May 27-29, 2016 Carbondale, Colorado

Hanging out in Carbondale with our friends. Mostly sunny in the 70’s.

Finished off this basket. Diamond stitch with red french knots. I don’t know what possesed me to make the knots, they take forever. But they do look cool, next time I am using seed beads for this effect. Turtle on top and turtle on the bottom.  Jimjim, John, with Bailey and chili dog in the basket  and Martha getting ready to ride to the Roaring Fork Brewery.

Music at the brewery, Mateo on the guitar. Jeff found himself a friend, the Roaring Fork Conservancy’s trout.

John and Martha on the ride back from the brewery. It is so green here now. John and Chili dog reading the paper.

Today John built Martha a raised bed for her tomatoes. She hurt her back and has trouble leaning down. I helped weed. A during and after shot with the dogs.

We got a little rain with the sun out, very pretty. After the storm we walked the dogs searching for a rainbow.

Working on another basket. This one still needs a top. We went skiing today at Aspen Mountain which openned up for the weekend.

Martha, Suep, Martha and Jimjim on the mountian. Martha, Polly-in her lepard outfit and tutu  and Jimjim.  Beautiful, sunny warm day. Soft snow, what else could you ask for?

View from the top of  the mountain. Polly, Martha and Martha on the gondola ride back down.  Fun day with friends.

The town of Aspen, Colorado from the gondola. Five years ago today we were married in a spiritual ceremony on the Colorado River. Happy Anniversary my sweet!! Thanks for making my life so much more fun.

Memorial Day BBQ at Martha and Jimjim’s. Looking at jewels at the BBQ.

May 26, 2016 Storm King Mountain, Glenwood, Colorado

We met our friend Jeff and hiked up Storm King Mountain outside of Glenwood today. It is about two miles each way and 1.250 feet vertical, very steep hike.

On July 6, 1994 14 firefighters died in a forest fire on Storm King. they were cutting a fire line about half way up this mountain and the fire jumped the valley and burned up hill at them  with a strong wind behind it and they ran up toward  the steep ridge where it was safe, but they did not make it. One was only 20 feet away. There is now a trail and a memorial here. Jeff hiking through the flowers on the way up.

The flowers were unbelievable. Pentastamen, fungus on a dead tree, and arrow leaf balsam root. Jeff and John on the way up. Both are retired firefighers and they wanted to do this for Memorial weekend.

The view was fabulous. It is all spring green and red cliffs. Wall flower, blue chicory, wild chock cherry blooms  and arrow leaf balsam root with lupine.

Pentastamen, snail shell and senicio. John and Jeff standing with some of the memorials. There is a cross on the spot each person died and people have turned them into shrines. Those poor people only had to reach the ridge behind John and Jeff.

There was a group of firefighters that once a year have other firefighters, friends and family of the victims on a memorial and learning expierence here. They were here today. Two survivers of the incident spoke. Here are some wild land fighters going down to pay their respects. It was very moving. John and Jeff ahead of me on the trail down. It was soooo green.

Lupine, arrow leaf balsem root and spring green scrub oaks. John and Jeff in the flowers again.

John and Jeff in the oaks again. Solomons seal,  white and blue lupines, and lupine and arrow leaf balsam root (again, sorry)

Flowering fragrant bush, not idea what this flowers is and alysum and pink phlox. There was this wishing stump near the end(or beginning, depending on your direction) of the trail. It says knock a coin into the stump and make a wish. John said he did it on the way up, but his wish didn’t come true, he wished he was already at the top . . .

Pink phlox, blue larks spur and yellow something. Fungus on a dead tree (again, sorry again), scorpion weed, mallow and a purple lily.

We rewarded our selves by going to the new Iron Mountain hot spring in Glenwood.  John is floating in the front pool. It was lovely.

The bus in front of Martha and Jimjim’s house in Carbondale. Jeff in the white van, Barley, that he lives in. This is about the 4th time this year we have run into him on the road.

May 24-25, 2016 Salida-Carbondale, Colorado

Working our way back to Fort Collins, visiting friends on the way!

The bus parked in the free camping outside of Salida, Colorado. We visited with out friend Bev. Here is John and Bev out to dinner. It was good to see her.

Beautiful historic downtown Salida, Co. A view of the Collegaite peaks just west of Salida. 

Beautiful historic downtown Leadville, Colorado with a painted wall on the way out of town, We love Leadville, great living  @ 10,200. The highest city in the USA. Alma just one range over is the highest town in the USA. Glenwood Canyon on I-70 was beautiful with it’s spring green foliage.

Glenwood Springs is with it’s spring green and red cliffs, over the Colorado river that is high and muddy with spring run off.  We are parked at Martha and Jimjim’s house in Carbondale now. Martha, Rob, Jimjim and John enjoying the sun on the back deck.

Martha and Rob with the two dogs, Chili Dog and Bailey.