The peaks of the Estrella Mountains at dawn, never mind the record-breaking midday temps:

Our host family has three beagles.  Strangely, they frequent the outdoors in the afternoons, often lying directly in the sun.

scorpion hunting

We went on our first scorpion hunt!

Scorpions glow in the dark when you shine black light on them, because of a substance in their exoskeleton.  Ranger Tippy said that bugs can see ultraviolet light, which makes them attracted to scorpions.  The scorpions glow like a nightlight, and when the bugs come near, the scorpions can snatch them and eat them.

This was also the weekend my college roommate Katie happened to visit.  We had forgotten to tell her about the night scorpion hunt, so she didn't know to pack shoes.  We didn't really want her hunting in sandals so Andy offered her his tennis shoes and our host dad offered her his military combat boots.  We decided that the combat boots had more of a fashion flair (especially with jean shorts) but that the tennis shoes were less likely to flop around.

Off we went at 8:00 p.m.!  Most of the hunters were little kids, and Ranger Tippy made sure they stayed on the path.   (Scorpion bites in this area are only lethal if you are under 65 pounds and if it's from a little scorpion; the little scorpions are more poisonous.)

We were trying to beat our record of 23 scorpions in one hunt.  We all crowded around when we spotted the first one and watched it squiggle around in the dust.  We were pretty excited about the prospects but we only ended up finding 13.  Anderson found one of them, and thank goodness I found one a while later (so we were equal).

This event helped assuage trepidation of scorpions felt by someone in the family.  It showed that scorpions are not swarming the house in ranks, let alone the desert.  We can now take our sidewalk strolls in the dark without fear of scorpions, never mind the beetles scuttling all over the place in various shapes and sizes.  They don't bother us anymore.

First night coming into the Valley of the Sun

Caroline and the bear

I was waiting and waiting to see bears this week  in Colorado.

The cabin owner said we should look out for them, so I was sure we would see them.

Andy warned me about the bears the night we got to Colorado.  I was not actually excited at first.  This is no fear founded on experience, but I am actually afraid of bears.  I think the only time I was ever near one in the wild, my grandma sighted it, and I was so scared I turned around and ran and didn't even see the bear.

Darkness settled in around the cabin.  I realized, a bear could easily clamber up on the deck and come right in through the screen doors.  So, we had better shut the doors.

Then I realized, what's to stop a bear from coming in right through the window?  Bears could smash a glass pane with a swipe of the paw.  Probably all the creakings and rustlings around the house were bears waiting to come in.

Long story short, we made it through the night.

The next morning, I decided to go out for a run.

As soon as I saw the three deer prancing around in the front yard, I remembered about bears.  At first I almost decided not to go outside.  Then I realized, the deer were probably a safe sign.  (Deer wouldn't want to be anywhere near where the bears are.)

Long story short, I made it back safely.

The whole week I kept looking for bears, but (long story short), I didn't spot a single one.

I realized I was actually going to be disappointed if I didn't see a bear.  But by the end of the week, I had almost given up hope.

Until the very last morning...

BEAR ON DECK!

historic schoolhouse

Pagosa Springs, CO.

I could teach here...maybe.

Now kids, quit looking out the window!

front porch

We don't generally keep roses on our porches, or anywhere else, in Nebraska.  They were put there because the picture gives a very pleasant impression to other people, and, as it nicely turns out, to the picture-taker too.

However, might we all agree that front porches have something of the idyllic about them?