Country Life in the Colorado Rockies
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| In front of the Mancos harvest mural with Paul, Monroe, Mary, Donna, Don |
Organic farming in the Rockies
My siblings and I shared the same parents, but we grew up different from one another and each followed our own path. My baby sister, Mary, became an organic farmer in a breathtaking valley between Mesa Verde and the southern Rockies that she named Confluence Farm.
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| Confluence Farm - where the mighty Mancos River meets Mud Creek Mary and her partner Paul grow organic crops and trade goods and services with other locals. They are lucky to have land on the river and rights to water their crops. Water is even more precious during droughts, like the one happening now, which is exacerbated by climate change that has severely impacted the winter snow and spring melt cycles. Mary is an excellent cook and she dished up fabulous meals from her country kitchen. We feasted on omelets made with local eggs and homegrown spinach, grass fed beef, wild caught salmon, and free range organic chicken. She visits our mom in Vermont twice a year, each time stocking her freezer with delicious homemade meals to last between visits. On Sunday morning we went into town for breakfast at the Absolute Bakery & Coffee (ABC restaurant). Mary's son and my nephew, Monroe, met us there.
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Mary lives intentionally, and she has very few material desires.
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| Mary farms in Mancos |
But she is passionate about the environment.
Mary and Paul recycle everything they cannot reuse - even their toilet paper is made from recycled material and comes wrapped in paper, not plastic. I guess it's time for me to make that change--so long Kirkland toilet paper double wrapped in plastic.
Visit to the Hovenweep ruins
Mesa Verde is visible from Mary's farm and we had hoped to visit, but the international attraction was booked a week in advance and there were no tickets to be found. So we explored an equally intriguing Anasazi ruin called Hovenweep, where stone buildings from 750 years ago still tower over the valley. Here are some of my favorite pictures:
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| Very little is known about Hovenweep Castle |
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| Who lived in this sophisticated stone dwelling? |
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| We hiked all around the ancestral Pueblo ruins |
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| Paul, Mary, and Donna in front of a Hovenweep ruin |
Super Flower Blood Moon Eclipse
We also had a spectacular view of the lunar eclipse called the Super Flower Blood Moon Eclipse. It was a cloudless night and we watched the moon turn red as the eclipse swept across the sky. It was the perfect finale to our visit.
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| The lunar eclipse above the Rocky Mountains |
So great to get an update on Mary and Paul's farm, and see photos of everyone. That's an awesome photo of Mary and Monroe at the cafe. Aren't you glad you made this epic trip across the country, Donna and Don? I love that colorful block print dress you're wearing, Donna. But then I always was a clothes horse, and as your little sister, I wanted to wear everything in your closet. Tee, hee. Your sister, Linda The Clothes Maiden (once upon a time).
ReplyDeleteOnce again, Donna, you captured in words and photos the life and spirit of another of my daughters, this time your sister Mary in Colorado.. I am so glad you got to see Monroe too. You are right about how different my children are from each other, each one in a very special way. If I am remembering correctly. I think you are the only one who has managed to visit all of them. Of course Cam is closest to you in Michigan, and I know you get together on special occasions, but thanks to Sweetpea, last year you visited Bobby in Montana, and this year Linda in New Mexico and Mary in Colorado. This is the answer to this mother's prayers, another way of bringing my family together which is what I have been doing over the years with our reunions. Your blog has made it possible for me and all of us to share these experiences with you and Don I am very grateful.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Mom
It sounds like the perfect visit. How cool that you got to see that special lunar eclipse! We wanted to watch it but we were asleep! There was cloud cover here anyway. 😆
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed this so much! Thank you for taking us all along with you on your travels. It was so wonderful to see so many family members, and heartwarming to see how vibrant and healthy they all are! Looking forward to your next travel blog Mama!
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