Snowmass - Ocober

What a superb time of year to be getting back. Seems we missed little of the Autumn colours which for the first few days of our return were brilliant. Colder weather and gusty winds set in though and changed the scene rapidly. Aspen leaves tumbling in spectacular fashion.

Our little buddy Sergio playing a soccer match for Aspen against Basalt

M on the North Rim trail about to go into the newly opened 4 mile Seven Stars trail

This fellow with a fine rack was unperturbed.  Deer not elk.

on the summit of the North Rim trail

Showing form on the Seven Stars trail

On the Rio Grande trail on our way to Carbondale for breakfast

My bowl buddy Peter and his wife Linda outside their house in Carbondale

The big seven zero

After some pressure from some quarters ( no names mentioned ! ), I started to organise this a year ago.  Sort of event one should be thinking as little as possible about.  Life just beginning isn't it ?

The most important guest at the dinner at the New Club, Edinburgh

neither Martha nor Duncan yawning quite yet

Thank you for being there kids !

Keith, Katy, Richard, Duncan, Meghan, Rosalind, Mary, George, Chris, Jane, Barbara, Bill, Marianne, Jean, Anna, Johannes

earlier in the day.. Meghan, Mary, Martha Richard & Rosalind at the AWR indicator on summit of Allermuir in the Pentlands

followed by a pub lunch at Flottertone Inn and paddler splashing thereafter

....preparing for the paddle splashing

The following day.  Meghan and Duncan with me on the last 2 Munrtos of 2016 beside Loch Tay

Joining up with Katy, Oli , Maggie and Mary at Dunkeld where we went separate ways.

later in the week  .. M with Anne and Lorna at Bonaly about to walk through to Flotterstone

The cousins get acquainted in Aviemore. Duncan, Anna, Oli, Jane, Johannes and Maggie

Ireland

We're getting to know French Park and downtown Ennis pretty well now. An excellent location for a visit to the Ryans and just across the road from their Vet practice ( and 10 minute drive from their house by Dromoland.  It worked a treat from everyone's point of view.

The visit a great success and a bonus was that it gave Meghan a chance to fly over to Inverness for a weekend with J & J and her new niece.

They've recently renovated the upstairs floor to create 2 self contained flats producing decent additional income

The little flower bed that M and I have had fun planting and nurturing

Coull Park. Will be good snowboarders one day. Sorry, meant skiers !

Keep the weight over the skis !

Angus just happy to admire the feats of his siblings

Now , how to get down ?

Out on the cliffs beyond Liscannor, Co Clare

Development potential ?

Angus thinks so

.... and back at Ballygirreen and familiar territory

... better to be driven though - and pushed , better still

A 4 bike expedition on a most beautiful stretch of coast on South Galway Bay, just north of Ballyvaughan

an amused , if haughty, audience

Inverness

Anna continuing to make her presence, quite rightly, an important one ! Jane and Johannes have warmed to the task like old timers. And they seem to be loving it albeit sleep deprived.

We had a memorable visit with 2 epic day expeditions to Findhorm and Cromarty respectively. Anna was a dream baby on both days.

Johannes and I managing to sneak in a few holes .......

........ leaving the 3 girls to go on an expedition on their own !

Taking a break

our friends Lynn and Chris at Findhorn

Jane, and a mum of only 5 weeks, about to say to me  - how about it dad ?

Let's go !

...and the result

Great auntie Barbara in her element - almost

Expedition no. 2. To Cromarty. Note stunning weather. Another delightful pub lunch, a walk with Anna and a visit to NTS'  Hugh Miller's Cottage

Munro bagging

Hit the ground running this time .  We flew over together , and after meeting Barbara for breakfast at Edin airport, drove straight to Inverness to meet for the first time 5 week old Anna. What a bundle of joy. Left M with J & J and Anna and the following morning set off to join "Yorkshire" at Arrochar for our annual meet. 

Met Keith at Killin and climbed with him Meall Ghaordaidh.  He drove back to Edin and I went on to the Village Inn,  Arrochar . 3 more great days on the hills followed.

Keith waiting for me in Glen Lochay

The summit of Meall Ghoaordaidh

John Ashworth at start of a long 4 Munro day

Looking to summit of An Casteil

Coming off Munro 4 to clearing skies

With Rod on way up Ben Vane

Truly hefted

August in Aspen

Missing the first 2 weeks of the music festival as we did with that magnificent family holiday in Kiawah,  our summer in Colorado was shorter than usual.

We enjoyed greatly our lodger music student Norman Huynh , a student conductor who has just been appointed associate conductor of the Oregon Symphony in Portland. What a privilege for us. A lot of great concerts and of course the opera scenes masterclasses on saturday mornings was the icing on the cake.

Lots of good mountain biking in September before heading off to see our new grandbaby, Anna, in Inverness in the middle of the month.

The bike in to the start of the hike to Petroleum Lake

Grizzly Reservoir

Anderson lake - weather about to change dramatically before we got to Petroleum lake

Made it - just . Petroleum Lake. Very remote.

This guy was perched on a tree right above our house for most of a day.  Research indicated he was waiting to pounce on  a flock of humming birds that we've been feeding for months !

On her way to her first professional gig. A memorial service in Aspen.

The Buick in trouble.  Don't write her off quite yet though.