Sunday drive

We took the kids for a Sunday drive up Trail Ridge Road — the highest continuous paved road in the nation — which bridges the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park with the east side. It was the best way to get them all above treeline and into the high alpine environment — wildflowers and all — that I adore. In fact, we were sweltering down in town. It was 80 degrees and like 10 percent humidity and we all thought we were going to MELT. It's all relative, right! Everywhere else in the state/country people were sweltering in 100 degree weather with 100 percent humidity — AND WE'RE COMPLAINING. So the drive above treeline had another advantage. It was about 64 degrees up there and it cooled us right down like a splash into the pool. We even had time for a few lessons — botany, geology, glaciology, biology and cartography.
Arden and I ran into a yellow bellied marmot (almost literally) and we saw an American pipet (one of the few song birds that loves the altitude). We also rediscovered Crunchy Granola Bars. Man, those are good.

To the Devil and Back.

In Virginia, I had a book club and a supper club. Here I have something of a hiking club. It started with just me and my coworker. We made a list at the beginning of the summer of all the hikes we wanted to do as the summer progresses, our group of women is growing. Our last hike to Devil's Thumb was by far the best.


The wildflowers are out in force - high alpine wildflowers in the spring is one of the things I missed about Colorado the most. (I feel like I say that about everything.) There are literally hundreds of wildflowers this time of year. Lupine, bluebells, columbine, indian paint brush, locoweed, orchids, lilies, the list goes on. I needed a book. I've forgotten more flower names than I ever knew. These are wild alpine sunflowers. Like real sunflowers, they stand up and face the sun.


When we got to the top there were still fields of snow and the cold wind was whipping.

All these hikes are building up to the summer pinnacle - Long's Peak, one of the more treacherous 14ers in the state. Treacherous, I think, because there's a lot of people trying to climb it, a lot of folks who probably shouldn't be up there. Next on the list, I think, is Byers Peak. It's the most prominent peak in town and can be seen from Granby and Winter Park. That's one that we'll have to park and then bike to the trailhead. Should be interesting!

Here's Devil's Thumb up close. I think it looks like a carved bear totem. Indian legend has it that there was a big battle in the valley here and when it was done, they buried the devil there, leaving only his thumb sticking up.

We're back

Our Internet went out about a week ago when a Comcast Cable guy showed up at the complex to work on the neighbor's cable. Despite my repeated attempts to convince people at customer service that the two things were somehow related, they insisted it was my modem and that I'd need to take it to a retail outlet and exchange it. Which I did. GUESS WHAT? My Internet still didn't work. Finally, I got somebody on the phone who saw things my way and submitted a service ticket for me. This is where living in a small town comes in handy. Having the service guy come to the house was going to require that an adult be home for at least four hours in the middle of a work day — you know the drill, right? "The service guy can be there some time between 1 and 5 p.m." You get there at 12 :45 but, of course, he doesn't show up until 5:15. In this case, I about fell out of my swivel chair at work when the tech called me at 9 a.m. and said: "I'm sitting in your driveway and I've fixed the problem." I could hear the chorus of angels singing in the background. "I installed the cable there initially," he said, "so when I saw the ticket I realized that the guy who went out there to disconnect the cable to Unit 100 accidentally disconnected the three paying customers as well." Seriously. When was the last time you had service like that? I'm almost inspired to write a letter. Except I think I should be credited for the week we went without and the 15 stupid people I talked to just to get to Mr. Right.

Happy Fourth

We have had such a wonderful Fourth. It's one of those weekends that has felt perfectly long and full. And I still have TOMORROW.


Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day — the three patriotic holidays — are by far my favorite holidays of the year. They are summer's capital letter, comma and period. Being holiday-bound to grill, drink and spend as much time outside as possible with friends and family, all in the name of history (one of my favorite topics) can't be a bad thing. And, while I don't always agree with the direction our country is headed and am sad when our nation's leadership can't function together; I know I am fortunate to have been born here — rather than, say, a vast desert in the middle of an impoverish, warring nation where women have to raise the kids, cook the meals, clean house, wash dishes and do the whole family's laundry on top of performing hard labor all day in the factories and fields ... ok, well that is kinda like here ... but, I would like to thank the Founding Fathers and those great American heroes that followed for creating a nation where it is possible for me to have a washing machine — in my house — and water that I can drink from the tap. I am grateful that my husband and I both have interesting jobs (for the moment) and that, when we didn't, my country didn't let us starve. I am fortunate that, on a day like today, my kids could ride their bikes around the neighborhood and the worst thing I had to fear was a skinned knee. Or that I can hike through the woods with my family anywhere in the nation and our worst enemies are the ticks, snakes and bears. I am lucky to have the luxury of worrying about whether we can pay the cell phone bill and cable bill. The summer trifecta celebrates those freedoms and those gifts from our ancestors. And, now for a little confession. Primarily because I'm getting sick of singing the only five songs I know at bedtime, I've been busting out a few patriotic tunes for the kids. After I sang the National Anthem for Sawyer at bedtime, screeching "land of the FREE" at the end and all, he told me I was a really good singer and should sing for other people, clearly indicating that he's inherited the tone-deafness from me and my father.

Laughing at the new designer Pampers.

I haven't bought diapers in months. I just had to say that out loud. NO MORE DIAPERS!!!!! (Not even at bedtime).