Late to the Party

I am such a goof.  On August 1st, we celebrated our 31st Wedding Anniversary.  I am so lucky and we make a great team. 

We celebrated by going out for dinner.  We chose Bonny and Read and had a nice seafood dinner.  We reminisced over what we have accomplished together over these 31 years.  We have been very blessed and are very thankful.

For an Anniversary gift, we purchased a Bird Photo Booth 2.0 and have been having a blast trying to capture that perfect photo and whatever allusive bird may visit.  

Having cats makes it a little difficult.  Both of our cats are great hunters.  Two days ago I had to clean up a small finch that ended up meeting the jaws of death.   Brooks our big boy, he hides in the raspberry stalks and waits patiently.  

If you do get a Bird Photo Booth 2.0 you will want to make sure you have a tripod.   We put ours on a tripod and set it up by our current bird feeder.  Several different types of birds have visited us.  In the feeder, we give them dried mealworms along with wild bird seed.  

One day instead of shooting birds I opted to see if I could get a good squirrel picture.  With a shake of the peanut bag and putting a few out it didn't take long to have one show up.  I would love to have one of these guys as a pet.  I am sure they are a mess, but what fun.

8:03 PM

I am kicking it in the backyard this evening and working on my third DFHIPA.  I am guessing the temperature is in the high 60's low 70's.  I am in a t-shirt and shorts.   In the house I have the sounds of the 80's playing and can hear it great through the back door.   In the backyard I have the sounds of the wild playing.

Sitting out back this evening, I have seen: Robin's, Finches, Humming Birds, Doves, Wood Pecker and a Towhee.  Man I love Colorado!

I am looking out onto my garden.   I have two kind of raspberries growing along with a blueberry and blackberry plants.   These are on their 3rd and 2nd year.   They have kept coming back, I am so happy.  I have new starters coming up all over the place.   It is very hard to find plants that do well with our climate and elevation.  What you can grow, the dear eat most of it.  I have said it before, they are nothing but large rats!

My Lilac is starting to wind down.  The aroma that this bush puts off is awesome.   When in bloom, I can pull into the driveway in front of the house and smell it all the way from the backyard.   This bush is old.   We have been in our house going on 19 years and it was here when we moved in.

Over the years I have done some transplanting and they have all taken.  In a couple of more years they will be a great neighbor blocker, plus they look and smell great in the month of May and the leaves provide great coverage through the summer and fall.

8:19 PM, I have three humming birds buzzing around the feeder.   

Oh no, battery low, back soon.

8:55 PM, Moved from the back porch to the living room.  Still jamming to the 80's and nursing that third Dog Fish Head 90.   I think I have mentioned we have been doing some serious cleaning. We got the bedrooms painted and new carpet.  Today they laid the tile floor in the bathroom.  Now I have to replace all the doors and we will be done.   After raising two boys who are both as hard headed as there old man we have several doors and door jams to fix.

I get the opportunity to play golf in a four man best ball tourney tomorrow.  It has been a while since swinging a club.  I hope I don't hurt anyone.

OK I have to run, but will leave you with image and quote below.   I have to say America that we are pretty screwed when I look at the candidates that we will have to choose from in our coming elections.  I am also embarrassed by all these protesters who are really just looking for 10 minutes of fame.   Let's be honest, when you show up with a gas mask you have pretty much decided to raise some hell. 

Home Again

Wow, it is so good to be home.  This last week was a busy and fun one.   We had team meetings up in Breckenridge and there was a lot of planning that went into this to make it a success.   I think it went well, we just have a lot of work to do now.  The same week we launched our new website and that had some challenges, but we made it happen and it looks good.   We are working on a way to promote the new site and will focus hard and heavy starting tomorrow.

I really need to step it up, way up so I can be ready for my trip in a couple of weeks.  This last week I didn't get much walking in so I need to do it.   It was beautiful here at home yesterday and today.   The snow is starting to melt so I better plan for mud.

I rinsed the filters on the hot tub and added some water.  The birds we out chirping and looking for food.   I filled the feeders and then grabbed my camera.  I took me about 10 minutes to get these four pictures.

Colorado Birds

Last week I was out hiking and manged to get a few decent bird pictures.

Oh boy, you betcha, yay

Beaver Creek Wilderness Area

I spent this week up in Toronto. Had to expedite my passport renewal in order to be able to make the trip.   Other than going through customs I really didn't notice a difference other than everything was in English and French, metric system in use and the currency.  I Rented a car from Avis, came out of the airport and drove past a Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Starbucks and stayed at a Hilton.

Beaver Creek Wilderness Area

Had good meetings and got to meet some very nice people.  The travel did get into my walking schedule and for the days I was gone I didn't get as many steps in as I should have.  Back home for a bit, so hopefully I will catch up.

Beaver Creek Wilderness Area

We did a nice hike this morning.   We drove down to Penrose and hiked in the Beaver Creek Wilderness area.   We were the only car in the parking lot, and had the place to ourselves.  This area doesn't get much use that I can tell.  It is tricky to get to.  It was a beautiful day and we had Pebbles with us.   We hiked about 4 miles and I am ready to go back. Afterwards we stopped in Penrose and got a smoothie and shared a sandwich. 

Beaver Creek Wilderness Area

I have our summer vacation all planned out.  Already got the airline tickets and house rented.   Pretty excited as we are going to be spending a week hiking up in Olympic National Park. I can hardly wait.

Vacation House

I went on to VRBO and rented a house on the Sol Duc River between Fork and Port Angeles.   This should be a great base camp for all the beach and forest activities we have planned.   One maybe two day's we will make a run over to Victoria, BC.   From my research, it looks awesome and has some great hiking and lots of waterfalls.

We have been watching Mick Dodge on NatGeo.  Mick hangs in the Hoh forest in Olympic National Park.  Yes I have also read up on the truth about Mick Dodge.  Either way, he most likely know's all the good spots, that most people don't get to and that's what I am looking for.  So to you NatGeo, if you are looking for a show, let me know.

Here is my walking chart for the last 28 days.   I need to step it up since I am home next week.   For the month of January, I am currently ranked #14 in the Colorado Springs fitbit group, and ranked #85 in the state fitbit groups that I belong to.

Bacon Gravy

Ran over to the shop this morning and pulled the charger off the Model A.  Hit the starter button on the truck and it turned over and seemed to have plenty of cranking power.   I need to get some gas and will see if I can get it started.

Couple of days ago I made some suet from bacon drippings.    I needed bacon for the bacon gravy I was making to go with our mashed potatoes and left over’s from Christmas.   So anyway I poured the bacon grease into a paper coffee cup and then added bird seed from the bag.   Once it cooled I put it into the freezer and let it sit overnight. The next day I pulled it out of the freezer and tore the paper cup about halfway down so that half of the suet was exposed.

I placed it outside on the fence.   I tried to keep an eye to see if any birds were attracted to it.  I did see a couple sitting next to it, but not eating from it.   The next morning I looked and it was gone.    A squirrel or a raccoon must have gotten it overnight.

We were at Michael’s today so while I was wondering around the store, I came across a few items that I could use to make a bird feeder for the backyard.    I spent about eight dollars and it took me about 10 minutes to put it together.   Filled it full of bird seed and hung in on the back patio.

Bacon Gravy Recipe

4 Slices of bacon

2 Tablespoons of Bacon Grease

2 Tablespoons of Flower

2 Cups of Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the bacon until crispy and then pour off the bacon grease.   Set bacon aside and in the same skillet, add two tablespoons of the bacon grease and add the two tablespoons of flower and whisk until lumps are gone.   Then add the two cups of milk and heat and whisk until thickened.  Crumble the bacon and stir into gravy.

Happy Hiking

The Day After

Hope you had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year!  It was pretty quiet around the Robinson house this year.    The boys, Candy and I, were together on Christmas Eve, we ate on the snacks that Candy had made and then opened presents.   Everyone seemed pretty happy with what they received.  On Christmas Day, we had all our favorites.   Candy cooked up a rib roast, cheesy corn, mashed potatoes, garlic salad and more.   

We were supposed to make a quick trip out to KS to see family.  But on Christmas day we decided we were going to stay home and relax and get ready for 2013.   I hated to miss my Dad’s Birthday, but with all the travel I have done this year being home with some time off is something I need.

I headed out this morning and did a 5.2/mile loop.   As I was walking down the street to the trail head I caught one of our neighbor’s feeding one of the deer.  She stood with a bag in one hand and her other hand was out flat and the deer was eating from it.  I will have to keep my video camera handy so I can get some footage for the television show When Animals Attack.

While on the trail, I did manage to get a couple of decent pictures of a chickadee and magpie.   I was lucky that they sat still long enough, which is usually the problem.   It was cold out this morning, around the mid 20’s.   I was dressed warm enough so the cold didn't bug me.  Made my way down along the creek and took a couple of pictures.   The snow still covered the trail and the trees.   With the light breeze blowing snow off the tree’s it almost appeared as if it were snowing.

We went to see The Hobbit this afternoon.  I really enjoyed it and the 2+ hours blew by pretty quick.   Many of the same characters from the previous movies were in this movie as well as many new characters.   If you were a fan of the Lord of Rings trilogy, you will probably like The Hobbit. 

Happy Hiking

Nuthatch

Slept in till 8:30 AM this morning.  We had a cup of coffee and then dressed to head out for a walk.  Walked over to BCP and did a loop around and back to the house.    It was cool out but not bad, I had on my gloves and hat and could have gone without them.

As we were making our way up the trail Candy spotted this White-breasted Nuthatch.  I managed to snag a picture as he was working his way up and down the trunk looking for food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-breasted_Nuthatch

Happy Hiking

For my day off today I set out to get a few more projects knocked off or at least closer to completion.   I loaded up the truck with paint that I have been storing in the garage at the house.   I was searching last night for a place to take old paint.  Found a location but in reading about the paint I have, I just lined up the cans on the side of the shop and pulled the lids off.   It should all dry up in the next couple of days.

I finished the east wall at the shop.   The sheet rock is all up and now I can start mudding.   While at the shop I gathered up the paint supplies I need to start on the basement hallway and then made a run over to Home Depot.

Below are a couple of pictures from our hike on Sunday and from Candy’s Birthday.   I could not find a 2 and a 9, so we had to go with a 4 and 7 for her cake.

Fringillidae

I found a dead finch on the back porch this evening. From the initial investigation it doesn’t appear that fowl J play was involved. The deceased was found at 19:45/hrs, lying on its left side on a concrete patio, its dimensions was 9.5 cm (3.8 in) and 8.4 g (0.3 oz), sex is unknown.   The deceased appeared to have been dead for at least two hours.   There were no signs of any struggle and forensics RSID testing detected no fluids in the surrounding area of where the deceased was found.

Sunday night blues

We spent most of the day around the house.   We did make several trips out to check on the fire.  As of this evening it looks like they are closer to getting this licked.   The wind has changed this evening.  We took a drive out around 6:30pm and when we came up over the hill on 21^st we couldn't believe how smoky it was.   Downtown about three miles away and you couldn’t even see it. While around the house today I took the camera out with me out on the back porch.   Took pictures of all the birds that came around to visit the bird bath and get a drink or take a bath.  I took this picture this evening of the sunset through the smoke and clouds.  Need to get ready for the work week.   Catch you later.

As of today I am up to 13.25/Miles.  I did 5/Monday, 3.25/Wednesday and 5 today. Slowly getting myself back into the groove.  Wednesday evening I did the Bear Creek Park loop.   Today I walked to work and back.  Took the camera with me and snapped off a few pictures.  Was able to get pictures of a Robin, Northern Flicker and a TowHee. Even had an opportunity for a couple finches but they flew away before I could get a shot off.  Found this cool looking fungus growing on a downed tree trunk.

Happy Hiking

Coo, coo, ca-choo, Mr. Robinson

Yes, yes I know Jesus loves me more than I will know.    Wow, so I just looked and it has been over a month since I posted anything up here on the blog.   Sorry folks, I have been busy with work, family and chores.  You know the drill and how it goes.

I am back to my hiking.  Making the time to get my fat butt on the trails and get some new pictures, stories and what ever else I may come across.   With gas prices lately it doesn’t hurt my feelings every time I walk past the gas station on my way to and from work.

Figured a Monday was a good day to start working my way back into the hiking routine.   So yesterday I did 5 miles by walking to and from work.    It was a little cool in the morning but nicer in the afternoon.   I started a new spreadsheet to keep track of my miles, diet and weight.   So if you pass what looks like Randy from A Christmas Story, honk because it is probably me.

I was supposed to take Clark to rent a tuxedo this evening and he bailed on me.  Mom will have to take him tomorrow.  Guess he decided to go to prom this year so needs a tux.  Mowed the yard this evening, did it need it? No but there were a few high spots.  I dropped the mower to the second lowest setting so I could try to suck up the pine needles and dog crap.  I don’t know how but I managed to fill two trash bags.

While out in the yard I snapped up a couple of pictures.  Going on three years now that we planted the Bradford pair tree pictured above.   This year it was loaded with flowers, more than we have had in the previous years.

In the front yard we have some scrub oak trees.   I don’t really care for them as each fall they drop their leaves and produce acorns.  Every year I have to clean out the rain gutters in the front as they are full of leaves and acorns.  So anyway this little bird has been busily working on its nest that it is building in one of the trees.   I have been watching him/her go at it now for about two weeks.

Happy Hiking

St. Mary's Falls

I left the house at 6:20am and headed over to pick up Eric.  We were in the Gold Camp Drive parking lot at 7:20.  We were the first ones on the trail this morning.  It was cold and windy when we started.    It stayed that way until we got off the road and caught the trail head.

I put my MicroSpikes (http://www.pogu-spikes.com/) on once we hit the tunnel.  This is the first time I used them.  There was quit a bit of ice still on the trail and we had a light dusting this morning.  Eric didn’t put his on until we reach the top and figured he better have them on for the descent.

Saw some rabbit tracks but no rabbits.  We did come across several chipmunks chattering away up in the trees.  One chipmunk was running up the trail with a big pine cone in his mouth.

We managed to get six miles in round trip.  We climbed 1,401ft with an average moving time of 2.3/MPH.   Total hiking time was two hours and forty minuets.   I did manage to snag a couple of pictures today and have included them.

We reached the top of the falls at about 8:40am.   We thought about having our sandwiches but with the wind blowing it was to cold to stop moving.  The falls were covered with ice.  I ventured out a little ways but didn’t go to far.

We worked our way back down moving at a pretty good pace.  On the way down we ran into two other hikers working there way up.

Happy Hiking!

Colorado Birds

Over the last couple of years I have been taking pictures of birds when I come across them on the trail or around the house, mostly in the back yard.    I took some of the pictures and made an attempt of making a video montage.   Some of the pictures are better than others.  I hope you enjoy!

Trail 666

This morning I headed out to get some miles in.  Drove up to GCR and parked in the parking lot at the bottom of High Drive.   Threw on my gear and headed up the road.   I got a chance to use just about everything today.   I had my stableicers on and wore them for the entire hike.   Had my nano on and my tunes going and was trying my new GPS for the first time on the trail. 

I hiked up High Drive to the trail head for trail 666.  This isn’t one of my favorite hikes but it has a decent incline and it is a great work out.   I wish I had taken my snow shoes as I could have used them today.  I figured the trail would have seen a lot more activity than it had.  For about the first 2 miles up I was hiking up in someone else’s snowshoe tracks.  But then they stopped and I was now walking through a good 8 to 12 inches of snow.  I did about another mile up to the junction of trails 666 and 667.   That deep snow was a real work out trying to get through.

All pictures can be found here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115678648713324071004/20111227?authkey=Gv1sRgCNCt9IbOjIjahQE

I was on the look out for any bird photo opportunities.   I was only able to get two pictures and neither of them was all that decent.   I have several different bird whistles on my phone.  I would stop and play them along the trail to see if I could get any birds to come fly my way.   I need to get a Finch song as that is what I saw today.

All together I was able to get 6.44/miles in.   I hiked 3.22/miles up with an elevation gain of 2221/ft.  The average slope was 12% incline on the way up and -12% on the way down.  I moved pretty slow today as up and back it took me just over 4 hours.   I contribute the slowness to the deep snow.

I have to admit it was beautiful up there today.   Snow everywhere and in the sunlit area’s the snow just glistened like diamonds.    I had some great views of the stream in between the snow.  It was just great to be out.

Didn’t come across anyone on the trail today and until I was just about back to the truck.  A guy and girl came past me on cross country skis.

I am going to try to get out again tomorrow, not sure where yet.

Happy Hiking