Friday, December 9, 2011

Mid December 2011

And you thought we'd be  moving from place to place and adding pictures every day!
I had this foot surgery before Thanksgiving, Dr. took the wrapping off on Monday, but I'm still hobbling around with the crutches.  Can't put full weight on it yet and we're here until the final Dr. appt the 19th.
So it'll be a mad dash to get up to Scott's.
That did give me time to get Christmas Cards out - and the decorating is done.  That consisted of putting a Santa hat on teddy.  Most of the presents had already been bought, just a few to finish up.
Russ has done a great job keeping me fed - not his favorite activity.  Even managed to put together a dinner for guests Bill & Val. Well, ok, Bill brought his homemade cheese bread.
All the pickleball people are gone so that's on hold.
Somebody forgot to turn up the thermostat in this part of the country and it's been cold, cold, cold.
Finally gave in and put our summer clothes away and got out the winter ones!
Looking forward to hearing from you all.
Merry Christmas

Thursday, November 17, 2011

November in Cottonwood


That's me with the blue visor partnered with Tom


Russ with a big serve


More players waiting their turn


Russ in a competitive foursome


It's not all fun & games


Us at pickleball happy hour


Canyon Lands Utah






Our view of the Dutch Shoe rock formation - you don't have to use your imagination for this one.
 


Dramatic cloud formation as seen from our "house"
 


This is not Elephant Rock, but that's where we were headed
 


Lots of different rock formations in this canyon
 


The sky can change dramatically from one minute to the next
 


Every corner offers another rock formation
 


Our campsite - not too crowded
 


Sunset from the "house"
 



All those beautiful cloud formations resulted in snow capped mountains in the distance
 

Dramatic sunset on "Six Shooter"
 


Newspaper Rock - the ancients answer to Facebook
 


I named this formation "Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak no Evil"
 


Russ can't resist taking the Jeep on these roads
 



These turkeys got suspicious when we fed them Stove Top Stuffing
 


Heading through Monument Valley
 


This was the smallest of 3 javalinas in our campground here in Cottonwood, AZ
 

Durango


The drive between Durango - Silverton - Ouray, "The Million Dollar Highway"
also offers a Million Dollar view - especially when the Aspen trees change
into their autumn colors.


Don't know if anyone lives in or uses the little cabin tucked into the trees,
but what a beautiful setting.


Engineer Mountain peeking through the trees


Or is this one Engineer Mountain - whichever


Breathtaking views - one of my favorite


A beautiful Autumn Carpet


This shows why the area was perfect for mining


Saturday, November 5, 2011

Our experience on the Navajo Reservation

For the last 16 yrs. my sister Sharon & her husband Lindell have been going to the Shiprock Navajo Reservation in NM with a group of people from Denver area churches to assist mainly the elderly or disabled whose houses need interior or exterior repairs. This year we accompanied them and it was a great 4 day experience.  The group was split up into units of about 6 people and assigned a specific project.  Our group made exterior repairs and completely painted the house for a couple about our same age, maybe even a little younger.  He had survived an auto accident that he shouldn't have survived so had some physical limitations.


Mike & Debi, Russ, Lindell - we worked hard but did take short breaks


Estelle & Albert with his sister Mary


And Russ wondered if I'd ever painted! 
Debi seems to be further along, hmmm, oh well, I
was taking pictures, too.


This couple was so nice.  Always had water available.
Coffee & donuts one morning,
Navajo fry bread one day, very yummy
popsicles a couple times a day (refreshing in the heat),
and this day they'd made Navajo Tacos for us and
they were delicious.


View of Shiprock from their backyard.


Lindell & Russ (he hates ladders)


Finished!


Grand Lake, Colorado

We need a new word to describe my sister & bro-in-laws cabin - nice new addition plus a huge new kitchen - chalet?  cottage?  Suggestions, anyone?




Couldn't fit it all in the picture - the kitchen that is,
Sharon fit in fine.
 

Our view of Lake Granby in the morning from the motorhome.



Russ & Lindell installing faux stonework


Sharon looking pleased with their results


Trees on Berthod Pass had a beautiful frosting the
day before we went over it.



Love seeing such a beautiful snowy sight - from a distance.
 

My niece Pam - ingredients fresh from her very own garden




Connor, Sharon & Denise (Randy's wife)
Thank you Connor for showing me how to send pics from
my phone to an e-mail eddress.




Mike (Pam's husband) & Russ. 




Lindell & Randy (nephew) - probably discussing the Broncos


September in Utah


Black Ibis?


Golden Spike National Monument - this is where if happened,
these are the engines.  Somehow, I don't think they
were probably so bright and shinning.





No explanation necessary
 

Russ & his brother Larry - breakfast chef extrodinaire


Russ' nephew Logan - organic gardner extrodinaire with
his son Lambert


Jim, Amanda, Micky, Leslie (niece), & Lance



View from Larry & Linda's mountain cabin


Larry & Linda with one of many of their gnarly Utah Cedar trees


Two of the 4 cabins - kind of like the Kennedy Compound