Rocky Mountain High

We arrived at my parents' house late Sunday morning and this is what we saw on the deck:

That's a nice reprieve from the triple digits we've had in Tucson lately. The 80s don't last through the night, however. This morning when Nicco got up I asked him if he wanted to eat his breakfast out on the patio with his grandparents and he looked out at the thermometer and said, "It's 60 degrees out there! I'll freeze!" Then he went and found his soft blanket, wrapped himself up, and ate at the dining room table instead.

Sunday evening we went up, up, up to have dinner with some friends in Evergreen. When we drove up, their cat walked proudly up from the field with a mouse in her mouth, meowed for acknowledgement when she strutted past us up to the front step, then dropped her catch of the day in front of the door. She meowed again then walked off. That made me giggle. Mountain cat.

This is their view. I inhaled the freshy fresh pine and vanilla scented air (and Sascha kindly brought me a jacket when the temperature dropped below 72 degrees.)

 I took my boy out to my childhood playground. He kept asking me if I did this when I was little. Well yes, little buddy, I did. I lived here, and this is what we did! He is a little more bold and adventuresome climbing on those rocks than I think he is capable of being. I think he overestimates his agility. I may underestimate his ability, but considering the height and the terrain, underestimating Mama wins. I told him that my mom was much nicer than his mom when he assured me he was fine. He huffed a little when my mom said that she just sent me out to play. Then she saved the day by reminding him that I never went out alone, I always had my sisters with me.

 I took him to the cave where he found a scattering of bones. Dad thinks this looks like it could be an elk bone. There was another one I suspect came from the butcher and the neighbor's dog dragged it up to the cave. I don't know if butchers sell femurs to pet owners.

 Nicco didn't venture up onto these big rocks so much the last time we were here. He's so happy in my playground!

Grandpa thought it would be a great idea to let his grandchildren help him clear up some of the fire dangers that dropped from the pine trees. He said he would pay the kids a dollar per bucket of pine cones they pick up. Nicco is the only grandkid here now to help out. He gave me some attitude about working. I told him he has two choices: he can be a happy helper and get paid, or he can be a grumpy worker and not get paid.

 He did not get paid.

We spotted this red foxy-loxy on one of our ambles through the property. It made us happy. I also spotted two little mama deer on my run this morning. (My run this morning was painful...hills and altitude after 4 days without a workout just about done me in.) On Sunday night coming home from Evergreen, we saw a mama and an itty bitty wobbly legged spotted fawn. So cute!

I love it here. L-O-V-E it. I can't wait for my sissy to arrive!