The Elk

Well, its been a while since I've posted, but that's mainly because nothing is happening around here these days. I guess I could have posted.....cold and snowy, cold and snowy, cold and snowy. I keep reminding myself that spring is not too far off. In my mind, it seems every year the current winter is the longest winter ever. No different this year. Why does summer seem to fly by yet winter drags on?

We had some great weather Tuesday and Wednesday. I shouldn't complain, it actually got up to 68 on Wednesday, that was before we got totally slammed with 5" of snow and 25 degree temps just 6 hours later. Like I said, cold and snowy....

Wednesday was just too nice a day not to get out, so I took the girls and we headed up to Estes for a bit. The elk were out on the golf course, I got some great pics of them. They are so used to people, that we were able to get within about 15 feet.

I got another of those great unexpected gifts in the mail this week. Mom sent me a very cool book, "MaryJane's Ideabook Cookbook Lifebook for the Farmgirl in all of us. I highly recommend it. Along with some beautiful pictures its got lots of great ideas and how-to's for the homesteader. Its full of recipes, sewing tips, gardening ideas and many lost-art how-to's, like darning socks and making aprons.

The best part of all was the inscription inside the front cover."To my very own sweet little farm girl. They can take the girl out of the country, but they can't take the country out of the girl." Those are words I've heard my mom echo at every turn; when she saw my first extensive garden complete with 9 different fruit trees to my pantry full of 12 cases of peaches I had canned one summer, to the time she found out I had 28 chickens in my suburban back yard. And, she is right, all those years of city living were pure torture to the farm girl in me. I finally feel at home for the first time in a really long time. I awaken still in awe of the beauty that surrounds me and thanking God for the blessing of living in such a serene place and for the opportunity to take it all in.


Another incredible sunrise from the front porch.


Elk cow, pausing for a second to gaze up at us


Elk on the golf course. The ground was covered in.....well, you know. I bet the golfers hate that.