Upside Ann

 Last year in Colorado - back when my shoes were new - but still quite dusty from all the dry areas we'd walked.  Not as dry as my friend's footstep here... It is probably a velociraptor.  My only hope of outrunning him was giving him was to give him a 70 million year head start!

I was taking the moment I had this fine Sunday morning to prepare my Monday post.  I'll PROBABLY have time on Monday, but I do have time today.  Anyway- I used the term head start (spoiler) and I was unsure whether that would be a compound word or two words.  Spell check to the rescue! (Hmmm - now I am remembering that little paperclip guy who would pop-up to give Microsoft hints - pause for google search - there he is, "Clippy"!  I wonder what became of him...) As it turns out head start can be one compound word when referencing the early education program: HeadStart.  It gets two capitalized letters - wow!  But I was not making that reference. Spell check offered a third option which I really need to find a way to use: heads tart!  I want to write about that but not eat it.  And.....why?

 

  We've gone to RMNP twice now, each summer we are in Colorado.  The top photo with the ground squirrel enjoying the view was from the first lookout we stopped at on our first visit.  Not the greatest photo in the world, but he amused me.  I was not the only tourist taking photos of him that morning.     Ground squirrels are very prevalent and along some of the hikes, especially where people might stop and have a snack to share, they are brave little fellows.  I did use my zoom lens to get the couple in the second photo.  I likely could have approached closer.   My animal bucket list did not contain rodents, however.  I wanted to see elk and moose.  Elk are not too hard to come by.  They tend to come out in herds near suppertime.  The photo of Mr. Elk with his impressive rack, however, was the first one we saw.  "Everyone" was stopping along the side of a road - something you are NOT supposed to do.  So,...

  Portrait by Zupe of his "Star Wars" Rey doll.  I think he is in love.

Our last holiday tour without Zupe last summer was the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.  Maybe it looks a little familiar?  Maybe you feel a little shiver up your spine?  Maybe the phrase "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is intruding on your thoughts?  It was afternoon when we arrived - just in time for the daily rainstorm - which suited us fine.  We took "The Shining" tour but didn't see anything spooky that we weren't supposed to see.  I took some photos of the bathroom and the ballroom and ... to share with Marianna who I knew would appreciate it as she is a bigger Stephen King fan than even I am.  But they are not anything special to look at.  If you want to see photos of such elements, you can find better ones on the website. Here I include two shots of the exterior of the hotel - with the stormy skies - looking a bit menacing, the parking token- no free parking at the hotel, and a "Shining" related display I enjoyed.  I do not r...