View of climber below photographer while scaling the Devil's Thumb - the snow field is more than 400 feet below the climber.
View of the Devil's Thumb from the west.
The Devil's Thumb projects above the Flatirons to the south of Boulder...Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Devil's Thumb Photos
View of climber below photographer while scaling the Devil's Thumb - the snow field is more than 400 feet below the climber. View of the Devil's Thumb from the west. The Devil's Thumb projects above the Flatirons to the south of Boulder...
The Devil's Thumb
A friend asked me yesterday afternoon how the Devil's Thumb, a rock formation south of the Flatirons above Boulder, got its name. I spent over two hours looking for the answer, and ended up looking at at an 1873 Colorado Gazetteer to finally find the answer. I found out that DT is a pillar of rock that rises to a height of 12,150 feet, and that it is a level 5 rock climb using pitons and ropes. I could not find any reports of what the local Arapaho tribes called this rock... and it was a difficult task to finally discover the answer - tucked inside an old book in the Norlin Library at UC Boulder. I learned a great deal about The Devil's Thumb near Durango, Colorado; about the one in England, the one in British Columbia, Canada, and the one in Alaska (which is a part of the evil mountain range that includes the Witches Tits, the Cat's Ears, and the Devil's Thumb). In the 1850s and '60s most of America, and it's immigrants, were still very religious and had had a rigorous teaching from (which ever belief of) Mother Church that the Devil was very real and very dangerous. Of course, he resided in Hell, under the ground - and, because of this, almost any unusual ground or rock anomaly was attributed to the Devil. The second photo above shows how much the Devil's Thumb does, indeed, resemble a thumb rising from the ground.... Over the years the rock formation has weathered quite a bit, and the view from Boulder no longer resembles the usual idea of a thumb.
It was 72 yesterday, and the weather people just announced that there is a Winter Storm Warning beginning at midnight Thursday/Friday - areas above 6,000 feet could receive at least 12 inches of snow. As I have noted before, Boulder is right at 6,000 feet - my apartment is a little lower because I'm in the Boulder Creek Valley and flood plain. We'll see what happens. Sunrise was glorious this morning, and I had a flock of ravens for company for a good portion of my walk. Twenty minutes ago the sun was brightly shining; it's now hidden behind a heavy high cloud. The weather folks announced last night that while the afternoon had been cloudy, there had been no rain. I beg to differ with them, as I walked to and from the grocery store without an umbrella and was pretty well soaked from light rain. - A lady who works at Safeway has again asked me if I will give her some work house-sitting. Anyone who knows my set-up knows that I stay with pets, critters, family members, whatever you want to call them... This lady dislikes the very idea of petting any animal, let alone sleeping with them. She once told me that she was "allergic to the fur of medium- and large-sized dogs" - I just had to laugh.... There is no way I would refer her to anyone for house-sitting or pet-sitting duties - not unless I had run out of every other possible resource. And yet she tells me that besides her full-time job at the store, she is just over-run with baby-sitting requests. Hmmmm... something doesn't make sense.
The kits are running about and there are several robins in the back yard. I complained on Saturday afternoon about the amplified guitar; at 1:15 this morning, the kits alerted me to something happening by our hall door. I got up and watched a piece of paper being placed under the door. It was a note from the apartment management wanting to know where the screaming babies and guitar were located... that was the only way they could take action. My question is why place the note under my door at 1:15 a.m.? I'll be walking the Rs this afternoon, as they are being groomed this morning - and I extended an invitation to the Rs family to bring them over to see Suki and Boo and I this weekend at Kathy and Jim's. Smile!! It's hump day!
It was 72 yesterday, and the weather people just announced that there is a Winter Storm Warning beginning at midnight Thursday/Friday - areas above 6,000 feet could receive at least 12 inches of snow. As I have noted before, Boulder is right at 6,000 feet - my apartment is a little lower because I'm in the Boulder Creek Valley and flood plain. We'll see what happens. Sunrise was glorious this morning, and I had a flock of ravens for company for a good portion of my walk. Twenty minutes ago the sun was brightly shining; it's now hidden behind a heavy high cloud. The weather folks announced last night that while the afternoon had been cloudy, there had been no rain. I beg to differ with them, as I walked to and from the grocery store without an umbrella and was pretty well soaked from light rain. - A lady who works at Safeway has again asked me if I will give her some work house-sitting. Anyone who knows my set-up knows that I stay with pets, critters, family members, whatever you want to call them... This lady dislikes the very idea of petting any animal, let alone sleeping with them. She once told me that she was "allergic to the fur of medium- and large-sized dogs" - I just had to laugh.... There is no way I would refer her to anyone for house-sitting or pet-sitting duties - not unless I had run out of every other possible resource. And yet she tells me that besides her full-time job at the store, she is just over-run with baby-sitting requests. Hmmmm... something doesn't make sense.
The kits are running about and there are several robins in the back yard. I complained on Saturday afternoon about the amplified guitar; at 1:15 this morning, the kits alerted me to something happening by our hall door. I got up and watched a piece of paper being placed under the door. It was a note from the apartment management wanting to know where the screaming babies and guitar were located... that was the only way they could take action. My question is why place the note under my door at 1:15 a.m.? I'll be walking the Rs this afternoon, as they are being groomed this morning - and I extended an invitation to the Rs family to bring them over to see Suki and Boo and I this weekend at Kathy and Jim's. Smile!! It's hump day!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
New Beginnings...
Pasque flowers in Vienna, Austria - April 2009
Kid and mother goat - Vienna, Austria - April 2009
Sunrise in Sedona, Arizona - February 2007
Warmth
It was a wonderful 67 degrees yesterday, and we're expecting 70 today and tomorrow. We are still only at 50% of our usual rain/snow level for this time of year - but the watershed icepack is back up to 99%. The door is open and the kits are having a ball in the sun - Banichi is playing that he's a cutting horse this morning and is keeping up with the squirrels, nose to nose. Lovey is currently sitting on my desk, "helping" me type. Bear warning signs are going up, and wardens are checking to see that folks who live near bear habitat have "bear-proof" garbage containers. My most ardent greeter when I went out walking this morning was a red-shafted flicker - it serenaded me for about 5 minutes... All the birds and squirrels are still visiting, to check out whether or not there might be food for them on the patio. I miss the sound of almost constant birdsong on the patio.
When I returned home yesterday from Hila's, I had a phone message from an old client asking for me to save 4 days in October for her, as well as a weekend in June. I called her back and confirmed that I was available, and checked up on her number of pets - it's still 3 dogs and Frippet, the 17-year-old African Clawed Frog. About a half hour later, I checked my e-mail and found that the Rs family wanted me for that same weekend in June. I replied that I had just booked for that weekend, but the other house was 5 blocks away - would that work out? Rosie and Remy's family has changed their vacation date completely - just so I can give the Irish kids my undivided attention. That made me feel good, but humble.
Last night I was watching The American Experience on PBS - about the Wampanoag tribe and their initial welcome of the English, which turned to war due to the avarice of the immigrants. The program showed that the first English hostage was Edward Winslow; I immediately called my sister and asked if she was watching the program. After she said yes, I explained that we were descended from Edward Winslow's younger brother, who was the coffin-maker for the colony. That led us into a quick discussion of family, which ended with her announcing that Jim, her husband, was undergoing tests to see if he has Multiple Myeloma. I did not sleep well last night. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in the blood plasma, ends up in the bone marrow, and forms lesions or tumors on bones throughout the body. Jim will get the results of his bone scans on Wednesday; he runs in the Boston Marathon on Monday, the 20th. If his scans come back positive, or some of his other tests are abnormal, he'll have a bone marrow biopsy upon his return from Boston. Kathy says there's a lot of anger and denial in the house right now...
When I returned home yesterday from Hila's, I had a phone message from an old client asking for me to save 4 days in October for her, as well as a weekend in June. I called her back and confirmed that I was available, and checked up on her number of pets - it's still 3 dogs and Frippet, the 17-year-old African Clawed Frog. About a half hour later, I checked my e-mail and found that the Rs family wanted me for that same weekend in June. I replied that I had just booked for that weekend, but the other house was 5 blocks away - would that work out? Rosie and Remy's family has changed their vacation date completely - just so I can give the Irish kids my undivided attention. That made me feel good, but humble.
Last night I was watching The American Experience on PBS - about the Wampanoag tribe and their initial welcome of the English, which turned to war due to the avarice of the immigrants. The program showed that the first English hostage was Edward Winslow; I immediately called my sister and asked if she was watching the program. After she said yes, I explained that we were descended from Edward Winslow's younger brother, who was the coffin-maker for the colony. That led us into a quick discussion of family, which ended with her announcing that Jim, her husband, was undergoing tests to see if he has Multiple Myeloma. I did not sleep well last night. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in the blood plasma, ends up in the bone marrow, and forms lesions or tumors on bones throughout the body. Jim will get the results of his bone scans on Wednesday; he runs in the Boston Marathon on Monday, the 20th. If his scans come back positive, or some of his other tests are abnormal, he'll have a bone marrow biopsy upon his return from Boston. Kathy says there's a lot of anger and denial in the house right now...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Pets
Hug your chicken!
Golden Labrador Retriever pup born Easter Sunday.
Minno relaxing in the springtime sun.
Magnetism
I guess my animal magnetism is still working full force - after spending last night cuddled with Hila, I walked over to take Rosie and Remy for their walk this morning. On the way, I picked up two dogs with collars and tags - both Golden Labs - an older female and a younger male. Aspen and Chewy were very friendly and walked with me to the Irish kids house. There is a leash law in Boulder - but these dogs had voice and sight command tags (meaning they could be off their leash) and another tag stating before calling the phone number listed, please look in the area for a "Hazardous Tree Removal Truck." I could not see the truck, but I could hear chain saws and heavy machinery on Poplar, so I didn't worry about them.
After greeting and harnessing the two Rs, we went outside, but Aspen and Chewy were no longer in sight. Remy and Rosie and I walked around the local elementary and middle schools and then stopped to visit Hila, and then stopped to see Suki and Boo. As we left the Sammies, Gus, a neighbor's dog joined us and walked with us to his house. Gus stayed at his home, and we wandered on towards the Rs' house - only to meet an elderly male Golden, with a heavy chain collar and numerous tags. Sniffs were done all around, and apparently everything was hunky-dorey because this dog walked with us to the front door of the Irish kids' home. I went back to Hila and loved her some more, then made sure that the chicken had plenty of fresh, clean water before walking to the bus stop. On my way to the bus, I was within 8 feet of a female fox who paused and looked at me, and then continued on her way - without any change in course.
It stayed grey all yesterday, and developed into a light rain about 2 and then again about 5. Around 7, it turned to snow, but it was just enough to coat the grass and the roof of Hila's family's car. This morning arrived bright and sunny - clouds have moved in this afternoon, but we are not expecting rain or snow until Thursday or Friday, when another front moves through. Trees are in bud, grass is coming up nice and green, and the wild plum trees are in blossom. The Boulder Farmer's Market opened on Saturday and was very busy. (Sarah - Sandstorm is super!!!) It's nice to be back home with the kits, though....
After greeting and harnessing the two Rs, we went outside, but Aspen and Chewy were no longer in sight. Remy and Rosie and I walked around the local elementary and middle schools and then stopped to visit Hila, and then stopped to see Suki and Boo. As we left the Sammies, Gus, a neighbor's dog joined us and walked with us to his house. Gus stayed at his home, and we wandered on towards the Rs' house - only to meet an elderly male Golden, with a heavy chain collar and numerous tags. Sniffs were done all around, and apparently everything was hunky-dorey because this dog walked with us to the front door of the Irish kids' home. I went back to Hila and loved her some more, then made sure that the chicken had plenty of fresh, clean water before walking to the bus stop. On my way to the bus, I was within 8 feet of a female fox who paused and looked at me, and then continued on her way - without any change in course.
It stayed grey all yesterday, and developed into a light rain about 2 and then again about 5. Around 7, it turned to snow, but it was just enough to coat the grass and the roof of Hila's family's car. This morning arrived bright and sunny - clouds have moved in this afternoon, but we are not expecting rain or snow until Thursday or Friday, when another front moves through. Trees are in bud, grass is coming up nice and green, and the wild plum trees are in blossom. The Boulder Farmer's Market opened on Saturday and was very busy. (Sarah - Sandstorm is super!!!) It's nice to be back home with the kits, though....
Sunday, April 12, 2009
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