After a day’s absence, the turkeys returned (I actually missed them) and the flock grew to 24. There are 3 Toms and 21 hens, as best I can tell. They seem to be getting used to our presence. This morning, one Tom approached me in his full display.
Two bull elk returned. One had dropped his antlers. They were hanging out next to the barn and walked off after I spotted them.
The variety of bird song increases daily as more return for Spring in Estes Park.
When we are not busy working on the cabins and main house, I have been creating lots of projects. More to follow. A girl has got to have fun!
I am reading a wonderful book about a pair of sisters, The Dickersons, who lived on the Mummy Range in the early 1900’s, called “Apples of the Mummy’s Eyes”. They viewed the profile of the “mummy” from the off the grid cabin they lived in for 80+ years! From the age of 5-6, they worked with teams of horses to pull stumps and did all sorts of hard labor. Helen was a real homebody, like me, and made pine needle baskets, candies, woven blankets, which she sold at a store on the edge of their property.
Here at McGraw Ranch, we have two guardians, Pulpit Rock and Indian Head. In fact at some point, the ranch was called the Indian Head Ranch.
It just seems like a strong profile to me but nonetheless, he is our protector. The first thing we see every morning.
We took advantage of several beautiful, warm days this week and hiked in the backyard. Tim went to Balanced Rock. I opted to skip the elevation gain and looked at pine cones instead. We have beautiful Ponderosa Pines all around us and their pinecones reminded me of a rose.
The next walk we took was along the Northern Boundary trail into the Comanche Peak Wilderness, where we caught a glimpse into the next valley. It’s easy to imagine what it must have been like to ride horses into this territory when this was a dude ranch.
We didn’t realize we could see Longs Peak, the highest point in Rocky Mountain National Park at 14,256 feet, for a good part of the walk but it was clear to us on the way back.
There was a sundog on the way down. A sundog occurs on either side of the sun when it is low on the horizon and is called a sundog because it sits beside the sun like a loyal dog. My best capture of this was in Maine when we wintered at Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park.
But now the weather is turning colder once again, single digits for the next couple of days. Space heaters are back in use and water is left dripping from all the faucets.
We stopped by the Stanley Hotel, the setting for Stephen King’s “The Shining”, while in town yesterday. They have special rates, more not less, for rooms with paranormal activity. Stephen King shot his own miniseries here but the hotel promotes the Jack Nicholson version.
What’s not clear is that it sits right at the edge of Estes Park and is not at all remote.
Although we are only 15 minutes from town, our setting is remote. Just the way we like it.
I didn’t bring any of my 5 sewing machines out west. There was a limit to how much could fit in the car. It was my choice.
I was contemplating how to finish the napkin hems, without any fringe, by hand, when I read the Estes Valley Library has sewing machines and lots of other things to lend.
So today I got myself a visitor library card and took out a book and a sewing machine.
They had a wall filled with items you could sign out, including scanners, knitting kits, microscopes, telescopes (something else I left behind), trail cameras and more.
I chose a sewing machine. The kit included white and black thread, extra needles, a sharp pair of scissors (or sharp scissors) a beginner’s guide to sewing, instruction manual, and materials to sew a drawstring bag.
Napkins have been zig zagged, cut apart and washed. I’ll sew the hems after they dry.
Now I have to think about what I’d like to borrow next.
I finally saw my first elk and then that was all we saw on the drive into town to swim. It’s also the first time the clouds cleared enough to reveal the mountain range.
This one is much smaller than the two Tim saw at the ranch but he was a beauty. Then we saw a field filled with elk, lounging about.
These two had a little tussle and then hung out together and snacked.
After 12 days at 8,000 ft elevation, I didn’t feel sick after swimming. I read it would take me 22 days to get used to this altitude. I’m definitely getting there.
Finally this morning, I saw two bull elk grazing from my front porch.
And here are the adult and juvenile bobcats walking along the field off the dining room.
This mountain chickadee hopped towards me to say hello on the porch. Not as imposing as an elk, but adorable.
Here’s a view of the ranch from the road. Pulpit rock, in the background, is very impressive.
I’m having fun with new to me gadgets: a ninja blender (very powerful), an electric floor washer (not convinced yet it’s better than a mop) and this jar opener. I was dubious at first but it does the trick.
If it wasn’t labelled, I wouldn’t have noticed it.
And finally a fiber update. I started this hap shawl in October and finished it last week. I plan to give it as a baby gift but I have to confess, in the meantime, it is keeping me warm.
It’s from Heirloom Knitting’s Shetland Hap Shawls: Then & Now. I’ll wear it now and give it then. The Jamieson and Smith shetland yarn is so soft and warm.
Tim saw the bobcats cavorting in the yard before dinner last night. There were paw prints under the bedroom window this morning. Could this be a peeping bob?
Bobcat tracks at the cabin
Today, I slept in and, while I snoozed, Tim saw two elk walking through the field. I shouldn’t be surprised because our first day here, a checkout cashier asked me if I had seen any elk in town yet.
Pulpit rock was aglow with sun and snow.
This weekend was the first ever skijoring event in Estes Park. Yesterday was cold, windy and snowing but today was perfect.
It was a hoot.
I had heard of skijoring with dogs but this was with horses. There were more cowboy hats than I could count.
Island and North Country Life 