Don't worry - I won't blog every day! Today was the last day of my trip getting here so I wanted to finish that story. I arrived in Boulder this afternoon and settled into my location for the next month. Left Salt Lake this morning after Gnome posed in front of the historic Peery Hotel.
The I15 corridor south of Salt Lake and Utah valleys is so pastoral - a series of wide open valleys. To my visual pleasure there was a huge lavender farm where the valley became purple. Then finally breaking away from the interstate onto the open and mostly empty Utah state highways. Windows down, music, descending and ascending from green pastoral to red rock and high forests interspersed. Up over Boulder Mountain - careful to use my gears instead of brakes coming down the big declining grades into Boulder (no brake problems this year Jeff and Jon), and into Boulder. I'm here! On the one hand I can't believe I'm here, and on the other it is the most natural thing in the world.
I found my little rented room at the Circle Cliff Motel and met the wonderful Kandice Johnson who owns the place and is an elementary school teacher. About 25 feet from my doorstep are my neighbors for the next month, a family of miniature horses!
Then off to Hell's Backbone Grill (HBG) to check in and report for volunteer duty! Turns out that one of the owners is out of town and the other was taking a much needed day off. So, back to my room for a much needed nap. This was actually great serendipity, because I got to meet the owner of the miniature horses - Bob. Bob invited me into the "corral" to meet, greet and pet the horses. There are 4 "grown-up" horses and 2 "youth." What do you call young horses? One is 2 months old and the other is 1 week old, still shaky on its legs. Bob asked me if I would like to feed the horses. Sure! This is an adventure, after all. Get this; this is the best part. What do you think he gave me to feed the miniature horses? Miniature shredded wheat! Apparently mini horses eat mini food.
OK, I'm almost done . . . Then it was back to HBG to see if the owner surfaced and to treat myself to dinner there. I walked the 1/4 mile from my room to HBG, passing not one, not two, not three, but four or five snakes on the way. No owner, but I had a most wonderful dinner with the house cat Jezabel on the patio - grilled chicken with champagne grapes and strawberry rhubarb shortcake for dessert! Yum! Aren't you all jealous now? By the time dinner was done, I had met several of the staff one of their dogs, told my story about volunteering and been invited into the kitchen. We all decided that the best thing for me to do is to go to the garden tomorrow. So, my first activity will be gardening!
One reflection on the day: life will in Boulder will include animals!
Oh, I wish you *would* blog everyday. What else will I read otherwise? :-).
ReplyDeleteKelly, it's wonderful to read this post, and see pictures of the place where you'll be spending the next few weeks. It lets me live a little vicariously, through you... I know what you mean about not believing you're there, but feeling most natural to be there. It sounds like you're in a great place with wonderful people, and that you're set to have a terrific time. Good luck with getting started in the garden. xo