SUMMER '14 IN COLORADO

It has been a "LONG TIME NO SEE".  I can't believe it has been more than 5 months since I have added to my blog.  During that time we ended our winter in Crested Butte, skied the last 3 days (or part of them) with sons Keith and Scott - a great treat!  We returned to LBI, New Jersey and got our home there ready for the summer; screens on, summer furniture out, flowers planted, etc.etc, and most important of all, sold Chuck's beloved boat, "Snowgoose".  I know it was bitter-sweet - but life is full of changes, and it was time. After 2 1/2 months by the ocean, with lots of rain, renewing old friendships, time on the beach and on the bay, and a couple of short swims in the ocean we returned to our Colorado home, which by the way, is for sale.  So that is where I begin my blog again.

                   Arriving in Crested Butte, the surrounding mountains still retained a lot of snow,          
                                         indicative of the cold, snowy past winter.

Our home didn't look too bad from the outside despite the knowledge we had a week of yard work ahead of us.  That included topping some of our favorite pine trees that a pair of hungry 

porcupines had taken a liking to in late winter.  We hope they make it through next winter.

Going into town the next morning the fog hung low around the mountains, anchoring them to the ground.

                                                                                                   

But the view from our house of the peak of Crested Butte was clear.

The Taylor River is a wonderful place for rafting and kayaking.

And we enjoyed following the progress down river.

  At Home the wild flowers were beginning to "Pop Out" and
Red Lady
Bowl showed her colors.

         One of the beauties of living where we do, across from the horse corral is the  

                        joy of watching these wonderful animals from our kitchen windows.                             

FEBRUARY IN THE COLORADO ROCKIES

February in Crested Butte brought a lot of snow.  With the snowmobile racing at the bottom of Snodgrass over temporarily, the foxes began to appear.

This one and a very small, young one come over to investigate and play.

We made another trip over the pass to the west to Montrose to have our new car's 1st check-up.  It was a cloudy, dark day as we left home, vut the sun lit up some of the surrounding peaks.

Blue Mesa had a good coating of snow covering the ice, and we were pleassed to see the water/ice level much higher than last summer.

On our return trip the snow had been blown into interesting patterns on top of the ice, and blue sky was prevailing.

But soon the snow came down in earnest - a recorded 7 feet with 2 weeks, and our decks and railing began to disappear beneath the white fluff.  Chuck had to do double duty to keep our driveway clear enough so that we could get the car and truck out.

Looking out my kitchen window the porch had virtually disappeared beneath the snow.

And from our bedroom the view had changed completely from what it had been several weeks before.

Last weekend we decided to make the trip over Monarch Pass to the town of Pueblo on the other side of the Rockies to play in a bridge sectional.  Though the pass haad been closed in the morning to clear avalanches - we had an uneventful ride.  The sun kept peeking through the clouds to light up this mountain top and that.

I was fascinated by this one particular cloud - a formation that I had never seen before.  Does anyone know what it is called??

And though we get many interesting ice cycles when the snow on the roof melts from the heat of the sun, I had never seen any that looked like a pair of geese.

EARLY WINTER IN CRESTED BUTTE

Things kind of settled down here after Christmas, I regained my strength (guess the car accident took more out of me than I thought), and the snow began to arrive on a regular basis.  One morning I looked out of our kitchen window and saw these strange tracks that I had never noticed before.

We soon discovered the source, when our beautiful blue spruce began to look very ill.

A very hungry porcupine had decided our trees would be a good place to live and eat.  Porcupines favorite food is the bark of healthy young pine trees, and as they strip off the bark the tree looses it vascular system allowing it to transfer the nutrients from the roots up to the top of the tree for healthy growth.  The result of course is a dead tree, and I expect we will have several come spring,  Not wanting to shoot the creature (as many suggested), our son, Scott was finally able to knock him off of the tree into a trash can and transfer him up the mountain to a more remote and fertile location.

However, a couple of days later we discovered this very happy smaller porcupine basking in the sun  on our wood pile.  A push in the butt with a pole (in an attempt to get her too into a trash can) convinced her that there might be a more pleasant place to live.  We have not seen her since.

The following week we made our first trip west to Montrose to find a car to replace the one I wrecked.  Passing Blue Mesa Resevoir we noticed a low cloud at the end of the lake.

As we approached that area, we found all of the shrub coated with ice, even though the temperatures seemed above freezing.  It was quite a pretty sight.

Returning to Crested Butte with our new Subaru and heading up past Almont, we found the big horned sheep had come from the higher mountains to feed at a lower altitude.

This one horned female was very curious about my presence even though the ram next to her seemed to have no concern.

A few days later we heard a lot of noises in the field across the road, and from our deck I spied several snow-mobilers  racing and jumping over bumps on a newly formed course.  Little did we realize what lay ahead.

In the meantime it was full moon time, and as it shown through the cloud  into our bedroom window it was a beautiful sight.

In the morning, the rising sun lit the trees as the setting moon descended over Snodgrass Mountain on the other side of our home.

And then the "fun" and noise began and the snowmobile races advertised as " Boost the Butte" began. Several days on continuous noise in our quiet mountains made me feel sorry for the wildlife - especially the foxes that we know have dens in the area,

Our road was jammed with trailers and cars of both competitors and supporters for several days.  We understand that there will be another competition when the ski area closed.  I think we will find an excuse to be away.

OUR TRIP HOME TO COLORADO (AND WHY I AM LATE)

Winter arrived early in the East this year -and with a bang.  We awakened the morning before we left
 to the first snow of the season.  Here on our island snow is not a common occurrence like it in Colorado.

The entrance to the beach was whiter than usual with snow covering the sand.

It was nice walking back to our home at dusk and seeing lights burning.

Leaving the next morning it was a treat for me to see snow on the pine forests, something I had not

seen since childhood.

We drove through some bad weather going west, Chuck in his truck, and me following in my Tahoe, but we were also treated to some beautiful sunsets.  The blue sky in this field was reflected in the snow.

As we left Colorado Springs and drove along the Arkansas River on a beautiful sunny day,

We stopped to admire the thick ice flows that had formed in the water.

I was thinking what an easy ride we were going to have over the Rocky mountain pass this time, but that I was very tired and should call Chuck to tell him I had to stop!  And I fell asleep!!  I didn't make the turn that the road did, but traveled 300 yards down a hill and along a muddy raving before I side swiped a tree and was thrown into a utility pole on the other side of my car. 

Miraculously I wasn't really hurt, and with the help of a nice gentleman who was following me and saw it happen, got out of my car and climbed the hill.  When one of the men retrieved my camera from my "totaled car" I took their picture.  How could I have better help than this.

My car, as you can see fared much worse than I did, but it protected me from a much worse fate.

It has just been replaced with a different, and smaller vehicle for the future.  It will hopefully never have to experience a similar experience.  As you can see we are back home in Colorado, and we have SNOW!!

NOVEMBER IN THE EAST - (CATCH-UP)

Early in November we took another delightful break from the routine and traveled down to Cambridge, MD on the Chesapeake to play in another bridge tournament. What a great way to take mini vacations, meet new people, take new photographs and have fun.

    

On the way we stopped at St. Michael's for lunch,  A charming little town that we had visited several times before in Chuck's boat.  The parts of the town waterfront on Navy Point sit on a bed of oyster shells up to 10 feet thick in some places. 200 years ago it was a low marshy land and as industries like oyster shucking houses, a sawmill, a cannery and crab picking houses developed they needed more land to expand - so they created it by filling in the marsh and harbor with discarded oyoster shells.

The restaurant "The Crab Claw" has the best selection of Maryland Crab for lunch of anywhere we 

have eaten, that day was no exception.

We went on to the Hyatt Regency, a beautiful facility which was brand new the last time we were there years ago by boat.

 This little cove off o the river was a protected spot to tie up for the night.

Back home, on Long Beach Island, we continued our beach walks, never sure what we might find, or who we might meet.

The receding tide at times left beautiful patterns in the sand.

The birds were gathering for their journey south to warmer quarters for the winter.

The finishing touches were being put on our beach in the way of dune fence and walkways.  We 

wonder where they will be next spring after the winter nor'easters that are sure to come.

The last "big event" was the Ship Bottom anual Christmas Parade, we are usually gone by this time.  Of course here the theme was about the sea as this "first aid" whale exemplified.

Beside fire engines and emergency wagons from all of the surrounding townships, there were old cars

decorated with shore themes.

Boats being pulled by cars and trucks, and this rescue Jet Ski being towed by an ATV.

The private float took my eye, and the children towed by their Dad enjoyed being part of the parade.

Music was provided by a wide variety of group, including these Scottish bagpiper.

And how else would Santa arrive, except by boat.!!