Cooking out...can't beat it

I love the way the chip bags swell up from the altitude!

Can't beat those pork chops!

Cooking out is part of living like this. Heading out to the patio and cranking up the ol grill is part of this life style that I love. We try to cook out as often as we can. We shy away from eating out all the time due to the cost and especially if you go somewhere and have to tip then it is even more cost prohibitive. 
We use to eat out a lot but then we took a look at the over all expenditure and saw how it was taking too much of our budget to do so. Putting a pencil to things sometimes wakes you up to where your money is going.
I have found that the meat prices up here are not all that bad. The grocery items is where they really get to you. Comparing some of the prices to Wally World you will find that on the whole they are charging sometimes as much as .25 to .50 cents more on each item. This can mount up over time. Now that diesel is lower in price I can drive the 45 minutes to Wally World and still save money on so many items. 
Enough about budgets...we really enjoyed our chicken and all the trimmings. We even had left overs that made a few more meals. 
The weather here is really getting cold! Yesterday morning it was 41 degrees. If the wind is not blowing it is not too bad but when it kicks up you better get dressed warm. About 10:00 or 11:00 it will start to warm up in the mid 60's and stay that way until the sun sets.
I know I should not be saying that with all you kids still down in the heat. I have talked to many of you and I know that you are all about to melt. Well I am sorry for your plight but if you can get away from it you need to.
School is out for the weekend so I am going to paint today. I don't fish on weekends up here do to the crowds that hit the lakes and streams. I like to spend my time in the comfort of my patio recreating scenes I have captured in photos. 
I should have enough completed paintings to have a good showing before the years is over. My goal is to make enough to buy all the painting supplies I need...

Somewhere in Time 

Had a little hail

We have had real good luck with the flowers until the hail came

Well in August you know that Colorado gets a lot of rain. Yesterday we headed out to Alamosa for supplies and when we came back we noticed that our flowers were shredded some what! Yes it had hailed and we did not put the flowers under the fifth wheel. So as you can see they did not fair to well.
When we go off for more than an hour I always roll up the patio cover and put things away so they don't get wet. This time I did not take care of the pot plants and they were exposed to some pea size hail that almost did them in. I think they will come back OK. When I get them back to Texas I am sure they will die from the heat anyway.
We are not looking forward to heading south from here but all good things must come to an end. The weather here will soon be getting much colder and we will need to be back in the south where we always go in the winter. OH... the life of a Snowbird...you've got to love it...

Somewhere in Time 

Early morning fishing trip

As it gets closer to the time we have to pack up and leave I have a strong desire to head to the lakes. 
We have been going to Road Canyon Reservoir where the trout are much larger. Some of the other lakes around here have trout but not the size of the ones at Road Canyon. 
We headed out yesterday morning around 5:00 am. The sun was far from peaking over the mountains and the temps were in the 40's. Lucky for us the wind was non existent so it did not feel that cold.
It takes about an hour to reach the reservoir and the sun was just barely showing itself. The days are getting much shorter here so we did not feel the warmth of the sun for some time. 
We have to walk about 1/2 mile to the site where we fish. By the time we reached there the temps were around 40 degrees. Not much change from the time we left. Still the wind was not blowing.
It only took us about 1 hour and 45 minutes to get our limit. It would have taken less if the first two fish I caught had not broken my line. This left me having to re-rig two poles. The two fish that broke my lines would have broken my record for size! Oh well that is another fish story...luckily I had someone there to back it up.

These are two of the trout I caught

Altogether it was a very successful trip and I did bring home some really nice fish. Those two big ones that got away...well I'll be back to catch them

...

Somewhere in Time  

My goodness it was cold this morning

I don't know but I think winter may come early up here this year. This morning was 42 degrees! Last year we did not have this cold of weather in August. We had rain and lots of it but the temps stayed mild. Just makes me think that if it gets any cooler in the mornings we may see some aspens start to change a little earlier?
I can't say enough about Colorado and the weather here. I look all over the nation and I see that where we are located is about the best climate there is to offer. Seems like all other places are too hot...on fire or flooding! We have had such good weather here that it is becoming real hard to think about leaving. I know we must but knowing that where we are going is so miserable one would like to stay put.
Our kids are wanting us to come home. Do you think they miss us? Maybe they just want us to be as uncomfortable as they are...LOL.
I have not been fishing in some time and I really need to get back on the lakes. The last time I went was just before a cold front moved in and the fish were biting real good. I still have fish in the freezer so I feel guilty about catching any more until I eat the ones I have. 
Today I am heading to the RV dealership to see about getting some air bags put on the truck to beef up my suspension. I think we will get a little smoother ride if I do that. 
My Internet is on and off this morning so while it is up and running so should I ....

Somewhere in Time

Family has spoken

Ok I talked to several of you lately and you all want to know why I have not posted anything in a while. I'll have to be honest and say that I have been busy painting and watching the election news. 
Painting is very therapeutic for me. It keeps me calm and collected and that is what I need when I have watched the election coverage. 
I guess I get too involved in what the candidates are saying and what the media is saying. Sometimes the two don't say the same thing? 
Much like some folks watch sports and get all upset about the way the game is going...I do that about elections. We have a lot at stake this election year and I am hoping for a good outcome.
Most of my family are very conservative and that is the way we vote in all elections. From dog catcher to president we have always based our votes on our beliefs. We have voted for Dems and Reps and Independence. I am not a party man by any means. I let the candidate speak and if he or she speaks my thoughts and beliefs then they have my vote. 
I know in school elections I have voted for the person that wants the school room run the way I do. It has always worked out for me and I vote the same way in all elections.
This year will tell the tell for us as a nation. Will we move forward or will we move backward. I hope the outcome puts us in a better place than the last 8 years has. As they always say...

The proof will be in the pudding...

Somewhere in Time  

RV group arrives

We had a large group of RVers hit town Saturday. This group had reserved many of the sites here for a three day get together. They had the game room reserved for the three days that they were here for their pot luck dinner. This meant that we could not have any organized meets. I am sure they all had a good time. It reminded me when we had our "Gathering" years ago. That was when the original RV Dreamers got together for the first rally. We met so many new friends that we have to this day!
Our RV family is so great and friendly. We love all of them and still to this day we stay in touch with many and many more come along. There is nothing like RVing in this great nation. RV parks are some of the friendliest places you can move to. We lived in a neighborhood for a short time and never made the friends we make in just a few short days at an RV park. I guess it is because of the common likes we all share.
We have become attached to this park we are now in. Everyone is friendly here. Oh we have the usual clicks that every park has but slowly but surely those disappear over time and soon go away.
We will surely be back here next year good Lord willing...

Somewhere in Time  

Best area to be in

Just been looking at the weather map on TV. Where we are is the only place that is cool with rain! I could not have planned a better location to pick for the summer. 
I feel sorry for my kids and friends in Texas suffering through some of the hottest weather on record! I would not wish that on anyone. I am just real thankful that I am able to be here and miss that heat wave...seems like everywhere except here!
OK not to rub it in...I will just head on outside on the patio and enjoy the cool weather...

Somewhere in Time

Went fishing

Some of my buddies up here came by yesterday and asked if I would like to go fishing today. Without a doubt I said. We were to leave at 5:00 am. No problem I was up and ready to go at 4:00 am. I was not about to be left behind.
We arrived at Road Canyon Reservoir about 6:00 am and we had our limit by 7:30 am. Now it does not get any better than that. I just can't wait until I get them on the grill.
I really like the fishing up here. We always get our limit and we just fish from the bank. And besides that we sure have a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. I took some pictures in the past and have painted several scenes from that area. Can't get enough. 
Just can't get Kris or Sherri interested in fishing! If they did I would be going every day...

Somewhere in Time