Christmas Season

This Christmas season I’ve enjoyed about 10 pounds of memories. It all started at the beginning of December when my cousin sent a bag of soft peppermints. They are chewy, red and green, and only available at Christmas.

After trying them at my aunt’s house years ago I was hooked. Since I liked the candy so much Aunt Loyce started buying me a bag a year to take home, and later two bags.

The first holiday party we attended I cooked Sweet and Sour tidbits from Aunt Loyce’s cookbook. This is a mixture of sausage balls, little sausage links, maraschino cherries, and pineapple cooked in syrup. It’s a dish that smells delicious from the time you start browning the meat, and continues to fill the house will aroma from the warming dish.

Plain, fast cheesecake made from cream cheese was something mom would whip up to snack on while listening to Christmas carols. I baked a batch and filled all five CD holders with music. Singing, decorating the tree and remembering the stories behind each ornament I get the same lump in the throat feeling I get watching the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life.

Looking at the tree I see a glass ornament Mauri painted for Tad, porcelain Santa heads Katherine painted with detail, a real wool lamb from Tad’s grandmother, pictures of the kids surrounded by popsicle sticks, and a hollowed out eggs my grandmother made 50 years ago. With the ornaments the faces of family smile from the tree.

Around the house nutcrackers stand guard over their tiny domains; the boys painted two of them three years ago. Other items: ceramic gingerbread houses covered in dollops of snow, and huge tree toppers that our delicate tree can’t hold pepper the tables and shelves.

Pumpkin pie is the one dessert I remember dad enjoyed. Normally he didn’t care for anything sweet, except for a small bowl of vanilla ice cream once every four or five months. We eat ours with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon. And some how a piece of pie just doesn’t work with pumpkin pie. It has to be two pieces.

We got a gift from friends in Texas, cookies baked with real butter. Each bite melts in your mouth. The problem is with several cookie choices, “Which one do you start with?” is easily answered by “How about these three?”

Like the song, Twelve Days of Christmas, eating also increases as the days pass. After dinner our family usually doesn’t snack, but during the break from school we make an exception almost nightly. And if we’re not eating we’re consuming a meal in a glass—eggnog, hot chocolate with whipped cream, or chocolate milk shakes with chocolate chip and extra chocolate syrup.

I’m still enjoying lots of memories but our refrigerator is back to its pre-season capacity. Just in time so I don’t have to think up a New Year’s resolution involving sweating. This week we’ll get extra exercise while having lots of fun skiing. And I’ll make a trip to the grocery store to buy produce for our new juicer. Got to stay healthy for more memories!

Journey Cake

Here's a cake recipe you can take on your next covered wagon trip since the ingredients won't go bad:

1. Mix together 1 1/2 c sugar, 3/4 c butter, 1 3/4 c apple cider, 4 1/2 c flour and 1 tsp each of baking soda, cinnamon cloves.
2. Adjust apple cider as needed for consistency.
3. Bake at 350 until brown, about 50 mins in a 9x13" pan.
4. For sauce you can cream 1/2 c butter and 1 c brown sugar, add a little nutmeg; then spread on cake.

This cake smells wonderful cooking, and tastes great too!

This was our take away from yesterday's school field trip to Hiwan Homestead Museum. We saw pics on pioneers walking beside covered wagons coming from St Louis to Colorado. The kids walked beside the wagon and didn't have shoes on so they would have them we they arrived. The wagons were small and held all the belonging a family could take. They were leaving a populated area to come to a wilderness where supplies would not be available except from the occasional vendor that passed through selling his wares, or during the once a year trip to a trading post for supplies.

I have a hard time making it a week without heading to the store; the thought of being used to having supplies and suddenly having to "make do" gave me plenty to think about. Seeing kids walking all day, collecting buffalo chips for fires, and helping with chores I checked the faces of the kids in our group, they couldn't imagine what it would have been like. I wondered how many adults that signed up for the journey back then did either-- until they were on their way.

Cutting our Christmas tree

The Forest Service sells tree-cutting permits for November 26th through December 12th in the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area, which is in the South Platte River Corridor, south of the town of Buffalo Creek. We bought our permit for the first day, the day after Thanksgiving, so we could have a picture with Smokey the Bear.


The day is beautiful with clear skies, lots of sun, and very light wind. Our neighbor, Mr. Jim, goes with us and tells us about the area. Driving south on Hwy 126 out of Buffalo Creek craggy peaks of burnt sienna rise above the tops of evergreen trees. The contrast of reddish brown Long Scraggy Peak and Little Scraggy against the carpet of dark green is beautiful. Then I see faces of hills bare except for large black toothpicks that look like heavy 5 o’clock stubble. The contrast of mountains covered in trees and mountains with only soil and burned trees is ugly.

The Buffalo Creek Burn of 1996 scorched almost 12,000 acres with high intensity heat. Two months later a 2.5-inch rain caused a flood when the damaged soil wasn’t able to absorb the moisture.

A few houses jut from the ground with a sparse sprinkling of trees left standing around their perimeter. Perhaps the owners wet down their property as the fire arrived. Perhaps the wind spared some areas at random.

Now, over fifteen years after the fire the wounds are still clearly visible. Most people living in this area had fire insurance, but not flood insurance so for many there was no way to recover their loss. House foundations dot the landscape.

We stop briefly at a park near our destination to pick up information so we can come back in the spring. We see mountain streams that trout fishermen visit. Leaving the park a large private ranch fills the valley and Mr. Jim says he believes that would be the perfect place to fish.

When we arrive at the park to find a tree our focus shifts. Cars line the sides of the road and people are out of their cars looking for trees, carrying trees, and setting up picnic tables and lawn chairs. I thought Black Friday would be slow as shoppers went into Denver, but people are here in mass, and don’t appear to be going anywhere soon.

A ranger asks if we’ve been before. We tell him this is our first time here, and first time to cut down a tree. His advice is to continue down the road 2 ½ to 3 miles until the traffic thins. Two miles down a pitted dirt road is a long way, everyone was well shaken when the line of parked cars ended.

Getting out of the car we figured 15 minutes and we’d have a tree bagged. An hour later we were still crisscrossing the hills looking. We’d find a tree that was ¾ great, the problem was that ¼ that would be a big gap. And if we found a tree that we thought might be it, we’d lose sight of it as we walked and called out to each other to get another opinion.

We finally decided to walk together .Two other families were looking in the same area. They pointed out directions they’d checked without luck. We decided to look for a taller tree that was well shaped, and we’d cut off the bottom. When we had it to two trees we walked between them 5 or 6 times then took made our choice. Tad, Mr. Jim, Grant and Justin all helped to hold and saw down the tree. Then we split up to carry the tree, the tree remains, and the equipment.

Getting the tree on the roof of the car was another adventure. The tree wasn’t heavy, but it needed to be wrapped in a tarp so it wouldn’t lose all of its branches, then it needed to be tied down so it wouldn’t fly off the car.


Riding home we saw a restaurant with a parking lot full of car, each with a Christmas tree tied to the top. Inside we waited patiently, first for our table and then for our food. By the time food arrived when each had a couple of glasses of water and sniffed as much aroma as possible from neighboring tables.

Getting home and untying the tree was like opening a package. We were surprised all over at how even it was—and to our surprise how tall. Tad cut off several feet and stripped the branches. I tied the branches into a circle and made my homemade wreath for the door. For our $10 permit we got an 8+ foot tree, a wreath, a day outside, and memories we can revisit whenever we want.

I'm hooked on watercolor!

Today I went to a watercolor class and painted greeting cards with 9 other students. The teacher started by showing us step-by-step how to paint a mountain scene. Once our confidence was up she had us take a break, browse the gallery and eat pumpkin bread before we started a project of our choosing.

Among the card examples the teacher brought I found a painting done from the back-side of a flower. I loved the detail, the idea of mixing color, and the chance to work with dark and light values of red. During the class I talked with other students and enjoyed having adult conversations. Volunteering at the boy's school I've met several moms that are now friends, but since schedules don't allow us to get together often finding a group with common interests was a gift. I felt a lot of enthusiasm for my new hobby. I believe when 2 or more gather energy is generated and fills those present.

The holidays are coming and while we have time off from school, work, and daily schedules I will be feeding my soul painting and thinking about the new class starting in January.

Drilling

When I met my new dentist I couple of months ago he told me I needed two crowns replaced. Today I’m back for the moulds and lots of drilling.

The dentist’s assistant has the self-satisfied smile and round face of a tabby cat. She squeezes her eyes slightly as she listens to me and gives a barely visible nod.

My dentist is soft spoken with an air of confidence. His build is slight, but turning my head the lock he has on my jaw is powerful. Even with nova cane I feel a little discomfort, and as the discomfort increases I begin to dislike my dentist and his assistant.

Cutting off the old crowns water splatters out of my mouth, across my face, and down my chest. Making impressions for the new crowns little pieces of the putty flake off, move around my mouth and into my throat. Between the water and debris I feel as if I’m drowning. My mind moves on to what it would be like to drown. My throat tightens and quickly I decide this is not something to contemplate.

I change my focus to the windows and the snow coming over the mountains. Out the window in front of me the sky is gray and clouds move and dissolve as I watch. Out the window to my right the sky is bright blue and the clouds puffy white. I wonder if the storm will fight its way over the mountains, or will it be blown away from us.

As my one and a half hour appointment ends I think of the milk shake I will buy. I’m still not feeling chummy with my captures, but thank goodness the decision of chocolate or vanilla is taking over.

Daughter

Twenty-four years ago today I held Mauri for the first time. I’d been carrying a small photo the adoption agency had sent us a month before, so I knew what she looked like. Seeing her and holding her for the first time is a forever memory.

Looking at the photos of our first week together I feel the thrill of that first hug.

Lots of elk

Outside over 10 elk populate our yard. Some sit on the ground watching down the hill. Others mill around looking for things to chew and seeing what we've been doing outside. They look at the new zip line, touch it with their nose, then go back to chewing things on the ground. We just had our house stained so they are very curious about the new scents.




Last week the painter accidently got stain on one of our garter snakes as it was sunning. He picked it up by the tail wiping it down with a towel. The snake surprised him by hissing and spitting. This week the same snake followed him around the house and sprang at him when he gave down his ladder. Our painter is now having nightmares and I'm rethinking my spring photo sessions with the snakes.

Is winter coming?

The local ski area we like, Loveland, is open. This weekend if we find equipment at the ski expo we’ll be ready to go.


So far we’ve had snow one day, October 12th, but is was warm and melted as quickly as it covered the trees and grass.



Driving home from Denver you see the Continental Divide covered in white when topping the hill where the buffalo herd live in Genessee. The contrast of snow, periwinkle blue skis, mountains and pines is a ah hah moment. No matter how many times I see the Divide each time awe is the word.

During the day the temperatures are around 60 degrees. With the sun if feels much warmer. At night it drops to freezing and mornings are crisp.

Wonder how many cords of wood we’ll use this winter? We put fans in the floor vents by the wood stove so the basement is no longer a freezer. Ceiling fans and and fans in the halls move the air around keeping the bedrooms warm. I noticed the sound of the fans is light and familiar to the central air we had in Texas. Strange the things I get nostalgic about.

Fall countdown

Locals tell us this fall is unusual. The weather is warm, with a few days of cool; typically just a few hours of cool.

Fall in the mountains is beautiful. The sky is the bright periwinkle color Colorado is known for, and the contrast against the dark green pines and turning aspens demands my attention.

Since Halloween was on Sunday this year the boys got to celebrate for three days. At school Friday the party had a parade with many parents in costumes. Costumes here are often elaborate, or perhaps homemade with a lot of imagination. For instance, one boy in Grant’s class wore an oversized coat with his head sticking out below the top button--- and his head was decorated with blood paint and inside a large pickle jar. He really looked like he was carrying his own head.

Friday night the community had “trunk or treat” at a school and about 40 cars were decked out with fog, talking candy dishes, and all the stuff a haunted house would have.

Sunday night Grant went with a friend to a neighborhood that closes itself off and celebrates by giving out full size candy bars and little toys while watching the kids. We joined a few of Justin soccer buddies for potluck dinner and then a trailer ride around the neighborhood to collect candy. When everyone returned we watched part of Charlie Brown’s the Great Pumpkin as the kids counted their candy for a homework assignment.

Fall's coming

October was a month of fall. On the 2nd I stood outside looking at a beautiful Ponderosa pine and sniffing the heavy vanilla scent of the bark.


The aspen trees in the valley behind our house reflect the light leaving their leaves electric yellow. The contrast of the brilliant aspen against the dark pines that absorb all the light is beautiful.

On the 9th the wood stove project was complete. It had started in April as a simple removal of our small fireplace to accommodate a freestanding stove. When the wall was opened black widow spiders, carpenter ants, and a hornets’ nest were found. Next fire damage from years ago and water damage in progress. What had started out as a one-day project sounded looked like it could be new roof, sub floor, and thousands of dollars.

The gods were smiling, the water damage was just to the area we were removing, the fire damage looked horrible but was structurally sound, the exterminator got rid of the ants and spiders--- and was happy to take the hornets nest.

We found someone who had just enough time to frame in the new wall when the
chimney guy found the opening was 10” short of the clearance needed for a stove. Tad met a builder looking for more work with the economy slump and we were off again.


When it was all done we had ½” extra clearance--- yah! For ½ inch! The brick facing looked like real brick, and the walls were a rich burgundy. We are looking good!

Watercoloring

Signing up for a watercolor class was easy. Getting the message from the teacher we’d paint outdoors was both exciting and scary. I’ve done less than 10 painting in my life, and in the past 5 years only coloring book images. Out in the open sounded way more visible than I’d anticipated.

With just six in the class we carpooled up Mount Evans to Echo Lake, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_Lake_Park arriving at 10am the air was chilly and there was a breeze. Hiking around the perimeter of the lake looking for a protected spot the breeze grew stronger.

After setting up the wind changed directions and drawing and holding our paper down at the same time was a problem. A fisherman at the next the next turn in offers his spot with wonderful bushes breaking the wind.

Janet is a wonderful teacher because she breaks everything down into little steps and gives advice with liberal does of praise. We spend the morning drawing. The first sketches to catch the essence of the scene are just a bunch of squiggled lines. Then we draw the scene again concentrating on light and dark values. Finally we draw a contour of the scene on our watercolor paper.

Now the sun is high and the wind calm. I try to figure out how to paint in 10,000+ feet altitude where the pain dries as quickly as I apply it in the bright sun. The teacher comes over and drowns the color blocks I have. Wow, would never have guessed I could use so much water. I’ve been dry coloring instead of water coloring and didn’t know it.

Families walk the lake and stop to watch and talk. A couple’s young kids ask to look up close. They ooo and aaahh at each with big eyes.

At the end of class I take a deep breath as my turn arrives to share my work. I have a lot to learn, but that’s okay. I had fun and want to do more. For now I’ll just label my work so everyone knows what it is.

Bear

Last week we decided to look for a puppy. Both boys wrote in their journals at the end of school they wanted one during the summer so they could spend a lot of time with it. This week Tad and I are asking ourselves, “Why are we looking for a dog?” But of course that hasn’t stopped us.

At first our search was the local shelters. Unfortunately there were no puppies and the younger dogs they had didn’t like cats. We looked for a Labradoodle, but there were none available locally, and the ones from breeders started at $1,000+. Next we thought about the Siberian Husky Justin had seen and wanted. Researching on the Internet and asking all our friends changed our minds. The idea of a big hyper dog with dog hair falling off in buckets didn’t sound appealing.

We decided not to try a new breed. If Labs are the best dogs in the world, why should we?

Our 12 year old chocolate lab is hard to see at night in the backyard so we didn’t decided to go light—the lighter the better.

The woman we called in nearby Morrison was happy to hear from us The puppies had just turned 6 weeks old and she was ready for them to have new homes’ with a houseful of puppies and two toddlers she was r-e-a-l happy to hear from us.

We didn’t tell the boys when we finally located a dog so when we loaded them in the car they had no idea where we were going. The only female not spoken for in the litter was not perky as the woman had told us, but extremely active. The largest, lightest, most laid-back dog is what we left with. We decided almost immediately to call him Bear—he looked like a fuzzy honey colored bear.

The vet told us Bear was 100% healthy and the cutest dog she’d ever seen. As the proud owner of a new puppy we believed her completely.

For Grant’ birthday we surprise the boys by driving up to Elitch Gardens and telling them we had season passes.

Elitch is an amusement park on the outskirts of downtown Denver that was originally independently owned, then owned by Six Flags, and now independent again. The park is small with visual similarities to Six Flags. The teenagers that work here are cheerful and talkative to everyone.

We spend the day on rides until the boys get dizzy enough to stop for a while and have food. We sit eating pizza and corn dogs under a canopy next to a roller coaster that sling shots riders forward and then backwards high in the air. This is the first official “thrill” ride Grant has become hooked on. I can see him becoming a roller coaster connoisseur, trying different types of coasters. Good thing Elitch has a good selection.

When end the day in the water park. The huge wave pool is fun and the water feels wonderful after slow cooking on the asphalt sidewalks. The lazy river turns out to be worth the wait and gives us a chance to see the slides and other water rides we will come back to check out.

Snow in June

Midway through June we're enjoying the snow falling in Breckenridge. Peak 7 and 8 are between 13,000 and 14,000 feet. The tops are still white and with a light snowfall covering the ground the illusion of winter continues until the sun comes out.

On our third day the sun fully replaces the snow and sleet. A bright blue sky with few clouds frame the peaks. We hike Peaks trail through the woods. There aren't many flowers yet, but lots of green. The mosses are electric green, full of water and soft to the touch.

The city has helped nature by building bridges over streams, adding drainage pipes to keep trails dry, and mounding dirt for speed bumps so mountain bikers won't go too fast downhill and spin out.

We see a young squirrel with lots of gray and black fur. Only a few birds are visible, but we can hear some in the tops of the pines.

We tour a closed mine and get the feel for how horrible working all day underground would be. Donkeys were taken down to pull the loads and never saw the light of day again. Kids work full shifts right along with the men. And the men used sledge hammers to tunnel through the rock either individually or in pairs. The life expectancy of miners was short and the fate of the women that waited up top was to find another miner to marry.

Leaving nature we travel into Breckenridge. The stores fill every possible inch of real estate. Shops sell t-shirts, souvenirs, food, and real estate. Buildings are painted brightly and give the impression of Victorian architecture. I find a wonderful bead shop that I will visit again next time. And we close our last day with homemade chocolate candy.

June wanderings

June started with a day trip to Georgetown Lake. Sitting against nature erases the presence of passing traffic with running water and mountains all around.

The mountains behind the lake to the south are a collage of purples. An occasional boat floats past; otherwise the only people seen are the silent fishermen dotting the shore. The city stocks the lake regularly with trout so there will always be someone fishing. Not to mention the town is very small and there really is much to do.

In winter the east end of the frozen lake is roped off and bright orange clones lay out paths for car to race along. Grownups turn into kids as the race with Mother Nature on studded tires.

Across the highway big horn sheep graze on a rocky mountainside. They are hard to see climbing the mountain and blending in with the rocks without binoculars. Park and Recreation has built fort structures to climb, read about the animals and use telescopes for a close look.

West of the lake is the actual town. Victorian design is sprinkled through the city with other plainer brightly painted wooden houses. There are restaurants, ski rental shops, minimarts; everything for the tourist heading to the ski resort that forgot something or just want a snack.

The train at Georgetown is a big attraction advertised in flyers in hotels. The steam engine pulls out from a full size depot and heads past old closed silver and gold mines in the Clear Creek canyon.

After a day of discovering the area we take a country road that runs parallel to the highway to see the houses. They remind me of a crazy quilt with their variety, being built over many years and out of different financial situations.

Summer... already

The first of May we see wildlife return in large numbers. All winter our birdfeeder has brought sightings of deer, occasionally elk, and birds. Now they don’t seem to be just passing through, but hanging out.

We’ve had a red fox limping through our yard for several weeks. I started putting out extra birdseed since it couldn’t run.

On May 3rd our red fox appears with two pups in the boys’ rock fort. Justin had named the fox Jessica a couple of days ago and now we know the name fits. We watch the pups chase each other, attack plants and generally have fun. When they see elk they hide behind the rocks, but their heads pop in and out; they are unable to contain their curiosity. The elk sniff the air in what may be recognition, but they don’t seem to care one way or another.

Walking to the mailbox new flowers appear every few days. White, yellow, purple, blue and pink appear most often. Yellow ones contrast against the bright green lichen. Blue bells grow small and delicate at angles. And the pink wild roses hold on effortlessly to the slopes on our cul-de-sac.

Driving by Evergreen Lake the cormorants have returned, sitting on top of the spillway. Behind the spillway is a local bar that now has a full parking lot of motorcycles…. this is truly the sign spring has arrived. They come every weekend throughout the warm weather. Bikers ranging in age from 40 to 80 ride large Harleys. Some have long white beards.

Our world looks different within weeks. The bare dirt and rock left behind by the snow had bright green spots of lichen to start. Then the ground came alive with flowers emerging from the granite. Now animals and people have joined in the celebration.

Will spring continue?

The air is wet with rain and heavy with the scent of vanilla from the pine trees. For two days we've had rain and temperatures in the 40s and 50s.

Last year we had lots of wet snow that left behind an abundance of wildflowers. This spring has been the typical dry you'd expect in a high desert region, but if the snow continues for a few more days perhaps the flowers will have another good year.

Here flowers are beautiful; looking as if they grow out of the rocks, from behind downed logs, and coming up through course pine needles. Flowers surprise us with a palette against all the greens and browns; mingling with lichen.

Elk and deer eat the new green of shrubs and grass but they avoid many of the flowers that protect themselves by tasting bad, and sometimes being poison.

Walking the boys to the bus the Pasqueflower, named for the Paschal season, is the first flower I see. The outside of the plant is covered in long gray hairs that give it an alien quality until it opens each day to reveal a bright white interior and yellow center.


Prairie Bluebells appear next. Less than a foot tall they are delicate and often peeking out of the debris left under the pines by winter. The leaves are light blue/gray and the stems often lean drawing me down to their level for a better view.


This month white flowers with 5 petals and bright yellow centers appeared on small plants dotting our slopes. Bringing my attention to the serrated leaves their identity, Wild Strawberry, was now obvious.


In the shade of trees, Heart-leaf Arrica, a large bright yellow aster spread around and through branches and logs on horizontal rhizomes. Unlike the long slender leaves of many asters this variety have large heart shaped leaves. Indians used the palnt as a love charm and to heal cuts and bruises.

Hopefully the rain will be enough to keep the flowers around longer. And when summer replaces spring a drive to 13,000 feet plus on Mount Evans is in order. There spring flowers can still be in view in July.

Enjoying spring

Our house sets within a rectangle of level ground from the front yard through the backyard to the shed. Above the house are rock outcroppings and a slope up to Mr. Jim’s house. Below the house a slope leads down to a dirt road and open meadow.

The backyard is high desert. Rocks poke out at angles in every direction. The boys built a rock fort in the rock outcroppings to the left of the deck. From their vantage point they can survey the entire yard. Or maybe their thoughts are more about how many more chutes we can clear for sledding when the snow returns.

Last year Tad and I cleaned out the freestanding shed that housed the previous owner’s 400-pound hog. We tore out paneling and insulation that chipmunks had filled with birdseed and assorted trash. Anyone standing outside the shed while we worked would have thought it was on fire as clouds of dust poured out the door and window.

In the winter powdery snow comes often, but leaves just as fast. At nearly 8000 feet the bright sun greedily eats all moisture. Then we’re left with the heavy brown tree trunks of the pine trees in more brown dirt and rock.

In April the snows are heavy and wet. Each time they melt you see another new green revealed. The lichen on the rocks by the shed is St Patrick’s Day green. They are swollen and soft with melted snow; visible surprises among patches of snow.

Some snowflakes are unbelievable like super-sized fast food meals. Seeing 10% of the flakes are giants among the regular flakes plays tricks with your eyes. You can’t focus, it’s like a 3-D movie.

This year at the end of April we go downtown to eat at Beau Jo’s Pizza before Mr. Jim leaves to spend his summer in Wisconsin. Snow from the latest snow covers the parking lot and grass leading to the creek. After pizza we walk next door, buy ice cream and eat it as we watch the snow begin again. Driving home the flakes were small and plentiful; our car cocooned in white.

Easter Snakes

This week when the snow melted small green flower shoots poked out of the ground and the snakes reappeared.

Walking out the front door a small deck leads into a driveway of gray gravel. In the gravel gray snakes sun against the house. Sometimes one will stretch out by itself or with another lying beside it. At other times several will make a pile that resembles large spaghetti. You have to look closely to see which end is the head. Once you’ve focused in on the eyes you can count heads. Then you see the red tongues with black tips flick in and out.

If they get scared several will race each other to make it back under the deck. As it gets warmer they will become lazy in the sun and won’t disappear.

I’ve been researching snakes and think these are Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes.

Snow Storm

I baked chocolate chips cookies, ironed the boys’ uniforms and checked them for inspection at the Scout Pack meeting. Then the snow started falling. The flakes were big and the wind whirled them into a white fog. In one hour the snow was a foot deep and it didn’t appear to be slowing down.

Instead of scouts Tad shovels the deck before dinner….and again after dinner.

How strange, one day the ground is 90% visible, the next day a foot of snow covers everything, and then the third day the ground reappears. The dry air and sun vaporizes the snow. The snow doesn’t melt; it just disappears.

Long-eared squirrel

We saw the Abert's squirrel for the first time since fall. It’s very possible he’s been here without us knowing it since he spends a lot of time high in the ponderosa pines eating their seeds and buds. No longer black, now his body is a smoky gray and his tail is interspersed with long white hairs.

This year the Abert has become use to us. He no longer runs off as he did last year, or like the brown squirrels still do when I go out on the deck. Continuing to be upset at the sight of our small white dog still hangs upside down on the bark of a tree and chatters.

Snow and Ice

The frozen Bridal Veil Falls with its large wooden waterwheel in Idaho Springs sits against the mountains on the south side of I-70 across from Idaho Springs. It’s a beautiful sight in the morning driving west to ski, and even prettier in the late afternoon with the sunset behind the waterfall. The mountain leans into the highway towering over the cars that pass beneath.

Another favorite part of the drive to ski is at Eisenhower Tunnel near Loveland Pass. The traffic in the afternoon is heavy and slow, but with the Continental Divide framing the tunnel the wait is easy and relaxing.

Elk

Opening the front door I see 10 elk rumps across the driveway. They appear in larger groups than the deer, and stay very focused on eating low vegetation. A few branch off to the backyard to see what birdseed they want. They are the only animals to visit our yard that are tall enough to reach the top of the birdfeeder stand. If I go on the deck they seem to enjoy eye contact. When we are ready to leave their gait is that of a very tall, lanky adolescent, not very graceful, but with purpose.

Soon they will be in nearby Elk Meadow with their young. Groups of over 100 will be published in the local paper. Driving into town splinter groups will walk along the sidewalks.

In a few months I will see the backend of the elk out my backdoor, as they stand in the flowerbed. I’ve found flowers they won’t eat, but that doesn’t stop them from gently pulling them up and sitting them in a pile for me to replant.

Red Fox

Our red fox appeared. Yah! Two weeks ago he was limping and I didn’t know how he’d make it with a hurt front paw. Today he is walking with only a slight limp. Enjoying the birdseed and nuts he looks like a long, lean dog. This is quite a difference from the fast moving blur with a bushy tail we only got a glimpse of last year.

We see lots of foxes of all colors. In the late 1800s through the mid 1900s foxes and mink were raised in this area. Today a strange mix of colors has evolved from the foxes breeding that were left when the fox farms closed.

Japanese Karate Testing

Grant is being tested for his Orange belt. Our Dojo will merge with the one in nearby Conifer to go through the forms and spar. After attending a tournament at the first of the month Grant knows he is ready. Testing will give him another chance to be in front of people.

Sensei Ingrid starts by warming the kids up with exercises moving across the floor, turning at the feet of watching parents. Sensei David takes notes during the testing, but the kids don’t seem to notice. After everyone has had their turn the kids regroup and bow showing respect for the Dojo, each other, and their teachers.

Japanese Karate Tournament

Grant began Japanese Karate classes early last year. Today is his first tournament in this form. In Texas he competed, but the Dojo held no more than 50 spectators. This competition is in a college gym at the School of Mines, with three rings, and long tables of judges. The bleachers are full of participants, family and friends.

Wado-Kai is the style of Japanese Karate Grant takes. I like the meaning of Wado-Kai: the way of peace, the way of the empty hands. The kids learn focus and control. They count, name forms and stances in Japanese.

Grant is the first one up to present his form, he moves around the ring in fluid lines. When it is his turn to spar he is matched against someone much shorter and I can see him hesitating. The kids finish quickly and adults begin to stretch and get ready. We didn’t realize how big the tournament would be. With stomachs rumbling loudly, and not enough snacks we call it a day.

We take a fat handout with rules and information on the judges’ signals for next time. Lets go eat and celebrate!

New Deer

A new group of adolescent deer showed up to feed. Then a mother and baby appeared. The baby held its tail high in contrast to the adult deer that held theirs hugged closely to their bodies.

By the time all arrived 7 deer, including two young bucks circle the backyard. I don’t understand the pecking order of the females, but it you are male you get to eat first. And if you are young the only one that will let you eat is your mom.

Later in the day I saw the mom and baby again. The baby followed her mom past the back of the house. The mom stepped forward lifting one foot at a time slowly as if pulling it out of quick sand. Then the leg hung in midair waiting for several seconds before it’s set down again. The baby was a mirror image.

The two walked slowly past the study windows rotating their ears side-to-side checking for unusual noises. Before they start down the hill to the meadow they gave us one glance over their shoulders.

Rainbow Ice

We woke to a light layer of icy snow. Yesterday muddy ruts circled our cul-de-sac. Today walking out to the school bus the sun turned those ruts into a rainbow of colors.


On the deck bird tracks in blown glass sparkled. I walk out to get a good look, it feels like I’m standing in a field of fairy dust and anything is possible. This is a wonderful way to start the day; with the Mother Nature’s diamond powder showing me that everything I thought was ordinary can be extraordinary.

Grant's Basketball Game

Grant had his second basketball game. He sure can get up high and capture rebounds.

The first half of the game the Mustangs are working together and playing hard. The score is close. The second half I think I can see their brains go into overload with all of the new things they are learning, not to mention they are getting tired from running up and down the court. The other team has two really good players that they use 99% of the time so our guys can’t score as much, but they sure play hard and stay positive.

Tad is the coach and seems in his element. Both coach and boys have mutual admiration for the enthusiasm each shows, and the parents are great—they want the kids to have fun and learn. Go Mustangs!

Justin's Alien

Justin built an alien out of Legos. Maybe he will get hooked like Grant building, and rebuilding.

Justin reads the Lego magazines sent home by his teacher, he asked me to send his picture to the “Cool Creations” page. A week after we send it off he receives a letter thanking for his photo, saying they several thousands of photos, and asking him to check future issues for the possible inclusion of his photo. Justin jumps as smiles as Tad reads him the letter. Now we need to get busy sending in more photos to up our odds.

Loveland

We found a place, Loveland, to ski that has good beginner lessons, easy slopes, and friendly people. It is just about an hour west, not far from Vail. It’s a place the locals go for the day.

Tad bought 3 lessons for each boy and me. After my first lesson I was so excited, I actually remember a few things about how to ski, and know I’ll be out there with the rest of the family. Now when I brush my teeth I’ll stand leaning forward to build up my leg muscles like instructor recommended.

Loveland has plenty of green and blue runs for every level of beginner. I can see the Eisenhower Tunnel from a couple of runs, and when I get a little better I’ll be ready to ski over the top of it.

On our favorite easy slope Rainbow Road curves through some trees. The snow is packed and each foot independently follows the slight hills on this narrow trail. It isn’t long, just long enough to let us feel we’re getting good.

Vail and Winter Park are close with ambience, luxury hotels, and plenty of ways to spend your money on and off the slopes. Loveland closes at 4:30 so you have to spend your money during the day skiing or snowboarding, eating good hot food, or visiting the small shop.

Justin is the snowboarder of the family. He can leave Grant and me in the dust heading down the mountain leaning on the back edge of his board while Grant and I do the pizza (keeping our toes together and our heels spread out in back to slow us down).

Driving home we guzzle water and talk about what we tried during the day.

Squirrel

One of our three brown squirrels was leisurely eating from the seeds I poured on a bench, while the other two climbed up trees and over the top of our shed when suddenly our four female mule deer appeared.

Now there wasn’t going to be enough seeds for all the wildlife that had appeared, and the squirrel knew that. The deer jockeyed for position at the bench. One would stand up slightly on her hind feet and paw with her front feet at the others until they left the area. After eating by herself one of the deer returned and was allowed to stay. The squirrel really became upset watching the food disappear into the two deer. He’d run to the bench and stretch up of grab a sunflower seed. He was only a foot from the deer, but watching the seeds that had been his only a few minutes ago was too much.

Maybe our Abert squirrel was here earlier today. He likes to sit in the middle of the stand right off the deck and pick through the assortment of seeds and nuts. Last winter he would run off if he saw us watching him from the window, but this winter he seems to be at ease with our routine, and willing to let us watch him play in the trees. He jumps much farther and faster than the brown squirrels; he appears to be flying with the turfs of black fur on his ears, and the long soft fur on his body flowing in the wind.

This afternoon we may see our two red foxes or three rabbits. The term ‘still of winter’ doesn’t come to mind watching all the wildlife travel the snowy slopes of our yard.

Happy New year

Last night we visited friends. Looking at the bar I saw guacamole, chips, cheesecake, sopapilla cheesecake, 3-layer dip, pizza, red wine, and beer. The bond of rich food and holidays seems universal at the places I’ve been.

The 7 kids playing new Wii games had a great time. First they followed along dancing with the figure on the screen. Levels of coordination varied, but enthusiasm was high for all. Later the boys took over the controllers and raced each other along with Mario.

Two teenage girls alternately mingled and disappeared throughout the night. They talked about body piercing and boys.

Three dogs roamed the house watching for snacks and as many rubs as they could accumulate.

Grown-ups talked about skiing, soccer, places to vacation, local weather, anything that floated through our lightly alcohol greased minds.

As midnight neared Justin took off with a friend to watch a movie in his room. And get ready for his sleep-over.
Grant saw the ball fall in New York for the first time as we welcomed in 2010. Watching was fun; being warm and cuddly with people we care about—seeing people in New York dancing in the cold and rain, keeping warm with an adrenaline rush.

Happy New Years to all, we love you.