I had to renew my WFR most of the last weekend, but it gave us a chance to have some friends over for dinner. With COVID disrupting much social interaction until recently, the simple pleasure of having friends over for dinner seemed poignant. A glass of wine or two, some chili, homemade cornbread, and dessert make a simple meal in many ways but shared with friends throughout the evening somehow makes it taste that much better.
The weekend also allowed us to meet up with some other friends who recently moved to Cortez, CO. Anna and Willie both worked in the NPS with Joan, took positions elsewhere in Montanna just before COVID hit, and now Anna works for the BLM in Cortez. We’ve always enjoyed their company, and it’s great to have friends relatively close by to visit and meet up with at places we often find ourselves near during our weekend excursions.
We met at a prominent place in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. A home still situated among farms, and, in some ways, the land still gets used in much of the same manner as 1000+ years ago.
The nearby town of Dove Creek, which I mentioned in a recent news article, even sells beans similar to what grew in the area long ago. And, alas, as long ago, drought has again come to the site.
But on a quiet Sunday, it’s enough to see friends again. To catch up, show them something Joan and I both enjoy seeing. And, being Joan and me, show them some places accessible in plain sight most people don’t see at all. 🙂
The nearby and no-longer-used ranch road showed obvious use from hundreds of years ago, and the nearby canyon has the signs of pueblos.
Naturally, any objects got placed back where we found them.
A mellow day where we didn’t go many miles, but we certainly saw much.
PCO Joan
And we saw signs of other locals making a yearly fall mating migration, too.
Joan and I hope this is the first of frequent visits we make with our dear friends.