Happy Thanksgiving!

We are off to an early start to our Thanksgiving holiday. We leave tomorrow for the ATL to have a two week visit with our families. Can't wait. Not likely to post a blog unless so inspired to do so at the same time I happen to have access to a computer!

We wish everyone the best for safe travels, happy family time, and certainly the best, big, fat, juicy and yummy TURKEY ever!

The 3am Barking Dog

So last night we were both sound asleep when at a little past 3am, we were awakened by a dog barking up the street. The dog seemed to be in distress, like it wanted to get inside his house. What a strange sound he made -- like a combo bark and yelp all in one.

Jim and I laid in bed discussing our options. It was 20 degrees outside and the poor pup needed help. Certainly one of the neighbors would recognize the bark and help the dog. Thirty more minutes of non-stop barking. We can't exactly bring the dog into our house with our two dogs. Twenty more minutes of non-stop barking. Should we call the Marshall's office? Well that required one of us to go downstairs and look the number up in the phone book. And someone who lives closer to the dog surely has or would call.

The barking finally stopped a little after 4am.

This morning after our hike I ran into one of our neighbors. I asked him if he heard that poor dog last night. He laughed and said, "Oh, you mean the COYOTE?!!!"

Yup it was a coyote out here in the wild, wild West!

First real snow storm of the year!

Photo above was taken this morning around 10am, across the street from our house on the river trail. It was about 15 degrees ("feels like" 5 degrees). Another foot of snow would fall before dark.

This photo is of a very happy Jim, and even happier dogs. If I were more tech savy and motivated, I would have taken and posted video of them sprinting, skidding and frolicking in the snow.

Tired pups after a four mile hike in the snow!
So Jim was a real trooper and shoveled this morning, but you know, you can't tell anymore. We got a real dumping. Even the long time locals were talking about what a big first storm we were having. But we perservered -- hiked, did errands and then we reflected on the incredible wonders of nature and the true beauty of these mountains. A really great, beautiful day.

Celebrating OBAMA and this historical moment!

Election Night SNOW

Our backyard at 7pm MT, 9pm ET -- snowing like a madman. Weather forecast showing a minimum of 6 inches and as much as 12 inches from this front. "Feels like" not supposed to go past 13 degrees tomorrow. Hmmmm.

Happy Birthday Dad!

My dad and best PAL EVER turned 7* today. He said he didn't do anything "special" for his birthday, but trust me, he's one of the most "special" men in the world.

A really BIG hike

Today Jim and I hiked from our house to Tomboy Mine, a long 3,300 foot elevation gain UP. Now we forgot our camera, so I've attached a photo Jim took last week when he did this same hike with a friend. It was snowing during his hike, but when we went today, that snow was nearly all melted.

Tomboy, a once robust mining community in the late 1890s, still has a lot of mining and housing ruins left, and you can almost feel at least some of the energy that was once there. It took us two hours to get there, all up hill. My almonds tasted really, really good at the top.

The weather was incredible, and really has been all of October (with the exception of one day!). Perfect sunny skies, no humidity, and cool, crisp air. We are still able to hike in shorts as long as we leave around 10am after the sun has had a chance to warm things up.

So back to our hike. After we started to head back down, the laces on my fancy Salomon shoes busted, so it was nearly two hours walking 5 plus miles down in what felt like a slipper. Not good, as my step-son Justin likes to say.

But it was a great accomplishment -- a nearly four hour hike, longer than any hike I've done in more than two years. Of course Jim regularly hikes this distance, but it kind of kicked his butt, too.

Oh, and my PBJ tasted really, really good when I was done.