It was just a week ago yesterday they surprised us.

Taylor and Callie were coming to visit over the Labor Day weekend. We knew that. And I had suggested bringing Eli with them but I was told there were reasons why it just wasn’t going to work.

As it turned out, the proso millet wasn’t quite ready to be harvested. It needed a few more days so we were told we wouldn’t be working over the weekend. It would have to wait until Monday. I told Taylor and Callie this and they were a little bummed. I think they were both hoping to experience the combine, the truck and being in the field again. Something they took for granted when they tagged along with us every summer. This was the second summer they had been away from the routine. I wasn’t worried about finding something to do. I thought, if nothing else, maybe just us girls could make a trip into the mountains. I knew it would be hard to get Jim back into the hills after we’d just toured the Montana mountains.

The plan (or so I thought) was for the two of them to leave after Taylor got off work on Friday afternoon. They would be here either late that night or spend the night in a hotel. I encouraged the latter. I know how hard it is to get through those last couple hundred miles before you get here. And even worse when it gets so late. It was about 11:00 on Friday morning when Taylor called. She said she had gotten to take off work earlier than expected and they were just about ready to leave home. I told her to let us know how the trip was going and to be careful. “Oh, and when you get to Limon, would you stop at the grocery store (if it’s open) and pick up some peaches. They are REALLY good this summer!” She said she would.

Jim was watching TV and I had my sewing strung out on the floor. I’ve been working on baby blankets in my spare time this summer. But even that’s taking much longer than it should due to not having any rain days. All at once, I heard a commotion outside but didn’t think much about it as the guys were outside working on equipment. And then there was a knock at the door…

They got us good!!

We spent the rest of the afternoon just hanging out at the trailer house. Eli, however, had to make a trip around the farmyard a couple of times and climb in every tractor, truck and combine he could find. It didn’t last long, though. Just long enough to climb in, shut the door, honk the horn and then it was on to the next one.

It was decided we would all take off the next morning for the mountains, with Buena Vista our destination. We would pack an overnight bag hoping to find a cabin along a stream to spend the night but with it being a holiday weekend, our hope to find anything might be a better bet. If all else failed and we found there was no room at the inn, we could always just head back to the Cottage.

Our first day:

Taylor’s three “babies” needed fed ALL the time. Their mama took off right after giving birth. These guys are a couple of weeks old. She’s doing a good job of with her foster children!

Breakfast with Auntie Tee Tee on Saturday morning. 

We made it to Buena Vista and decided before we did any sort of touring, we needed to find a room (hopefully). We took the last room (quite possibly in the town) offered at the second hotel we checked with. Once we got that job accomplished, we took off for the Cottonwood Pass Summit. We promised Eli we’d find a stream to play in and a mountain to climb.  We stopped at this beautiful lake on our way to the summit and played in the water.

(photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(Photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(Photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(Photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

We made it to the summit and the view was spectacular!! 

Callie, Eli and I decided to climb the mountain. I will admit, it took us a while to get there because I kept having to stop and catch my breath. Even Callie was feeling the altitude!

The view at the top. We all three threw a rock on the pile and then it started to spit snow so we decided it was time to head back to the pickup. It was much easier going down the mountain than up. 

Once we made it back down the pass and to Buena Vista, we walked to a woodfire pizza location for supper. Notice the bottom chalk board…”crust supports Ark River Valley farmers and ranchers”. Sweet!!!!

Day number two:

We drove south to Salida and got out of the pickup and walked the streets of this quaint mountain town. Eli and I played at the local park which was also next to the Arkansas River. It was a pretty warm September day, so after he played quite a while on the play set, he took his shoes and socks off and played in the river before we headed back to the pickup. On the way, we stopped in a dime store and he picked out souvenirs for Ben and Nora. 

After some discussion about what was next, we headed to the San Luis Valley to visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The girls decided we could get there, play for a few hours and be back to the trailer house before 10:00. They were going to have to get an early start the next morning.

(photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

(photo credit – Taylor Josoff Photography)

The Dunes and mountains as we were heading towards the trailer house. 

A brief stop in Falcon for gas before making the rest of the way back to the Cottage. It was a fast-paced two-day mini vacation but it was the best time!

And guess what…the goodbye was so very difficult for me! They were on their way by 8:30 a.m. Taylor sent me her location from her phone so we were able to keep track of where they were the whole day. That helped a little.