End of Summer in the High County

October 17, 2010---Silverton, Colorado

Summer in the high country goes by much too fast, although we are having a lovely, long, late fall. Thought I'd take you on a whirlwind tour of a few of the things that I was privileged to enjoy during the summer---hang on! Here we go!

Camping at Redstone with Maggie, Travis and Finn. Dear, dear Maggie...guided us to the Maroon Bells (one of Colorado's famous mountain ranges near Aspen) as neither Travis nor I had ever seen them. Finn and I enjoyed a little cuddle along the trail with the mountains as our spectacular backdrop!
Travis, Maggie, and Finn in the same glorious setting. Later that day heavy rain caused us to be trapped at our campsite due to a huge mud slide---see Maggie's blog for great pictures and a
video, all of which were on the Denver news! www.mooresgo.blogspot.com

Oops---I seem to have acquired a Minnesota wolf, quite by accident!

A short trip to North Dakota gave me an opportunity to visit with life-long friend Patti Goodall.

She and I joined our former piano teach, Marlys, for breakfast. Marlys was getting ready to celebrate her 80th birthday with a Mississippi River Boat cruise! I admire women who keep going and doing and having adventures!

Our family gathered for the burial of our cousin, Butch. My cousin Pam (middle) and Arlene

(white hat) and I had some great times together that week. Arlene and I had not seen Pam

since about 1980---we hope to get together again soon.

It was lovely to have a reunion with Patti's sister, Joan, and see her beautiful new home on

the Missouri River. We three grew up as little cowgirls on neighboring ND ranches.

Silverton folks love the years when the wild mushrooms are abundant. Friend Kevin brought me these gorgeous boletas. I wish you could have shared the cream of mushroom soup I made with them---it was heavenly!

The end of September I met Audrey and Suzie in San Francisco for a wonderful week. Suzie's college friend, Whitney, had a wedding celebration over the weekend. During the week we had fun taking Audrey places an almost two-year-old would enjoy. Here are Suz and Audrey on

the ferry to Sausalito where we found a wonderful interactive children's center. (More to come.)

Audrey has all the makings of a true beach bum! Here she is, with her mom as a safety net, having fun on the Pacific beach. The cold water didn't bother her a bit!

Audrey loved the play trout at the the Sausalito center---she really is my grandchild! She

collected all the traut she could find and carried them around with her! When she is just a bit

older I shall teach her to fly fish!!!

As soon as I returned from California I went to Denver for a week with Travis, Maggie and Finn.

Maggie had surgery on her shoulder so I helped out a bit. One day we went to a ten-acre pumpking patch to seek out Halloween pumkins.
Isn't this a nice photo of the Travis Moore family in the pumkin patch?
Of course, fly fishing consumed as much of my summer as possible! My trout talley this year was 59 traut caught, 58 released! (That one was mighty tasty!)
Part of the reason I enjoy the fishing so much is that we have such beautiful, rugged, remote country in which to fish. It is a physical challenge, as well, and, amazingly, I like that!
The road home from fishing just recently---at the end of summer. Doesn't it make you want to dig out your old dusty copy of Robert Frost's "Road Less Traveled?"

Thanks for checking in. There has been a long blank spell while I've been outside, enjoying lots of company (the Patterson family from Kansas City were here---special relatives), doing a bit of painting on my house, etc. etc.

Next week I'm off to western and northern Scotland for three weeks of adventuring. I have my International Driver's Permit tucked safely in my purse---wish my friend Becky and myself good luck driving on the "other" side of the road. (Travis cautioned me not to say the wrong side of the road. I guess he learned that in Ireland and Australia!)

Best wishes for the rest of your fall, wherever you are! Love, Penny