Labor Day Fun

Again I have an entry with no pictures. I'll try to get some pictures later this week to add to this entry.

We spent the morning today helping Betty's Dad with his yard work. His home is up a little hidden driveway in Bear Creek canon. I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. There are hiking trails going from Dad's home to the mountains in several directions. When he was younger, it was not uncommon for him to take twelve mile walks into the mountains west of Colorado Springs. There is a small creek at the bottom of the canon and a line of trees that follow it. Above the house is Gold Camp Road which was cut into the mountains by Japanese nationals during the Second World War.

Betty's parents purchased the home in 1964. The living room of the house is 200 years old. Each occupant of the home has done something to improve it just as Betty's parents have. They converted a small patio into a second bedroom. They added vinyl siding. They replaced an old kerosene heater with a furnace. They added a couple of terraces on the hillside behind the house. They added a gas insert into the stone fireplace. This unique little house has been a perfect home for Dad for the last forty four years.

When Dad was younger, he was not fond of yard work, but he kept everything clean and repaired. The road into the residence ascends a steep little hill that can be a real challenge during the winter months. For many years, Dad maintained an upper road that had a more gentle incline. Since his health has declined, he was unable to continue the work on the road. That road, just like Dad, has declined in health over the years. It is no longer passable in a regular vehicle.

It was fun today to spend some time with Dad in his little mountain retreat. It looked nice and clean by the time we left and I think Dad enjoyed working with us to get it in shape again.