June 29- July 5, 2017 Fort Collins, Colorado

Katy, Katie and I stopped at the May Bug Museum just south of Colorado Springs.

There is this giant beetle by the road and I have been wanting to stop forever. Today we did. It is the largest private bug collection in the world. Most of it was collected by James May in the early 1900's. Very interesting and well done museum.

We were on our way to visit our friend Dennis who lives in Canon City. He owns a rafting company and we usually raft with him once a year. He had been ill this year and could not raft yet so we met him for dinner and also got to meet his girlfriend Wendy. It was great to see them.

The next day Aron from Safelite glass came and replaced the windshield in the car. It was hit by a rock from the motorhome. I finished my first masterpiece for the glass show this winter. 

Barrettes and desert basket centers and I finally finished up with the pine needles, Georgia Long leaves. ponderosa and canary pine needles, all boiled in glycerin, sorted and bundled. Should keep me busy making baskets all winter. 

A fire juggler on the square tonight and North Shields lakes from my bike ride this evening. 

Mexican hats and some pink flowers and sunset clouds  by the bike path.

I made the desert basket centers to test out how I want to make a bigger piece for the show. Here is the beginning. We took the free bus to City Park to watch the fireworks for the 4th. Nice show.

Another lovely sunset and flowers from our garden here.

The desert coming along well.

June 28, 2017 Continental Divide, Summit County, Colorado

I went with my friend Katy to meet Rosie at the west portal of the Eisenhower tunnel to hike up Straight Creek to the divide over looking Loveland Ski area on the other side. There were fields of flowers above treeline. 

Katy photographing some columbines and a snow melt stream.

We had to traverse numerous snowfields. Difficult walking from steep, hard, slippery sun cupped snow to soft snow we punched through. Katy and Rosie and looking down one of the snowfields.

Looking up the same snowfield. Rosie and Katy taking photographs and overlooking the west portal of the Eisenhower tunnel and I-70 west. 

Fields of flowers top-Looking north, bottom looking south.

Field of yellow flowers looking north. Looking east from the divide over Loveland Ski area, the east portal of the tunnel and I-70 eastbound. The mountains you see are Gray's and Torrey's, two 14er's. 

Katy and Rosie under a trail sign at Loveland Ski area. In the winter the snow would be over their heads here.  Rosie and Katy starting back down. Near the top a fierce cold wind came up, we had to put on fleece and gortex jackets, stocking caps  and gloves and keep moving to keep warm.

We saw this herd of mountain goats including a kid(baby goat). They still have their thick winter coats. Field of flowers looking down into the valley to the trail out.

On the way up with our t-shirts and sun hats, and further up with our stocking caps, fleece and gortex jackets. Rosie and Katy on the way back down.

Millions of flowers today. Globe flowers, marsh marigolds, kings crown, chiming bells, paintbrush and candy tuft. Sky pilot and paintbrush, cinquefoils, pussy willows, the lift at the top of Loveland Ski area, avens, alpine clover, columbines and alpine tundra. 

Multi colored fields of flowers, purple fringe, white flowers, an alpine butterfly and alpine primrose. Campions, spring beauty, butter cups blooming through the snow, old men of the mountain and the sign for the continental divide--13,010 feet! I had trouble breathing that high. We spent most of the winter at a much lower altitude.

June 23-27, 2017 Fort Collins, Colorado

We had dinner at Steve and Ginny's, in their backyard. Jeff joined us. This pine needle basket has been in Ginny's family for many generations. Nice stitching.  Great dinner and a fun time with friends.

Pendants I made. These are all the baskets that are left, they are selling fast!

The next night we had dinner with John G and Mandy in their backyard. Mandy served appetizers on the masterpieces she bought from me. I usually don't like to see food on my masterpieces, but they looked pretty good here. It was good to spend time with them.

I am starting the next masterpiece here. It is a tree patterned after a tree I saw on the beach in Oregon. The next night we had dinner with a group of friends from the fire dept where John worked before he retired. It was organized by Jeff, who also live on the road and we run into him everywhere. It was fun to see everyone.  

The masterpiece after it's first firing, it has way to many bubbles. I drilled them and it is going back in. I also made some barrettes and a desert scene to use in the center of a basket.  We saw an Art Battle going on in old town square. 

I stopped by the test gardens at CSU. There are lots of beautiful blooms.