Estes Park, Colorado... Day fourteen... Tuesday August 24, 2021

Awakening to a quiet house... kids already up and out... a day to explore town... breakfast on the hoof... hubs still sleeping... made a cup of tea opened the shades... a relaxing morning... no one about... watching the hummingbirds buzz back and forth to the feeder... resting in the crab apple tree between swallows... two males fighting over territory... swooping over one another in displays of dominance... soon the hubs waking... his hot java

awaiting alongside cinnamon challah bread pudding and of course... water for both...

A paved path encircling Lake Estes... blue diamond in the mountains ⛰ walking the lake providing an opportunity to see golden mantle ground squirrels scurrying between rocks... feasting on berries and bread scraps... pygmy nuthatches nibbling seeds from within the pine cones... hopping branch to branch chirping to one another... hanging upside down as they gobble seeds... hammering small holes in the trunk to enjoy the inner bark and sap... a blue flash of wings... stellar jay nibbling huckleberries... two crows atop a dead ponderosa pine... scoping out their supper... few folks about... couples picknicking... walking dogs

one gal playing fetch in the lake with her black labrador...

Returning to the house... hot and thirsty... our water bottles empty... downing a couple of glasses and a snack of trail mix for the hubs... a quick shower then ready for our next evening activities... early supper at La Cucina de Mama then off to the Estes Park Observatory for a special evening peek at the stars

Resurgence supper tonite... outside seating at La Cucina de Mama... delicious appetizers of queso... salsa... guacamole and. homemade chips... mouth watering dinner... shrimp taco bowl... spicy... flavorful... loaded with shrimp on a bed of mesculin... caramelized onions... red, yellow and green pepper strips... in a crunchy edible crust... the hubs enjoying his carne asada... picanté... with spanish rice... beans... guacamole... peppers and onions along with a Modelo Negro each... the kids ordering similar food... along with coronoritas... a margarita with a Corona nip inverted in the drink... and a Mexican Bloody Mary with a Corona inverted in the drink... vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup for dessert in a taco shell Yummy

Estes Park Observatory... an 18” telescope allowing us to view Jupiter... Saturn... Andromeda... globular clusters... Orion’s Belt... and the moon fascinating to see the roof aperture open and rotate to accommodate viewing as the computer focused the telescope on each planet or galaxy... the kids enthralled as well...

Returning home with donuts... the kids enjoying... then off to bed... 5:15am wake time for their big hike on Wednesday... the hubs splitting an eclair with yours truly... along with his rare late night coffee... and of course... water lots of time left for a movie enjoyed A Beautiful Mind with Russell Crowe playing mathematician John Nash and Jennifer Connelly as his wife... based on a true story... stellar acting... off to bed... nighty night