Tea and Tissues

Green tea with honey & lemon

Our daughter and her family left this morning for a nine hour drive home. They've been here since Christmas and we've all had a wonderful time. Once I developed a head cold, I quarantined myself in the bedroom with tea and tissues and a book for amusement when I wasn't sleeping. The rest of the family went about the business of having a good time.

My brother and his family (thirteen altogether) drove up yesterday from the Denver area to celebrate our mom's 92nd birthday a couple of days early. I was the only one who didn't attend but they wouldn't have wanted me there accompanied by my cold germs. I glad they all had a good time.

There are lots of tasks waiting to be done getting the house back in post-Christmas order again but I'm not motivated to do any of that yet. I don't have much going on this next week, thank goodness, so I can concentrate on getting well.

Danish Paper Heart Baskets for Christmas

My friend Jane came over yesterday so I could teach her how to make Danish paper heart baskets. These have been a tradition in our family ever since we were married forty-nine years ago. All of Wayne's grandparents were from Denmark and the family retained many Danish Christmas customs here in the United States. My mother-in-law taught me to make these hearts in the early years of our marriage and they have been on our tree every year, each filled with sweet treats. This one is designated for one of our grandchildren who will be here on the 25th.

Christmas in the Rockies

We'll be at home this Christmas with family here to make it especially merry. I've been so busy sewing doll clothes, shopping, decorating, wrapping, sending cards and all those other pre-holiday tasks that I haven't taken time to update this blog.

Tomorrow I'll be hosting my Friday Afternoon Quilting group. For dessert I'll serve caramel apple cheesecake which I'll make this afternoon as soon as Wayne gets home from the market with the ingredients. I hope to get a few more Christmas letters sent today and I'll finish up the Christmas Crackers to enclose in our Christmas package to our Andersen grandchildren. I have holiday music playing and a pot of tea. The weather is cold, snowy and frequently windy so it's nice to stay inside.

Above is a photo of Estes Park at twilight, a beautiful sight.

Delightful Doll Clothes

Spending the day in my loft sewing doll clothes is both fun and rewarding. It doesn't take much time or fabric to whip up delightful outfits and accessories. Here are the two latest creations, a Christmas dress and a sleeping bag. I know my granddaughter will love them. Today I'll be making a headband to match the dress and I'll start on some play and school clothes.

National Philanthropy Day Celebration in Estes Park

Estes Park celebrated National Philanthropy Day last night with a party at YMCA of the Rockies, the theme of which was "Enriching Estes with a Giving Heart." I was pleased to represent Estes Park Duck Race sponsored each year by our local Rotary Club. Last night's event was well attended and everyone had a wonderful time. Many of our local non-profit groups had tabletop displays - I helped at the Duck Race table where our 2014 logo was presented for the first time. Our mascot posed for a photo.

The celebration included a presentation by Kurtis Kelly as "F.O. Stanley" (one of Estes Park's first philanthropists), recognition of individual and business philanthropists, delicious food and drink, and the opportunity to celebrate with friends and neighbors. This was especially meaningful in the aftermath of the September flood. I left feeling proud of our community and grateful for it's giving spirit.

Doll Clothes for Christmas

My seven year old granddaughter recently got an American Girl Doll for her birthday so I've been busy sewing clothes for "Emily". They will be a Christmas gift. I've finished bright pink and plaid flannel pajamas and a mint green robe with pink rick rack trim. This project is so much fun! My husband wonders if I'll ever come down from the sewing loft. Today I'll make a sleeping bag using fleece and flannel. My list also includes a party dress, pants, t-shirt and whatever else I have time to make. I've collected lots of patterns. My favorites are three books by Joan Hinds. With a wee bit of searching, I've also found a wealth of patterns and directions for making accessories on the Internet. The doll in these photos is my own doll, Molly, who loves to model.

Nearly Normal

One of Estes Park's main routes into and out of town, Highway 36, re-opened on Monday. This route will cut three hours off our trips to the valley and the flatland. I'm proud of our state and community for their quick response to the needs of the residents.

Our local sanitation district is still working long days reconnecting the sewers. The NFZ Map shows more green (repaired lines) than red (not yet repaired lines).Our house is still in the red and the prediction is that we'll be flush worthy by the end of November. In the meantime, life for us is back to (nearly) normal.

Beautiful Day in Rocky

Wayne, Mom and I spent a beautiful sunny afternoon yesterday in Rocky Mountain National Park viewing the area around the Alluvial Fan. The road into the area has been damaged by the recent flood, cutting off access to Endovalley Picnic Area and Old Fall River Road. Much of the foot path has been washed away leaving chunks of asphalt amid the boulders. It is fascinating to see what the power of water can do!

Regaining Equilibrium

Wayne and I just returned from a visit with our family in Nebraska. It was a wonderful way to clear our minds and regain our equilibrium. Our agenda included: grandsons' soccer and football games; time at the cabin on the river where we watched a Nebraska football game; a quick trip to Iowa to meet with the farm renters and have lunch with Wayne's sister and brother-in-law; time spent with our children and grandchildren. The only downside to the trip was the extra travel time (two days instead of one each way) over the flood related detours.

It's good to be home once again and gratifying to see how Estes Park is recovering. The town and related agencies post daily updates on their restoration progress. Upper Thompson Sanitation District (UTSD) continues to make repairs to the sewers and has brought a few more homes back online. It will be awhile before our home is declared "flush worthy." In the meantime, our newly purchased indoor, portable, flushable, toilet is a welcome change from the Porta-Potty down the road.

I never thought I'd post a photo of a toilet!

The Colorado Department of Transportation is making steady progress on the temporary roads. After seeing numerous photos of the damage, I find it remarkable that they expect to have passable roads by December 1. The town is full of huge trucks and road building equipment.

Below are a variety of images showing roads into and out of Estes Park that are under repair.

Winter Preview

We woke up this morning to a beautiful preview of winter. It won't last ... warmer temperatures will move in this week-end. Our aspen trees, as usual, don't know it's time to turn gold. They are always the last to don their autumn foliage. The 4 X 4 fence post on the left of the aspen was attacked by a frustrated bull elk dislodging it from the ground and leaving it tilted.

Recovery and Rebuilding

Neighborhood Port-A-Johns

It's been three weeks since the Great Flood of 2013 and our days have been filled dealing with the aftermath. We've left crisis mode behind and we're now in recovery and rebuilding mode. The town and state governments have been hard at work repairing our infrastructure. Estes Park has lost homes, businesses, bridges, roads, and sewers. The smaller surrounding communities of Glen Haven, Lyons, and Pinewood Springs have also been devastated.

A large portion of the town, including our home, is in the NFZ (no flush zone) because sewers were washed away along with the roads. The town is working on a temporary fix for this situation until permanent sewers can be installed. In the meantime, the town has placed Port-A-Johns every block or so throughout the NFZ. Wayne and I have been using our camper loo but beginning today we're using the Port-A-John down the street because we've had to winterize the camper. Cold weather and snow are moving in tonight.

Our most pressing problem is the loss of four critical roads into and out of Estes Park, leaving only one roundabout route, much of which is a narrow gravel road. Taking this route has added several hours to our trips to the valley.

I'm proud of the way Estes Park is coping with the situation and proud of the positive attitudes of its citizens. The new motto is "We're Mountain Strong."

Flood Devastates Estes Park

 Aerial View of Highway 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon, one of the main routes into and out of Estes Park.

Our little town of Estes Park, Colorado has suffered a disaster along with many other communities in northern Colorado. Ten to thirteen inches of rain in a three day period has caused extensive flooding, mud slides, and rock slides. Several deaths have been confirmed and thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes. Roads and infrastructure have been washed away or severely damaged.

Wayne and I are safe and well. Our house was not damaged and remained dry throughout the ordeal. Many friends and neighbors have not been as fortunate. We've been volunteering at the local Red Cross/Salvation Army Evacuation Shelter since 4 A.M., September 12.

Here we are a week later - things here in town are better but we have a long way to go before things are back to normal.

I haven't had the heart to write about this before. There is a lot to tell and I will write more in the days to come.


Elkhorn Lodge just west of downtown Estes Park

New Mexico Twin Quilts

My friend Linda, who lives in San Diego, and I have been collaborating on identical quilts we call the New Mexico Twins. It started with a joint trip to Santa Fe and Taos on a Road Scholar tour a couple of years ago. She thought we should make duplicate wall quilts to commemorate our trip and I quickly agreed. We decided to treat it like a very small "round robin" project. Linda won the coin toss so she made identical centers and sent them both to me. I added the first border and mailed them back. She added the next border and I have just completed the final border. We are taking another tour to Canada (along with our husbands) and I will take hers and give it to her then. She hasn't seen a photo of the finished tops and I haven't given her any clues. I hope she likes what I've done.

The cutting and sewing have been easy ... deciding what to do and designing each border have been more difficult. We'll each finish our own quilt so they won't be completely alike. I plan to hand quilt mine and it will be interesting to see what Linda decides to do.

Family Fun in Estes Park

Hiking the Alpine Trail to Milner Pass

Our family (The A & O Clan) has gone home after a week of good times here in Estes Park. The A & O Clan includes our son, his wife, and their three children and our daughter, her husband, and their three children. The total is twelve when you add Wayne and me and thirteen when we include my mom. Having ten extra people staying in our house is a challenge but we've worked out a good system which makes it enjoyable and not too much work for any one person. Our camper, set up in the back driveway, becomes the annex, sleeping three or four. The others sleep on our guest beds and inflatable mattresses. I prepare and freeze a few meals ahead of time; we eat some meals out; and the family is in charge of a couple of meals (including shopping, cooking, cleaning up).

Our agenda included hiking, attending a Rockies game, picnicking, shopping, playing games, watching the wildlife, and enjoying each other's company. Carly was the first to spot a big black bear across the road from our front porch. None of us managed to get a photo but it reminded us to keep windows closed on the lower levels at night and when we're not at home. We also spotted elk, deer, chipmunks, pikas, big horn sheep, and mink.

Picnic spot near Glen Haven

Rain delay at Rockies game

North fork of the Big Thompson River

Double Rainbow

Rainbows are a common occurrence here in Estes Park due to an abundance of sunshine and frequent late afternoon showers. Our deck, which faces east, is a perfect vantage point to view single and double rainbows. And, here's an interesting phenomenon ... I had never noticed before that the primary rainbow shows red on the outside and violet on the inside while the secondary and fainter rainbow shows violet on the outside and red on the inside (mirror image). I saw this double rainbow last week.