South Park, Spring and Snow........

When I go back through my photos, it always amazes me as to how much we are able to see in such a short space of time (well, since my last blog update).  A picture is worth a thousand words.....and what great memories they provide.....if you click on the photos, they enlarge.
and I found a photo of a mountain range that I loved, that I haven't put in my blog yet...so here is the token mountain.....not far from Grand Junction.....

Stu and I went up for a drive to Fairplay a few weekends ago,  and I could give you lots of important facts on Fairplay and tell you it was a gold mining settlement and is the largest community in the grassland basin of Colorado etc etc,but you're not really interested in that and I have to be honest....we went there because it is is the basis for the town of the TV series South Park.  Again my sophisticated cultural side is being exposed but I must admit, I have NEVER sat through an episode of South Park, even though the rest of the family watch it and it was a little begrudgingly that I went with Stu!

Well it turned out to be a beautiful drive out there...open plains, snowy mountains, ranches, lakes......

We finally arrived at Fairplay (South Park) which was covered in snow, but an interesting looking town. We went to the local supermarket and Stuart swears he was served by Kenny.... (you have to know South Park to appreciate that) and we did see Mr Hanky the Christmas Poo hanging outside a shop!

We had to be back in Denver for a 3pm Nuggets basketball game, so didn't get to see as much as we wanted, but we did go to Antero Reservoir....a few kms off the main road and came across this.....WOW!!

So good to see pelicans.....

 On the way back to Denver, we stopped at a beautiful creek, (they are all beautiful) and it is so therapeutic listening to a creek running, snow on the side, pine trees......and a gorgeous Aussie bloke providing commentary........click on the videos to play them.

We did a quick detour near Red Rocks and saw this scene........sigh.........

and eventually arrived at the Pepsi Centre to watch our first NBA play off game. Rocky the Nuggets mascot was outside hyping the crowd.  He really is a bit of a dude and adds so much to an already excited crowd!

 Our seats were as far back as you could be, but it gave us a great view of the game and crowd, and  the atmosphere was fantastic and the noise....OMG!!! The Nuggets came from behind to win by 2 points on the buzzer...a thrilling game....but unfortunately have since been knocked out of the finals...so we wait till next season.

During the week we got another heavy dumping of snow.  I love it so much...although maybe Joshuah isn't so keen having to walk to the bus stop at 6.40am in it.

Joshuah heading off to school in the morning

 I needed the car that day, so I took Stu to his school.....my first experience of driving in the snow (and there was plenty of snow) and I only did a couple of slides....fortunately I was driving really, really slowly at the time so was in no great danger.

Stu going to school in the snow....

Gentle snow on my face....

I was going to an Elementary school in the Denver area to read to a class of First Graders (Yr 1's).  I had bought some books from home....amongst them was "There was an old lady who swallowed a mozzie, she's gotta be Aussie" and "There was an old bloke who swallowed a chook, he must be crook".  The kids seemed to enjoy the books and hearing our accents and we discussed the differences in words and sounds between them and us.  One of the kids asked me how we say China in Australia....we say "China".  We gave them some Vegemite which most of them politely said they liked.....and some even asked for more. (it wasn't my Vegemite...I'm not sharing that with anyone!!)

Outside the school....

A storm approaching Denver......

One thing I did forget to mention....we went to our first ice hockey game...the Colorado Avalanche are the local ice hockey team...and dare I say....aren't performing as well as the local basketball team...the Denver Nuggets.  It was OK...not quite what I was expecting....and the Avalanche unfortunately lost.

So we have been blessed with lots of snow since we have been here.....and I haven't even mentioned snowboarding....needless to say, there has been plenty of snowboarding happening, so everyone is happy!