Steamboat Springs

Jana and Kenna and I got to Steamboat in time for a late lunch. We chose some savory street crepes!

We had nice enough weather that we went over to the Yampa Botanical gardens to walk around.

We sat on a bench and visited until it started raining, and we decided it was time to run back to our condo!

About 5:30 Suzanne and her daughter-in-law Susan arrived from Utah!

We shared a light dinner of cheese, crackers and fruit. We felt so continental! Then we stayed up really late and talked and talked and talked! That's one of the joys of coming out to Literary Sojourn!

Silverthorne

I spent a couple of hours in Silverthorne this morning, while I waited for Kenna and Jana to join me. I had a lovely walk along the Blue river.

There is a nice bike path that climbs up to the top of the dam.

The aspens are turning, and the path was beautiful.

I got lots of steps in, and was rewarded with a beautiful view of Dillon Lake!

Estes Park with Crystal and Verlene

Crystal and I and Verlene went up to Estes Park today to see if we could find some Elk. We wanted to hear them bugling!

We didn't get to hear any bugling, but I had an elk, bison and hamburger meatloaf for lunch at Claire's. It was delicious!

We enjoyed shopping in all the cute stores, and got further sustenance at "You Need Pie," which gave us the strength to walk from one end of main street to another!

We enjoyed seeing a lot of the aspens changing colors along the drive up from Denver. We did a loop going left at Lyons through Allen Park, and returning on US 36. I enjoyed both routes, but Crystal got car sick on the way up!

We saw a couple of elk in the meadow as we left town, but they were just having dinner (no bugling)!

Brandy and Holly were happy to see Crystal when we dropped Verlene off at home. Crystal really knows how to scratch a dog!

Verlene showed us the paintings she's entering in the art show of her painters group for tomorrow. I'm sorry I won't be able to attend, but I want to wish her and her sheep good luck!

Denver Again

I drove to Denver yesterday and stopped to see Nora on the way to Crystal's house. We all went out to dinner at Bar Louie's at Southglenn Mall!

It is not the same dejected mall it was when we lived there! It is so fancy now, with tons of stores, a movie theater, and lots of outdoor landscaping!

In addition to this beautiful fountain, it has a fireplace, a splash pad and a ton of flowers! It also had a lot of people supporting it! I wonder where they all came from?

Nora was packing for a two-bag trip, but it wasn't to Sojourn. We'll miss her this year. She's going to New York for a wedding and then on to Europe to visit Jeph and Allie in Belgium!

I brought Crystal a belated birthday present--an Amazon Echo, so she, too an ask Alexis inane questions while lazing on the couch. It's a great day to be alive!

Ensign Peak

Ed and I climbed to the top of Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City today. It's been something we've been meaning to do for some time now!

There is a park and a trail above the capital that winds it's way up to the top. It's .47 miles up, and pretty steep. It was also pretty hot outside! (Not a great combination!)

When you get to the top it has view on all sides. Brigham Young and 8 other men climbed up there two days after entering the valley to survey they land from above. I imagine they were also hot and thirsty by the time they got to the top!

There is a monument erected at the top to commemorate the occasion. We had a nice visit with a group of new friends that came all the way out from Australia to see this (as well as Yellowstone, and a lot of other sites).

It was good for us to start to learn about the mountains surrounding Salt Lake City, and this was a perfect place to do it from!

Afterwards we stopped for lunch at our favorite little restaurant in the Avenues, The Straw Market, where for the amazing price of $7 you can get an omelette with hash browns and a homemade cinnamon roll, to boot!

Vegan Dinner with new friends

John is the master of curry, and he cooked a big pot of it Sunday night! Ellis helped out by frying up some tofu.

He invited a family from Mexico (where John was born) over to dinner. He met them at the petting zoo, and was so amazed to find fellow vegans from Mexico, that they became instant friends!

Alejandro and Sandra brought elotes, and John also made Vietnamese spring rolls. It was a lot of work, but it all tasted delicious!

I taught Mabel Jingle Bells (while she was ringing my necklace). It made me think we're going to have fun at Christmas this year!

Ed and Clementine have something going! He is always able to soothe her off to sleep!

Marti finished up the evening reading (and singing) stories to Mabel, who can't get enough of it!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy 89th birthday, Mom! We may have just taken you to Chuck-a-Rama yesterday, but it's because we're saving up for a big, big, big celebration next year!

My sisters, minus Verlene in Colorado, met with my mom and sister in law for dinner last night to celebrate Mom's big birthday! Joan's family also joined us, as they were so happy their mom was up from St. George!

The buffet staff brought us a nice piece of birthday cake and sang a birthday song for Mom! It was very festive, and very noisy!

Joan had to leave before we took one last selfy! We had a wonderful time, but left feeling we could never do enough to express our love, appreciation and admiration for our Mother, who was the epitome of patience for 40 years, as she raised 7 children! (She still is that way today!)

We love you Mom!