Category Archives: travel

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National Monument

The word monument makes me think of a memorial or a statue, not a huge park with rock formations. That is a national monument: “a place of historic, scenic, or scientific interest set aside for preservation usually by presidential proclamation”, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary on line. The Colorado National Monument is from 1911 and by President Taft. The 23 mile Rimrock Drive is two lanes, switchbacks, tunnels and pull offs for hikes and views. It was not very crowded on Sunday but there were multiple bicycles and really little or no shoulder. We were very careful to have a stretch that we could see before we passed anyone. It certainly will put anyone in shape to ride that road!

The photograph is of window rock. There are few railings in the monument, but there is one by the window. With a sign saying “Do NOT go out on Window Rock.” I agree and we didn’t.

Right now there are 121 National Monuments in the US, according to this site. They are different from National Parks and National Forests. Let’s go visit them ALL! That would be an interesting bucket list and I would be that someone has done it.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: monument.

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Serendipity

I took this zoom shot of Independence Monument in the Colorado National Monument. I was pretty much blind, but I’ve spend so much time photographing in sunlight on the beach, that I am happy with the composition. I had no idea that I captured the climbers until I looked at it at home.

This is without any zoom.

Zooming closer.

And later along the canyon, we saw the first climber on top. They are both there, but I was shooting blind again.

What an amazing and fabulous day.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: off-beat.

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Wild flower

My daughter and her friend R came out on Saturday and we went up on the Colorado National Monument for Mother’s Day. There is not much blooming yet, but this lone flower is out. It was gorgeous most of the day until we got back. Right as we came in, rain and hail. It is wild here!

For Cee’s Flower of the Day.

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Mother and father

This is a photograph from 1963ish, both of my parents and me in the front of the canoe. This is at my maternal family’s “shacks on a lake”. Cabins, but no electricity. We filter the lake water now but we did not while I was growing up. My parents look way too young to me in this photograph. I still miss them!

I do not know who took the photograph. My grandparents?

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: mother.

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leaves

I am working in Grand Junction, Colorado. There are not as many leaves here as at home, but the leaves are still hiding my cat! I am mad at the leaves and sad. Elwha is still missing and it’s been a week. I have had food and the carrier out for him, put up posters on Facebook, contacted the shelters and vets, and searched and searched.

The carrier failed and the door popped off when I put it down. Elwha ran. Sol Duc was still in it, so I put the door back on as fast as I could! Then I left the carrier and went after Elwha, but could not find him. I kept going out and searching, including at 2 am.

Maybe he will show up at home. It’s only 1215 miles by car.

We had another cat who disappeared and we thought was gone. The hardware store called us a month later and said, “We have your cat.” She was thinner and scared to go outside. Elwha only goes out in carrier or with leash and harness. There are prairie dogs and a canal with low trees and bushes behind the building here. I don’t think he’s there, but I am still putting food out. There is another stray tiger who now comes out to study me from a distance.

Anyhow, I wish the leaves would send him back.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: leaves.

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Long way

I am a long way from my ocean and from home.

I looked for a job close to home and then the temp company mentions a job in another state. “Where?” I said. They told me and I said, “I’m interested!” We started the process. I always forget what the process is like. It is hella annoying. There is miles of paperwork. We had a delay from the state, because I need a license for each state and they weren’t meeting until after the start date and then they said, “We’ll let you know in two days.” and THEN they said, “We’ll let you know in two days to two weeks.” So I had three weeks of being half packed and trying to just flow with it. I finally got word, yes, ready, two weeks ago Monday. By Friday morning the cats and I are in the car and headed out.

Now I have worked for a week here. The US currently has 500 different electronic medical records and I supposedly learned my 8th (or 9th) on Tuesday. About six hours of training on the computer and my brain shut down after four. However, the support on Wednesday was good and I started seeing patients. I was careful to say, “If I look grumpy, it’s at the computer, not you.”

So far mostly good. Except, one cat got out two days after we got to our destination. He is chipped and I am still walking miles and calling. The local lost pet group is trying to help. I miss him quite terribly. The door popped out of the carrier when I put it down. I feel like a cat mom failure, but things happen. Elwha is big and strong and I may yet get him back. Sol Duc was sensible enough not to run, but I had to secure her before going after him.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: flow.

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doppelbird

A doppleganger for a bird! Three hummingbird moths were hovering around this flowered bush yesterday! They are huge, 2 by 2 inches and I think the proboscis that curls up must be another 2 or 3 inches long. Beautiful!

And where am I with these strange bird like moths?

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: doppelganger.