A new Day

Delta is still asleep in the valley, but the snow covered mesas to the west are dancing in the new light of dawn. A new day has begun.

Utah On Fire?

Could it be a forest fire? Is the state of Utah completely ablaze? No, it’s just another spectacular sunset as seen from our perch above the valley.

Cows That Just Don’t Care

The cows seem completely unfazed by the lone attempt to put on a show of color for them.

A Regal Look

The county offices take on a rather regal look with the splendor of the fall leaves.

A blanket of White

Snow adorns the high country. The Elk Mountains have received their first blanket of white, and the trees are holding on to their color for a while longer. The Gunnison River continues its meanderings. The change of seasons is in full swing in this quiet community.

Cloud Cover

While not the official motto, Colorado is big sky country. With all the sky available to view, I tend to watch clouds rather often, and the morning can be very special. This formation appeared in the early morning, directly above delta from our vantage point a few miles to the east.

Step Into Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year, and the colors in Delta this year are rather nice. Yellow is the predominant color of the trees in the area, and since down town has a large number of trees, the streets were swimming in leaves. There is nothing like the feeling of walking deserted streets with wind whipped leaves brushing against your feet on a crisp fall morning.

We Got Logs

Obviously logs are being harvested someplace near here, but for the life of me, I don’t know where they come from. It seems like there may be a bit of a surplus however, as the underbrush seems to be growing well.

Vandals

It is likely that this mural was painted before the vandals were even born. I wonder what values they were taught. Was it enjoyable to destroy what had been there for so long? If they are caught, how should they be punished?

Some Get More Respect

As I mentioned in another post, Delta is known as the City of Murals. However, to know this, you need to look behind some rental equipment, move and old sign, and read behind the line. Some murals get more respect than others.

Movies The Old Fashion Way

Drive-in theaters are a thing of the past in much of the US. Land prices have gone so high that many have been converted to shopping centers, condominiums, and such. Those that do survive tend to upgrade with expensive snack bars, the removal of speakers, and installation of broadcasting systems where you tune your car radio to a certain channel. None of this is true in Delta. This theater is straight from the 1950’s. Each car hangs a speaker on the window, and as you walk to the snack bar to buy very reasonably priced snacks, the sound from the speakers spread all over the place create a very unique listening experience. Couple all this with the cool fall air and the great sky show put on behind the screen, and you have an evening that is hard to beat, especially if you also get a distant lightning storm to jazz things up a bit! Do be patient however, as you will likely get the coal train making a couple of passes during a double feature.

Get Aways

On our honeymoon many years ago, my wife and I were driving across Canada from Michigan to Maine. We stopped for gas, and got talking to the attendant. He asked where we were from, etc. When we told him we were on our honeymoon, he exclaimed you came HERE for your honeymoon? I said where would you go? Kind of sheepishly he said… “The states”

The grass is always greener, some other place in the world, and there is always a travel agent around to help you get there! As I move around the various Daily Photo websites, many mention the once-in-a-lifetime trips they have taken to other places in the world. It is always fun to see someone going to a place you live, when your desire is to visit where they live!

We Load Logs?

Obviously this thing does something with logs. Perhaps it loads or unloads? I am not sure, but I will keep my eye on it to see if I can catch it in use. I will also attempt not to park beneath it as I don't think anything good could come from that!

Got Paint?

Has it been a few years or decades since this old fence saw a paint brush?

Home is Where You Park It

Sitting off on a side street, seemingly abandoned, sits this house. The interesting thing is that someone took the time to remove it from its original foundation, put wheels under it, and move it here before seemingly forgetting about it. Is anyone missing their house?

Need More Sawdust?

You gotta wonder exactly how much sawdust is enough!

Dobies

As I have mentioned in other posts, the Dobies are a prevalent feature in this area, all around the base of Grand Mesa. It is hard to imagine the process that formed them, but basically they are the bed of an ancient sea, and when they get wet, they long for the good old days. What is equally interesting is how suddenly they stop. The tree sits at the edge of a fertile valley, and immediately after the bleached out hills, the slopes rise quickly to the conifer forests of the Grand Mesa.

Confluence

In the forefront of this view, sits a man-made lake in confluence park. I believe it is fed from the Uncompahgre River which comes in on the left. If you look close, you can see the where the tree lined Uncompahgre River comes together with the Gunnison which arrives from the right. Hence the name of the park.

The Crowds are Gone

Until this Fall, every Friday night Delta High School football game was held in this field. Now it is silent, and the lights have moved on to the east, but the game goes on.

School Spirit

In June, this hill is bright with fresh paint, as various groups of seniors make their mark. It is a tradition that has gone on for years. But after a hot summer, the paint has faded, and the seniors have moved on. A new group of seniors has come of age, and look forward to leaving their mark, if they can make it through this next year.

Bill’s Music

I have taken Banjo lessons from no less than two National Champion banjo players, but you would never know it if you heard me attempt to play. Perhaps it has something to do with practice, or lack there of…… Well, it looks like another Bill, not me, has been practicing his music for many a year.

Rearranging the clouds

On Sunday night, we wandered out front of the house pondering the day’s events, and I noticed an orange glow behind us, so we returned around back. The sight that greeted us was simply spectacular. We have seen many fantastic sun sets here, but this one was special, and each of us had a similar thought. My Mom was an expert at rearranging furniture so that she could get it just so. Had God given her free rein to rearrange the clouds for us this evening so that she should make them just so? We like to think so. In case we are right, thanks Mom!

A new chapter

Last night, after all the stress and emotion of the day, we sat out on the back porch, and raised a toast to Mom. As dusk descended upon our home, we began to hear a sound not heard all summer. Below us in the valley, the cows had begun to return home, and the gentle melancholy sounds they were making seemed to fit the mood perfectly. A new chapter has begun in our lives.

Welcome Home

45 years ago, a young woman, married for just under 2 years, gave birth to her first born, a son. Over the next 6 years she gave birth to a daughter, lost another child, and then had another son. She loved her children & husband as only a mother can, and it was evident in all she did. She supported her husband's business, and started one of her own, both of which were run from their basement. She kept an eye on each of her kids but let them explore, and used an old school bell to call them home. As her kids brought friends home, she took them in as her own, and became a 2nd Mom to many. As girl friends & boy friends came, they were welcomed as well. The daughter in laws and son in law instantly became family, and were loved. 10 grand kids came, and were spoiled as only a grandma can. They were loved. In August of 2005, for reasons we can only guess at, this special woman was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought it hard, as was her custom, but in March, she got word that the dreaded disease had spread to her brain. Her entire family rose to help, and that is how I came to Delta. Many miles were put on planes, trains, and automobiles as the family came to help Dad & Mom when they most needed it, but today the battle came to a close as this very special lady was called home herself. She gave up her grip on this earth with her husband and first born holding her, only to be removed from pain and embraced by the arms of God. She did nothing that the world at large will ever recall, but left the world a better place. There is now a void we must fill, but she showed us how. Mom, you are loved, and will be greatly missed by many, especially you're first born.

The bell is now silent. Welcome home.

Down Town From On High

Looking south at the down town area, you can see the elongated buildings that line Main street. Trees abound in this city, but quickly end when as you get to the city limits. I’m not sure if they occur naturally, or are the result of irrigation, but they do provide a pleasant atmosphere.

Home Tour?

There is nothing really historical about this old home, except that it went through a very extensive remodel a number of years back, and the owners decided to sell it when they were done. From what I have heard, they got so many people that simply wanted to look at the inside the one time ramshackle home, that they ended up telling perspective buyers that they needed to pay $100 to see the place. I understand that the proceeds were donated to charity, and it did stop the simply curious. The problem I understand was that the plan put a halt to truly interested buyers as well!

Post Office

The Delta Post Office has been there for some time. Look closely at the details in the building. It has style! There is a sign inside that says "

1^st floor: Postoffice
2^nd floor:

The stairs to the 2^nd floor are gated off. What is there? I don’t know. What was there? I don’t know. I do know I would like to get up there some time to find out! What is it about me and second floors?

Hidden Park

There was once an effort to beautify the city of Delta, and I suspect that this small garden between two buildings is a result of those efforts. It is not large or particularly fancy, but it does provide a nice place to go when you need to stretch your legs a bit.

Do Not Enter

I see this Pepsi machine often, and upon closer inspection, I recently noticed that it completely blocks a door that most likely goes to the second story of this building. Does this mean that selling sodas is more important than getting in or out of this building? Many of the buildings on Main street are 2 story, but you don’t see much activity in them. I wonder what goes on upstairs….

Awnings

As you walk down Main Street, one of the things you will notice is that most of the shops have some sort of awning or roof out front. I suppose that this is a throwback to the days before malls. You can actually shop on Main street when it is raining, and odds are, you can stay dry.

Bench For Sale

October Theme Day - Taxis

Well, at least the views of the bench are for sale. I never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity of people as they look for ways to get ahead. I suspect there was once a taxi or bus that stopped here, but no more. You are more or less on your own for transportation in Delta.