Estes Park

After Devil's Backbone we cruised up to Estes Park in my mom's Miata. No pictures, Shawn was a bit embarrassed of the little car. I guess I can't blame him, it is an odd little car. We geocached our whole way up and around the town for a total of 16 caches in the day.

Estes Park is the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park. I actually bought my truck up there when I was living in Colorado. You just have to watch out for the elk. When you drive through the large herds you just go really slow and don't honk your horn or they may attack your vehicle. I was all excited for Shawn to see the elk, but alas they had all moved up to higher pastures. We did see plenty of prarie dogs, a mama duck teaching her babies how to dive and lots of swallows (see bird sanctuary pic below). Also had a huge buzzard flying over us that I was too intrigued by to take a picture.

At Estes Lake, similar to Lake Chelan, but much warmer.

Welcome

Welcome
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Bird Sanctuary

Bird Sanctuary
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Round Rocks

Round Rocks
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Stanley Hotel

Stanley Hotel
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Hiking the Backbone

We started off our Thursday by heading up Devil's Backbone outside of Loveland. We grabbed our first cache in Colorado, a virtual up at the keyhole.

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L_E_DSC_3239
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Let me know if you know they type of bird. I'm wavering on a couple of species, but it was sure noisy.

Devil's Backbone

Devil's Backbone
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Devil's Backbone

Devil's Backbone
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Devil's Backbone

Devil's Backbone
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Fun in the Sculpture Park

Not even in Colorado for 24 hours and we had to go play. Loveland is well known for all its art in the form of sculptures. We headed down to the park with the intention of geocaching, but I had a lot of fun with my camera. I ran around taking all sorts of pictures and made my mom take some of me and Shawn. I even got one of her. By the way, we didn't find the cache that night. We'll be heading out before we leave to grab it though.




Now on to a few more sculptures, just a bit more serious about these ones.

Fox

L_E_DSC_3158
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Shakesphere

L_E_DSC_3081
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

The Hunt

L_E_DSC_3057
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

Cowboy

L_E_DSC_3003
Originally uploaded by Kendal Jean Photos

A giant step backwards...

We really consider ourselves proud first time homebuyers. We want our house to look great. We put a ton of work into it and you've seen the progress on here. Paint inside, siding outside. Shawn keeps the yard watered and mowed, but you have to remember there are other people out there who don't always play by the rules.

This was our front yard a week ago. Shawn got done golfing and was mowing the grass in front of the large hedges lining the front of our yard by the road.

This was those same hedges last night. A neighbor fired an illegal firework into the bush where it exploded. Within seconds the flames were towering. I yelled at Shawn when I just thought they were embers and by the time I ran outside it was completely out of control. The Omak Fire Department responded very fast, within 5 minutes of my calling.

It was so hot, if they had not arrived as quick as they did the whole house may have gone. Here is our new siding, thoroughly melted and distorted.




What is left of our trees and hedges.






Near where the siding melted all the evergreens were charred. If they had gone up there would have been no way to save the house I'm sure.

Although we are really upset at the neighbor I do have to say he has accepted full responsibility and contacted his insurance company last night. I just hope this is a smooth process and we can get our house looking nice again. I was all excited to have an open house after the siding was done, but now I guess we will have to wait for one more task first.

Making Progress...

Wow... the north wall is done.


And the patio area is coming together nicely...


Sweet cedar box handmade for the weird shaped things.

Half Way There...

...And now it is up to Roy. Shawn and I have finished with the prep work. All the shingles are off the house and now it has turned blue with a bit of siding. Hopefully soon it will be all siding. Here's all the progress from Friday and Saturday.

It's a Start

We've done so much demo, today was the first day of putting up some siding. I came home this evening to see a very pretty start, but first, let me show you what we've been doing.

We knew the stump corner had some dry rot, so Roy addressed this part first. As he started to dig he found some old termite damage and the rot went a little farther then we thought. He jacked the whole house up and replaced the sill board and all you can see. He did a great job and we just hoped there wouldn't be anymore dry rot (by the way there hasn't been so far).


Then came the destruction...

The naked back of the house.

Getting it zipped up in blue with some friends' help.

As far as we got last weekend, the rest of the front
will be coming off, possibly tomorrow.

And finally our first bits of siding... well really soffit. Roy did a great job doing the 45 degree angle at the corner of the house. It really looks great. Apparently that must go up first and then layers come down or maybe go up. That is why we hired someone to do it. I'm looking forward to getting the first panels of siding on to see what the whole house is going to look like. It's so exciting!

Stay tuned for more updates hopefully tomorrow. Hoping the siding is going to speed along soon.