Thanks Giving

Tis the week before Thanksgiving

and all through the house

its all about Christmas

according to my spouse

With Prime packages here

and UPS and FedX there

you'd think there'd be no worry

or nary a care

Old St. Nick

and his crew of eight

had better get crackin'

or they're going to be late

Black Friday is nigh upon us

though if the ads are true

Black Friday was last Monday through Thursday

and this past weekend too

So cook that turkey

if so inclined you must

but stay out of our way

as we shop 'til we bust

So, Thanksgiving is late this year, leaving a week less until the much anticipated visit from the jolly old elf. Around our neighborhood Christmas trees are popping up in front windows, holiday lights are being strung, and those big blow-up characters, which seem to get bigger with each passing year, are, as the old pop standard goes, "Blowin' in the Wind". I'm always curious this time each year to see what's new for the Holiday Season. This year the answer seems to be "not much". If you've identified a new trend for this year's festivities please let me know and I'll pass on the word to Mr. Claus who I think is kinda just scratching those old white hairs trying to figure it out himself.

My better half and I were out a couple of days ago raking leaves for the umpteemph time this Fall. The trees, at least in my back yard, are not cooperating as there are still plenty of leaves up on the branches mocking us. At least the wind helps out. As soon as we raked up a pile of leaves the wind deposits an equal if not greater number in their place. That will get you into the holiday spirit real quick. Ho! Ho! #@%$! 

Our local Hobby Lobby is absolutely packed to the rafters with an infinite assortment of bits and bobs designed to get you into the annual ritual of spend, spend, spend. Drop the first two letters and wonder when will it end, end, end? Supposedly we all voted with our pocketbooks back on the 5th and if that is true I have no idea who is going to buy all this stuff. I mean, like, there was an entire aisle dedicated to all things Grinch and I'm thinking who needs all that lime green at least until St. Patty's day? 

We ventured to Lowes and Home Depot to see if they had anything exciting and new but sad to say it looked suspiciously like last year's leftovers. Or maybe it was stuff they ordered from China that hadn't made it over in time thanks to shipping delays, dock strikes and the like. I can hardly wait to pay twice as much next year (what with the promised tariffs) for the same stuff as is in the store right now. Thank goodness, for all the parents out there, there's no talk, at least not yet, of taxing a certain fat old man dressed up in red as he crosses (is Santa an illegal Immigrant?!) the border on the 24th. I guess he's ok (he must have an exemption CLAUSe) as long as he doesn't overstay his welcome.

Here in Colorado we've had our first real snows (the kind you have to shovel) and the ski areas are off to what appears to be a good start. Speaking of pocketbooks and Holiday shopping sprees there's actually a ski area on the market if you have a cool $100-200 million lying around looking for something to do. Eldora has changed hands several times in the last couple of years which seems undeserved as it is a wonderful little ski area. I used to particularly enjoy the night skiing there and if Mr. Nick has any spare time (perhaps after the Holidays and if he can get a Tourist Visa?) I'd encourage him to bring the Missus and the elves down for a couple of champagne Colorado powder turns. Me, the older I get the less I like the cold that accompanies the aforementioned curves in the snow. But what's a person to do? Can't even move to Arizona anymore due to the oven-like temps from March through October. But maybe our neighbors down south will at least finalize their vote count by the time Santa slides down the air conditioner vent come December.

Speaking of Arizona my wife and I took an early Fall trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons (I know, I know, its a non sequitur) which are among our very favorite places to go. I have yet to tire of finding new ways to explore these special places. This year we got treated (an early Christmas present?) to seeing lots of wildlife including grizzlies and that most elusive of all, unless you chance to run one over on I-70, wolves. You might have heard of the hydrothermal explosion that occurred back in July at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone. It destroyed some of the infrastructure (think boardwalks) forcing the National Park Service to close the area to human activity. The good news is that a pack of wolves moved into the area soon after which could occasionally be seen from the nearby roadway munching on the local fauna. We were lucky to spend several hours watching a downed elk carcass disappear under the careful scrutiny of 5 or six hungry canines. I have yet to see a Colorado wolf with my own eyes so its still a very special treat to see one in the wild. Here's a quick video of some of what we saw as we explored these special places:

So here's wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving, late though it may be

and don't trip over the turkey

in your rush to put up the Christmas tree...

 

Cruisin’ into the future

It’s fitting that we hold elections at this time of year (and no, this is not going to be a blog about who anyone should vote for) given that it’s a change of seasons. In my corner of the prairie we’re expecting a rain/snow mix this evening and if it’s more snow than rain it will be our first meaningful dose of the white stuff since the Spring which seems an eternity ago. Gone (just a few days ago actually) are the warm days with highs in the 80’s though I hear some parts of the country are experiencing abnormally high temps still.  We just came back from the East coast a week or so ago and we had very pleasant weather to the point that the changing of the leaves was far behind normal. In fact, we went back specifically to see the Fall leaves and though we saw some beautiful color the farther North we went it was surprising that when we got home to Colorado the leaf color show was more spectacular here than back East. In the High Country of the Rockies it’s mostly brilliant yellows on the Aspen but in the city there’s enough of a mix of trees that we get reds and golds in abundance as well. 

How’s your Fall going? Did you remember to change your clocks back last night? As I write this its pitch black outside whereas yesterday at this time (pre-time change) I was being treated to a beautiful sunset that more than complemented the colors on the trees. I mentioned its a change of the season and one that I’m looking forward to more than most is that two days from now it will be the end of campaign ad season. One of the local news anchors the other night was apologizing for the number and repetitiveness of ads but I also know the TV stations make a lot of money from such ads and this year they must be making an absolute fortune. I’m a registered Independent which means I’ve been getting hit from all sides soliciting my vote even though I cast my ballot as fast as I could after receiving my ballot by mail. I don’t quite comprehend how, at this late stage, anyone can truly still be undecided but apparently our destiny lies to some great extent in the hands of folks who can’t seem to make up their minds.

We were out with friends today and went to visit Buffalo Bill’s Grave high up on Lookout Mountain overlooking Denver. There’s a small restaurant, gift shop and museum as well and apparently the restaurant and gift shop will be closing by year end after many decades catering to tourists and locals alike hankering for some good food and great views. I don’t frequent graves, cemeteries, and the like, even though it was just All Hallows Eve, but when I do I often wonder what the folks buried there would make of the world we’ve made for ourselves. If they are truly resting in peace perhaps they would shake their heads and wonder what the heck is going on. I for one would be hard pressed to give them a meaningful answer.

Those of us on this side of the daisies have to keep on keeping on. Hope springs eternal and all that. I do believe that next Tuesday, regardless of who wins, the world as we know it will fundamentally change. And I hope it changes for the better. After all, it is a season of change.

I mentioned we had just returned from the East Coast. Part of my wife’s and my effort at keep on keeping on includes trying to take advantage of opportunities to see and do new things. My wife was born on the West coast and hasn’t had much chance to spend time back East.So when she found a great deal on a Fall Foliage Cruise from Boston through the Canadian Maritime Provinces and finishing in Quebec City we jumped on it. It was a wonderful trip aboard the Emerald Princess and I’ll share two videos below that give a glimpse of what this type of cruise looks like. It was very different from any other cruise we had been on and when we booked it we really had no clear idea on what to expect. 

So, if you’re in the Colorado area make yourself a hot chocolate, snuggle up on the couch while the flakes fall outside and take a trip to places you may know nothing about but, as we quickly found out, were well worth a visit!

Here is the first of two videos detailing our Fall Foliage Cruise:

And here is the second of the two videos continuing our journey through the Canadian Maritime Provinces  and Quebec:

Enjoy!