There is a lot to blog about this time. On September 14th I made a one-day solo trip over to the lot and did more work. The next week I was on vacation from work for three days and took an extended ATV trip in the Ouray (pronounced you-Ray) area on two of those days. Finally, Pam and I went over to Sanderling to stage more wood for removal. Last Wednesday new kittens arrived, Pam’s 24th foster litter. Mom cat’s name is Ebony and her kittens are all black just like her.
That’s a lot of ground to cover.
Trips to the lot are now falling into a pattern of getting loads of brush and slash over to the burn pit and getting some firewood home. My solo trip was no exception, except Pam requested I bring home some rocks to be used in our berms. So, after a long day’s work, I finished by picking up 10 rocks to bring home. Pam was delighted. I was tired.
I had driven over on a Friday night. Saturday morning was overcast and cloudy so I went up to Pavilion Point and made this video. (Running time is 2:31.)
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Not much else to report from that trip. Our last trip, this past Friday afternoon – Saturday, was more of the same. (I did find the key to unlock the 2-wheel cart.) We returned via Boreas Pass – Pam had not been on the pass this year – and we stopped to take this photo of aspen along the road turning color:
Boreas Pass, September 2013
Jumping back a few days… I had traveled to Ouray (pronounced you-Ray) Colorado for a two-day (Sept 18 and 19) ATV outing. I wanted to ride the Alpine Loop which consists of Engineer Pass and Cinnamon Pass. I had ATV’d part of Engineer Pass last year but had not completed the loop. Both pass trails start from Highway 550 south of Ouray and end in Lake City, Colorado.
The first day was overcast and had late afternoon rain, not the best travel conditions but not bad enough to prevent the trip. Thursday was much better, partly cloudy and dry. I enjoyed my trips on both days.
Rather than including a gallery of still photos I am including this long (12:36) video that covers parts of both Engineer and Cinnamon passes.
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It was a good outing and I enjoyed both day’s travel. There are many more ATV trips in the Ouray – Silverton area that I hope to get to next year.
One or two more photos not including in the video:
Aspen turning color, Engineer Pass, Sept. 18
Jerry with old mine hoist, Mineral Point area, Sept. 19
Ebony’s kittens:
Ebony and her kittens
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!
P.S.
We are not in the flood zone that has made national news. Here in the western part of the state we have had a lot of rain, and flash-flooding at one point closed I-70 a few miles from home, but nothing like they had on the eastern part of the state. Thanks to all who called or e-mailed to check on us!
Pam’s Two Cents Worth:
I am ready for the wood cutting summer to be over. Too many “pulls” on my time and energy – full-time job (I’d prefer to work part-time again), all these pregnant cats with kittens, and four-hour-each-way drives to the Sanderling property. Jer can’t really be safely left on the lot solo with the chain saw. There is no one in shouting distance if he injures himself, and cell phone coverage is spotty up there. Staging wood and slash one weekend when I (and the dogs) accompany Jer, then the next weekend he takes the solo trip with the truck and trailer to haul slash to the pit and wood home – that routine seems to be working.
One kitten from the previous litter died this weekend at the vet (the fuzzy white Siamese-mix), and one that was adopted from that same litter is sick but hanging in there (the long-haired orange one). A bacterial infection – it could have been picked up from Izzy, from the animal shelter, who knows – is the cause of the distress. Such sadness when the little ones cross the rainbow bridge so soon.
Ebony’s newborn kittens are Mink, Mole, Sable and Seal. I think there are three boys and one girl. Ebony knows exactly what to do, this is her second litter this year.
We did fit in the Mountain Laurie/Boreas Pass visit, as you can see by the photo from the Boreas Pass Road. Some years Mom’s presence is felt at the location where her ashes are scattered, some years not so much. A beautiful day on Boreas, but the spirit of Mountain Laurie seemed to visit me at Sanderling in the form of a hummingbird earlier this summer. If you believe in such things…
Happy Trails.
Missed your post the last couple of weeks but can see you have been busy. Sad about the kittens. Happy fall!
“Woodcutting summer”: how many more summers of woodcutting do you think?
Assume you’ll haul the RV back to De Beque for winterizing/the winter? Not that long before the aspen turns and snow fall on your property.
Noticeable increase in water in the streams, though not nearly as much as along the front range north of Denver. The increase in rainfall might also increase the aspen color, unless it fell too late to effect them.
Noticed a few diseased pines in your ATV videos — hopefully not as bad as years ago when you were cutting for your Nederland home.
“Mountain Laurie”: If she’s an “old soul”, there are numerous places she might visit, Merrill included — probably some happy moments spent in many locations.
Or, perhaps there’s a piece of her imbuing nature, hummingbirds and beyond, while the rest moves on to her next life.
Perhaps both and more — no idea how that works!