Another Kind of Bird!

After returning from my visit with daughter Pamela and her family, Bill told me he had a surprise planned for Labor Day weekend. He wouldn't tell me what we were doing - but promised that I wouldn't be disappointed. I was instructed to bring a bathing suit, change of clothes, hiking boots, $100 cash, casino cards, binoculars and my camera. I made lots of guesses - white water rafting, hiking in Mueller State Park, Cripple Creek, etc., but Bill remained mute.

On Saturday morning, we stopped to pick up Bill's daughter, Laura and her husband, Tim. Tim drove saying we were going to the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. I knew that was not the surprise. We headed towards Canon City and Tim pulled off where the sign pointed to Sky Diving Adventures - telling me this was the surprise. I told them to have fun - but I wasn't getting out of the car. I knew Laura wasn't either. Tim laughed and turned around, heading west on Route 50 along the Arkansas River towards the white water rafting launch point - but they told me rafting season was closed so that was not the surprise either. By this time I had a hunch where we were going.

Sure enough, we were going on a helicopter tour of the Royal Gorge! Now this was not a calm ride looking at the pretty views - this was a real ADVENTURE. Imagine the scariest roller coaster ride you've ever been on and multiply it by 100 - that was our ride!

We took off and headed to the canyon. Tim sat up front with the pilot; Bill, Laura and I sat in the back.

This was going to be fun! I had no idea what was coming.

Bill sat across from me.

Laura, beside me, was all smiles.

Wow, the views are great.

The pilot asked if we were ready...

...and suddenly he banked hard to the right and dove into the canyon!

This was the view as we plunged towards the river. My stomach was in my mouth. It was terrifying!

After we leveled out we could see rafts on the river below.

It was gorgeous - but we knew we had to pull up before we got to the suspension bridge that goes over the Royal Gorge.

And pull up we did!

The bridge was just ahead.

What a view!

I thought it would be fun to fly under the bridge - but I'm sure that's not possible.

I don't know how the pilot knew which gauge was which - maybe he didn't! After crossing the bridge, we turned and headed back. On the way he asked if we wanted to take one more dip into the canyon - which we did. What a thrill!

Bill and I had a great time! Thank you, Bill, for the best surprise EVER!

And thanks to Laura and Tim for sharing this adventure with us! You guys are so much more than family - you are great friends.

After our ride, we headed to the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo where we ate corn dogs and curly fries.

Labor Day weekend in Colorado Springs just wouldn't be the same without a visit to the Hot Air Balloon Festival at Memorial Park. Early in the day, almost a hundred balloons take to the sky. This picture was taken at night during the "glow." Too cool! Today, Labor Day we are going to a float fly and barbecue. I should have more neat pics to share tomorrow.

All About Gabriel

I've spent the last 10 days in Maryland with my daughter Pamela and her family. Her oldest son, Gabriel, and I spent his last full week before beginning kindergarten together and we had a great time. Once we got Mommy, Daddy and little brother, Sebastian off to work and day care, we had the day to ourselves to play.

Gabriel is an excellent baseball player! He is so good, I was nervous pitching to him for fear he would hit me with the ball. My fear was realized when he hit a solid line drive to my left knee. Ouch.

I brought lots of projects with me. Gabriel is a very busy boy so I wanted to keep him occupied. This day our project was painting sun catchers as presents for the rest of the family.

Gabriel also loves TV - but we try to limit how much he watches. It went on for 15 minutes at a time when I needed a rest.

Everyone likes to eat so we made goodies for the family. In this picture, Gabriel is making yummy chocolate chip cookies. We also made apple cake and later in the visit, his baby brother helped me make brownies.

After the line drive to my knee, I decided it was safer to take him to the batting cages where he quickly went through $10 in tokens practicing his batting. Gabriel is so good - the family in the next cage came over and asked how old he was. They couldn't get over how many balls he hit over the fence and out of the park. I also invested in a bag of Whiffle balls - deciding they might be safer for the back yard than regulation base balls.

On Sunday, the whole family headed to the local pool. Gabriel is learning to swim and was anxious to show me what he had learned in summer camp.

He's a cutie - don't you think?

Two more cuties - Daddy and Sebastian. Sebastian had just fallen on the cement and had two new band aids - one on each knee.

On Monday, Gabriel started kindergarten. His new school is about a mile from home so he will be taking the school bus - but on this, his first day, he was accompanied by his mom and both grandmothers. We all had cameras - much to Gabriel's embarrassment. Gabriel made a deal with his mom that in the future, all hugs would be taken care of BEFORE they get to school! Kisses are completely out of the question!

Sebastian just turned two in June. He's a much quieter child and enjoys playing with the many toys in the house. When I first arrived, he wouldn't even look at me and hid his face. He warmed up after about an hour. Sebastian is a lover and likes to sit and cuddle. I couldn't get enough!

I had a great visit. During the week, I also had the opportunity to visit with grandsons Dylan and Zachary and see oldest son, Rick, his wife Lisa, oldest daughter Laura, and her partner Cheryl. I'm back in Colorado now but I'm already looking forward to my next visit!

Miscellaneous Pictures

The Mountain Chickadees that took up residence in one of our bird houses are long gone, so we took off the door to clean it out and get it ready for a new family.

Inside we found layers of nesting materials - most of it from the "furniture store" I set out for them. The top was covered in soft cotton yarn-like material. There were no signs of feathers, egg bits, food or droppings. They were excellent house keepers. I'm not sure if you're supposed to clean out birdhouses - or leave the nest for the next visitor, but we decided that's why the houses come with doors that open - so we removed all of the nesting material and hung up the "For Rent" sign.

We have several planter boxes around our patio that we plant each year with annuals. I think these are especially pretty this year. We usually have great luck with Pansies - but this year they did not grow well at all.

On one of our hikes in Palmer Park we were excited to see several Western Tanagers. They visit our yard each May for a week to 10 days and after they leave, we don't usually see them again until the next Spring.

The Western Tanagers are Bill's favorite Colorado bird. I think the Painted Bunting is his favorite Florida bird. I like them all and my favorite is usually the last one I saw.

Mr. Squirrel is still protecting the yard - but lately he has not been doing such a great job. We have a very naughty gray kitty who visits early in the morning and lays in the yellow flowers around the birdbath. Twice we've spotted him just as he leaps into the air - catching one of my birds.

Next time I see him I'm going to put a note on his collar: "I'm a very bad kitty. Please keep me home so I don't kill any more of the neighbors pretty yellow birds."

Think that will work? I didn't think so either...

We've seen this female Bullock's Oriole several times - but no sign of a male. I even went out and bought a new feeder - especially for the Orioles - hoping to keep them around. Since it is filled with sugar water, the hummingbirds think it is for them.

The hummingbirds are thick. Each evening they delight us with their acrobatics as they try to keep each other away from the feeders. Since we have 3 feeders with sugar water, there is plenty of seating for everyone - but they still defend what they think is their exclusive territory. The male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds make a buzzing noise with their wings when they fly and some evenings they are so loud we need to turn up the television. Then again, maybe we need to turn it up because we are getting hard of hearing. Old age - the best of times, the worst of times (but certainly better than the alternative!)

My camera is in the shop for repairs and I really miss it when the hummers are everywhere. These pictures were taken before my camera broke.





While Geocaching in the park, we spotted this Downy Woodpecker. They haven't been around the yard much this year, so I always appreciate getting to see one.

This is another bird we don't see too often - a Dark-eyed Junco. This one was flitting around the trail when we hiked at Dome Rock State Park outside of Divide, Colorado.

I've been trying to get a decent picture of a Steller's Jay but this is the best I have so far. We only see them at higher elevations and this one was in Rocky Mountain National Park.

After our drive through Rocky Mountain National Park, we stopped in Grand Lake to see the water birds. At this point, my camera was not working well so the pictures of the rest of the large flock of White Pelicans did not turn out. This one is a youngster. I'm not sure what the shorebirds in front of the Pelican are since my books tell me only the Spotted Sandpiper is found in Colorado - and these look bigger than 8 inches. Maybe my sister Beth will know. Beth?

I forget where I took this picture - maybe at one of the lakes just outside RMNP.

The mammals we see in the mountains are, I am told, marmots - but look at these two pictures. They do not look like the same animal. The first picture was taken in Palmer Park.

This picture was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park and there was an informational sign nearby describing it as a Yellow-bellied Marmot. Another mystery!

The flowers at 11,000 feet are quite different than those at 5 or 6,000 feet. They are much smaller and shorter and often grow beside boulders that protect them from the strong winds.

Look at these growing on the rocks!

Such a beautiful rock garden.

And another...

I don't know which I like more in this picture - the neat fence or the view of the mountains. This is Long's Peak and I took it on the Peak to Peak Highway between Central City and Estes Park.

Okay, that's all the pictures I have until my camera is fixed. This weekend we are heading south to the Huerfano River Valley for 2 days of tent camping on the backside of Mount Blanca - and me without a camera!

MOOSE!

Bill and I took a leisurely drive through the high country of Colorado to Rocky Mountain National Park where I saw my first moose.

She was huge and very near the road so we got some okay pictures. My camera had broken a few miles back, so these pictures are taken on a fully automatic setting that I rarely use.

The grass and shrubs were up to my waist - but with her long legs she stood way above them.





As we were watching, she was joined by her calf.

The baby was so-o cute!

Just a little further up the road, we found papa moose grazing in a meadow. What a thrill! The wildlife in the park must be used to people watching then as they didn't seem to mind several carloads of people stopping to take pictures. We were not there very long before the park ranger appeared to make sure people kept their distance.

We stopped for a picnic lunch and I saw another first - a Clark's Nutcracker. Actually, I didn't know what it was. I thought maybe it was a male Gray Jay with more striking plumage than the female - but I was corrected by a local birder who was also having lunch in the area. Gray Jays and Clark's Nutcrackers are close cousins - so at least I was in the right family!

When the Clark's Nutcracker flies, his tail has a striking black and white pattern unlike the Gray Jay that is more overall gray. The Clark's Nutcracker is slightly larger at 13 inches compared to the Gray Jay at 12 inches.

Bill and I posed at the Continental Divide just before my camera gave up the ghost.

This is what my next several pictures look like, even after adjusting the brightness to the lowest setting.

I have a few more pictures to share of our trip but I have to make them last at least 3 weeks because my camera is away for repairs. We were lucky that we purchased the extended warranty last year so if it can't be fixed, it will be replaced - or I can put my original purchase price towards a new camera of my choice. I've taken well over 5,000 pictures - probably closer to 10,000 - in the last year so it might just be worn out. I don't like the new version of my Nikon (more zoom, less megapixels with emphasis on video capabilities) so it will be a difficult decision if I need a new camera. Do I bite the bullet, spend even more money and upgrade to a SLR?