Surgeon General & MC !

Some how they got Dr. C. Everett Koop as the MC for the show! Ok, well maybe not, but that was my first thought. :)

Got Ya Covered

You would not generally have high expectations for the food at this sort of event, but were pleasantly surprised. The food was very good, and the parachute canopy gave the dinner a certain ambiance. Somewhat hard to describe, but an ambiance none the less :)

Red Cross Canteen

The Delta High School (yes we only have one) Show Choir put on a presentation called A Sentimental Journey last night, and included a 1930's & 1940's theme. It started with dinner, served on stretchers, in a "Red Cross Canteen", and ended with a variety show. A good time was had by all! They are doing it again tonight if you are in town, and tickets are $15 at the door. I recommend getting there a bit early.

Lone Tree

While the cranes in the background were a bit far to see, this lone tree did catch my eye.

Earning A Living The Hard Way

I have a lot of respect for the men and women that still work the land.

Dobbie Dirt

The dobbie formations around Delta have an interesting feature, that is, they "produce" these fields of black lava rocks. It seems that Grand Mesa is an extinct volcano, and these lava rocks get pushed out in sort of underground mud river. Now that is what they tell us, but I have heard that others have seen the rangers with sacks of gravel, and they plant these fields......Either way, they make good landscaping materials!

Cranes

As mentioned yesterday, I was not able to get very close to the large group of cranes, but there were a few that were somewhat close. To give you an idea of size, these birds have a 4 foot wingspan! There were only some 350 birds this day, but I heard that yesterday, there were 3,500, and they took off right over the hill, about 150 feet above the people. I suspect the excitement level was a bit higher than when I visited. Perhaps I will be able to get back there this next weekend for some better shots. Do zoom in to see some of the detail.

Watching The Watchers

The Sand Hill Cranes have arrived to the Delta area, and last Saturday morning, a good number of people gathered to watch them sit in a field around 1/2 mile away. There was a moment of excitement when the flock took off rose a few hundred of feet, then settled down a bit closer to continue eating. The birds were really too far away for the casual observer to get too excited, but it was fun to watch the people who where there. It was obvious they were very enthused about the flock, and I hear of one person who even slept in her car to get an early start watching them. Since it was in the 20's that morning, you know she is into the hobby!

My understanding is that this is the last stop as a large flock in a northern migration, and from here they spread out around the north west US and Canada. I was able to get one pic that will give you an idea of what they are like, and I will post it tomorrow.

He has Risen!

These three trees remind me that the old wooden cross, one of the cruelest ways man has ever devised to kill someone, was not enough to overcome the love of God. Today, some 2000 years later, much of Delta will still be celebrating the fact that "He has Risen Indeed"!

Happy Easter Everyone!

A Good Place To Sit

If your looking for a good place to sit and watch the Grand Mesa, I think I may have found it!

Frosty Fields

Another cold morning in Delta, and frost covers the freshly plowed fields. Spring approaches slowly but surely.

Morning Surprise!

Just when you think it is safe to start up the sprinklers, you get a reminder that this is Colorado, and March & April typically get the most snow fall of the year!

Did You Turn Off the Water?

Ummmmm, I think so.......

Fruit Growers Reservoir

A few miles to the NE of Delta sits Fruit Growers Reservoir, and this is the time of year when the Sand Crane migration stops there as the birds move north. We headed out this morning to see them leave, but alas, it was a bit cold, and they did not come in last night. It was a beautiful morning in any case, and I was able to get a few shots I suspect you will like. Notice the ice still out in the middle of the water.

Sorry for the lack of posts, I was in Beverly Hills on business all last week, but I am back home now.

Don't Leave Your Kids at Mocca Joes!

Unless of course you want a hyper kid & puppy :)

Bigger Truck Needed

Don't you just hate it when you get out that spare tire for the first time, and it does not fit!

Mesa Watch

I know I post a large number of pictures of Grand Mesa, but it is very hard to have the worlds largest flattop mountain right outside of my office window, and not to photograph it. Especially since it changes so often. So rather than run from it, I will embrace it, and institute a Mesa Watch so every so often you can see what the mesa is up to :)

1907 Hillman's

So the questions is, what does this mean, and I am not sure. It could be something to remember John E. Hillman of Delta, Delta County, and a member of Republican National Committee from Colorado, 1932-40 (Google is great), a somewhat permanent advertisement for a 1907 Hillman automobile, or something completely different. Does anyone know?

339 Main St

Even though I spend my life in front of computer screens, I still love the old Neon signs.

Night Life

Delta is not exactly known for it's night life, but the lightning in this store front did catch my eye. Lights are on, but nobody's home.

A Port in the Storm

One of Delta's larger employers is a company called WeatherPort, and Delta is the headquarters for the company. They make these tent like enclosures that are used around the world. Perhaps you have seen one, and now you know where it came from!