Fall Weather

 We were a bit surprised when we arrived back in Texas to find the weather so pleasant. It is not unusual to have 100 degree temps in September, but not this year. This morning it is in the 50’s and low humidity.

 

Therefore I have set about trying to make it look a bit more Fall like around here. I use to put out a lot (too many) seasonal decorations when my girls were growing up, but I have scaled back a bit.

Just a few things, here and there will do.

Do you decorate your place for the different seasons? Surely some of you do, especially for Christmas.

I have actually, in my downsizing efforts, have gotten rid of a lot of my decorations...and only have hung on to my favorites.

My pink Pentas out front still think it’s summer though.They do very well in our searing summer heat. They will be replaced by plants that will hold up through the winter....but I don’t want to tear out blooming flowers, at least not just yet!

The Move South

 If you are wondering where I am.

We have been very busy like a lot of the birds...migrating south for the winter. I will return to my blog as soon as we get settled....Janey

Fall Has Arrived

 Around here we don’t need to look at the calendar to know it is Fall.

We just look around us.

It was a little later than usual this year.

It seemed to arrive overnight. There is color everywhere you look.

What Do You Think

 

We have several churches here in our little mountain town, but this is the smallest. There is room for only about fifty people inside. The new sign was added just a couple of years ago, and every time I see it,

I can’t help but think of a can of Campbell’s soup. 

😂

Rustic

 Sunday was a beautiful day here. Sunny and cool with blue blue skies. Tom suggested that we take a ride over the mountain for an early dinner at one of our favorite places.

 Freemon’s General Store is about halfway between here and Creede, CO., which is to our southeast...over a very high mountain pass. They serve the best hamburgers in these parts and are also known their ice cream cones. Due to the current restrictions you have to eat outside on picnic tables that they have scattered about the property. 

There were a few shade trees, but the temperature was so cool, we welcomed eating in the sunshine.

If you look closely you can see a trail ride just under Bristol Head peak.

From the top of a hill on the way home. I spotted an old fishing camp that we had been by years ago. It looked like to me that the place was open and the old cabins, built in 1920, had new roofs. Tom agreed to turn off of the main road so we could take a look.

Sure enough the place was open. I commented that I didn’t see and electric lines running to the cabins. Well I found out that is because there is no electricity. They do have generator powered lighting from dusk until 10pm. There is also no water...

Which isn’t entirely true....but it takes a little muscle power to fill up your bucket.

 

I mentioned no water...there is also no plumbing. See the little outhouse I have circled . At least it too has a new roof.

Just in case you don’t know what an outhouse is, hopefully this will give you an idea. Oh if you are wondering about WiFi...of course not!

But, you are surrounded by picturesque mountains, and this waterfall is within walking distance.

If that is not enough to get you there. How about this....in the opposite direction maybe three miles, is this fully stocked fishing lake.

I not sure I have convinced you...How about it? I know I won’t be staying there, but I am guessing an avid fisherman would!

T Mountain

 

First of all, you can see that the snow did not last very long. There is still a bit on top of T Mountain which is our view to the southwest. People usually ask “why do they call it T Mountain”? Well with the little bit of snow up there you can see it. There is a natural rock formation or ridge in the shape of a T. It is not so visible without the snow. So now you have seen it. That is if you can see it. 

Where’s Fall?

 

In case you are wondering why our hanging baskets have come inside.

It is because Colorado has had a record early snow fall! 

This started on September 8th and two days later we are still getting flurries.

:

We usually like to stay up here until the Aspens turn their beautiful golden color....but at this point we are wondering what happened to Fall? 

 There are some blue skies to the south this morning,

 but to the Southwest it looks like more is coming.
To be truthful this has been sort of exciting for us since we are Texans!

Well Hello There

 On my previous post I blogged about the suspicious area to the north of our driveway. You know the buried treasure...or buried something else🥺. Anyway we have a rather long driveway, so I was walking along headed out to take that picture when I heard a rustling on both sides of me. 

Well hello there! There was a large buck to my right and left. One was lounging in the shade and the other was grazing on what grass (really weeds) that we have in our natural landscape. The grazer  ran off but the other one  just sat there watching me walk by. I guess with that weapon planted on top of his head he didn’t feel I was a threat! You never know when you are going to come face to face with some critter around here.

What is it?

 Our property here on the mountainside in Colorado amounts to almost two acres. We have not landscaped, but have left things in a natural state. It is very rocky on this hillside and there are very few places where you could even dig a hole. Matter of fact in order to build our house they had to do a lot of blasting with dynamite. 

So I was a bit intrigued when on a walk a few years ago, I found this on a hill under a tree north of our driveway. It is an area without any rocks, just dirt, but completely  outlined with rocks and a large piece of pink granite at one end. The more I looked at it the more it looked like some sort of a grave. I have shown it to a lot of our guests and they have suggested maybe someone buried a dog up here before our house was built.

Although, it is an awful large area for just a dog. This town was a wild  west mining town back in the late 19th century. They did have a cemetery then, but maybe for some reason someone was buried up here. Or maybe they buried their gold or silver and never made it back to dig it up. Guess I will never know...unless I start digging, but don’t worry, I am not going to do that.

Sister Visit

 Tired of being cooped up, my two older sisters who are both widowed decided to drive to Colorado to see us and get out of the Texas heat. We had a wonderful time

Hiking

Picnicking

Moose hunting (with a camera)

Playing bocce  ball (I came in third)

taking turns cooking

and being driven everywhere by our trusty driver 😊