Cherry Creek in the Rain

Laura Domela — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:48:29 +0000

It rained all night and it's supposed to rain all day. It's been 90 degrees most days that we've been here, so the rain is welcome (even though I left the chairs out last night and they're soaked.)

For the first time in a long time, the humidity shown on the little weather station in the Airstream is double digits!

I put the awning up (slanted, of course) and turned the chairs over so they have some chance of drying before we have to put them in the car and head to Texas tomorrow morning.

More Annoying Yippy Dogs

Laura Domela — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:25:58 +0000

What is wrong with people? They pull into this beautiful, quiet park in their motor home with a car following, they park and get set up, open all the windows, and take off, leaving several little yippy dogs inside that have now been barking solid for about two and half hours. Do they picture their little angels resting silently under the dinette table, dreaming about chasing birds? Has no one ever told them that their dogs bark the WHOLE TIME THEY'RE GONE??? Lordy.

Okay so anyway, I went out to the truck for something and there was an older woman walking past and I guess she noticed me looking in the direction of the noise, and she walked over and started chatting with me. We commiserated. She is in the RV between me and the yippy dogs and was reading happily outside until her new neighbors showed up. Today was her reading day. Yesterday was her biking and walking day. It's so loud and annoying that she had to go inside and close the door so she could keep reading. We got through the initial "How inconsiderate!" part of the conversation and I learned that she and her husband are from the Lakewood area near here, but come to this park often because they've gotten older and don't go as much to the more boondocky/out-of-the-way places they once did.

She told me she has a special connection with this place because her family lived on a farm when she was a little girl (4 or so) that used to be part of this park before they built the dam to keep Denver from occasional flooding. She told me that she used to go to the Melvin School — a one-room schoolhouse built in 1922 — its original location was over near the edge of the lake/reservoir here in Cherry Creek State Park. (Click map to enlarge.) More here at the Cherry Creek Valley Historical Society. (She said she originally thought the schoolhouse site was underwater, but that they reviewed some maps and figured out that it was not underwater, just near the water's edge.)

In 1949 when they started preparations for building the dam, they moved the Melvin School to another location over near Smoky Hill High School (see on map). She's been able to visit both the original intact schoolhouse, as well as the original site of her old schoolhouse, while staying in this campground. It was such a sweet story.

The dogs are still barking, however.

Update: Ranger is sitting in his car outside the yippy dog campsite.

And now has left their owners some sort of note (ticket???):

And look! More deer in our campsite:

Airstream Love

Laura Domela — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:32:22 +0000

I'm really enjoying and feeling thankful for my sweet little environment here and thought I'd take a few pics to share.

It's a beautiful evening and I stayed outside reading on my iPad until it was completely dark.

Cherry Creek – Riveted

Cherry Creek in the Rain

More Annoying Yippy Dogs

Airstream Love