What a way to end 2009 by taking a snow cat tour up to the top of the ski runs to enjoy a panoramic view at Winter Park Colorado.
Lesleigh, Les and me at the top of the mountain with the valley's behind us and a wind blowing temperatures well into the minus 20 degrees C. Breaking above the tree line in Colorado happens at this height of 10800ft. It is also very chilly but dressed as we were it was no problem. (The secret is layers of clothing and we had many on)
On Christmas day I was lucky enough to bump into Santa Claus on the mountain, He managed to stop over for a few moments to take a photo with me before dashing off again on his busy schedule.
Before heading out to the ski resort we took Les and Engela to see Mount Evans and from just a few months before at this same spot we took a photo with Stewart and Madeline and it was cool but not freezing and the lake behind us here had ducks swimming around in it. Today it is frozen solid and the ducks were not to be seen.
Lucy, my neighbors daughter turned 5 this year and we had a breakfast celebration at the O'Hearns house across the road. I also had a fantastic birthday this year and Lesleigh pulled out all the stops to host a party for 20 good friends to celebrate the occasion at our house. There was Ostrich for starters, followed with beef curry and vegetable lasagna for mains and malva pudding with ice cream for dessert. What a great evening we had and a good way to start the festivities.
The local pond some 200 meters from our house began to freeze at the middle of November and before the end of the month it was totally frozen.
Now watching the geese landing is a lot more fun as they skate to a halt on the frozen pond. I am sure that they prefer the water to the ice but they are supposed to migrate south in winter. These two obviously missed the memo.
