in our suitcases.  Too soon we had to return to the heat of the valley.  But we loved Nederland and plan to return soon.