The Denver Zoo, Almost

 After church on Sunday we set out for a drive towards Denver, not really knowing where we would end up. We got tacos and quesadillas to go at our local Mexican restaurant and headed south towards a huge mall area in Aurora. The day was brilliant with sunshine, though cold and windy. Here is our usual gorgeous view of the Rocky Mountains to the west.

 I love lone trees out on the prairie, the starkness of their bare limbs in the dead of winter.

 About halfway to the Mall we changed our minds! I've wanted to return to the store at the Denver Zoo to purchase some souvenirs and gifts, so we turned our wheels and headed back north to downtown Denver, deciding now was as good a time as any. We didn't go into the Zoo itself, but only into the shop where I did find several goodies, a coffee mug with giraffes on it, a blank book with a lion on the front, some postcards, a t-shirt for me, and a birthday gift to save for one of the granddaughters. (Shhh!) The Park grounds are overrun with Canada Geese at all times of the year. These guys, feeding near our parked car, paid absolutely no attention to me, snapping away on my camera. I could have gotten even closer.

 After the Zoo store, we did still want to head on down to the big Mall, where we checked out the ice skaters and looked at the movie marquee. Heading home, we were treated to this beautiful sunset. Compare it to the mountains seen in the top photo. They are the same — a gorgeous sight caught at just the right moment!

 Well, I wanted you all to see my new t-shirt! Isn't it pretty? We saw all these cats on a previous visit to the Zoo itself.

Oops! One more majestic cat, Montie, checking out what I'm doing with that camera in my hand!

My Desk, My Day

This is my desk, located in the bedroom in our 5th wheel. From here I'm able to get my thoughts out on my blog, on Facebook, emails, and other avenues. That's my iMac, with my torti cat sitting on the mouse and looking out the window. You can even see the thermometer, registering 26 degrees outside. I love looking at my favorite curtain, a collection of scarves tied to a rod. Try it if you have some scarves or large handerchiefs lying around.

I had the whole day off today, New Years. I've been working as much as I can so this day is a treat. I have nothing earth shaking to write about, no trips to the mountains, no trips into Denver to see the sights, just a quiet day at the campground.

I always get up early, 5ish, and sit quietly drinking my coffee, holding my black kitty, reading my Bible and checking Facebook, the weather, email, etc. After dressing I went over to the store-office to let the campground kitty out and give her a treat. Then I got the Gator going so I could make a run around the park. I had noticed that one of the wheel covers on BigTruk had blown off yesterday in a fierce wind so I tried to find it. No luck. In making my rounds I discovered some campers had left bags of garbage in the wrong place so I collected it and headed over to the dumpster.  It was cold and slick. Bunnies ran out and away as I passed. They like to stay under the RVs that are stored in the back of the campground.

I discovered a new 5th wheel had pulled into a spot during the morning. I knocked on his door to let him know he needed to plug in the water riser, or it would freeze. He'll be here awhile. We have about 18 or 19 monthlies here who are working on projects around Denver. Most of them will be gone by spring, just in time for the summer campers.

I'm excited to be starting a course on creativity, "The Artist's Way", led online by my cousin who is a much published author. That will be fun and challenging for me. The course covers many forms of creativity, not just writing. I hope it will give me some inspiration as I learn new piano compositions, and of course I need help making my blog more interesting!

After a quick trip to King Soopers, our nearest supermarket, I stopped along the road where there are prairie dog towns, hoping they'd not scamper into their holes when they saw the car, but they did. I guess I need to sit for an hour to put them at ease. No time for that now.

Home again, I played a few piano pieces, then made another trip over to the office to let Callie the campground kitty back in. It's too cold for her to be out all night, though she could probably join the bunnies, wherever they sleep. Oh no. I forgot, she eats the bunnies!

So passes a quiet day. Mr. Keith is still recuperating from back surgery. In a minute I'm going to serve us up our favorite evening snack, ice cream, put on a Netflix to watch till bedtime. Tomorrow is another "work" day, or, as we workampers like to call it, a "fun" day. What will it hold?

Quiet Times

 Since Mr. Keith hurt his back and had surgery, we've stuck very close to home and led the quiet life. There have been no days off to take sight-seeing trips in our beautiful surroundings, so I've snapped photos where I can. Here is our itty bitty Christmas tree, complete with nativity scene, gifts from daughters, a snowman, and a festive bear.

 The workamping lifestyle is one of great fun and adventure for us, the only down-side being so far away from family. God has blessed us in this place with the nicest people in the world, it seems. There is a close knit country concern for neighbors and folks in need, which we are during the holidays! A co-worker invited us to join her family for a Christmas Eve dinner, a true blessing for two old coots without our own family nearby. On the way there, a 12 mile drive out on the prairie, we came across these buffalo foraging for food in the snow. I had to stop and get photos! These critters are raised on a ranch near Byers, Colorado. We'd seen them before, but not up close, and not posing so picturesquely in the snow.

 These new friends were our wonderful hosts for Christmas Eve dinner, the Gates, a caring couple with big hearts and an open home. They made us feel so included.

 Part of the afternoon's fun, props for funny photos!

 Christmas Day, another quiet time at home. I took a walk around the campground in the snow, and was intrigued by these semi-symetrical tracks, seeming to point towards the two trees in the background. Gotta take pleasure in small things!

I let myself into the closed office-store to check on our campground pet, Callie. (How many calico cats have you seen who are named Callie?) She wanted to go outside but wasn't so sure when she felt the cold air. I'll go back later to let her in again.

So passes another calm day while Mr. Keith recuperates a little more. Back to work tomorrow for me!

This 'n' That

 Our two cats, Montana and Mia, are our traveling companions. They are like our kids, providing lots of love and amusement with their antics. Montie, our longhaired black kitty, usually sleeps in this shoebox which is just big enough for him, but when Mia, our tortie, decided to curl up in there, he had to join her. What a tight fit!

 I am a very amateur birdwatcher. The other day I was "watching" the doves that live in our KOA campground when I spotted this bird, about the same size as the doves, pecking his way up the tree outside our RV. I snapped a couple of photos, then went to the Peterson Bird I.D. app on my iPad and discovered he is a red-shafted northern flicker. Very pretty! Click to enlarge the photo, and you will see the red stripes near his beak.

Mr. Keith has been laid up with a bad back for awhile — that's why we haven't taken any trips to blog about lately. John, age 5, who lives in a 5th wheel near to us with his mom and dad, heard about Keith's illness, so he colored these pictures as a gift. We were so touched when he shyly presented them to Keith, ending his visit with a hug. He is a special little guy, so thoughtful and polite. His gift will remain on our wall for quite awhile! We are thankful to God for these small pleasures of life — cats, birds, kids — and hope our eyes will always be open to His gifts.