geokin

Family Visit in Ft. Collins

Aunt Leslie was tending the Ft. Collins kids last weekend, so the Loveland branch went up to visit. I had to post all these pictures 'cause its hard to get a good one where everyone is in focus when there's kids involved. Actually, the problem is that they are all so darn good in one way or another!

Jack and Mom in Ten Years ;-)

Awwwwww...Jack and Mom

Grandkids and Neighbor Visit

Had to post this fun series of my neighbor Dolores with Liam and Jack. Liam was stuffing crayons down the bib of his overalls. His Mom found them that night when he was getting ready for bed. And ya gotta love Jack's yawn. :-)

Bruce Factoid - Harpers Crystal Radio

I should believe my friend Bruce more than I should doubt him. He has a really big head full of facts. Well, they are factoids actually. Sometimes they sound crazy and then they turn out to be mostly true. Usually there is just one little part of the factoid that is off. Some how this morning he was telling me about this little transistor radio he had that had no batteries. He said it had a little alligator clip that he attached to the telephone for power. Naaaa......... Well turns out he had a  HarpersCrystalRadio when he was 8 years old and it did have an alligator clip, but for the antenna. And it didn't have a battery which is fully explained on the link above.

Weather In Oz

Just about 2 years ago Megan, Daniel and Elena came over to Australia for a vacation. We had a great trip to Queensland squeezed in between cyclones (as it turned out). Were we lucky! I thought this was an amazing picture of cyclone Yasi hitting the northeast coast of Australia. It sounds very scary by the news reports and my heart goes out to Queenslanders who are coming off an entire season of extreme flooding.

A trip back to 1994

On this frigid day at home I was going through some boxes. I found this  article from a company newspaper about a trip to Washington DC some of us took in support of the 1872 mining law. A few years have rolled by since then! This pdf is better quality than the pictures posted. Download 1994 Copper Sense001

Walrus exercise

Animals never cease to amaze me! This walrus exercising is over the top cool--especially the situps.Walrus exercise

Jack Emerson Tracy!

January 21, 2011. 11:34 PM. Absoultely perfect in every way. Now its Momma, Poppa, Liam and Baby Jack!

      

The office building overlooking Lake Loveland behind my house has a big bright new neon sign. Clicking the play button on the Mad-wire-web-design home page tells what they do and makes me reflect on how this type of business has just shot off through the roof.
http://www.madwirewebdesign.com/

Re-invention

geology

grammar and linguistics

time like never before

building a life in one place

travel

availability to self and others

loneliness and solitude

dog friends

girl friends

boy friends

boy friend

family and not family

yoga

belly dancing

fame

fortune

taxes

color and design in living places

birth-babies-adults-death & everything in between

past - present - future

photos-painting

yes and no

pain and ease

Corn Time in Loveland

McCune Farm Part 3

It was just so neat to see Liam with all the saddles and horse harnesses in the barn. The old and the new.  

McCune Farm Part 2

We visited my father's cousin George on his farm near Colorado Springs earlier this week. The McCunes are my father's mother's family and have been ranching in this area for 90 years or so. The octogenarians of the family swapped stories of summer visits when the were youngsters. Like the time my father left the light on in the barn and everyone had to get out of bed to go check to see if there was a fire. What a great visit. (Megan has some more pics on her blog).

  

McCune Farm Part 1

This 1923 Saturday Evening Post cover is hanging by the back door of Cousin George's house. It says "Nothing is so strong as gentleness, Nothing so gentle as real strength".

Summer in Loveland

Festivals and mountain wildfires.

Sleeping

USS Kirk Amazing Story

This link should take you to the NPR series on the USS Kirk and a great humanitarian effort at the end of the Vietnam War. I really thought it was worth listening to. NPR Story USS Kirk

Bathtub Mohawk!

Sand Box

Part of the prep work for Liam's birthday party was getting a sand box for the backyard.I had a so much fun getting the sand --$3 for 200 lbs!-- at the local landscape company. The Colorado sky was so beautiful that day.  The birthday boy liked the sand box with and without.

Home decorating experiments

I am having super fulfilling moments changing and re-changing my space. I just had an old claim map of Leadville matted and framed to hang on the living room wall. An upholstery person is coming this afternoon to see if it will be reasonable to recover the old Bingham couch and the Johansing loveseats. Such a fun, ongoing experiment doing this at this point in my life. Absolutely no stress required, just play.

He really was enjoying it!

Liam has the funniest faces. This one in the swing cracks me up. I guess he was ready to get out. I couldn't help put a picture of me in the swing at that age just for kicks. Maybe there is a little Jessup in him? Megan put a video of Liam doing his thing at home on her blog (see link on the right hand column of this blog) which is just so darn cute, I can hardly stand it.

New project

I ALMOST made it through this weekend without taking this on. The idea of a dog has been in the works since I moved into this house. I didn't think it would happen quite so soon, but sometimes dogs have other ideas....Saturday, I was out and about with the Tracy family and we stopped at a parking lot where the Poudre Valley Dog Rescue was having an Adopt-a-Thon for a bunch of puppies they had recently brought up from New Mexico shelters. I stopped to sign up as a foster person, saying I might  be ready to do that in August. I spied little Carlie -- a mostly Aussie Red Heeler type, 3-4 months old, but told my self NO WAY. Then somehow on Sunday I ended up driving by the parking lot again, half way hoping that the event would not be there and/or SHE wouldn't be there. Well, the other half of me who wanted her won out. Carlie and I ended up spending the afternoon at Petco and bought food, collar and crate. We took a long walk together this evening. She's sleeping at my feet as I write this and we both are feeling like it was meant to be. :-)

Foxy Loxy and Buckley

I've been taking Buckley out for a walk in the evening this week and every time we have seen the neighborhood fox. Buckley is SO interested in him. He pulls on the leash and makes whatever advances I allow. I don't know what would happen if I let go of him (that won't happen). Mr or Ms Fox's reaction to Buckley varies between running away under the bushes and laying down on the lawn and watching him -- kind of egging him on. The closest we've been in 15 feet away. Its hard to get a good picture because this is always at dusk or after dark. They actually look a lot alike -- maybe they think they are brothers!

A perfect rain shower at the end of a weekend of gardening. Keep coming rain! More!

  

Oil Disaster

The BP spill is a disaster on many levels. I've been following the news out of the Gulf closely. It calls up memories of a mine tailings clean up I was involved in more than 10 years ago. It was the closest thing to fighting a war that I ever experienced. I am positive that every resource BP has is being put into stopping this. What a blatant show of incompetence by BP, though -- for all the promises of able to handle an emergency like this as part of their leasing agreement, they have shown how unprepared they are.  I bet this has a profound effect on regulations for the mining and petroleum industry. Hopefully, those are the right regulations to protect the environment and serve human-kind, not knee jerk posturing and window dressing that does more damage than good. The politics of the response are fascinating. I was happy that Carolyn Browner finally made people aware that it will not be until August and the relief wells are drilled that the oil is shut off. In the Sunday news programs today, the Coast Guard commander put some additional reality to the schedule when he said it will be into the Fall that the major clean up is under control. I hope for Christmas-time. I see Tony Hayward stars in a new BP advertisement today, finally looking and sounding committed.   I was so disappointed with Obama last week when he started grandstanding about how he was in charge now (with the story of his little daughter asking "did you plug the hole yet daddy?".  Who does he think he is, a masked man with a cape? BP had the failure and BP will stop the flow, pay for the cleanup and compensate those damaged by it - if for no other reason than to save the company. I'm sure the entire Petroleum industry will make sure that happens. Of course the government should continue to hold their feet to the fire, but I resent being told by the government that they somehow have this well in hand. FINALLY (I know this is somewhat of a rant), I want the Media to tell us more about the 1979 Mexican Ixtoc well disaster in the Gulf and the recovery of the environment that followed, see: Miami Herald Ixtoc article . The oil will get shut off (in time) and the environment will recover (in time). Hopefully, as a society, we will learn many lessons from this. That doesn't mean it isn't a disaster right now.

A ball will do, while he waits

Buckley is staying with me for a week while his family is on vacation on the Western Slope. He spends a good part of the day looking out the front door, waiting expectantly for "you-know-who". But, throw the ball for him and he forgets all his worries and troubles. For hours on end.

Salvia likes the sun

The purple Salvia that was here in my front yard when I bought the house gave me some visual lessons in how important location is for a plant. There were a number of plants that had been planted in the shade (small in spindly). I had a good Saturday moving them out into the sun next to their robust sisters. I use the web to understand more about them. I gather that some landscapers think they are over used, but I love them. They have the square stems characteristic of most mints. From the web:

part of a large genus (Salvia) of plants in the mint family, including the culinary herb, sage. In fact, a common name for the red salvia flowers (Salvia splendens) we know so well as bedding plants is "scarlet sage." 

Memorial Day at home

The big Ponderosa Pine my front yard has beautiful new growth and pine cones forming up. It makes me pause and note the ever persistent life force with all it's goodness and imperfection. I honor and celebrate.

Mag and her iPad, uploaded from my iPhone

This is an attempt to update my blogging skills to be more in line with the new technology available.

Work

I feel very fortunate to have joined AECOM in the last few weeks doing environmental consulting/project management work. I'm working about half time which seems very perfect right now. The office is in Ft. Collins, about 30 minutes from my house. Check out the website here: AECOM

To Blog or Not to Blog

  I got so far behind on my blogging that I almost decided to give up this time.  When I started it there wasn't Facebook and blogging seemed like a unique way to stay in touch with people. When I get behind it starts to feel like a chore. Then I wonder what the point is -- is it vanity? But then, looking back I've posted here for 5 years now,  I realize it still serves a purpose. It isn't Facebook. Facebook is a point in time "shout out"  and this is a history or a scrapbook. Well, maybe somewhere between a scrapbook and a very long Christmas newsletter. Once I get it caught up (like I did tonight) I feel, once again, like its not a bad way to communicate and remember what I've done and where I've been. (The picture is "the Green Man" from a Bury St. Edmunds English garden wall. Sort of on the Hamlet theme. Apologies to Shakspeare)

San Francisco Scenes

Bruce, Nathan and I rode across the Golden Gate Bridge on bicycles. When we got across we went on to Sausilito which was supposed to be down hill all the way. It WASN"T! Bruce also connected with his brother Hal. The weather was beautiful, the traffic was California style at times. It was my first time to San Francisco -it truely is a beautiful city.

San Francisco Music

  Bruce and I traveled to San Francisco for his daughter Kacey's CD release party. It was absolutely fantastic music. What a great musicians she and her band(s) are. The CD doesn't officially come out to places like Amazon.com etc until the middle of June. You can hear the music at KaceyJohansingMusic

On the other side of the fence

Some neat pics from a trip to see the Binghams in Ft. Collins in April.

Liam goes to see the Buddah

Sometime before Easter, Elena and her friend Scott came to visit Loveland. We all made a field trip to the Shambahala Mountain Center north of Ft. Collins near Red Feather Lakes. The Center has a world class "Stupa" or Buddhist holy center open to anyone to visit. (I think I blogged about this last summer when I went to a yoga retreat there). Liam was given a memento of his Grandfather Edward Tracy to leave as a remembrance. It was magic how Liam seem so enchanted by this peaceful place. Its how we all felt.

The next UK generation

One of the Sunday's we were there, Aunt Margaret had her 4 great grand daughters up for a picnic at the allotment.  They were soooo cute, intelligent, curious well behaved and....fun.

Bury

Bury St. Edmunds is an hour or so north east of London. It's OLD. There are all sorts of ruins from the 1000's. And St. Edmund was buried there. Then his body was stolen. Something like that. One of Henry VIII's wife's church is there. It was beautiful and I loved walking around the city imagining how it was. Stones, damp, cold, plagues, wars, murder, limited sanitation and variety in diet? Life a tourist in the 21st century is pretty good, I think. ;-)

Jarvie Cousins

  I went to Nottingham to visit a good many of Aunt Margaret's kids - my cousins who I hadn't seen in over 40 years. Nottingham was great and everyone felt like family.

Bingham, UK

On the train from Bury St. Edmund to Nottingham, lo and behold, I went through the old town of Bingham. I didn't get to stop, but it looked to be about 9,000 people with a very old cathedral, castle etc. Grandpa Bingham told me that is probably where the family originally came from. Good chance they didn't live in the castle though. They immigrated to America a couple of centuries ago and way back in the day they just took the last name of where they were from. Probably most likely they were "have nots" rather than the "haves" (otherwise, why would they come across the Pond?)

Its cold over there, and I swear......

The old (and new) London buildings are fabulous. But when we were there, I just couldn't help but think of an old tune that Jerry Jeff Walker had on one of his albums. The just of the song is that he's stranded in London and just wants to go home to Texas where it's warm. Something like...

When you're down on your luck

And you ain't got a buck, in London you're a goner

And even London Bridge has fallen down -- they  moved it to Arizona and I know why.....

Well its cold over there, and I swear, they never turn the heat on

And where is the world is that English girl I was promised that I would meet on the 3rd floor.....

A gardener's life span

Aunt Margaret told me that gardeners live a long time because they always want to stay alive to see what the next season will bring. I believe it. This picture is of cousin Tigger's orchid blooming on one of the landings at Margaret's house.

Friends and Foes at the Allotment

Gardening. I remembered what I had forgotten and learned all sorts of new things in my extra time doing hard labor for Aunt Margaret at her London allotment. I remembered that old pieces of carpet can't be beat for keeping the weeds down in on walkways in and freshly turned beds. I learned all about transferring seedlings in the hot house to bigger pots and cold frames. Also, how disappointing it is when new little plants get frost bitten over night early in the season. I dug up a lot of "mare's tail" out of the raised beds- the enemy. These weeds are an ancient, highly successful breed but unfortunately very hard to get rid of (kind of like the plant equivalent of cockroaches) and they don't allow other things to grow. They have roots that seem to go down to China. I think their job in the ecosystem is to bring important minerals up to the surface and break up the clay. The "mare's tail" presence seemed to provide a good environment for friendly English earthworms (looking exactly like American earthworms). So a good example of how something that seems like a pest brings out good things too - pretty typical gardening lesson.

A trip to the UK

I tagged along on a business trip to the UK with Bruce in April. It was supposed to be a quick trip for a week, but thanks to the Iceland volcanic ash, we were stranded in London for an extra week. Bruce was able to work out of Aunt Margaret's living room on the wireless internet and I worked off our room and board at the the allotment. It was an absolutely wonderful treat. Who would have thought! By the con-trails in the sky, you can tell the picture of Big Ben was taken before the geo event. Once all the air traffic shut down, the sky just got bluer and bluer (never any visibility to the ash). And it was so quiet without the airplanes flying overhead..

Jewels

Picture from the Loveland art gallery sculpture. Quote from a favorite website.

"... keep a running list of all the ways life delights you and helps you and energizes you. Describe everyday miracles you take for granted . . . the uncanny powers you possess . . . the small joys that occur so routinely you forget how much they mean to you . . . the steady flow of benefits bestowed on you ..." rob brezny.

And on the other home front.......

I'm headed north today back home to Loveland. My neighbors sent me these pictures of the neighborhood. The weather is different than Globe-Miami this time of year. Ha! That's Flannery, the next door dog.

Mopping Up

I mopped the floor one last time (well actually, if it doesn't sell right away I bet there will be another). I hope the right person will find this good little house and have a nice life there, like I did.

A week in Arizona

  I've been in the Globe-Miami area for over a week now. Totally consumed with getting my house ready to sell. The renters are out and I had a major yard sale this weekend where I successfully cast off almost everything by either selling or donating it. Neighbors were amazing, hooking me up with people who could help me with cleaning and moving around heavy objects. I have some contractors lined up to do some repairs. All I need now is a buyer! I have so enjoyed staying at Cedar Hill again. The weather has been beautiful I haven't had time to take any pictures or do much socializing but here are some pictures from a Saturday afternoon out with Linda in the town of Miami. I'll be driving back to Loveland in a couple of days -- just 14 hours away (that is if you don't take a bathroom break).

Not just foo foo stuff

Just for the record, I'm not just buying the fluff for the house. I found this great guy who makes gratings for window well covers. My house has wonderful deep window wells which let a lot of light into the basement. But what leg breakers! Now they are covered with these custom fit grates which remind me of something from the Pinto Valley Mill.

High Chair

Every Nana needs a high chair as part of her household so she can have her grandson over for lunch. :-)