Song Day Easter Morning - I've Just Seen Jesus

Today is a Glorious Day!

Another day in which I can send Praise to Father God for the gift of His Son,Jesus Christ.



Do you ever come into situations in your lives where your thoughts don't make sense to others? 

Well, in order not to confuse anyone about the facts of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ I'm going to use an eye witness accounts.

                    

                               John Chapter 20:1-30(NIV)

The Empty Tomb

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Have A BLESSED Day!

Good Friday - La via Dolorosa

So, how do I begin today?

To convey a thought that means so much to me as a Christian...In the Gospels of the Bible our Messiah was betrayed,taken captive,tortured and later crucified. I know it doesn't make sense to many people that a faith that teaches us to "Love our neighbors as Ourselves"would put upon one man all of the sins that our imaginations can bring into reality.

In and of myself I might not be able to answer your questions in a manner that brings  understanding for you but I do want to share the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World.




Down the Vía Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street But the crowd pressed in to see The Man condemned to die on Calvary 

He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head And He bore with every step The scorn of those who cried out for His death 

Down the Vía Dolorosa called the Way of Suffering Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King, But He chose to walk that road out of His love For you and me. 
Down the Vía Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary. 

Por la Vía Dolorosa, triste día en Jerusalém Los soldados le abran paso a Jesús. Más la gente se acercaba, Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz.

Por la Vнa Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey y Seсor, Y fue Йl quien quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mн. Por la Vнa Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir. 

The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men Made it's way through the heart of Jerusalem.

Down the Vнa Dolorosa called the way of suffering Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King 
But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me 
Down the Vнa Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary...

                                                         Thought for Today... 
Mark 15:16-20
16. And the soldiers led him away into the hall, Praetorium;and they call together the whole band.
17. And they clothed him with purple,and platted a crown of thorns,and put it about his head.
18. And began to salute him,Hail,King of the Jews!
19. And they smote him on the head with a reed,and did spit upon him,and bowing their knees worshipped him.
20.And when they had mocked him,they took off the purple from him,and put his own clothes on him,and led him out to crucify him... 

Sometimes my thoughts may not seem complete...smooth transitions,or what you might add aren't transparent. The only thing I will say is "I was able to spark a thought in you for maybe a moment."

God will use even the smallest suggestion of faith to meet a need for someone else....

There are different Gospel accounts that all share the Life of our Lord.All of them telling how He was born,lived,died and was raised to testify of his Father before ascending into heaven to sit at his righthand.

Would you be able to do what Jesus did? Today, as you reflect on the pain that Jesus chose to endure to provide a lost world a better way - give reverence and praise to His Holy name.

Have a Blessed Day!

Palm Sunday Praise - Hosanna to the King of Kings!

Today,Palm Sunday, begins the High Holy week for those who call Jesus  Master, Savior and Lord...And maybe those who  are seeking to change their life, watching us who believe.

We may not get life perfect in our own situations but we know who can help make day to day existence a little easier when we follow the guidelines.

                                                                    Luke 19:28-44

                        New International Version (NIV) Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King


28. After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of          his disciples, saying to them,
30.“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one          has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
31. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32. Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.
33. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34. They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35. They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.
36. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38. “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[a] “Peace in heaven and glory in the            highest!”
39. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40. “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41. As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
42. and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it        is hidden from your eyes.
43. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and              encircle you and hem you in on every side.
44. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

                                    Hosanna to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

                                                               Have a Blessed Day!

Brazil Mission Outreach

Pastor Scott Jones passing out Bibles at a Church Service 2017

I'm up early again...Working on some Paleo recipes to take to our Brazil Potluck and Auction at church today.

Our Pastor Scott Jones and his  wife Margaret  go to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with the people there...

The outreach of our ministry through them is to -

1. Speak to teenagers who've had to make their home on the street...getting involved in prostitution and drugs. Connections are made to enable them to pursue a different life if they choose to do so.

 2. The purchase of hygiene kits for Elementary School aged children and delivered to the classrooms by Pastor Scott and Margaret.

3. As pictured above Pastor Scott extends a hand of Christian Fellowship after preaching the message of the Cross and  distributing Bibles written in Portuguese to those who made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

This Mission work has been laid upon the heart of Pastor Scott and Margaret because they have seen the need. As the church where they Pastor  here in the United States we have become apart of  enabling them to pursue God's Mission spoken of in Mark 16:15...


New International Version -  Mark 16:15

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

If you should want to become apart of this Mission too, please write a comment and let me know. I will give you the information necessary when you provide your contact information... it can remain private or published in part.

Have A Blessed Day!

Our Trip from Wheatland, WY. to Hot Springs, SD

Views I wanted to remember from our trip from Wheatland, Wyoming to Hot Springs,South Dakota.
The log ,steel roofed abode, second picture from the bottom left,looks like someone trying to renovate for a possible future rehabitation...it gives me a vision for a resettlement anyway.

Some of the homes we saw had better days in their pasts. Days that the homes probably held new life, struggles and trials of everyday events but Celebrations and Successes weren't without consideration either for they too are apart of most everyone's journey...

As  passers-by in Lusk, Wyoming we were met with small town ambiance. The first building in the downtown area,top right gave us a menu of the businesses available to fulfill our needs. We took a left by that building onto the main thouroughfare through town and headed up highway 18 to our next destination Hot Springs,South Dakota.

I don't know if you've ever had the pleasure to travel out west but being a Mid-Westerner I find the change in landscape and atmosphere very appealing. Personal history or memories also have a way of  drawing us back to help us further explore the things we didn't get to experience before. Having foreknowledge of the area can help us focus in order to make use of our short time traversing to the already planned events.

Corey and I spent a little time before sundown heading out from Hot Springs to Custer to check our route for the Buffalo Round-up the early morning of September 29,2017.

I've already written about our visit to the Round-up and to the Sportsman's supply stores Cabela's and Scheel's. However, I still have some pictures and thoughts to share of a few other sidetrips we made in the Hills...I'll be working on getting those together for future moments to share.

Time to wish you, Have a Great Day!

Shed Hunting in the Pasture Setting

Yesterday was cool and breezy but Sadie and I were up for some Tine collecting after our trip to the Marsh to see what was sitting on the water. Sadie was free to wander to a  point. Due to her coloration she was blending into the background as you can see in the last picture on the righthand - Sadie was being stealthy in following her nose so I  did a vocal check. She raised her head to acknowledge my request for location and went back to sniffing the new scents.😉

My focus when I shed hunt now, to remember from year to year, are the in situ pictures. I believe I can fall back on them for continued education.

Upon driving back into the pasture...I had deja vu. Top left picture shows the first shed that came into view. The second picture from the left is just before I pulled the antler out of the grass.Years earlier I had sighted a shed in the same location from the opposite side of the field,of course that would be a well traveled corridor, one of the first places to look. In a setting such as pastures or tall grasses there isn't any doubt where the deer hooves cut from generation to generation,many intersecting paths.

The second picture from the right on the top row following down the rightside shows the second antler I came across from a distance. On the approach to uncover my prize I saw the exposed 4 1/2 inches of G2 and 5inches of G3; G4 and G5 weren't perceptible until I was standing right above the shed. It wasn't long until I hand pulled away the cover from last year's grass growth and put it in the pickup along with the first find of the morning.

If you follow the pictures from the second one down the leftside of my collage you will see the findings of the third and last antler yesterday. Being a bone collector for so many years has helped in knowing what to look for...if  the landscape doesn't look the same as you remember - Check-IT- Out!
The last antler was probably one I had seen before and was relocated by an animal. It had chew marks, but the condition wasn't cracked or dry. This year I took a picture of the location so I can check next year to see if it'll be in the same spot.

I need to get back outside to finish this year's Timber Life shed hunt 2018...will let you know if I find anything else.

Until then, Have a Great Day!

Saturday Afternoon Timber Walk

Last Saturday afternoon was a great day to be out in the Timber. Our dog Sadie and I were out rambling around to see what we could see.

Upon our entering the timber proper we displaced a group of deer basking in the warm rays of the sun. They ran further to the east of us only to doubleback  as Sadie and I took our time searching every inch for tines or signs of what could be passing our way.

Pictured above is one young buck who didn't really want to give up his spot that he vacated when we so rudely interrupted. It was awesome to see him come full bore towards us without seeing  us off to his leftside. As he stopped to test the wind blowing into his face...He turned his head a few times and then focused on our direction as he flicked his tongue to catch scent particles.

Sadie has been winning the shed antler finders award here at Timber Life this year. Everytime we take a walk she comes pulling her prize in front of me. This was the third antler she's located and the second on our walk on Saturday. All of them had been gnawed to one degree or another.

 

 We started out scouring every inch but as we walked further our attention only hit was was evidently visible...I was the one to find a couple of old bones lying exposed ontop of the leaf debris. The bone in the bottom picture was shining in the sun from a distance which caught my eye, definitely has chew marks on the righthand edge.

Walking further Sadie and came across a few turkey feathers while we surveyed the ground. I had to encourage Sadie to "please wait to disturb the feathers" until I could get a picture of them. This was the largest group we found, otherwise it was singletons either on the ground or protruding from different positions close to the ground, sticking out of fallen trees.

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of what was going on during our ramble in the Timber...our Life if you will.Thanks for stopping by...

Here's wishing you Have a Great Day!

Behold the Lamb of God

Last week as I watched one of the televised services I try to catch before we head out the door to church for more guidance in God's word; this song "Behold the Lamb of God " sang by a magnificent church choir drew my attention  as we were trying to make sure we had everything organized to exit the house.

Let you in on a little secret...Shhh! Don't tell anybody but I forgot the Sunday School book that we study out of in class...it had gotten left on my desk, in front of my computer, under a calendar. Who wouldn't remember until we got to church and it wasn't in the book bag. 😇Yes, that would be me.


Today, I'd like to share David Phelps presentation of the scripture found in John 1:1-29, spoken by John the Baptist who was given the task of preparing ye the way of the Lord when being questioned by the Pharisees...Foretelling of the beginning of the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ after his baptism at the River Jordan.

Join with me in reading - 

                                                        John 1: 1-29

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world......

Have a Blessed Lord's Day!

Our Brief Goshen Hole, WY. Experience

Today, I'm going to show you a little bit about the next leg of our journey last September. I was especially intrigued by the exposed rock outcroppings you see above.I like to collect things with ancient history...Wyoming is known for dinosaur bones and some of what I saw led my thoughts in that direction. It truly was another one of those We Came,We Saw,We Left moments.

Corey and I dropped down to Goshen Hole, WY. after a stop for fuel and lunch at Wheatland. We didn't go down into the hole because the road was muddy but we went far enough down a hill to see the surrounding expanse. We were met by a small group of cows that free ranged over the entrance road down into the valley.

While we were sitting at the top of the hill, heavy fog developed blocking a clear view of the terrain.

It was disappointing as to how fast the curtain closed our opportunity to see where settlers passed going further west to set-up settlements or become apart of established communities.

Rock formations gave us several clues to what type of life was apart of the history in the exposed substrates.

My hope had been to see Mule Deer while we were out west. I received an answer to that hope when we were headed back out of Goshen Hole to the Interstate.

We came across a Doe and a fawn straight in front of us on the county road. They observed us on the approach,becoming uneasy and ready to bolt.

The little family ran across the road heading our direction towards what appeared to be a small creek. Corey slowed down since we didn't see any other traffic and a photo shoot began.

Eventually, we decided to get back to traveling which set the Doe fleeing back across the road to the south, while the fawn ran a little ways to the north into the trees and stopped, giving us a side-ways pose.


The next post concerning our trip will lead us from Wheatland to Hot Springs,SD.

Here's wishing you...Have a Great Day!

Farewell Estes Park ,CO. onto Wheatland,WY

Welcome to Timber Life! We are about to set off on another early morning to get us Road Warriors headed in the right direction ; darkness still encircled us as I made my way to the hotel office to checkout,even awakening the managers to leave our key at 6:15. We had decided that waiting to see if the fog conditions would improve over the mountains in the Rocky Mountain National Park wouldn't be a benefit to us.

Our route for the morning took us back through Big Thompson Canyon to Loveland, heading up North on rt.287 to Wheatland,WY.

As you can see my camera eyes were all over the place. I had to pick and choose which images I would share today.I know, that's everyday! 😊

There were groups and single Pronghorn Antelope in the mountainous and valley terrains along the road. Too many to count in a hurry!

We saw some horse riders getting prepared to do some back-country riding and I can only speculate if they would be checking grazing cattle or sheep as the day was wet and cold.

Our first encounter with Buffalo on this trip was on a hillside at the Sybille Wildlife Research Center, that provided holding pens close to the Visitor Center for viewing of various types of the indigenous species. We passed by our opportunity to stop but I managed to get a series of shots with the Buffalo as the subjects.

The main picture in this collage is the Jesus Rocks! Rock we found. I believe it possibly had become full of graffiti that carried negative messages so someone wanted to change the words and thoughts. I Love the message myself. I did a little more editing on the rock to help take off some telephone numbers that really don't need to be advertised.

I did promise pictures of Goshen Hole,WY in one of my last posts. Guess we'll get there soon!

In the mean time...Have a Great Day!

Scheel's Rapid City, SD

Corey and I  rambled around the Scheel's store for a few minutes to get us out of the car to look over their 8 year old location at 1225 Eglin St.,Rapid City , SD.  Please take note of the bronze statues placed around the entrance of the building - made by Mark Lundeen of Loveland,CO.

In September 2007, the same time we were looking over Cabela's new building site, we discovered Scheel's had decided to relocate away from Rushmore Mall, opening their new store in 2009. In 2014 Scheel's  added another addition, bringing the total square footage to 118,000 -  giving them ample space to increase their sportsman's supply inventory once again.

During our visit I asked a sales associate about the difference between Mountain Lion paw prints and Bears. He said "what do you want to know?" He had first hand experience with Mountain Lions since they spend a lot of time in his front yard. He went onto explain the toe structure and the claw differences. I wish I  could have seen some pictures of paw prints associated with the Mountain Lions  he spoke about inhabiting the Black Hills area.

We visit our local Scheel's in West Des Moines on occasion to keep us tuned in to the outdoors and the hearing amplifiers used to catch all of nature's little nuances.

If you're ever out to Rapid City and need some hunting or fishing equipment there are two wonderful stores not far apart to get you setup.

Here's wishing you... Have a Great Day!

(Just a note...I'm posting some events out of order in case you should wonder why dates or events seem mixed-up)

Cabela's Rapid City,South Dakota

What a change I was able to see in the building site from September 30,2007 until we made it back to check out the finished structure on September 29,2017.

It was an exciting visit to see familiar offerings for the Waterfowl Hunting season...The Archery Section, Trail Camera's,  and a huge  Outfitter Walled Tent by Montana with stove, making an adrenaline rush happen for me. I'm really not a camper but given a bed in a tent that looks almost like a small house...Why not give it a try?!?

After we checked into a few of the displays on our own, we spoke to a Sales Associate who had family ties in our home state. We spoke at length about where to possibly find some Mountain Goats and Sheep to photograph the next day, since we were beginning to weary from the early call of the Buffalo Roundup. We got an idea where we might look in the morning, then Corey and I took off to visit a few more sections of the store before heading out.

We will not hesitate to go wander the aisles of the Rapid City Cabela's when we get back in the Hills.

Here's wishing you...Have a Great Day! 

Smiling Angels

 Last Sunday we had an update from a year ago Christmas. Time marches on and we have changed slightly. Glory Be to God we had another day together to get a picture taken!

There are things that remain unchanged and unshakable... Speaking in general that would be that the Love of Jesus Christ does rain down on us even when our daily challenges might become overwhelming.

                                               Romans 8:31-39 (NKJV) 
                                                       
                                                           God’s Everlasting Love 


31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[a]  
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We send the Love of Jesus Christ that he has shared with us...Have a Blessed Day in the Lord!

Retro Blogpost - Birthday Wishes for a Blog Friend

Birthday Wishes for a Blog Friend

This is a repost from January 27,2010... However, the message remains the same.

Today, I want to send special Birthday Wishes to a Blog Friend, Marian Love Phillips, known to many of us from over at Marian's Hunting Stories, etc., etc., etc.

In the picture above she was posing with the car I won in a give-away over at the Deer Camp Blog last July.

My wish for her today is to Celebrate many more years in the great outdoors .... a Dixie Lady Hunter.

Marian's drive to experience life in the great outdoors hasn't changed in all these years. Here's wishing you a very Happy Birthday my Mississippi blogging friend from an Iowa blogging friend...

Rocky Mountain National Park Elk Rut

Corey and I drove by where we stayed on our June vacation 2015 ,as we turned the corner onto the street we came across our first encounter with an Elk for the evening. He looked a bit bedraggled with his drapery of grass entangled in the  malformation of his antler. It was without a doubt he was content to graze on his own since  no others were sighted with-in visible range.

Getting beyond all the shops of downtown ,following HWY 34 just outside of town, we came upon a mountain meadow filled with groups of Elk Bulls,Cows and calves from the past season. We pulled off the road to catch glimpses between parked or passing cars of the roaming Bull Elk pictured on the left-hand of the collage,hearing for the first time up close and personal a bugling .

We were privileged to once again capture a collared Cow lazily grazing among the rest of the herd. My understanding of the purpose of the collar is to keep track of travel patterns, age and where her collaring originated. 

As we approached the Rocky Mountain National Park the blinking signs notified tourists that the Park was only open to the 12 mile point due to poor visibility on the mountains. So, we didn't get to go on into the park since we would have still had to pay the entrance fee of $20 and daylight was fading fast. 

On our reverse trip to Estes Park we caught two young Bulls feeding alone. A little further back towards town, we came across a different large Bull Elk ,which is featured in the middle of the collage and found in the middle of the herd on the outer right top picture. What was awesome was the echoing of bugles from so many parts of the hills and meadows in our travel path. The group just above, to our right,didn't come to my attention until I tried focusing on a far bugle.

I know that I've talked about lodging before, as in renting a room but there are several camping areas available for either campers or mixed sites including tents; as well as vacation homes and Bed&Breakfast accommodations.

By the time daylight was done we were ready to retire back to the Twin Owl Motor Lodge since our day had begun so many hours and miles ago. 

We documented our stay...

Time to eat supper and prepare to head off to Goshen Hole,Wyoming. Another long day on the road.

I hope you enjoyed our pictures and blogpost for today.

Here's wishing you Have a Great Day!

Our Evening at Estes Park - Part Three

These are just a few shops and attractions that caught my eye as we passed into and out of downtown Estes Park on our way to the Rocky Mountain National Park.

I was particularly drawn to the name of the restaurant pictured in the upper left hand corner, The Hunters Chop House.  They have both a Lunch Menu and a Dinner Menu. We didn't stop but definitely with so many fine dining choices throughout the city this would be included in a list of suggestions.

As we wound our way back to our night's lodging , seeing the floral displays I wondered what building we were about to pass...I truly appreciate flower plantings because they always seem to brighten up with color and soften straight lines. It came to our attention we were looking at the Estes Park Visitor Center Parking Ramp designed by Architect Michael Koch.

There wasn't enough time to see everything due to our late afternoon arrival. However, the most important part of our journey to this city was yet to be experienced and will be apart of the next blogpost, that being the Elk Rut taking place beyond the City Limits. I will share some pictures of the Elk bulls and cows that became quite the attraction to many others seeking the same thrill as Corey and myself.

Until the next blogpost...Have a Great Day!

Our Evening at Estes Park - Part Two

On our outing for the evening we scouted for future lodging around Lake Estes...Now,we are familiar with names and locations so we know what to look for when we plan another vacation,or can offer a suggestion. It certainly helps to know how the establishment appears from the street to determine whether or not it is a possibility to seek renting a room. 

This little cabin was our accomodation during our stay in 2015 with our family. It's required stay of two days was longer than the overnight we had allotted for our visit last September.

To find out more about renting cottages at Triple R Cottages <---please Triple R Cottages.

On our last stay in June 2015 I saw Mule Deer bucks across the road,a coyote running along the little creek to the back of the cabin and we were told by one of our kids another guest had informed them a bear had gone through the compound.

Please forgive my huntress side, but apart of me was on alert to the fact a bear could have been through, because of being awakened in the night ,due to sounds of bumping along our cabin and later the discovery of animal scat pictured here.


I was searching the yard for evidence of wildlife when I came across more than one sample. It was found to the left of the trees between the tree line and the cabin.

So, if you are in need of getting a close look at mother nature you'll not be disappointed with adding Estes Park,CO. as a vacation destination...

Have a Great Day!