A discovery

While sitting out back in Fort Collins, I was happy to make a surprising observation...

We have amazing sunsets here in Colorado sometimes!!!

This was definitely the best one so far.  Hope something unexpectedly nice happened in your day, too!

The flakes keep flying

We don't expect to post every time there's a snowfall in Laramie or Fort Collins, but since this is the first Wyoming snow we've seen since late May, it seemed noteworthy.

Anyway, here's what you missed, depending on whether you like to be inside our outside during snowstorms!

Visitors!

This week, Charlotte and I were very excited to have our first visitors here in the West-my Mom Mom and Pop Pop!  We were happy to spend two days exploring together, and kicked things off by checking out Charlotte's turf at the University of Wyoming.

Then we headed off to Vedauwoo at 8,600' to take a little stroll...

...and work on mountain goat impressions.

Following all this activity, we headed to downtown Laramie, which has, among other things, very large salads!

On the second day, we headed south to Fort Collins to explore my neck of the woods.  We all managed to keep out of the planters while strolling around "Old Town"...

...but this critter (a "painto horse," according to Pop Pop...haha) proved too much to resist.  

We concluded our tour by visiting my turf at Colorado State University, and it was a nice ending to a great visit.

Anyway, we know who our first visitors were...will you be next?

A first in Fort Collins

For those of you who aren't here with us in Fort Collins this weekend (which unfortunately is all of you), we thought you might like to see the surprise we woke up to this morning!  It's been a nice and cozy way to start our weekend.  

We hope you're having a great (and maybe slightly warmer) weekend wherever you read this!

A fall from 7,200' can be painful...

...or it can be pretty!  Charlotte and I were sitting inside our apartment the other day (that's where we live in Wyoming, if you ever need to find us), when we looked out our window...

and realized that, by golly, fall has arrived!  Not only are we doing "fall-y" activities when we get the chance (and shivering in the mornings), but it even looks like fall outside!

Unlike most places in Wyoming (and Laramie), which have no trees, we are lucky to live in the "Tree District," which does.  Better yet, they change color in the fall!  

Best of all, some of the trees in our neighborhood are nice and big, so there are lots of leaves to look at!

Happy fall from Laramie!  It's doesn't quite compare to the Northeast, but it's definitely not too shabby.

Tour de Coop

Speaking of fall activities here in Laramie, Charlotte and I recently had the good fortune to attend "Tour de Coop," which was easily the most adorable agricultural event we've attended in a long time.  The event is premised on the idea that people would like to look at adorable chickens and see some different chicken coop designs.  Actually, we got to see lots of innovative chicken ideas, including an old bed frame repurposed as a movable chicken pen/tractor.  Brilliant!

As you can see, we were hardly the only attendees (though Charlotte was a particularly enthusiastic chicken observer).

Anyway, enough about the people and the coops...here's what you really want to see-the stars themselves!  We were treated to views of adorably peepy chicks...

...a flock of runner ducks with a mountain view...

...and some chickens with fancier accommodations than most college students.

All in all, a great time was had by people and chickens alike, and we're already eager for next year's tour!  Only 11.5 more months!

The Cowboys Go 0-3

We know-you were expecting a post about Manitou Springs.  Somehow, a few weeks slipped past, and in the meantime it's begun to feel pretty darned fall-ish around here!  So, while we'll share photos from the awesome town of Manitou Springs with all of you in the future, here's a more seasonally appropriate blog post.

GO COWBOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Sorry.  We're still filled with adrenaline after attending the University of Wyoming football game yesterday and watching their thrilling...defeat.

The Cowboys tried everything.  In addition to the epically ominous introduction at the beginning of the game ("...a land where outsiders gasp for breath"), there were not-so-subtle reminders of the altitude everywhere (i.e. "you may be in shape at sea level, but good luck here")...

...and even a marching band that can spell (i.e. "We can spell!  Be intimidated!")!

Unfortunately, none of this was enough to fully compensate for...talent.

Nonetheless, we had a great time, and definitely enjoyed spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon in the great outdoors!

Now that we're in the fall spirit, we hope to have more to share with you in the coming weeks.  Have a great rest of your weekend until then!  And enjoy this sunset view we were treated to while dejectedly leaving the stadium yesterday.