Work Trips: Views in South Park - Yep, It's a Real Place!

Since I live "close" - read that as an hour away, but closer than folks who live an hour away the other direction - I get to take pictures in the mountain schools near me.  This lends itself to a number of photo opportunities every year, usually on the trip back home, since the trip out tends to be done in the dark, especially the later in the year we get.

My first trip into South Park regions and beyond was in September, with returns in October.  That means snow is going to be in these pictures!

I had already posted a couple of antelope pictures, but here's the distance view of them.

Out near the horses

How you could actually see them from the highway.

At the same time, my work was doing a photo contest, so I headed up the road toward Jefferson Lake. I did not go all the way, but I did find a beaver dam!

Ice near the dam

I found some nice furry cows as well.

How about some snow covered mountain shots?

Since I was headed back toward home, I decided to drive through the town of Jefferson.  Jefferson is not very large; it is bisected by the highway, but is a very popular stop with tourists - it's got some of the best fudge around!

But first -this odd sculpture near town, made of an old cattle gate it looks like someone plowed into - possibly literally.  

You might be able to tell that the day was a bit windy.

I did not get a good shot of the town because of traffic.  Perhaps next year.

I continued on Tarryall Road out of Jefferson, to the Southwest, and made other discoveries. But that is a different post - this one is picture heavy as it is!

Snow, Sunshine and a Surprise

The night part of my trip was really very early morning; I had to drive a distance to get to today's job, so I started when it was still well dark.

Or was it?

You get away from city lights, town lights, and suddenly the moon brings everything into its own light.  If only my camera could have seen what my eyes saw, you would have some marvelous pictures in shades of deep blue, with the clouds and the snow highlighted in a blue white under the harvest moon. A beautiful sight for the trip out.

On the way back, I did get some lovely snow pictures, and even caught a glimpse of a few friends. Alas, my camera battery decided to die just as I was taking pictures of them, hiding in the horse pastures near the highway. (Another thing I saw today was a great number of hunters in blaze orange.) But I pass that way again on Wednesday; maybe I'll be lucky and get some more pictures of them.

With no further ado - a pictorial of my trip home today.

As always - these pictures are my work, my effort, my tromping about in the cold air, my driving across the state.  Please respect that and ASK if you would like to use any of these pictures for any purpose.

And here's the friends I saw!

A couple of other friends, who were feeling a little "tired".  Oh yes, pun intended!

Perfect day for photos!

October Apples

It's a late October afternoon, the sunlight warm, so I take the apples outside to peel them.  I know when they cook down, it won't be a whole lot of apple butter, but it will be good apple butter.  And I have a fan club, vying for my apples.

Or more rightly, the apple peels.

As the peels fall from my peeler onto the deck, they are quickly snapped up my several quiet chickens. Magellan sits in front of me, eyeing the apple currently in my hand; she is a connoisseur, only wanting the choicest bits from the juiciest apples, those that are starting to get a bit wrinkly. I note her interest, and save her the bits that only have a small bit of peel on them, usually from a second pass to catch the bits I missed on each apple.

I practice my skill at taking off a peel hole, and then break it up for the waiting chickens.

Soon enough, interest wanes- some do not like apples, some find dusting in the sun preferable. Others have eaten their fill.   They go back to their chickenly pursuits until my husband comes out, and off they go, following him to see what new and interesting he has in store today as he walks out around the house.

The lone holdout eventually realizes she's alone, and with a squawk, runs off to follow the flock.

I am left alone to peel the apples in the warm sunlight.

Later, I cut the apples up in the kitchen; a large elf steals a quarter; other quarters are given freely.  Even the dog, who hates apples, begs diced pieces off of me, eating them quickly and then looking for more.  My smaller stock pot is nearly full.

The cooking begins. The house smells of apples, cinnamon and cloves, perfuming everything til bedtime, and starting again the next morning.  Lower and lower the level gets in the pot until - it is done.

10 half pints of October apples to spread on toast and eat in the winter and spring to remind us of a warm fall day.