REMEMBERING SPRING AT THE NEW JERSEY SHORE

Since I am inactive this week after surgery on Tuesday, I decided to go through my NJ photos from this year and try to get my blog up to date before we head West for our last winter in Colorado.

Last May, our sailing champion friend, Newt Wattis took us for a ride in his motor boat to see the construction of the new Causeway Bridge from water level.  The project will take several years to complete, as a new roadway is being constructed alongside to the south of the present bridge.

 

The new section will include several lanes, including a bike path, with the inclusion of a walking path on the old section.  At the present time the old roadway is being demolished and traffic has been diverted to the new area.

A Laser Race at the Yacht Club took my attention later that week as the boats jockied for position
around the marker - and headed up the bay in a nice line.

Our daughter, since she has been living at the shore, has gathered quite a collection of beach glass,

So we headed to Barnegat Light, at the northern tip of the island a weekend in mid June to see what the tide might have brought in.

The tide was in and there was a lot of water inside the jetty along with some broken glass that had seen some time in the ocean

A white Heron was looking for treats among the seaweed and rocks.

While fishermen lines up on the rocks to try their luck in the ocean.

This group was more intent on fish tales, but I didn't see any evidence of their catch near by.

  We retreated over the dunes, and back to the car with a few treasures, after a nice walk.                         

The July 4th parade and games was the last event before our return to Colorado for the summer.

One of the main events is the tug-o-war -boys against Girls, and somehow the girls always win.

The pie eating contest always culminates the games and win or loose, is enjoyed by all.

THE SUMMER COMES TO AN END

Our summer in Colorado is coming to an end, and I am looking back to the new people and creatures that came into our lives these past few months..

This little rabbit was spotted one day and immediately adopted by our son, Scott. It gave me a new subject for my camera.

It always seemed to be there when we got up in the mornings, waiting in anticipation (we hoped).

Scott began shaving carrots for him as a treat, and he gobbled them down with relish.

One morning our neighbor, Bob was walking his lamas down our street and stopped to visit.

Scott got an introduction to Betsy and Oreo, and it is not hard to guess which was which.

In the bird life in our yard, the Orioles had passed on, replaced by these birds which we identified
(hopefully correctly) as female and young Yellow-headed Blackbirds.  If anyone who sees this

picture has a different idea, I would be glad to hear it.  Of course the hummingbirds continued to empty the feeders of sugar water - no bears here to worry about (I hope).

From our bedroom window above the ground was usually covered with our feathered friends.

NEW RAFT AND NEW RAFTING

When the old raft sprung a leak and the company agreed to a return and refund, a new raft recame a possibility.

I drove the raft and its captain up to the launching point for the Gunnison River.  With time on my hands before picking him up at the end, I decided to spend some time trying to photograph some of the residents of the local Prairie Dog colony.

One of the colonies is very near the shopping center and this resident made it his job to alert everyone

that an intruder was near.

This little guy decided to peak out to see what or who was causing all of the commotion.
 

But this well fed adult seemed not concerned, only interested.

The next day, having had a successful maiden voyage under his belt, Scott found a way to enter Tomichi Creek which flows by the end of our street on its way to the Lower Gunnison River.  He assured us it was a beautiful , easy ride and took his father the next day and me the following.

 

Of course where I go, usually goes my camera, and the captain is a good  spotter of wildlife.  He saw a little animal atop a rock, that I could barely see.  So I pointed my camera where he said and snapped.

                                            Sure enough there sat a very contented Marmot.

The ride was peaceful and beautiful as described, with a few nice homes occasionally appearing on the shores.

There was a definite transition as we passed into the faster flowing Gunnison River.

I have to admit there was some confusion in finding the  planned landing place, but the captain finally found the location he wanted, and when the old passinger finally reached dry land, I snapped the shot below of where we had been.

FIRST LIGHT TO LAST LIGHT

Every morning the view out our bedroom window is a new experience.  Though we don't have the high mountains that we did from our window in Mt Crested Butte, it is still always a treat.

One morning a week or so ago you would have thought we were at sea with just the tops of houses across the field jutting above the waves of fog.

But always the geese fly over our house, sometimes is small separate flocks, sometimes in a huge one, as they travel from the golf course behind us to the fields outside our window.

Often they fly off into the rising sun in one long line.

And seem headed for the base of the mountain.

One day we looked out to see this tractor heading across the tall grass, and knew that the mowing had begun in the field.

Late in the day the white towers of Allied were silhouetted against the mountain shadows as the tractor worked in that part of the field.

Our day ended with this surprising view as a deer led her surprisingly young fawn across our back yard. We wondered if perhaps she had given birth in the tall grass of the field and needed to find a new home once the mowing began.

MOWING THE FIELD

As a city girl, who has spent a lot of her life by the ocean, the wonderful bales of hay in the fields have always fasinated me.  How were they made?  so neatly??  Finally I had a front row seat to the whole process, right out my back door.

First this tractor pulling a raker went by fluffing up the newly mowed grass.

It was followed closely by this strange looking  machine towed behind another tractor.

It all became clear as the tractor came to a stop and began to raise its rear cover.

Out came an "egg", a neatly rolled bale of hay.

The tractor pulled off to gather more grass to create another bale.

Before long the field was dotted with neatly rolled bales.

The next day the gathering began,  The tractor put it tongs inside the center of the bale,

Lifted it, and neatly placed it in a truck on top of other recently picked up bales.

Before long the field was cleared, ready for the coming winter.

PHOTOS ON THE FLY

I bet you wonder why these images have been on my blog for 2 weeks with no comments!!  That is what turning 80 does - gives you an excuse for laziness and forgetfullness.  Anyway these are some shots taken "On the Fly" from our car travelling usually at 60 MPH on the way to Aspen.  It was the end of July, and as we left Crested Butte rain was predicted.

But heading over Kebler Pass some blue sky was still showing.  However, clouds hung low over Marcellina Mountain forboding indication of what miht lay ahead.

The Aspen trees are lovely in rain or shine, as they were that day above the lush green of the undergrowth,   A very wet summer in Colorado had some advantages.

Going over McClure Pass the Ragged Mountain in the distance were shrouded in clouds,

Coming down out of the highlands near Paonia, we passed a lovely lake.

And encountered 2 young bucks out for a stroll.

Paonia Resevoir was full to the brim as was Blue Mesa near us.  Despite the cloudy weather, people were there enjoying their boats and fishing.

Coming into Glenwood Springs the sky cleared enough to show off the red rock cliffs inall their splender.

Heading East again along the Colorado River outside of Glenwood Springs, the rafters were there in

great numbers.

I always marvel at the engineering of the roads through the Glenwood Canyon.  One way follows the Colorado River at ground level. while the other is high above weaving through tunnels curved through the canyon walls.

Returning at the end of the week we were treated with sunshine and blur skies.  The ancient sand dunes stood out against the mountains.

The tunnels were well lit and that time of day not crowded so it was pleasant driving.

The River was a nice blue reflecting the sky, and this shot shows the railroad tracks on the south side  and the 2 level road on the north.

Before traversing the pass on the way home, we took a brief detour to the town of Marble.  Located on the Crystal River it is known for it's mable deposit which were used for the Lincoln Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Washington, and Municipal buildings in New York and other major cities.  We stopped at a shop with many beautiful marbel carving in the yard, this one of 3 horses being only one.

This lovely lake outside of town reflected some of the surrounding mountains.

The blue sky persisted the whole trip home and I couldn't resist a photo of some of the mountains nearer home.  A wonder trip all in all.