Can you guess where I was on Memorial Day?

We've been taking the dogs out and away for walks on the weekends. We tried Teller Trail but no dogs allowed where we wanted to go, so went to Walden Ponds in East Boulder. This is a place that took me several visits to really appreciate. It's basically some holes in the ground that were strip mined, then allowed to filll with water to make a wetland area. In the dry winter, it can seem pretty desolate. During drought, it's downright sad. But right now, the ponds are full and lots of birds are visiting. The most noticeable ones are the big white pelicans with those black tips. They look like swans but their beaks give them away. There are lots of duck families, too - we counted 4 sets of parents and ducklings just at the Wally Toevs pond. The Continental Divide views are always breathtaking but this time of year, there is more to see that is close to hand that entertains.

The birds woke me up at 5am this morning just as the sun began to lighten the sky - just barely. Just a few birds, not enough to inspire me to get out of bed. The real inspiration came at 6am when the whole avian chorus arrived. This has to be the best time of year, when the days are getting warmer but there is no threat of overwhelming heat.

For our 25th anniversary last year, we went to Cambria, CA and stayed at the Cambria Shores Inn. We found it at this Dog Friendly website though we didn't take ours. It's a beautiful area that I don't hear about very much. I did hear a passing mention of it on an old episode of Six Feet Under.

Now I'm collecting gentile acknowledgements.

"My pleasure"
"The pleasure is mine."
"Pleasure"

Stuff like that.