Duck Race Season

Duck Central

For many of us in Estes Park, the weeks leading up to the annual Duck Race make up a season unto itself, squeezed between winter and spring. This year is special because it's the silver anniversary of the race - 25 years of little rubber duckies floating down Fall River. The small part I play in this big event is concentrated within the month of April when I spend most afternoons at Duck Central sitting in front of a computer.
Every year an office space is set up as the temporary headquarters for the race. For the past few years it has been in a spot directly across the parking lot from the one and only local super market - convenient for everyone who volunteers or visits. Duck Central is the hub of a lot of activity with organization representatives stopping in to return adoption forms, committee members gathering for problem solving sessions, and volunteers sitting at computers inputting adoption form data and prize information. I enjoy working with the Duck Central staff who've become good friends over the years.

The committee met this evening to go over the timeline and make sure we have "our ducks in a row." So far things are going well with only a few minor glitches here and there. Our goal is to sell 6000 adoptions to make $120,000.

These are the big corporate ducks

Sandy fielding a call

some of our duck paraphernalia  

Elaine's Baby Quilt

Elaine, my dear friend, died last June after a valiant fight against breast cancer. Her husband gave me most of her quilting fabric, books, patterns, and tools to distribute to her quilting friends and groups. While going through this paraphernalia I happened upon a plastic bag with many four-patch blocks that Elaine had sewn from a variety of charming flower prints. At about this same time I learned from Elaine's husband Jack that their daughter is pregnant with a girl due in July. Elaine died before this baby was conceived so hadn't made a baby quilt like she had done for their five other grandchildren. With Jack's blessing and gratitude I'm using those blocks as the centerpiece for a baby quilt for this granddaughter. I'm almost finished with the top - just need to sew on the purple border - after which I'll layer and baste it. A few of Elaine's other friends and I will hand quilt it in time for Jack to take it with him when he visits his daughter's family after the birth. It warms my heart to know that this little girl with have a quilt with so much of her loving grandmother's work in it.

"Look for the Helpers"

As an early childhood educator, I greatly admired Fred Rogers, who was gentle, kind, understanding, and wise. His quote about looking for the helpers has been something to which many cling during tragedies like the Boston Marathon terrorist attack.

The helpers and heroes were everywhere

Fern Lake Trail Hike

Yesterday was a gorgeous day for a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. A friend had told me about recent beaver activity on the Big Thompson River which runs along the trail. We saw the dam and newly felled trees but no beaver sightings. A light snowfall Saturday night had transformed the area into a wonderland! Everywhere we looked provided a beautiful photo opportunity.

We did catch sight of a flock of wild turkeys. Their tracks were co-mingled with human boot tracks and they were trotting along the trail at a fast clip.

During the first mile we hiked through an area heavily burned during last year's Fern Lake Fire. The snow cover obscured the scorched ground but we could still see the blackened trees trunks and, in the distance, an entire ridge of burned pines. It will be interesting to see how Mother Nature restores the area.

Wild Turkey Trot

Wild Turkey Tracks

Judy on the trail

Upper ridge burned by wildfire

Winter Wonderland

Beaver Pond

Basket of Family Faces

This charming basket of paper flowers sits on the shelf just outside my mother's apartment at Good Samaritan Village in Estes Park. It features the faces of Mom's family (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all the spouses). My nephew's creative and talented wife Judith, made it and presented it to Mom during an Easter visit. She and I share a first name (Judith) although she spells her nickname "Judi" and I spell my "Judy." Judith/Judy was a popular name for baby girls born in the 1940's. My best friend and next door neighbor during my childhood was a "Judy" as were several classmates. My nephew's wife is the first young Judith I've met and it's a coincidence that she became a family member. Judi and I share another name (her married name is the same as my family name) so the coincidence continues. 

Backsliding Into Winter

I won't be searching for pasque flowers today. If they are out there, they are covered by several inches of snow. The forecast calls for more snow today and tonight. Ironically, Wayne had planned to ski today but the icy, snow-packed roads and frigid temperatures have kept him home, much to my relief. The birds are swarming to our feeders this morning. Along with the usual, I've seen a Flicker and a Hairy Woodpecker.

This afternoon I'll be at the Duck Race office, the first of many days I'll be spending there right up until Duck Race Day, May 4. If I'm not too busy there, I'll stop in at Trail Ridge Quilters to take a few photos for our Facebook page.

Signs of Spring

Yesterday I took my trusty little camera outside to look for signs of spring. Hoping to find pasque flowers (not yet), I did find spectacular clouds, bluebirds, and an enormous badger hole - practically a cave - in the yard.

The bluebirds did not cooperate with the photographer but, take my word for it, they are back. I hope they establish residence in our humble little bird house.

Trail Ridge Quilters Launch Facebook Page

I've spent several hours in the last couple of days launching a Facebook page for my beloved Trail Ridge Quilters. Here's a link: https://www.facebook.com/TrailRidgeQuilters

This photo shows some of our talented quilters (I'm seated on the left) in front of the scenic quilt we made and donated to the Estes Park Medical Center Foundation to raffle off last year. The top was donated by a former Estes Park quilter. The quilts in the foreground were part of the inventory for our November 2012 sale.