The Mesa Falls Marathon has been run and our guests all finished in good shape! The beautiful scenery of the trails impressed the newbies and many said they would be back to stay with us next year! Late check-outs were very much appreciated as our sweaty runners finished the race with the temps in the mid 80s. That is pretty hot given a very bright sun, few clouds and an altitude of about a mile before you head up the hill!
Labor Day weekend, the last big holiday of the season was so busy! Mornings now have a cool edge to them. The hot days of August are gone and autumn is here. The lawns and flower beds survived the heat thanks to Robert’s diligent irrigation efforts. The perennial gardens are now showing off the black-eyed susans,
cone flowers,
with a few last Shasta daisies.
Harvesting is gearing up as well. The back fields of grain are golden and the apple tree branches hang low with fruit. We’ve picked the last batch of raspberries from Uncle Dave’s patch. Monday evening, a road-tired family stopped to stay with us. The kids, a young lady of about 11 and her young 3-year-old brother were anxious to run around a bit before bedtime and were having fun on the lawns. As I worked in my pansy flower bed, she noticed how many apples were on the tree and offered to help pick them. Not being one to turn down help, I grabbed the buckets and we managed to gather about 2 buckets full before it was time for her to go to bed. We selected the best ones for her family and said goodnight. I peeled about half of the rest of the apples that evening and filled the house with the wonderful smell of cooked apples and cinnamon.
Besides a hot cup of coffee, there is nothing like homemade applesauce for breakfast on a cool September morning. Our ancient cottonwood trees are beginning to shed a few leaves. Our guests this time of year enjoy a quieter season in Yellowstone. No summer crowds and hot weather. The beauty of fall colors surrounds us. Travel safely! We’ll see you soon!
