Night Shift

The day begins early in the Delta post office.

Choose Wisely

The road may be open, but you do have to decide what you will be driving on top of Grand Mesa this time of year.

Open Road

It use to be that when the snow came, people would not want to go up on Grand Mesa any more. This has changed, and now, the sign does not change. Snow sports abound on the mesa, and the road is open!

Behind the Scenes

While Main street has a nice clean look to it, the back alleys is where much of the work is done.

A Good Place To Be

Most Saturdays, the doors of Delta First Assembly Church open at 6:00am, and men from around the area come and spend an hour or so in prayer. Others come and start cooking. At 7:00am, breakfast is served. Fellowship ensues, a short lesson is presented, and the needs of others are lifted in prayer. Not a bad way to start the weekend.

Looks Can be Deceiving

You probable don’t want to spend much time on this bench just yet. Delta had a cold snap over the last week. Our days started out at -4 degrees Fahrenheit, and struggled from there. Even the bright blue sky and warming sunshine were having trouble making this bench on Main Street very comfortable. However, it won’t be long before the wonder of Spring reaches this valley, and this bench will have a waiting list!

Smiley #2 Says Goodbye

There are more carvings in the park, but that’s all for now. Smiley and his “horse” are waiting if you decide to come for a visit to see the rest!

Be Careful

Those bears had better be careful, they are not alone in their desire for the honey!

Teamwork

Yes Annie, they have bears as well, but these guys are a bit unusual. I imagine that there is a bee hive full of honey just out of reach, but through teamwork, they will get the prize. Not a bad life lesson actually…….

Look Out!

This eagle was a bit easier to capture than the one from December 7th!

Happy Face #2

I am not sure if it is unique to America or not, but in the western US, there is a fairly active subculture doing what is commonly called “Chainsaw Art”. That is, they carve figures from logs, using chainsaws. Yesterday I was driving around, and found a park that was full of carvings. This week I am going to show you some of them, and I start with this pleasant fellow I have dubbed Happy Face #2 (Our friend from January 2^nd gets the #1 designation). I could not keep from smiling when I first saw him, and I hope he does the same for you!

Do We Still Remember?

The world has more or less moved on from the death of President Ford, and the flags are really the only reminder. The war and “news” of the messed up lives of those in Hollywood dominate airwaves, and I can’t help but being “Fed” up. I guess that is normal.

It is always interesting to me to watch a scene as it changes over time. Back on 8/28 I took a very similar shot of the city hall, and it certainly had more color then. September 9^th, I posted another angle, and again, the colors were much different. I look forward to the translucent leaves of spring. Perhaps the news of the day will be different then, but most likely not.

Getting Cold

Our swinging friend from January 2^nd, and December 1^st is starting to get cold.

Change of Address

We are in the process of selling our home in Virginia, and plan to build or buy in Delta. I wonder if the people buying our old home would mind if I screwed a change of address plaque on the front door? They seem to last………

Good Philosophy

Every good philosophy needs a sign to get the word out

The Good Old Days

There are many sculptures on Main Street in Delta, and this is a rather unusual one, depicting Main Street as it may have once been.

Whimsical

This small second story screened in porch is almost whimsical. It is almost useless, but I would love to have one. You don’t see these sorts of things any longer. I think we may have become a bit too serious.

An Honest Person

Flags around the country have been at half-staff all week in honor of President Ford who died recently. The news reports kept on stressing what a nice and honest person he was. It is sad that this is considered unique.

Yes Sir, Yes Sir, Three Bags Full

Ok, so they are not black......but while there are no “Sheep Crossing” signs in the area, it is best to stop when they go by!

Slip Sliding Away

While Delta is really a simple farming & ranching town, it is surrounded by some of the most incredible country you will ever want to visit. An hour to the south, Ouray contains a world class ice climbing area. I am not sure which side of the lens is more enjoyable. I do know which is safer!

Summer Home

I often wondered where he spends his summers :)

House for Sale

Great deal if your name is Edward, Eisner, Eli, Etc. Beware, incorporating your initials into the design of the house can limit resale opportunities!

Big Pig - Or is it a hog?

We were out driving around town one morning looking at houses, and I noticed this guy playing in the field. At first I thought is was a small cow, then I looked closer…..

No One is Home

All alone on the highway east of Delta sits this lone log home “factory”. I have stopped by a couple of times to get pricing information, but alas, no one is ever “home”.

Transitions

One more shot from the air, showing the rugged desert mountains giving way to the flatness of the desert. This is truly a land of transitions.

Desertscapes

I Often find myself flying from Grand Junction to LA , and I am fascinated with the patterns I see in the deserts of Utah not too far west of Delta.

A Girl And Her Horse

Here is another statue I stumbled upon while out “shooting the town”. Every time I turn around, there is something I have not seen.

Sorry for the late post, work started with a 4am conference call!

Happy Birthday Rose!

My wife and I were having breakfast the other day, and she commented that many of the stores in Delta seemed to do more than one thing. The office supply store also sells anqiques for instance. About then I noticed that the restaurant we were in also had a craft section up front, made up primarily of candles. I noticed these wax Roses, and I knew what I needed to do. Today’s post is dedicated to my daughter Rose who celebrates her 16^th birthday today! Any idea what one of your gifts will be?

Cold Hand

Ok, the tease is over, here is the entire statue.

Happy Face

Back on December 1^st, I posted the legs of a statue for Theme day. Many wanted to see more, so here is her face!

The Adventure Continues

Today is theme day, and we have been asked to pick our favorite picture that we posted in 2006. For me it is certainly this picture of the Dobies I posted back on 11/5. It is not just the picture, but what it represents for me.

Our world changed radically in 2006. In August of 2005, my Mom developed Breast Cancer, and began aggressive treatments. It seemed to be going well, and they embarked on building a new home in Delta. In March of 2006 all of that changed. The home was about 2/3 done, and it was discovered that the cancer had spread to her brain. We found out on a Friday night, and by Sunday evening, we had packed up everything we thought we would need into our motorhome, and headed west. I told my manager that we needed to go, and she said, “Yes you do, we will figure it out”. As a side note, AOL gets a lot of grief in the press & public, but I am here to tell you, as an employee, they have stood behind when things got tough, and I am very grateful to my management chain for allowing me to work remote from Delta.

We got here the first Wednesday in April, never having done anything before except drive through the town. We parked our motorhome on the building site, a bluff overlooking a valley full of cows, with the Dobies as the backdrop. The 11/9 post will give you an idea of where we were “camped”. We settled in, and began to oversee the final construction while my Dad focused on the ever increasing treatments, and the heavy toll it was taking on Mom. Our goal was to get Mom into her new house in time for her to enjoy it. We held out hope, but really knew it was only a matter of time. My brother & sister made frequent visits to help out, and we found ourselves in Grand Junction on a regular basis. There were a couple of other scares along the way, and we found ourselves with both Mom and Dad having emergency room visits on the same day, and another day where I needed to get Dad into surgery, then take Mom to Chemo, then take Mom to visit Dad in recovery. All this time, my wife Patrice & I were living in the motorhome with 5 of our 6 kids. To make room, my son Tim lived in a 2 man tent for1-2 months next to the motorhome.

The final building progress was slow, but we eventually got Mom into her home in late May. In June we had the first party, a surprise birthday party for Mom. Over 50 people showed. Later in June we had an armed robbery, but they caught the guy a few days later. As the summer wore on, I was given permission to make our move permanent, and we drove back to Virginia to pack up all our things. After that, my boys & I did 10 days of backpacking at Philmont Scout Ranch. In the middle of all this, for reasons I still can not explain, I decided to start Delta Daily Photo. The comments from all of you brought a great deal of encouragement as well.

Life was hectic, and Mom grew weaker each day. She went from walking on her own, to a walker, to a wheel chair in a matter of weeks. Another incredible friend came here for a week just to help. He built a wheel chair ramp, helped with the daily duties that needed to be done, and sat with Mom, showing her pictures. The back porch got a lot of use each day as we collapsed from all the events of the day. The view of the Dobies was soothing.

On October 8^th, the cancer took its final toll, and Mom went to be with the Lord. My post that day says it all. We scattered Moms ashes in the high country to the south, and 11/2 will give you an idea about that area. Very special friends helped us get everyone into this wonderful place so late in the season. Thanksgiving and Christmas were different without Mom.

Through all of this turmoil, God provided exactly what we needed to get through it all. We were here only a couple of days before we made what will undoubtedly be life long friends. Our kids were welcomed into a very active youth group at our new church home, and the community reached out in many ways. When Mom died, they stepped up again. At Mom’s memorial service down in Ouray, the worship leader & husband of our new church came and lead the worship. Our pastor ran a video camera, and other friends from Delta came and supported us. Friends from the Denver and Colorado Springs also came to assist with the service, sing, and offer comfort. One friend loaned us a 2^nd refrigerator to handle all the food that was brought over during this period. We will be forever grateful to all of you. God knew what we were going through, and provided exactly what we needed.

In late October, I was driving past the hospital where so many radiation treatments were done on Mom, and I noticed that the sun was low, and the Dobies were putting on a special fall show. The Dobies seem to be ever present for us in 2006, never failing to put on a show. They are one of the identifying things for us in 2006.

We are now living with my Dad, trying to figure out what the next steps will be. Delta has become home to us, and we are looking to give back to this wonderful community. Our home in Virginia is on the market, and once it sells, we will put our plans into action. God’s grace and provisions supported us in 2006, and I have no doubt that the plan for 2007 is simply wonderful.

Let the adventure begin!

Please visit other Theme Day entries:

Porto (Portugal) -Albuquerque, NM (USA) -St. Paul, (USA) Kate -Greenville,SC (USA) -Stayton, OR (USA) -Szentes (Hungary) -Hyde (UK) -London (UK) -Dubai (UAE) -Buenos Aires (Argentina) -Shanghai (China) -Nelson (New Zealand) -Twin Cities, MN (USA) -Joplin MO (USA) -Stavanger (Norway) -Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) -Not Strictly Seattle, WA (USA) -Jakarta (Indonesia) -Auckland (New Zealand) -Sharon, CT (USA) -Evry (France) -(Aust) John -Newcastle upon Tyne (England) -Paris (France) -Bandung (Indonesia) -Brussels (Belgium) -Minneapolis MN (USA) -Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) -Seattle, WA (USA) -Budapest (Hungary) -Singapore by Zannnie (Singapore) -Tenerife (Spain) -Santa Clara, CA (USA) -Houston, TX (USA) -Sydney by Nathalie (Aust) -San Diego, CA (USA) -Vancouver, BC (Canada) -Singapore by KeropokMan (Singapore) -East Lansing, MI (USA) -Sydney by Sally (Australia) -Tucson, AZ (USA) -Nottingham (UK) -Sequim, by Norma -Hong Kong -Vantaa, Finland -Kyoto (Japan) -Tokyo (Japan) -Chattanooga -Santiago (Chile) -erlin (Germany) -Trondheim (Norway) -Delta, CO (USA) -