Harvest time

What time is it?

Our Guatemala clock becomes a Zhangye China clock as Fran tries her hand at Chinese characters.

The literal translation is Middle Kingdom.

The backyard fire place with the first set of smores.

The summit of Jura Knob (12,614')

A Sunday arts and crafts day

A "chill" Sunday was the perfect day to get those bird houses painted as well as create the "to" signs for the back yard (reminiscent of the sign post on MASH). I spent the day taking out old fence posts.

Here the two creative minds of the operation

The first of the "to" signs for the sign post. Other signs will include: San Francisco, Zhangye Gansu, Fort Collins, Windham NH and Moab UT. Images will come later.

The finished products hidden among the greenery.

The two artists with their masterpieces.

What can I say?

Across the country

The last 3 weeks were spent driving to New England and back again. I can't say it enough...this is a big country!

above: Looking in the mirror with the fields of Kansas for a background

below: The moose of Bennington Vermont

walking the beach

the summit of Mt. Lafayette (5260 feet, almost Denver)

One of many covered bridges

After dinner rest

lobster night

you don't see these traffic signs just anywhere

home of Radar in MASH

Flower season

Last week was spent traversing the San Juan Mountains in search of this year's wildflowers. We started near Creede, backpacking into the La Garita Wilderness for an overnight stay at the Wheeler Geologic Area. From Creede we traveled to American Basin at the foot of Handies Peak for the traditional Columbine exhibition...we were not disappointed. Our last stop was in Gothic Colorado, home to the Rocky Mountain Biological Institute. WOW. Everything else paled in comparison to the flowers around Schofield Pass. Our route home then took us over Kebler Pass with another astounding display of this season's crop of wild flowers. The images that follow are just a small collection of pictures that really do not do the fields of flowers justice.

Mule's Ears

King's Crown

Larkspur

Sulphur flowers

Mountain Sunflower

La Garita Wilderness and Fran

Iris

Colorado Blue Columbine

Summer in the Rockies

Last week was spent visiting a few high country lakes. Most lakes above 12,000 are still frozen and there were a few snow fields that we had to climb to get high enough. It was a great time!

Fran in Porphyry Basin

Ed crossing that last stream in lower Ice Lake Basin

A few flowers on the trail

Climbing towards Hope Lake Pass

Lunch!

Been busier

Wow, lots has happened since that last post. Semesters ended, a visit from the Guatemala kids a road trip to Yosemite to visit the California kids a quick trip to the Front Range and a geology class to be taught.

Rain in Yosemite

Grandma and Kelly

The Colorado River class

Dinner at home with the Guate kids

Below, the oldest junior rangers in the program