Returned

We have returned to the valley...the HOT valley! After living in the cool mountains all summer, I think it feels even hotter! Unlike the aspen below, the trees here are still green.

The hillsides are dry. The difference between the mountains and the valley is palpable.

 In the meantime, enjoy the autumn colors from the Rockies.

For the next few days we’ll be moving stuff from RV to home. It always harder than we think it should be and it takes longer to accomplish than it should. This morning we “beat the heat” by getting up as the sun was starting to get up...it was still coolish outside and we accomplished a lot. There’s more to do!

Puppies

Most of the summer, I’ve been following the growth of a four shitzhu puppies. Hula, Shimmy and Rumba were adopted last week, and Minuet will be adopted on Thursday. It’s been fun to watch them grow up!

The Boot

Here’s the Fishin' Boot! Can you see the fish? The toe is decorated with different types of flies. Look at that spur! It’s tall, maybe 6-7 feet.

Here’s what the buckle says

It showed up one day this summer and I’ve been meaning to take a picture of it for awhile...finally got around to it yesterday. I love strange “things” like this boot!

Teton Shadows

We just came back from camping in the Tetons. It was beautiful! The colors are starting to change so we were treated to orange and gold and red trees mixed in the pine forests.

The weather was great, surprising for so late in the year, so we enjoyed sunny days and cool nights (but not freezing nights).

We took a ride to the upper reaches of the Snake River. The Snake River has many faces...sometimes it’s filled with class 4 and 5 rapids, other times it’s a sleepy little stream.

Colter Bay is one of my favorite places. It’s where the water and the mountains meet. I don’t know of many places where you can boat to the foot of mountain and take a hike.

It’s the end of the season, so the small watercraft were being taken out of the water. I loved the reflections in the still water of the Bay.

Folks with pleasure craft were slowly removing them from the Marina. I liked the tidy row of boats and shadows that were left.

And then there’s always time to sit back and just enjoy the prettiness all around you!

I liked this picture of Jackson Lake...you can see the stillness of the water and the clarity of the sky. 

On Saturday we went to Jenny Lake. We’ve taken guests there twice this summer, and both times we had horrible weather. SO...here’s the way Jenny Lake is supposed to look.

By Leek’s Marina we followed a hidden one lane road to the UWY/NPS research station. We have no idea what they research, but they have a beautiful view of the mountains and Jackson Lake. Here’s one of their buildings. I loved the tall chimney.

All in all, a very good trip.

It’s hard to find a prettier spot ... and we’ve gone looking for them all over the world!

First Dusting of Snow

The first dusting of snow happened! I guess the summer is gone, even if the official ending of summer is the 21st of September. Here’s the Tetons

and Sleeping Indian, with just a tinge of snow on them on Saturday afternoon.

I know there was more snow on them earlier in the day, but I didn’t take the pictures until 5 PM. BTW, The Grand Teton is over 13,000 feet tall, and Sleeping Indian, also known as Sheep Mountain, is over 11,000 feet tall. They are across the Hole from each other. 

(Click on each picture to enlarge it...and you can see the remnants of the snow.)

Twilight

The other night we were treated to a perfect crescent moon. It’s hard to take a picture of the moon. It’s a night time picture, therefore there’s not a lot of light, so you need to keep your lens open longer than usual. That means, there’s a greater chance for you to shake the camera or for the moon to move just a smidge. I was lucky...take a look.

This is the first picture I took...then a few minutes later when the sky became darker, I was lucky enough to get this picture.

Visitor

Yesterday we had a visitor...a moth that I think is out of it’s territory. IF I saw the moth correctly, it’s a Hyles lineata commonly called a white lined sphinx moth. It’s not supposed to be in this part of Wyoming...and that makes me think I have identified it incorrectly. 

Here’s a picture of the moth...and  click here to find out more about this moth.

9-11

Nine years ago, America had a wake-up call. The call came from terrorists and they have changed our way of life forever.

Let’s remember the date, the attacks, and the enemy.

Color

That’s the hint of color I was talking about yesterday. It’s after Labor Day so I guess the autumn is beginning. I’ve been waiting for this color change for a few days. The rest of our meadow is green, but it too is waning.

Locally, this is called a snowberry. They appear this time of year and seem to be well loved by the deer. I guess they are sweet. I’ve not had the nerve to eat one.

There are still flowers.  Daisies and harebells ...

and some very tired asters...

And there is the rain...

which is a lot better than snow!

Hint of Yellow

The weather is getting cooler...and there’s a hint of yellow in the aspens. No pictures today, just the sad report that summer might be coming to an end sooner instead of later.

Details

When I go to Europe I love to look at the doors and windows. Not just because they are old and different, but because they seem to tell a story. Take a look at some of the great windows and doors I saw while in France earlier in the summer.

This beautiful shutter is shiny and looks like it is freshly lacquered; yet the building is old. What does this tell you about the people who live here?

Contrast that with this set of shutters. They have not seen a fresh coat of paint in awhile. They look tired and worn, yet if you look at the curtains inside, you know that someone lives in the house and takes care of it. And, you have to ask, how many storms these shutters have seen? When were they last painted? Is paint necessary?

Most windows have window boxes filled with flowers. Most windows have shutters, but this set of windows also had awnings, which was not too common. I like how the center shutters overlap, something you never see in the US, mainly because shutters are decorative as opposed to useful.

Upon closer inspection, the shutters are worn, but still retaining their sea blue paint. Notice how the shutter is held down, and how the shutters were made to overlap one another. What is the purpose of these shutters? Since there is an awning, they are not to keep the home cool. I guess they protect home from storms? Or, are they just pretty? The stories the blue shutters could tell...

Then there are doorways. Most Europeans do not have a front lawn like Americans. Houses are built on the street and they might have a planter or flower box or a set of vases beside the front door. These doors were unusual because they had glass in them. Most doors are wood, albeit carved, and they create the front decoration of the house. Now, take a close look at the windows. See the reflection?

The window in the doors reflects what is across the street...so this is the view that you see from the front doors. It’s no wonder that the door has glass panels instead of carved wood panels. The scene is the inner harbor in Honfleur which is absolutely gorgeous.

I have a bunch  more windows and doors in  my collection, but I like this street scene. I took this picture in Caudebec, France, a few miles from Honfleur. It’s an ancient village that boasts a Templar House from the 12th century and a 14th century cathedral (called Notre Dame, of course). Here you see the shutters are closed to protect the home from the heat of the day, the colorful flower box in lieu of a front lawn, and the pretty arched doorway into the home.  This is not a new structure as it probably dates to the 14-16th century, yet the shutters are tidy and neat. There seems to be a sense of pride here. The present owner is taking care of this beautiful home for the next generation.