As good as it gets…….Part II

Besides golf and family dinners, the group found time to enjoy the Colorado outdoors in the best way.   The younger crowd spent one afternoon at the Bach'ler Stables in Ouray.    Resident cowboy, Mr Fence Post, was the quintessential cowboy.    Bowlegged, sideburns, spurs and a never ending stream of colorful  cowboy colloquialisms kept everyone smiling.   Some of us came out to the stables to watch the process of picking horses, saddling up, and his gentle  (and sometimes more abrupt ) instructions.    He tied rain gear on the back of the saddles and Mason asked if it was for him or the horse !!

Mason couldn't stop smiling riding Rascal...

Andy was more reserved and cautious….

Fence Post came by his name because his mother said he "was dumb as a …….."

Jenna watched the process with Roxie and made some helpful suggestions to the girls.    Fence Post said he sure wished she was going along …..  that was all the encouragement she needed.   Despite white pants and new Keds, she climbed on her horse.    She had a horse  in her younger years and is very comfortable in the saddle.   Roxie didn't go.  

Couldn't resist capturing this view of Becca…….

Dr Miller was agile as well as she mounted her 'mouse-colored ' horse…that's what Mr Post said he was but I forgot his name.  

Jon showed fine form on Snoopy….

Moving on out…………  it was a two hour ride up the side of the mountains, traversing some narrow shelf trails with stunning views of Ouray and the San Juan Mountains.   Andy and Mason said it was their favorite time of their vacation.        We did a family trip to Ouray 26 years ago and went on a similar ride…..Jon has pictures which I may or may not share someday.    We were really young !!   

On another day,  a few of us drove up to Yankee Boy Basin outside of Ouray.     This time of year, it is resplendent in wildflowers.    There are also the Twin Falls.    The lower falls used to be featured on the Coors label.  

I did get a flower guide book but I still have a lot to learn.   The small white flowers are a form of geranium and have fine pink lines on the petals.   The bright ones are orange paintbrush.

I found a small cluster of white columbine on a hillside.     They are a bit more rare than the blue ones.  

Sneezeweed is everywhere and adds so much color to the fields.   It is toxic to animals.  

We were at 11,000 + feet.    I especially like the raspberry colored paintbrush.   

Mostly, we take pictures of the face of the Blue Columbine but the other views are just as magnificent.    It is the state flower of Colorado and it is illegal to pick them.    Interestingly, it is said that they represent unfaithfulness in women and deserted lovers in men.   So, it was considered in bad taste to give a bouquet to your girl.   I prefer to think of them as just a beautiful flower.     On my walks, I see them in gardens in many hybridized colors.    But it is best to see their magnificence in the wild.
 

Mike, Jenna and Lizzie in front of  the upper falls.    Jenna captured this aspen sunflower with a busy bee ….. with her phone.    Perfect.