We took a drive to the Dolores Farmers Market for the first time Wednesday night and ended up behind a cattle drive. We came home with a nice variety of fruits and veggies from the market and I took a few pictures of cows and drivers as Tom made his way through the four legged traffic jam! Speaking of jam, yesterday's project was turning some apricot/peach(peachacots?,aprieach?) fruit into jam and today using the rest of to make a homemade pie or cobbler. Hope it all turns out ok. I felt all thumbs at making the jam. Guess I just don't do it often enough. And I ended up with a very "sticky "kitchen! Thanks to Tom's help with cleanup the kitchen has recovered. Today is a trip to the county fair and the Country Gold Concert tonight. We have enjoyed the concert the last couple of years and I'm looking forward to it again. Ah, summer in Mancos. . It's fun and goes too fast! sf

Thistlemania!

I love thistles! I know there are many people that feel differently(mainly farmers, I believe) but for photography there is not a more interesting plant. At different stages and in different locations there is a uniqueness in thistle blooms that is not found in many adored wild flowers. If you can get past the obnoxious weed label, this creation of nature is a real beauty. sf

Meet Alexander

Isn't he adorable! Alexander is a baby camel that lives a few miles up the road from us. Unfortunately Alex's mother died while birthing him and he is having to be bottle fed. The owner also had both parents but, as I understand the story, after Alex's mother died the male camel attacked Alex and was trying to kill him so the owners felt they had to rid themselves of the raging father camel. I had photographed both of Alex's parents several times and was particularly fond of Kahn, the male camel. He was so friendly and personable with me, I am sad to pass the field where Kahn lived and not see him there. But then I think baby Alexander is going to be a real charmer! sf

Mancos Days II (and III and ...)

We're reaching the Thank-Goodness-It's-Almost-Over phase of the weekend!

I think for me, most of all, it was nice to have my son Drayton here for a few days. It was a chance for him to see old friends, which we tried to respect, but it was just great to have him around and catch up with him on our lives. Scooby Doo, the doxigator, threatened to tear him limb from limb, and a few seconds later was in his lap, nudging his hand to pet her, licking his hand, etc. That's all part of letting him know, I guess, that the noble watchdog is under-appreciated! We're sorry Noi and her family weren't able to make it, too, but understand and we'll catch up with them another time.

First hurdle for the busy weekend was the high school centennial celebration at the football field Friday night. In the morning, we breakfasted at the Bakery and then Drayton and I helped set up the stage, tables and chairs. I held down the booth in the park all afternoon, selling the centennial books, calendars, T-shirts and umbrellas. The weather was perfect for the evening event and I think there were more than 300 people there. Lots of "Didn't you used to be...?" greetings, nice speeches (mercifully short) and a nice pig roast meal that didn't get rained on or blown away. It was a beautiful evening! (I'll post some pictures later, after we've had a little more time to sort them all out.)

Saturday was the biggest Mancos Days parade I can remember (except maybe in 2000, a big election year when lots of candidates had entries). Lots of enjoyment and lots of folks on the streets to watch. Drayton and I hit the traditional early morning pancake breakfast the Boy Scouts put on, then met Sandy at Artisans to help get ready for the reception for five new artists that morning. Before and after the parade, which goes right by the Artisans entrance from 10 to 11, there were quite a few folks in the shop, browsing and meeting the artists. In the afternoon, we had a little time to rest and clean up.

I went in and helped with the recording of reminiscences at the high school; one Class of 1948 or '49 graduate brought in his wooden desktop from seventh grade to show ... it had his and lots of others' initials and names carved in it and he had rescued it from the dump.

Yesterday evening we were treated to a small, two-family gathering west of Mancos, the family of a young woman who was in high school with Drayton and Noi. Good food, good company and a beautiful evening ... until I was getting sort of brain-dead and needed to get home and go to bed!

I had the early shift at the Centennial booth in the park this morning and it was the usual Sunday morning of Mancos Days ... kind of laid back, quiet, slow-paced and peaceful.

Nobody showed up for meeting for worship this morning, so we visited and got Drayton off on his trek back over the pass with some baklava to sustain him. Yesterday I wanted to take in the Cox Ranches Rodeo at Echo Basin this morning; this morning I didn't have the git up and go!

We're off to offer prints and cards and baklava at the Bauer House this afternoon. We'll see how that goes. For sure we'll come home and collapse and snuggle with the dog and cats this evening ... and start on the exercise and diet and weight reduction program tomorrow! tv

Mancos Days I

We had a good turnout today at the 81328 exhibit reception in the foyer of the Mancos Community Center, though it was a bit surreal with an aikido class going on in the room beyond the foyer. There was a good feeling of excitement about both the project (now in its sixth year) and about the photographs displayed.

I had a good step-on tour of Mesa Verde this morning and then made baklava this afternoon and evening for the art and food booth Sunday afternon at the Bauer House. We also got a number of photo-cards made for Artisans and the booth.

And, best of all, Drayton arrived from Fort Collins tonight! tv

Critters!

The hills are alive . . . with critters! Just a few miles up the La Plata Canyon Rd we found the sought out wild flowers as well as marmots, chipmunks and more. The early morning proved the best time for these ventures and we plan to return when we have more time to stay and enjoy the flowers, mountains and the adorable creatures that live there. sf

Nothing on the calendar!

Wow! A day with nothing on the calendar! Won't take long for that to change!

It was 50 degrees at 6 a.m. when Scooby and I took our (first) morning walk. A cool breeze was still flowing down from the La Platas. It was nice sleeping last night, after several nights that were a bit warm ... felt good to snuggle down in the bed clothes.

It's nice to have a day of catching up. Yesterday we hung the 81328 photo exhibit (one each from 20 disposable cameras used by 20 local residents to take pictures in our 81328 ZIP code). They really look good, and represent a fascinating variety of aspects of our area, all on the theme of "Passages." It's in the community center for all to see during Mancos Days this weekend; the reception is tomorrow night.

I went from that to the last-gasp meeting of the Mancos High School centennial committee, while Sandy met with another chamber of commerce board member on Mancos marketing options. At my meeting, we learned that State Senator Jim Isgar got the federal position he was hoping for and won't be able to be our keynote speaker at the all-class reunion celebrating the MHS centennial Friday night. So, Bobbi Black immediately got nearby State Representative Scott Tipton to fill in. Last minute monkey wrenches; it'll go fine!

Then to the 5 o' clock meeting of Mancos On the Move for both of us, with good results. We decided on the focus of a rack card advertising the downtown art venues, so that can move forward. We also may have a foot in the door to get permission for the chamber of commerce to use the Town's trademarked slogan, "Mancos, Gateway to Mesa Verde." It's a catchy way of tying the community to the adjacent destination park, but the Town trademarked it a few years back and then never made arrangements for anyone to use it. Town Manager Tom Yennerell attended our meeting and said he would put it on the agenda for next month for the board's consideration; we had already come up with four possible uses for it in marketing. Tom's presence was good, too, in that we were able to have a little dialogue with him about what the Town can and can't do to support marketing efforts. It was good to hear him say that he had no problem providing Town support (marshal's office, etc.) for street events like our highly successful May 16 art event.

Tomorrow we start ramping up for Mancos Days ... another four days of activities. I'm doing a step-on bus tour of Mesa Verde for ARAMARK in the morning, after which I need to make baklava and then go to the 81328 reception, after which I'm hoping my son Drayton will arrive from Fort Collins. Friday will be taken up mostly with MHS centennial activities, including setting up the football field, working the booth in the park and the big pig roast and all-class reunion at the football field that night. Saturday morning is the Boy Scout pancake breakfast, the Fun Run (spectator only!) and the big parade, while we have a reception for five new artists at Artisans of Mancos.

Saturday afternoon we plan to sneak away for a musical picnic potluck up the Dolores River, which should be a beautiful, relaxing interlude with good music. Don't know the other two groups, but I love to hear the Lindells!

Sunday we host meeting for the Mancos Valley Worship Group, Drayton heads back to the populous side of the mountains and we will spend the afternoon dispensing our photographs and baklava at a wine-and-art event at the Bauer House in Mancos. Maybe we can at least look in on the Cox Rodeo up at Echo Basin.

Monday we collapse!!! tv

PS: If you go to www.mesaverdecountry.com/tourism/lodging.html and wait for the fourth picture to rotate into view, it's a shot I took of a Winnebago RV framed in a double rainbow. It's owned by British Servas guests on a two-year tour of this country, and the rainbows just perfectly framed it in our front yard!