Today

Early Spring has come and Luke and Ellen took a long walk over the hills to Antelope Creek and sat and listened to the water gurgling and burbling and singing a special kind of Spring song  as the ice thaws and the snow melts.

Antelope Creek, under the snow.

The sky was brilliant blue, possibly because places like Los Angeles or Phoenix are burning less fossil fuels at the moment given the new reality of our lives.

We sat and drank a slow and lovely yerba mate in the warm sun. Luke and one of the dogs took a nap next to a cottonwood tree that now has tiny buds on it.

New snow was making the high peaks radiate white. The early explorers, who usually started off on their journeys this time of year, called these the Shining Mountains.

In the distance are Uncompahgre Peak, the highest peak in the San Juan Range (14,321′); Sunshine Peak (14,007′); Wetterhorn (14,021); and possibly Handies Peak (14,048).

It was a wonderful walk. We climbed a couple of pretty big hills. We saw the First Flower (a small clump of phlox).

Fossil Ridge in the Background

There is a shelter in place order in effect. And as we understand it we were in quarantine as a result of our trip to Texas until about now.

And we support the Gunnison County Department of Health and Human Services, and their efforts for all of us, and in order to help show that, we ask you not to walk with us tomorrow. Instead, stay home and think of how to do something really nice for someone who is important to you.

We’ll find a way to the hospital.

And:

We’ll Meet Again  — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49xzZkepaGY

“We’ll meet again
Don’t know where, don’t know when
But I know we’ll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
‘Til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away”