What Do You Do in Silverton in the Winter?

This is the question that has been asked of me over and over for the forty years I have lived here. The answer is: There are many interesting people in Silverton who do surprising and amazing things with their time. One of them is my friend, George Chapman, the former editor of the local newspaper. He is retired so has time to enjoy the print shop in his garage, where he prints a variety of types of documents. Today I had the pleasure of spending part of the afternoon with him, watching him print a page for an annual publication created by a printing association to which he belongs.

The press he used today is a Chandler & Price, an 8 X 12 platen press (sometimes known as a clamshell press) which was manufactured in 1911. George has electrified it with a small motor. Along with this press (and a number of others) his print shop is crowded with all manner of drawers of type and other printing gizmos and tools---most surfaces are covered with little bits of metal that are mirror images of some word or logo---it is the kind of place where you realize you'd best not move even one thing or the next time the printer started a job, he wouldn't be able to proceed because of the missing object!
This is George, in his printing uniform. Note all the nifty posters on the walls and part of the press on the left.

Here he is actually printing, hand-placing each small piece of paper with precision just before the flywheel of the press brings the type to the paper.

This is the flywheel and above George's hand you can also see the ink rollers which place the ink on the type. The round, flat metal piece in the background is the ink plate (George---I hope that's right!) where the rollers get a fresh supply for each page.

This is the counter (about 4" X 3" high) which has a nifty little spring mechanism on it, which is tripped each time the frame of type prints a new page. You can see the counter on the previous

picture. It is to the left of the ink rollers and above the flywheel.

This is the leather belt which wraps around the flywheel and runs the press. George recently had to replace the stitching that splices it together---it is a healthy inch wide and will soon need more repair. The current system of having the belt run the flywheel is a modern innovation done by George. The belt originally ran a drive wheel on the opposite side of the press.

Here is the final product---the page for the Amalgamated Printer's Association! (Hobo is actually a type style.) It was a fascinating afternoon. If George and Karen weren't about to move to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, I would be tempted to see if George would let me learn to set type! Thanks, George!

(Now, faithful readers, you know what kinds of things people in Silverton do in the winter!)

Silverton-Winter Wonderland #2

Note: Be sure to click on the photos so you can see snow detail; then click on the back arrow at
upper left to continue with the blog. Thanks!


It continues to snow and snow and snow...yesterday it only snowed lightly so the plows were able to get busy and do their much-needed jobs. The results? Here we go... Town Hall on Silverton's Main Street with a large snow berm in the middle of the street.
School, Public Library (Right), and playground equipment---don't you love the snow "hats"
on the playground equipment?
My friend Cynthia's house---see why we paint our houses with color? So we can find them in the winter snow!!
See what I mean? I need more color...this is the south side of my house!
Street scene with my Durango...
Our church---don't you love the snow on the steeple?
Colorful street scene with Kendal Mountain as a backdrop.
The snow-shoveling champ of San Juan County!
Former student, Kenneth Wilson (11th grade now) shoveling snow off the roof of his parent's house on Reese Street. Right after he posed the snow gave way and he, the shovel and snow all landed in a heap in the yard! (He came up laughing!)
The current view from my front door---narrow path to street, huge berm in the middle of the street---real winter is fun but a lot of shoveling! Bye for now---I'm going to go soak my snow-shoveling muscles!

Silverton's a Winter Wonderland!

Welcome to Colorado's Winter Wonderland! We've been having snowfall for several days and expect more through tomorrow. The routine in a series of close-together storms like this is to go out each day and shovel everything out, which makes it possible to continue to do things like getting the mail and go out for coffee rather than to be totally snowed into your house. What you are about to see is the accumulation from last night, when it snowed absolutely straight down and as abundantly as I believe I have ever seen! Absolutely gorgeous! So, after crawling over the three to four feet of snow in front of my door this morning to get to the street, which the city had plowed, this was the view of my house. (Notice the snow half-way up the second story window in the front! Always makes a good story if you forget to mention the snow is piled on the porch roof!)

First order of business? Shovel the path to the plowed street! Done!

Next---stick two bottles of wine in the snowbank along the edge of the front porch to chill (if one is having a dinner party!) Chardonnay is never as crisp and lovely as when removed from a snowbank just before opening!

Now, for the real challenge. Dig the car out of the night's accumulation! Here is my Durango, with the back end dug out, ready to be backed out of its parking spot (four-wheel drive engaged, of course!). I was shoveling away (a berm the city left me which you cannot really see but which was about twelve feet wide and four feet deep, right behind the vehicle) when a nice young man came along and offered to help. He is from Houston/Holland and was waiting for the road to Silverton Mountain (the local extreme ski area) to open. He shoveled away about 2/3 of the berm when he let me convince him I could finish.

You need to know that a few grey curls sticking out from under a ski hat accomplish amazing things! For all of my young friends who read this, do stop and help those grey-haired ladies. We really, really appreciate it!

Here is the car after removing it from its parking spot. The city crew will come along and sort of "tidy up" the entrance to my parking spot or maybe even scoop the entire thing out now that I have moved the car to the plowed side of the street. This may not make sense to anyone but Travis and Suzanne......

And finally, the view out the sunroom windows. Note the snow piled up past the sills. Yes, it really is that deep. As I said, it snowed straight down and just piled up---no wind with this storm. The woodshed door is completely covered and the backyard is level deep that high!

The rhubarb should be happy with all the moisture when spring comes!

So, regretting that you are not here to enjoy all this beauty with me (and help shovel!), I shall

close. It is snowing again so I must go see if the car can move back into its snowy "garage."

See you in the spring if not before!!! I should have also explained that periodically while I was shoveling a large army howizter would go off as the highway department "shot" avalanches along the state highway immediately outside of town. Something about the clouds today made the explosions sound as if they were next door or just across the street. Boom! Crack! Bang! The report is that our avalanche danger is very high. All the state highways in the area are closed until further notice.

P.S. One has to love small towns---not only do visiting skiers help strangers shovel, but the city snowplow crew came along and bull-dozed me a huge parking space! It can snow and snow and I'll still have space to put snow as I shovel.
Cinnamon rolls are in order for the street crew---I'll deliver them to their shop on Monday morning!

My World of Blessings

Each year, at Christmas-time, I am filled with awe when I contemplate all the blessings that are mine in the world in which we live. This year I had the great pleasure of visiting Maggie, Travis, and Finn(2.5) in their new home in Denver (they've moved back to Colorado from Australia--hurrah!) and sharing Christmas and New Years with Suzie, James and Audrey(1.16)in York, Pennsylvania.

Observing these young families in action brings great joy to my heart! They are such wise, loving, consistent parents and, naturally, above-average children (grandmother speaking here!)
Odd, I never thought I'd be one of those grandmothers who is totally nutty about her grandchildren, but sure enough, I am!

Some of my holiday blessings were:

Finn and Travis enjoying the Christmas train that went round and round...

Touring the National Watch and Clock Museum in Pennsylvania with Suzie and Audrey. Suz and I have a penchant for strange museums...we've been to the National Dental Museum, the International Weight-lifting Museum, and have scheduled a visit to the Museum of Sharp-Edged Metal Weaponry in May!

Seeing Audrey in the hat I brought her from Peru---don't you love her mom's lovely smile?

Taking Finn to see Santa, along with his other grandmother, Granny Annie Moore. Santa was OK but what he really liked was playing on the egg at the "breakfast" play area at the Mall!
Being in Pennsylvania for a real eastern snowstorm---16" of heavy, wet snow. Here is the Heskin family on their street with Audrey who must have been trying to figure out what the white stuff could be! James bundled her up and sat her in the snow for a bit; she seemed puzzled by all the white.
Finn continuing to enjoy the train...
Suzie, James and Audrey with Mica (dear, patient dog) on Christmas day.
Maggie, Travis, and Finn, happy to once again be in Colorado for Christmas and to stay!

More blessings descended as I drove home from Denver: a beautiful sunny day to drive through the mountains, tea and a visit with good friend Karen en route, arriving in Silverton with the sense of truly being home, having friends wave and yell "Welcome home!" and call with an invitation to dinner...

2010 is off to a joyous start! Come see me---call first, as my family would tell you I'm not home much! Seek out the joys in each day and make someone smile---give lots of hugs!

I shall close with my name from Finn...Love, Grammie Pen Pen

P.S. Maggie---my New Year's Resolution is to post more often!

Treasures of Peru: Part Three-The Amazon

Flying to the Amazon Basin from Lima took us over the Andes and then, suddenly, I could see the river and the endless-seeming jungle from my plane window. It looked just like a photo in the Time-Life book I read during a snowstorm last winter in Silverton! The trees and the river with all its tributaries stretched on and on and on and on...............
We flew to Iquitos, a Peruvian city of 600,000 on the Amazon. One can get there only by air or water. It was the heart of the South American rubber industry at one time until some enterprising Englishman smuggled a few thousand rubber seeds out of the country and the British began their rubber colonies in India. That finished the rubber business in SA.

A popular mode of travel is this motorcycle-powered sort of rickshaw. Our guide told us Iquitos has 22,000 of them! (We actually rode in them later in the week on a trip through the jungle from the Amazon to another river---a sort of short cut to save us several hours by boat.)

Street scene in Iquitos---lots of rickshaws, a few busses, but virtually no normal cars.

Arriving by river boat at the pier for our resort. Yes, the Amazon is very muddy. It is constantly erroding the banks so there are always trees floating downriver which is a constant hazard for the river boats.

One of the lodging bungalows at our resort. We were happy to have air conditioning which kept most of the critters out of our room (most---not all!). There was a beautiful screened in lodge where we found the bar and dining room. The bar had great local beer and we also had learned to enjoy Pisco Sours, the national cocktail of Peru, made with grape brandy and eggwhites. Come to Silverton and I'll make you one; there was room in my luggage for a bottle of Pisco!

Meanwhile, we were busy doing things like this picture: here I am playing Jane, looking for Tarzan while I swing on the philodendron vines in the jungle. I am sorry you cannot see the depths I was swinging across! (I was so busy hanging on I forgot to emit the jungle cry!)

We were priviledged to visit a village of Yagua indians down the river from our lodge. They live in thatched huts, such as you can see in the picture below. This lady is using her machete to peel a manioc root, one of their staple foods. She put on her grass bib just for us. Normally she would not wear it, as the heat is too intense. Part way through our visit she gave up, took it off, and hung it on a floor joist of the house. (Believe me, I would have loved to shed my clothes, too!)

The villagers did a demonstration dance for us in their ceremonial house, out in the jungle. They did a portion of the dances they do twice a year---what an amazing experience it was for us. Our guide had grown up on the river and was able to arrange the visit for us.

The chief is demonstrating a blowgun which launches poison-tipped darts we had previously seen. The poison comes from plants and tiny little frogs which emit a poisonous secretion. It is nasty stuff---we were very careful when looking at the darts and the poison jug as it will kill a person (or animal) in fifteen minutes or less. They were very accurate with their shooting and could hit a target dead on at about twenty-five feet.

The next adventure was pirhana fishing! You will need to enlarge this photo to see my catch, which I caught on a one-inch cube of raw beef. Now, I ask you, how many people do you know who have been pirhana fishing? We learned that it is perfectly safe to swim in the same water with them. They only attack when blood is involved---the movies are wrong

Sunrise on the Amazon River...this river is amazing. The river system carries 2/3 of all the fresh water on Earth.

A view of the village of Mazon, deep in the jungle, where we were taken in the rickshaws to

board a boat on the Napo River. Note the concrete electrical pole on the extreme left of the picture. A local lady was sharpening her machete (the kitchen knife of choice in the jungle) on this pole. There are no rocks in the river basin so having a concrete pole within walking distance of her "kitchen" is a big help to her.

Traveling down the Napo, after the rather wild rickshaw ride through the jungle, we arrived at another lodge where we had breakfast and then hiked through the jungle to a canopy walk. At the lodge their pets are two of the world's largest rodents, the capybara. This one was named Charlie and he was especially friendly; it seemed someone was always tripping over him!

The canopy walk took us up to 120 feet above the ground, through all the different levels of the rain forest. You may need to enlarge this picture to verify that is actually me coming along the swinging walkway. The various flowering epiphytes (ahem...plants that just grow on a tree up in the canopy...many are bromiliads) were beautiful.

From this platform high above the Amazon rainforest, beside a lovely pink flower, I shall bid you farewell from Peru! (Come to Colorado for Pisco Sour!) Cheers.........Penny

Treasures of Peru--Part Two

Leaving Machu Picchu, we traveled by train through the Sacred Valley to Cuzco, where we enjoyed the city and surrounding countryside. In the Cuzco area it was not unusual to see street signs such as this: We were at the city square on Sunday morning when the weekly parade took place. It seemed that nearly everyone that lived in Cuzco was in the parade or on the square to watch!

This street vendor was especially amusing!

Our tour had arranged for us to have lunch at a private home. Our host was a prosecuting attorney at the local courts. We "enjoyed" grilled guinea pig for an appetizer--I still can't believe I ate it!

The high altitude (10,900 feet) in Cuzco makes for good business. Lots of remedies for high altitude sickness (in tourists) were available for a price---including a large can of pressurized oxygen that one would just sort of squirt into your mouth and quickly inhale!

Girls on parade! The people in Cuzco seem to love to parade around their city.

Indigenous ladies weaving at a co-op in Cuzco. All were using back-strap looms, sitting on the floor and wearing their village hats.

Couple plowing in the country. The lady led the animals and the man wangled the wooden plow.

This lady sold me a nifty little Inca-style jug that you can pour water into the bottom, turn it over, and then pour it out of the mouth of the puma on the jug! (Come see me and I'll give you a demonstration!). The women often seemed to wear hats that would usually be for men in the USA---this style as well as bowler hats. The men usually wore knitted hats or baseball caps.

I was surprised with a beautiful and delicious cake at lunch on my birthday!

We drove over the Abra La Raya Pass-the highest point of our trip at 14,014 feet on our way to Lake Titticaca, the largest lake in South America and the largest navigable lake in the world.

Our beautiful and elegant hotel at the lake was on an island, which came equipped with llamas and alpacas that loved to come to the hotel grounds and feast on the grass and flowers. The doorman would rush out waving a white cloth at them and shouting. They would just calmly move to another patch of green munchies!

We visited the people of Los Uros, a group of floating islands made of totora, the reed that grows abundantly around the lake. They make boats out of the reeds that looked suitable for Cleopatra. After having a bit of a cruise around the lake, I decided the reeds make better boats than islands, for walking on the islands had a sort of mushy feel.

One of the islands with houses, bundles of green reeds drying on the right, and a resident carrying a bundle of green reeds. The Los Uros people built the islands to get away from the Spanish and have continued living on them ever since.

We also visited Isle Taquile, a real dirt island, which is famous for its weavings. Some of the men entertained us after lunch with a dance. The little lady in the above picture is over 100 years old. They were very colorful people.

The local market in Puno, on the shore of Lake Titticaca, was a treasure-trove of vegetables. Peru has hundreds of varieties of potatoes, and in spite of the altitude, grows endless types of grains, squash, and other veggies. I would love to shop here every week! We could not take pictures of the people as they fear having a photo taken takes away part of their soul.

A final view of the beautiful lake...

We visited this small farm near the lake. Note that the buildings are thatched and built of mud bricks or local stones. It was very neat and well-cared for, though primitive.

The farm owner with her trusty wooden hoe. Other than the machetes we saw in the jungle, all the tools in rural Peru still seem to be made of wood.

Freeze-dried potatoes on the farm. The people of the Andes learned long ago how to preserve potatoes for use during their harsh winters. They lay them out on the ground to freeze, and then stomp on them to flatten them a bit and allow them to continue to freeze night after night until they are dry. They can be re-hydrated by cooking. The US military learned to make our potato flakes from the Peruvians during World War II.

Thanks for dropping by---Part Three: The Amazon will show up in a few days!