Yampa River Valley - Medicine Bow Routt NF

SO I'm back home in SC it's hot n humid as expected but what was not expected is my A/C unit not working! So I spent my first day back dealing with that.

Anywho I'm back a wee bit earlier than planned due to the Nation Wide Heat Wave! Man the dogs were miserable and so was I with only fans in our camper/van...and the birds were laying low!  However before the heat wave chased us home we saw some awesome stuff.   My route took me out of Rifle, CO up Hwy 13 to Hwy 40 East.  This route takes one through the Yampa River Valley of Rio Blanco and Routt County, and some of the prettiest fertile river bottom I've seen. 

                                                       Hwy 40 through the windshield

The river and the grass bring the Sandhill Cranes and obviously they nest here!

                                                                               

                                                               Sandhill Crane Chick

I stopped at the Yampa River SWA.  The trails were so overgrown I didn't walk any of them did see this killdeer in the parking area trying to draw me away from the nest I never saw the eggs, the parking area was all gravel so I'm sure they were somewhere in the gravel.  Also present were 2 Eastern Kingbirds, Mallards, Western Kingbirds, and Yellow Warblers.  

Saw a nice patch of Yellow False Lupine

                                                                        False Lupine 

The bees sure did love it, we moved on and up to the Routt National Forest, via Hwy 14 East and the Meadows campground we stayed at last fall...Danged it wasn't open! No worries since camping is allowed in a National Forest I decided to camp right in front of the gate away from the mud.

Spring was just getting going there....the willows all red, and the snow still hanging in the shade...and totally cold!

The Moon was out 

The Girls enjoyed playing in the creek and the snow...

                                                            Annie and Floss in the creek

                                                               Annie running in the snow

Casey was not interested in playing he just wanted to relax in the sun

I just wanted to sit in the sun...and enjoy the Avalanche Lilies that were everywhere...

And watch the setting sun play on the distant trees...

This female Cassin's Finch gave us a sunset song, I made a video but it was shaky, it's on my You Tube if you wanna see it...I'm trying to get more birds song on short vids...

We also had White Crowned Sparrow, Gray Headed DE Junco, and Yellow Warbler in the willows around the camp....

Hmm moose tracks....

And once we had breakfast and pulled out we stopped at Dumont Lake Campground it was closed too...but we drove around and checked things out...

Down near the highway a Moose Cow was browsing, hopefully she can fatten on spring growth

Over Rabbit Ears pass 

                                                         The Rabbit Ears and some Antelope

nearby we stopped at the Muddy Creek Lake, 

 one Lincoln Sparrow and some Spotted Sandpiper snacked in the mud flats...
And this White Crowned Sparrow 

Lincoln Sparrow

Spotted Sparrow

This area of Jackson County has a Prairie Chicken Lek (Coalmont Lek)
but currently there is no public access...

I had the CR 45 Lek in Wray County on my visit list but the heat got to us before we ever reached Wray County..So here in Jackson County is Walden Lake, it is HUGE!  Tons of White Pelican, Double Crested Cormorant, Northern Shoveler, American Coot, American Avocet, Blue Wing and Cinnamon Teal, tons of Barn, Tree, Northern Rough Wing Swallow, with Western and Ring Billed Gull.  

                                                                             Am. Avocet

                                                                     Ring Billed Gull

                                                                       White Pelican

                                                                       Canada Geese

 White Pelican flying in this wind!

It was almost impossible to bird with the wind howling...so we had our lunch break 

...and moved right after...
I'll pick up after lunch when we checked out Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. 

after we enjoyed the view at least one more time

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Free and Not so Free.

Today the girls had to go meet the Care-A-Van, the mobile vet, for their shots, blood tests and heartworm pills.  I got a yrs supply cause its always a pain running around trying to get supplies..so they are set for a entire YEAR! AND we were first in line...I got there at 10 till 10 and no one was there yet.  I go to the IGA parking lot, they are there about every 3 weeks so its a great thing for the community..and dont you know that the DVM's are trying to stop the mobile vets from providing some services! I swear soon the under priviledged and ME are not going to be able to make it in this wealthy society where only the well to do will be able to afford anything!!! Can you tell Im a little fed up? As it is it cost me $212.00 for the 2 dogs, blood test, heartworm pills which I cant get without the bloodtest result of negative.  Then the yearly booster shots, and their vaccine tags.  IF I had to go do this at the VET's office I would have to pay an additional $40 for an office visit per dog! So I hope the DVM's are defeated with this latest attempt at making life harder for the majority of us!

I've never successfully grown a watermelon or cantaloupe in my garden, it generally gets too hot, BUT this yr...a volunteer came up in the compost pile...I dont know what it is yet what do you think? It could be a squash of some kind too....medontknow!

I may see some slight ridges and that may mean cantaloupe

Been getting a few of the small tomatoes for the window ledge along with a sunflower and a dahlia flower broken over by the hard rain so they had to come inside so I could continue to enjoy these Beautiful faces, OH the birds planted that Sunflower for me :o)

So I got a nice melon on the vine, and sunflowers all thanks to the efforts of mother nature..OH and in my compost pile are more avacado trees! ONE did live that I transplanted last yr.  I thought they all died but then I found it...Ill have to keep you posted on that one...and I will try transplanting the two new ones.

I love my rooster plates got these in the "dime store" for a buck a piece! They are just cheap plates but for everyday they make me smile!

and Im not working on the inside of the "windows" room.  The old sunroom.  Im putting up new paneling on the walls I had to remove and putting the trim around the windows on the inside..

Ive got the inside casing & ledges done and have the small one finished...just the finish paint needs to be put on. I primed the wood already...the paneling I like it the way it is, but I didnt tear down the dividing wall so I will paint that wall I'm gonna go BRIGHT more on that later.

Im going to put a shelf the length of the wall in that space....a great spot for starting seedlings....I created a LARGE ledge for the South Facing Lower Window I figure plants will want to sit there and enjoy that window! This end of the room will be the new potting and winter plant storage area..and who knows what else.

IM waiting for the finale of HGTV Design Star, comes on at 8 pm... this is the first time I've watched it...fun to see what ideas other have...some are outrageous--- others are pretty dang cool!!

PEACE