Longing for Blue Skies

We’ve  been home for over a week now and I sure miss the blue skies of New Mexico and Colorado.  California certainly has it’s advantages and we’ve enjoyed them.  But  I miss the serenity and beauty of Johnny  and Ellen’s home and their company .  I miss quiet nights and clear starlit skies.  Early morning walks on the empty golf course with nothing but birds, occasional rabbits and Deer families.  I miss evening dinners with great conversation and the sounds of Van Morrison in the background.  I even miss navigating  through mountain roads looking for that  elusive dream home, even when I sent us to the wrong mountain.

I miss Tim and his family,  Eli  Ben  Summer  Jessica, and Adam,  the evening garage talks with IPA Crafted beers and conversations.  I miss  Bobby’s great lines Like ” Does the Princess need a Freshy”  I miss the afternoon rain showers with rainbows. I miss talking with Adam about cars and tech stuff. I miss Eli practicing bike tricks with his Go Pro recording his moves.

And …   I Miss Tim,  He has  raised a great family who truly love and care for each other. You can see it…  here it… and feel it when their around each other.

And now he is a Proud Grandpa  (I missed that by two Days)

Summer & Willow

I even miss Tim’s Squirrel!

They say all good things must end. I’m not sure about that. I choose not to believe it.

So I will keep searching for the Philosopher’s Stone

Arrived Home – Vacation Wrap Up

Steve

Arrived home Sunday evening. Thought about spending the night in Prescott, but found the city even more crowded than the last time we visited. It seems to have all the chain restaurants any other city might have. With a lot of their own, Downtown is still unique with all of its charm, plenty of tourists on a Sunday afternoon. However once you put a Costco big box in, you know the city has grown. When we first visited it was still a small town with their original rodeo Fairgrounds, the same Rodeo filmed in Steve Mcqueen’s 1972  “Junior Bonner”. There is a now a new Fairgrounds at what is now the edge of town (Maybe not for long)  on the way to Sedona. Anyway it used to  be a town we wanted to live in, not any more.  So it was a quick lunch and back on the road to home.

Thoughts and some missed posts from Vacation

Westcliff, CO

On the way back from our dinner train through the Royal Gorge Dinner Train Ride and the Florence Rose B & B, we stopped at my Grandfathers Property in Westcliff. It was nice to see it again nothing had changed much since the last time we were there, except for Marker.

I spent some time in Westcliff with my Grandfather one high school summer, it was a great time and I got a love for Colorado’s  beauty.  Ive been up to his land since with my Dad and spent a night in the bus, swapping stories  about him, and drinking  Jack Daniels. I don’t remember all of it, but i’m sure I had a good time.

I could have chose photos of his land, but I still find his machinery interesting. Nothing but reverence was intended.

      I Know he doesn’t like his photo taken, But I think he looks pretty cool in this shot.

                                                   Johnny at Westcliff Property

Sedona

Arrived in Sedona around 5:00 pm to a traffic jam though the Oak Creek Canyon. Everyone was still playing on the creek that flows through the canyon. Luckily we got a room, it is really crowded
here! Went to our favorite pizza restaurant we then had the single best pizza we have ever had. This probable the 5th or 6th time we have had this Sausage and onion 4 cheese pizza and each time we have it it is exactly the same “Heaven on a plate” we sat on the patio overlooking the creek and came back and crashed.

It’s 8:45 am and we are going to look around a bit an head on to Jerome and Prescott. Don’t know if we will say there or go home. We will see.

The Pizza

View of early morning walk. with Hot Air Balloon

Sante Fe, Heading Home

Stayed at the Hyatt Place in Santa Fe.  The last vacation. when we  came through Santa Fe, we stayed here. It’s touted a a high tech hotel with big screens and all sorts of ports for your computers. Well maybe a few years ago it was High Tech, but by today’s standards with all the wireless ways to connect, not so much. Still a very nice hotel, with new movies you can rent G.II. Joe for $17.99. I think we will save our money.  We went out to eat last night at the Horseman’s Haven Cafe. Wanted to try some of the Green chiles from Hatch, NM. Well they  were probably the hottest chiles we’ve had.  I chose Chile Cheese hamburger and Linda Tried the Cheese Enchiladas with blue corn tortillas. She opted for the red chile sauce, she was told they were milder. Wow this was some hot meal.

Green Chile Cheese Burger

Cheese Enchiladas

Today we are off to Flagstaff, Prescott or Sedona, not sure which yet. Whatever moves us!

Our Day in Boulder

Steve & Linda

Arrived a little after noon on Monday. We saw Jessica at her work  , Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers. She is all grown up and really looked like she was enjoying her job . Every one came over, Summer, of course Adam, Eli and Ben were already here. Summer is ready to pop at any time, she looks great!  We had Hamburgers on the Grill, Tim Opting for a Portobello Burger as he is a “Vegetarian” .

On Tuesday, Tim took the day off and we went to Boulder. We haven’t been to Boulder since last visiting with Mom and Dad. The place still looked Great with plenty of Earthy Green people all around . The main walking area was the Pearl Street Mall it was probably 5 blocks long (Pedestrian Only) Plenty of New Age,  Artsy and Organic Food stops. Most of the shops were locally owned , so we didn’t see the same things we have back home.  The only thing missing were music stores (where have they gone?) I guess there all on this new internet thing. I really miss them. Tim stopped in to a Old Tibet store and found the perfect mallet for Jessica’s Singing Bowl. (See Link)

http://www.oldtibet.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=70_71

Tim and Tibet Lady
singing bowl

Linda and Eli

Eli Pearl Street

Eli and Spider-man

Eli was eager to pose with Spider-man after visiting a Rocket FIzz Soda Pop & Candy Shop.

Van Morrison Appears

After Boulder we came back to Tim’s place and had a big Pizza party! The whole gang was here, Jessica, Ryan, Summer, Adam, Ben and Eli. It was really fun! We managed to chow down 4, yes 4, whole pizza’s.

It is really great to be surrounded by family! It is nice to see how supportive they all are to each other.

Adam and the Ford Explorer Leak to come Later!

Also a special appearance by the Squirrel

The Florence Rose Bed and Breakfast and the Royal Gorge Railroad

We arrived in Florence just in time for lunch at a local bakery. Then headed up to the Florence Rose B&B. It was delightful. The house was over 100 years old, full of antiques. We checked in to our rooms, Johnny & Ellen in the Rose Room and we had the Asbury .

http://www.florencerose.com/

One of the many Antique Shops in Florence

The Kitchen

The Patio

After the train ride we came back to share a bottle of wine in the hot tub. It felt great!!! In the morning we had breakfast there, which was fantastic.

The train ride was awesome! We were on the dinner ride, and sat in the dome dining car. The booth we sat in was done in burgundy velvet, it felt like dining in a car of years gone by. As we rolled down the tracks we were able to watch the sun set while have an amazing dinner. We all had prime rib except Ellen who opted for the salmon. All of our meals came with an appetizer, great salad with blue cheese and candied pecans with raspberry dressing on a bed of baby greens, the entrees had baby white potatoes, and a vegetable medley.

Train along the river

Gorge Bridge

Dome Car

Outside Viewing Car

 

The Dinner Plate

After we ate we went to the outside car to enjoy the magnificent views. At dusk we came back in to have a wonderful dessert, a  version of a cream puff with a caramel sauce and nut topping. Amazing is the best way to describe it.

The memory of this trip, and the time we spent with Johnny & Ellen will be in our minds  forever.

Bishop Castle

On our way to the Florence Rose B&B, we stopped at Bishop Castle, an amazing castle in the mountains of Colorado built stone by stone by one man’s efforts,  Jim Bishop!  Construction of the castle began in 1969, and today it is approximately 160 ft. tall and weighs over 50,000 tons. He is still working on the Castle today. http://www.bishopcastle.org/

Jim Bishop

Steve

As we entered the castle grounds we were greeted with a voice of someone ranting, at first I thought it was someone causing trouble, it was actually …Bishop playing to the crowd. It seems that working on this castle since 1969 has made him very eccentric. We decided to enter the castle.  As I started to climb, already at 9,000 feet, I started to feel great, smelling that crisp clean air. If you are afraid of heights, this may not be your place. I toured all the rooms I could see (I’m sure I missed some) and kept climbing to the top. At the very top there is a bridge to nowhere which also leads you down again, if you care to step down a ladder, I decided not to but I needed to at least cross the bridge (see Photos).

While atop the bridge you had an incredible view of all the Valley and surrounding area. All in All it was an amazing example of one mans obsession.

Close up 2

1 of many signs

Ellen, Johnny and Linda

View Atop Bridge

The Bridge

Linda in Giant Chair

That’s me on Bridge

Sadie’s Photo Shoot

Steve

Early Friday morning before our  our trip to Bishop Castle, The Florence Rose and our Dinner Train ride on the Royal Gorge Railroad  Sadie (Johnny & Ellen’s Dog) and I decide it’s a good time to get in a photo shoot. Marley, Susan’s dog, who stays with Johnny and Ellen sometimes, sees this going on and promptly, adds her two cents!   

The Photo Bomb

Sadie Undeterred,
Always the Professional

Photo shoot Done. On to Bishop Castle. More Later…

We’ve Been Busy

Tuesday:  Went to Taos ans Santa Fe.   We took a brief tour of the center of town. We have been there before, last time we visited Johnny and Ellen we toured Taos Earthships the Ultimate in Green housing and had lunch over the Rio Grande Gorge with food we had gotten from the local Health food Green Grocer it was fabulous. 
So it was off to Santa Fe. We stopped (of course) at The Buffalo Thunder Casino and had lunch.

We Gambled a little, Some of us won, some of us didn’t play you guess who did what.

We were in Santa Fe NM and of course we were deciding what to do. So we did what most people do, shop for souvenirs. I had recently found out that Johnny didn’t have any Apple products we had been discussing them since we had been quietly and  subtly  showing off ours to him,  and showing him the outright wisdom of owning such a all empowering device.  HE WAS SOLD.  Yes we had converted another  PC owner to The Apple World.

So it was off to Best Buy for the sale. Our work was done. We then headed back to Raton, for an evening of Apple Glory.

Wednesday:  Today was a day of rest and hanging around Raton and Trinidad. We Visited the Shuler Theater a local landmark that has been around since opening April 27, 1915. We even got a tour.

We were off to Trinidad Co just o few miles north of Raton

We got to see Susan’s House (Ellen’s Daughter)

We had a nice visit then it was back to Raton for a Great Dinner. Linda was the Chef that Night  it was a trade off.  We Get Dinner at Rinos Reastaurant the best food in Trinidad, Co (We are headed there tonight)  http://www.rinostrinidad.com/

Linda Made her Famous Arroz Con Pollo with (sweet peas picked from the garden), with Salad Fresh from the garden and warm Italian bread.  Johnny picked salad greens from his Garden. If you don’t know Johnny’s garden happens to be the best garden this side of Heaven. He has rows of  Carrots , Squash, Cucumbers, Sweet Peas, Watermelon, corn,  Onions, Potatoes, Italian Green Beans and many others to, many to mention.  He had sent a soil sample to the University of Nebraska for analysis, they said it wasn’t possible to grow anything worth eating. We strongly disagree. (see Photos)

Johnny, His face is hidden, so that others won’t guess the exact location of his garden

It was another terrific night, Linda’s dinner was accompanied by Van Morrison “Avalon Nights” one of my favorite Van Morrison Albums.  (Yes I do believe  a have another couple of satisfied converts to the heavenly sounds of one of the most astounding Musicians to have ever graced our ears.)

So tomorrow we are off to Florence Bed and Breakfast and the Royal Gorge Dinner Train Ride.

The House?

Linda

On Monday after a great lunch at a wood fired pizza restaurant in Trinidad we went to find the house that most of you know I have been very excited to see. I saw it on line, a gorgeous house in the mountains with 360 degree panoramic views!

Let the story begin. First we had the address not quite right, so we traveled to the site where there was nothing but a vacant lot. When we realized it was wrong, we reset the navigator to the correct one and found we were off by 28 miles. Who made the mistake is still up for discussion, we won’t talk about the outcome, but it wasn’t me. We reset and off we went.

We turned off the highway at the exit the the navigator told us to and got on to a dirt road, we went for what seemed like the better part of an hour, in reality it was about 7 miles. Then we were off the map, but kept going up and up on a windy dirt road until we finally reached our destination about another  3 or 4 miles at the end of the road last house. Only one way up and one way down to this place. What if a fire came up in the middle of the night? Or you needed to get to the hospital or … you get the idea.

When we got out of the car I was sure were once again at the wrong place. It was a half finished house, filthy dirty with crap all over the yard and way way too much wood. My brother in law was right, it needed dry wall! I was overwhelmed by how much work would have to be done to this place . The view, still gorgeous, but not gorgeous enough!

So, we are still looking for our Utopia.