Thumbs Up on PBS's National Parks

Well, I finally spent time in the Chautauqua Auditorium - a huge barn-like structure built over a hundred years ago. As it was still light outside when we entered, it was amazing to sit and look at all the gaps in the wooden sides, as well as the covered hay vents just below the roof line. I met Kathy, Jim, and Anne at Sunflower Market and we proceeded to Chautauqua for a picnic prior to the PBS presentation - we had salad with all sorts of add-ons, fresh fruit salad, roasted chicken, and challah bread sitting in the grass under an oak tree. There were tons of wasps who wanted to partake of our salads and chicken, but who flew away at the wave of a hand and never stung. After eating and cleaning up our spot, we went in to see the show. We were entertained by the National Parks Ramblers, a group made up of Nick and Helen Forster, Justin Hoffenburg, and Martin Gilmore (acoustic guitars, banjo and fiddle). Several people who were sponsoring the event spoke, including John Fielder, a well-known photographer, and Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Parks Foundation. Then we were allowed a 60-minute sneak-peek of the series that had been put together for our specific Boulder/Denver/Colorado audience. As well as the introduction, clips were shown from all of the episodes. They were beautiful, breath-taking, and just plain funny, depending on what was shown. This series, The National Parks: America's Best Idea (a film by Ken Burns), will air on PBS throughout this week - I can only speak for local programming, but it's being shown from 8 through 10, Sunday through Friday, here in Boulder. I don't want to miss any part of it, and hope that you will enjoy this 12 hour historical and beautiful review.

Cloudy and Shady are now resigned to the fact that Alexy is gone. Or, at least, Cloudy doesn't trot through the house exploring every room, looking for her Mom. Shady just snuggles as he pleases, and watches the wildlife through the windows. There are two mule deer bucks in the backyard right now, scrubbing their antlers against tree boles. I also see six squirrels and innumerable birds within my view. Cloudy is visiting one neighbor, while Shady is visiting the house on the opposite side of the property. My kits were very happy to see me yesterday. Lovey insisted that she hadn't been fed since the beginning of the month, while Banichi just wanted to snuggle and stay close. I fed them, loved them, let them run outside for a bit, and spent an hour cuddling both of them. Before I left, I gave them a tuna treat, and a pinch each of catnip. And I visited Coffee, Rusty, and Sadie yesterday, getting up-dated on current rules prior to my 4 day, 3 night stay with them. It's a gorgeous day here - a breeze from the north east, plenty of sunshine, and the leaves are just beginning to change down here in the valleys. I hope all of you have a wonderful day, and a super week ahead!