To say Goodbye.....

We gathered at the house this weekend to remember our years together as a wonderful family.   Others joined us.......children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, aunts, cousins, friends, neighbors and all of those who remembered with us.    Our parents moved to this house from North Dakota in 1961.   It is a solid craftsman style with architecturally- rich details and fine finishes.    Mother loved this house and it's gardens which became her trademark and her therapy and her rewards.    Dad kept it all in pristine shape as the ultimate Mr Fix-it.    It became the haven  to return to  with it's large comfortable rooms, it's kitchen designed for a crowd (despite the small single oven)  and the deck Dad designed to enjoy the California evenings, shaded by magnificent trees.    On Saturday, it was filled with almost 100 who came to share their stories and offer their condolences.    We laughed and ate and looked at the photos of all those years gone by so quickly.     

It will be so strange not to return to the house in the middle of the vineyards.   It has already been sold to the owner of that acreage and altho our brother Tom will continue to live there for awhile, we won't go home again.      The 4 of us will gather but it will be somewhere else.......    but we won't forget the red house in the vineyard, nor  our Mother and Dad who made it our home.   

Sandy, Tom, Maureen and Me.........and in the background, the largest of the many carousel horses that Dad carved.  

A Perfect finale to our journey.........

 We made it home !!    Over 9000 miles in 4 1/2 months......from the oceans to the flatlands to the mountains, we saw it all.        The blog followed us everywhere and took you along.......here's a few of the last pictures.........
Mesa Verde is a hidden gem, literally.......   you'd never know there was anything in this high and arid country until you look really close........

 And, after a downhill jaunt , you can get up close and personal.    The structures at this site are very well preserved, including original logs in the ceilings.    Very little has been restored.     And then you get to walk back UP, at 7000 ft and with warnings about the dangers of the heat and altitude and the strenuous climb if you have any health problems.    I decided that my knee wasn't a health problem and with some huffing and puffing, we did just fine.  

And then, we headed south to Albuquerque.     National Geographic lists this event as a "must see".   We agree.     

 These are random shots, in no particular order, taken at sunset and at dawn and in daylight.   They are not edited at all........

 I liked the alarm clock......

 Alex holding the stabilizing rope while they inflate "Flyer"......

 Becca and Lizzie on a morning flight............the "Flyer" represents the Denver logo.

 A tribute to the 911 firemen.............

 Evening "Glow"........not to be missed.

 The butterfly is huge........

And a real crowd pleaser........Airabella the Cow.     She is huge and disrupted traffic one day while landing on the highway.    Her feet land before the basket.  
I have many many many more pictures ..... over 800 just of the Fiesta.     In the next weeks , I may share more...... but if you ever get the chance, plan a trip to this amazing event.  Plus, the fireworks are the best we've seen..........and Alex worked the set-up for them.

We're off early Friday morning to California for a gathering of family and friends to honor my mother on Saturday.  

Almost Home

It's hard to believe that our wandering is almost over. We crossed into Florida late today and we can almost see where we started 5 months ago. We still don't have decent WiFi AGAIN !! I had hopes so I plowed thru the nearly 800 pictures I've taken in the past couple of weeks and picked out 17 to share with you.....but it would take me 3 days to download with the balky system at this CG. Anyhow, here's one I had on my phone....




Special shapes are always a favorite.........Trust me, my other pics are much better......(click to enlarge)
We left Albuquerque Saturday after the morning Mass Balloon Ascension and have been almost coasting downhill ever since....the strong tailwind the first two days really helped the gas mileage. It looks like we will actually sleep in the stick house tomorrow night if all goes well....today we did well over 500 miles and then managed to do some serious housecleaning in preparation for putting the moving house back into storage. We do plan to do more traveling this fall but probably by air.
I'm trying to remain optimistic while watching Monday Night Football.....but....the Broncos really look bad and I'm losing interest fast.....oops, just realized that I didn't put my Broncos T-shirt on.....I'll wear it to bed and maybe a miracle will occur while I sleep............

Location:Milton, Florida, birthplace of Jeffrey Paul Miller 5/19/66

Balloons, balloons, balloons

I expected to see balloons but never in my wildest imagination could I have visualized




this amazing event.




I have probably 500 pictures on the computer but no way to share them with you until i get wifi These few are from my phone.
And, besides the visual impact, they allow you to walk anywhere among the balloons. Last night was the Glow.....the balloons don't launch but they light them up......it is surreal to walk between them, to feel the heat of the burners, to experience sensory overload, to meet the very friendly balloonists who answer questions.




We don't even have to leave the comforts of home. This was my view this morning thru the windshield.
I'll keep looking for strong wifi so I can take you along this week.
Click on pics to enlarge.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque

Wandering the Southwest

We are barely connected so I revert to my backup blog system. I have a ton of pictures for you, of cliff dwellings, of golden aspen infused views, of waterfalls...... But, they are on the Mac and I can't even get them over to the iPad to post...........

We spent one long day exploring Mesa Verde. The cliff dwellings from 1000 years ago are amazingly intact....even the original wooden beams. We walked down a winding path to get up close and personal and then climbed back up in the humidity/oxygen deprived air.....worth every gasp !

The next day we headed in the opposite direction to the funky town of Creede. A ramshackle assortment of buildings mark the site of a town that was born from the large silver strike in the late 1800's. The mountains still show the remnants of mines and settlements. There is a road that winds around thru the high elevations that is accessible by regular car........most of the roads often are 4 wheel only and we have loved exploring the back country in jeeps over the years. So, we picked up a $1 guide to the sights and headed up. Somehow we ended up on the rutted narrow jeep road....but we didn't know it. The jeep trail was more scenic and climbed 1500 ft by tight switchbacks ...... We did switch to 4 wheel drive part way up and wondered how smart this was to recommend it for ordinary cars. And then we came to the REAL road and considered ourselves a bit lucky that we hadn't gotten ourselves in trouble out in the middle of nowhere.... The aspen were fading higher up but still vibrant in the valleys.

And now, we are in Santa Fe. We were here 6 years ago and look forward to seeing the highlights once again. We are in Santa Fe Skies RV park, perched on a hill with great views. And we are surrounded by a very large gathering of Prevost coaches. They are the million dollar coaches that the celebs use......as well as those in the 1% ....But we still like ours the best.

Tomorrow we will head to the Balloon Fiesta. I doubt we will have wifi but will try and get a few pics posted. A blog without pictures is..............really boring !!!!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Magnificence of the mountains......

Thanks to all for your kind words of condolences at the passing of my mother.    As the ever-eloquent Jan (P's wonderful sister) wrote....."you are never too old to be a mother-less child."   A celebration of her life will be held next month.   

We are currently in a most favorite area of the country.    Colorado is diverse and stunning and magnificent.   It begs one to get out and be a part of it.     We left Denver and drove south and then west and settled in Pagosa Springs.    It is a small community, near a ski resort and the hot springs.    We are at Wolf Creek Run, in a pretty site with view of the creek and aspen.   

Yesterday, we headed 50 mi west to Durango....it has grown significantly since our last trip.    Not as 'wild west' looking as I remembered.    We stopped at the Saturday morning Farmer's Market and found some fresh squash, spinach and garlic.    Then we headed north ...............   I took 290 pictures......I'm sharing about 15 of them and it was very hard to just pick these.    Most of them are "right out of the box" with only a couple lightened or enhanced a bit.    

 

 The San Juan Mtns are magnificent.   More rugged and 'newer' than the eastern  Rockies.

 The road is slow, with switchbacks and hairpins and 10-15 MPH speeds in many areas.   There are no guardrails and the shelf roads are narrow and intimidating......there are warning signs about the danger.....and yet............RV's make this daunting drive...all sizes including ones as long and wide as ours.    I would have to crawl in a fetal position on the bed if anyone ever suggested trying it.   Between Silverton and Ouray, it is called the Million Dollar highway as that is the reported cost for 1 mile when it was built in the '20's.    There is a nice tribute to 3 men who were killed in past years in their snowplows keeping the road open.

 Our purpose was to return to Ouray.    Many many many years ago, well, about 25, we had  a place for a week and rented Jeeps and spent our days on the high mountain trails both terrified and amazed.   The boys and a very pregnant Jenna joined us and it was an unforgettable time.  

 Ouray was settled in the 1870's when most of these buildings were designed.    It is nestled among

 these towering walls.   This area is known for its "alpen glow"....when the  setting sun causes a glowing off the rocks.  

 The first snowfall has frosted the peaks.

 This final picture was taken with my new iPhone 5....using the panorama mode, I was able to take a 180 degree view ....   It is dark and not that great but you get the idea.

If you ever need to be awed, plan a trip to the western mountains this time of year and prepare to be humbled by it's beauty.

September 25, 2012

Yesterday, as we marveled at Nature's finest season in the mountains, I thought of my mother frequently.       She tirelessly tended the flowers  and plants that bloomed and blossomed with her care.     She scoffed at those who dwelled on their  worries and anxieties and said she dealt with her frustrations by pulling weeds.    She shared a long marriage with my dad and never quite recovered when he was gone.     

   She listened to many at the kitchen table as they came for her counsel and she volunteered to brighten the days of the elderly .   She cooked plainly but the cookies were abundant.    She saw generations of grandkids and great-grandkids grow and do well.    She was short and tiny but only in stature.....She was vigorous and spunky and stubborn.     She lived a wonderful life, happiest in her garden.     Today, after almost 92 years , she moved on to another place of beauty..........

Catching up in Colorado......

No, we didn't drive off a cliff.....just enjoying family and our favorite Colorado views and places.   For all of you campers out there, be sure and check out Chatfield St Park for a first class camping experience.   Full hookups and stunning views.      Except, the foothills and mountains are totally obscured by wildfire haze from fires in other states.     This was the view early one morning 

from our campsite......!

We arrived just in time to share in the joy of Nicholas and Kelsey as they announce their engagement.   They have been together for over 6 years so it was no surprise but we are delighted to welcome Kelsey officially and look forward to the wedding next Thanksgiving.    And boy, do we feel OLD now......Nicholas is still a 2 year old with cute curls in his grandmother's eyes....not a 24 year old engineer !     And we loved reuniting with our own Fairy Godmother once again.   Becca is back at CSU and growing into a beautiful woman but still has that pixie dust twinkle in her eye.   Alex was away for the weekend but not before he played 18 holes with his grandfather.....who called for an infusion of Motrin halfway thru and then went on to play a really good round.     Lizzie, at 14 has blossomed and grown up......I remember well carrying her around the house strapped to my chest while I tended to her siblings when the parents were away.   Ah, time.....fleeting at this age but the memories are brilliant.  

Next week, we will head towards Albuquerque ( try typing that fast ! ) for the Balloon Fiesta.    Mike and Jenna and the kids have crewed for a family of ballooners for several years but we've not been able to meet up with them before......  on Saturday, we joined them, very early, to watch the process.

Chatfield has a designated area for balloonists so we didn't have to drive very far.   

Smooth landing.......The balloon is piloted by Marnie and her husband.....  she is the daughter of the famous balloonist  ( Dr Carol Davis )who was lost 2 years ago over the Adriatic Sea..... We followed the race and the devastating news  on our blog  during those sad days. (Sept 29, 2010 if you care to check my posts).     The balloon that they are currently flying represents the Denver flag.  

We have frequented favorite haunts and had some really good food.    This was my pizza the other night.....outstanding flavor from those little heirloom tomatoes.    Last night it was Mexican while watching the Broncos .............wonder if they still consider the $95,000,000 they are paying Peyton to be worth it !!
 

Today, we are heading into the mountains to take in the breathtaking beauty of the changing aspens.