Fall on the Mesa

Callie, Dana and I went up to the Mesa to check out the fall colors since color Sunday was last week. We weren't terribly impressed, but think it is a little early yet. We traveled Land's End Road instead of I-70 just for a change of scenery. I got some pretty good pictures, I think.

If you look at the front of the picture there is a chipmunk trying to get me to give him/her a peanut.

Looking back down Land's End Road. The road is dirt and loaded with switchbacks.

Some colors are starting to change, but it is still a little early.










In the distance is Grand Junction. Pretty cool.

Callie's Ears

Mom and I hiked up at Mica Mine yesterday. Mom got some good photos of the area and Callie's ears.

Callie and Nicholas

Nicholas has been with us for a few months now. Grandma has quit asking about him, so we're guessing she has forgotten him. More and more it is only things burned into her long term memory that she wants to talk about. She has become comfortable at Manty Heights. Mom bought her a comfortable chair, and the roommate she complained about unendingly she has made peace with and become somewhat protective of because Maybel is completely incapacitated by her Dementia. Everyone here has adjusted well. I was frustrated because the first few days with Nicholas were incredibly hard. He was so used to being the only pet and having complete run of the house. But that was only the first few days. Since then he has been a joy. He has shown affection to me, tolerates Callie and he and Abbie have claimed their respective corners and rarely tangle anymore.

Nicholas has taken over Callie's kennel. She rarely uses it anymore and he finds it a great private place to nap. Callie is content with the middle of the floor and a chewy to bide her time.

Ouray

I just got back from a day in Ouray. I feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful area of the country and that it's only two hours away to pure serenity. I've been on vacation this week and haven't done much other than hike around here because I'm working on a writing project that has to be submitted December 1st. It has gone well and so I took today to go up and soak myself in the hot springs and wander around one of my favorite towns. They call Ouray the Swiss Alps of the United States. It is easy to see why. Ouray is simply spectacular. Leaving Grand Junction, the San Juans are impressive from a distance. As I got closer to Ouray and the middle of the San Juans they became even more awe inspiring. Pretty soon those amazing mountains were wrapping themselves around me inviting me in. I love climbing to a higher altitude. There is something about thinner air that just relaxes me. I went directly to the pool and floated for about an hour looking all around me at the high mountain peaks. When I was done decompressing in the pools I wandered around town for a while. Went to the Backstreet Bagel company and had a bagel sandwich, the bookstore (of course) and a coffee shop for a warm drink. It was overcast and chilly there today and it rained while I was in the pools. Perfect weather to be in a hot spring frame of mind. I've been pretty content with this vacation. I've gotten done what I want to get done and had some time to get out of town. Tomorrow I'm off to Cedaredge to play golf with Mom and Dad. Then I have three more days to unwind before I hit the grind again. It has been so necessary and so worth it. I'll be glad to get back to work feeling rested and ready to go again for the fall.

California Wildfires

Callie and I went up to Bang's Canyon per usual. There is a short hike I like to take when I'm overtired and haven't slept much, which was the case this morning. As we hiked up the hill to the first meadow on this terrific trail I saw two hummingbirds flying around. They looked like they were thinking of making a nest together and lay some hummingbird eggs...how sweet. We came around the first bend where the trail heads back down and we can usually have a spectacular view of the entire valley from the Mesa, Mt. Garfield, the Bookcliffs...all the way to Utah. I love looking down at the valley from that vantage point and I feel so lucky I live in such a beautiful place. Today the sky was filled with smoke so thick that I couldn't see the Bookcliffs or the Utah border. Mt. Garfield and the Mesa were masked by a thin haze and I could see the smoke settling down over the city. I hope those in California suffering through this disaster see some relief very soon, and I'm sorry we've already lost two firefighters.

I wonder if she'll be open to a second date

FERNDALE, Michigan - A first date went from bad to worse when a man skipped out on the restaurant bill, then stole his date's car, police said.

Police say 23-year-old Terrance Dejuan McCoy had dinner with a woman April 24 at Buffalo Wild Wings in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale. The woman said the two met a week earlier at a Detroit casino and she knew McCoy only as "Chris."

And I thought I had met some really lousy men!

British Pigs