We pulled out of the Riverside Resort and headed to Steve and Jaren's place. We set up in the Ponderosa pines next to his barn in the back and made ourselves at home.
The kids were really looking forward to the activities there, and they weren't disappointed. There was swimming and/water sports to be had in the new and improved "big pond" - so inviting on a warm Colorado afternoon!
The water trampoline was a big hit.
Looks like Joe bounced off the other side. Put a grass skirt on Audrey and she could be a Polynesian on that paddleboard...
Then the kids got to practice canoeing -
The meadows had just been cut and baled for hay. There was about 800 bales lying around, but they made a good obstacle course for Jack to channel his inner Easy Rider.
Is it my imagination, or are his knuckles white? He mastered the two wheeler pretty quickly. Even Joe got in on the motorcycle action.
They weren't the only ones to enjoy off-road motorsports. Audrey and Alice were apt pupils as Steve showed them how to operate the Polaris Ranger.
He then gave them a shovel and a $0.25 bounty on each thistle (also called Jaren's Bane) and turned them loose. Three days and $60 later, thistles were endangered on Steve's ranch.
We also squeezed in a crawfish trip (another first for Jack).
It was a little past prime season, but we still got about 75 pounds of Pruett Lake giants. Very tasty!
Here's the first set of the night. You can see the tips of my nets in a line just off the bank.
Some big boys...
...with interesting color variations...
...but they all look the same after a hot bath in Zatarain's crawfish boil!
...and the aftermath of all-you-can eat crawfish...(Jack's "Great Wall of Crustaceans" to the front and my random pile of heads to the rear).
Jack, Joe and I took one more shot at getting Jack a brook trout. We headed up the Piedra canyon and hiked up the North Fork. It was very pretty, but only brown trout and no brookies.
And what is a trip to Steve's without enjoying a little wildlife viewing? It was hard to get a shot of one of the swarming Rufous Hummingbirds, but I tried (see below)...and on the last evening, this youngster came out for some supper.
We had a great time at Steve's and before we knew it, our last evening in Colorado was at hand. We savored every minute of it, too.
A night later - we were in Lubbock, TX. wow
A couple of weeks later, we took a quick trip to Illinois. Joe came along to help with the furniture moving and babysitting, not to mention adding some new states to his list and a chance to visit Chris in Champaign. We hit Curtis Orchard on the first full day there.
We enjoyed visiting with the girls and getting to know Bea a little better.
...and of course the resident Princess, Magdalena.
(and neighborhood princesses, too)
It wasn't all princess, all the time (thank goodness!)
And we were there for her very first day of Kindergarten (pay no heed to her apparent dismay at childhood's end - subsequent reports confirm she really likes going).
The visit was too short, but we had big doings going on at the homeplace - which will have to wait for another entry.
buh-bye!
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