Our initial day in the mountains, after the neighbor’s smoldering arroyo [see “a living, if barely cognizant, testimonial”, previous post] was fortunately extinguished by the Gardner VFD before the predicted 40 mph winds could get hold of it, was surprisingly warm as we
finally met Mary Ann’s long-awaited puppy and
spent the remainder mostly interior, settling in.
L. began…
The next morning the temperature dropped seventy degrees and, despite the chill, it snowed.
Although unexpected this little precip was certainly welcome; we remained inside
and nothing much changed
…until Sunday, which saw sun, warmth inside
and a lunch cut short for fear The Cornice would catch us.
Monday we went early to Pueblo
via Gardner
to run errands crazily until lunch at Jorge’s in the Obama Booth
the very day the Orange Beast was officially decreed Putin’s Man in the White House.
Sad but, life going on, the pork and avocado burritos with hot green did not disappoint.
Later we met with Luz [having survived four days crossing the winter country with his pitbull in an overloaded Jetta] and Christine [having just weathered a foodless JFK-DIA flight with Izel that morning] in King Sooper’s parking lot to take on enough of their overload so they could fit a week’s groceries before setting off south down I-25,
all swell until just into Huerfano County where massive winds blowing snow hard across ice forming on the Interstate and, even worse, the ice on Highway 69, made us worry for that slick-tired vehicle following an hour behind us. And ourselves, even.
Once in the Valley the winds calmed, but climbing to Libre the snow grew deeper and
although with persistence and luck Luz&Co. managed to make it to the gate a bit after dark, snow and Fowler’s obstacle course stopped them there. Cold. L. went up in her truck to ferry their load to the domes, returned quite fried but after dinner, calm by the fire in the knowledge
that finally, after days on the roads of storms, everyone was safe at home, relaxed at last.
For now, and for the holidays…for yours, too, we dearly hope.
M
Wondering what “Fowler’s obstacles” might comprise…
And… those dogs look… ‘dog tired’, too! Their ‘lizard brains’ are probably struggling with a 70 degree drop in temps… “WTF? This isn’t part of the program!”
But, overall, glad to hear that all-y’all are snugged in tight.
We are indeed snugged in tightly and, Thursday morning, snowing [again unexpected] very nicely.
The Obstacles comprise a twisty narrow bit of the road just in from the gate, raised and deeply ditched with hay bales and cones constricting what should be, could be, a straight shot past Jim’s ‘colorful’ junkyard-like set-up. Many people slide into the ditches, particularly in snow or mud,
It does keep the riff-raff [and inattentive drivers] out, somewhat.
On the photo just before your mention of Jorge’s:
During my childhood times in Ketchum ID there was (is?) a slightly smaller version of the hill to the right of the photo with the rock formation on top. We called it “Knob Hill”, and it was a favorite play spot. It was right on the (then) edge of town where Warm Springs Road (where out place was (still belongs to my siblings) dropped down off the main highway. We’d go out to “climb knob hill”. The rocky part was in fact climb-able for 8 or 10 year-olds. The last time I saw it vacation houses had crept up the sides and I can’t say whether the “knob” is still there or has been blasted away. But the two knob hills are remarkably similar.
That would be Gardner Butte, probably a smaller scale than Ketchum’s Knob [both most likely volcanic remnants], famed for rattlesnakes around its lower reaches and the Golden Eagles who’ve lived and thrived for generations on top…
a most curious fruit or vegetable ever seen
remember to put an apple next to the persimmons if you’re expecting
them to ripe, we had some super ones from our trees this year
Dragon Fruit!
Persimmons all ripened nicely…remember the ones at Homewood that used to fall from that tree and squish underfoot? Ahh, wasteful…
Even more wasteful was your little sis who picked copious qties and lobbed them at passing cars- then in fear of parental reprisals scurried out in the wee wee hours to clean up the squishy, persimminous mess, thus the crime remained undetected…. I was interested in the dragon fruit too! Also very cute puppy! Glad you are all home snug and warm. Looking forward to pix of Izel. When was Obama in Pueblo? Nice.
Obama campaigned in Pueblo in ’08 and actually ate at our favorite restaurant [hence the booth]; they loved him there! Earlier that summer George McGovern stumped for him in the south – we heard a most inspiring speech at the Ludlow Massacre Memorial the day we found Aggie [in Aguilar]; he stood up in front of a hard-bit crowd of ranchers, unionists and former mine workers to explain why he was supporting this black guy from Chicago and why they should, too. It was amazing…and they did. This last time, Huerfano County went for Trump, to considerable consternation.
Ah, those persimmons; if only we’d known then what we know now…a tricky fruit, nonetheless.