Connie in Ouray

 It's the 161st anniversary of Kansas becoming a state.  We are both originally from Kansas, me from the capitol city Topeka and Mike from Seneca, a small town about an hour north of Topeka.  Usually he likes to hang the Kansas flag, but we've misplaced it since the move.  It might be time for a new one. "Blue skies smiling at me, nothing but blue skies do I see."  Now you can have that earwarm in your head just like I have had for the past few days.  You're welcome.  Despite not having any new significant snowfall, I'm still absolutely in love with the color of a Colorado sky on a clear day. Going to the post office this morning, I drove by the Ice Park - packed!.  The beginner hill was crawling with people and ropes.  The parking lots were full to overflowing.  Yay for the economy.  Next weekend is the international competition, and I can't wait to go down and take a gander at all these brave people hanging over the gorge.  Pictures to come. Mike finally

 But then again, when isn't it?  Unfortunately, the predictions for a La Nina winter appear to be coming true.  While we have a possibility of snow in the forecast today, but for very little, the Front Range - think Denver down to Colorado Springs - is getting our snow.   The dogs and I have been out the last two mornings, me snowshoeing and them eating snowcones, pulling ice out of their paws, and chasing each other in the snow.  We've made a good trail down to the mine, around the mine building and then back up to our house, coming up behind Justin's house (15).   Our house and incoming storm The snowhoe trail is at the bottom I was finally able to get a picture of our new neighbor Paco.  He's so cute, loves Dempsey and Mirabella, but we haven't been able to get him to warm up to us.  Time is on our side.  

  Ouray ampitheatre from Camp Bird Road countries represented Beginner hill holding clinics

 Mke and I were in Colorado Springs this week visiting a very close friend who is in a physical rehab hospital - a hip replacement gone bad.  I was happy to see her, but good grief, if possible, the Springs has gotten worse, too many people, too many cars, too, too, too.  I am so happy to be back in Ouray. There was no new snow while we were gone, and it appears there was a lot of melt.   Yesterday was the begining day of the Ouray Ice Festival.  It runs through Sunday.  As we came up 550 to turn onto Camp Bird Road, we were both remarking how many cars were in the big parking lot.  One of the articles I read in the Plaindealer  is that the ice farmers do not like snow.  It creates ice pockets, which aren't very stable.  When it snows, they are constantly on the job brushing it away.  There isn't a lot of snow forecast for today, which is great for ice climbing, not so great for water supply.   And speaking of the Plaindealer , there was a fantastic article in this week's e

 I mentioned previously that Mike had met Ross and Paco the dog, who are staying a few months in JP and Michelle's house (20), and today we met Katherine (sp) and her three-year-old son James.  When we told her that Paco liked to start up the trail with us, she said that she's a wrangler, and he's used to being on the trail with her for miles and miles and could find his way home.  I've never met a wrangler before, and I can't wait to sit down and hear her story.  James was feeling a bit under the weather but still as cute as can be.  I think he'd be a great playmate for Rainee. On Friday, Mike and I blazed a snowshoe trail down to the mine, around the mine building, and then up to our house.   Steve Lankenau, who is in town for a while, had already been back there, but we were on different trails.   He reports that his dad Vern is doing well. Cool snowball rolling down a hill. Looks like a snail? a rose? Barb Woolverton (3) has been in town because of the death

Vincent from JC Propane came out on Monday, did a safety check in the house, and filled up our tank.  We hope to be good into the summer.  When Mike and I were out wandering the neighborhood just now, I remarked that if we had only had to deal with Amerigas field people, we would still be customers.  No call from corporate. Also on Monday, we snowshoed up Veenstra's trail to Bear Meadow, named by me because of the mama bear and cub I saw there last May.  It was slow going as we were making a path, and the snow was pretty deep.  We're also still recovering from these nasty colds.  I wish I had the words to describe how beautiful it is up there, so still, so pristine, such sparkly snow in the sunshine.  You'll just have to come see yourself.  Mike and five of the Trail Group guys snowshoed yesterday all the way to the bench on the Overlook.  Mike and I will go out tomorrow and make a path to the mine and around the back way to our house.  The dogs are in heaven. Before After

 

 I'm not sure where I left this last, but it's starting to feel like they are never going to go away.  A reminder:  I canceled our account on October 8, 2021 and spent weeks begging them to pick up their tank.  Through no help from the corporate office, the tank is gone.  Now I am getting billed, and charged late fees, for failure to pay rent on the tank for this next year.  I talked to Terry, a "customer courtesy rep," last week, and I will admit that I lost my temper when she demurred about taking down dates and events.  I'll apologize for that if they ever call me again.  As I left it with Terry, I don't want to find this on a credit report.  I want them to fix it.  I want them to call me and tell me it's done.  Hahahahahahahahaha! Our last storm, snow totals were just under five inches.  The first inch was in the morning, and it melted quickly.  The next 3.5-4 stuck around, but it's the lightest, fluffiest snow l've ever shoveled.  Unfortunatel

 When the storm clears: Looking towards Ouray That blue sky! Icicles!

 

 And it is beyond irritating.  Enough said. The first of three ice festivals is happening this weekend, the All In Ice Fest, meant to show that ice climbing is for everyone.  As Mike and I were coming home today from just getting out of the house, we saw two men in wheelchairs hanging out at the beginner hill.   This makes my heart so happy. Unfortunately, we have way too warm temperatures, and that is wreaking havoc on both the ice caves and the skijoring event to be held this weekend in Ridgway.  The paper said this is the first time in the event's history they've had to import snow.   I was awake at four this morning - yes, coughing - and it was 32 degrees in Ouray.  Not acceptable!   We have new renters at JP and Michelle's house (20), but because Mike and I have both been sick, we haven't had a chance to meet them, other than Mike did see Ross when they were both out with the dogs.  Mike thinks he said they are renting into May, which would be great, another full-t

Mike and I have both been sick.  Mike's started when we were in Kansas and mine last Friday.  We tested negative for covid Monday morning, so it's just a cold.  Just.  We both feel like we're coughing our lungs out, and I do think it's worse since we haven't been sick since before covid.  Anyway, once I'm on the other side, I'll post more.  It's been quiet after our gorgeous 10 inches of snow. A personal note:   Colorado Springs suffered back-to-back urban wildfires in 2012 and 2013.  The first one, the Waldo Canyon Fire, burned down 500 houses in an urban neighborhood, unheard of at the time.  I could see the fire from my house, and I never felt safe from a wildfire in my little cocoon after that.  Fast forward to the Marshall Fire near Boulder, our nephew and his family live in Louisville.  They escaped, and their house is standing.  Their neighbor's house is not.  Mother Nature is capricious and mean.  As I look out my Mineral Farms Lane house at

Before I get into the details, a favorite memory from living on Mineral Farms Lane happened shortly before Christmas last year.  We were outside chatting with the Olsons, formerly of 5MFL, when we were suddenly serenaded from the Veenstra trail by Mark and Becky Veenstra (22) with "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."  What an incredible welcome to the neighborhood that was. We left MFL last Monday late morning for Kansas and arrived home yesterday afternoon.  When we got home, we had 3.5 inches, so the snow has picked up considerably the last 15 hours. There are nine inches and counting on my official counter.  It is snowing now, and I won't be able to stay away from the windows all day.  It just energizes me.  We have already reached our high for today, and it's forecast to get below zero at our homes. Mike was sick with cold symptoms while we were gone, and, of course, I've caught that, too, symptoms starting yesterday.   We'll go to Ouray County Health on Monda