Exploring in the neighborhood

 The Durango Public Library

Early photo from the internet shows the back of the building, next to the Animas River

The path behind the flowers goes along the river.

The Animas River just visible through the fence to the right.

Internet photo with small trees of the entrance to the library

Taken Aug 8, 2026, the sign is hard to see behind the trees.

Someone was working on these garden features in front of the library.

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I saw an interesting talk was to be given by zoom as well as in person on Sat. afternoon, about early Spanish explorers in this area looking for a good route to California. I signed up for the zoom, but the sound quality left a lot to be desired. And I was glad to not have gone in person to hear the talk, as they handed out fans to everyone because of the heat.

I'll visit this museum when it's cooler!

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Down the street I saw this:

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This photo is from the internet.

There is a Farmer's Market which closes off Main Ave. Saturday morning. I almost went to it...but would have had to climb a steep hill to my car after I was tired, so decided to try it some other Saturday.

I'm good driving around, while breathing with my portable oxygen generator...and can walk a little ways carrying it. This old bod is working to acclimate to the altitude. Plus the air quality has been moderate to poor, getting worse in evenings. Fires and ozone levels are what are reported on the warnings.

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I saw the La Plata County Fairgrounds, and nearby the very big Durango Community Recreation Center

I had a lovely fun visitor outside my window as I composed this on Sunday morning. A female (or juvenile) hummingbird looked in the closed window...at herself in the reflection perhaps. She flew towards the glass, checking it out, then moved on to the next window in the building. I hope she finds some nectar, probably a bit further down than the 4th floor of a brick building!

Sharing with Tuesday's Treasures!

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And speaking of Tom, who frequently shares posts from Rochester NY...I just wanted to mention a newsletter I read (daily?) 

Keith Kron from Keith Kron What Really Matters <keithkron@substack.com>

Keith is a UU minister, who recently moved to Rochester. His comments Monday had to do with how friendly the people are, and different cultures in different cities. 

"In Rochester, the majority of people out on a walk say hello. Or at least nod. That’s not the case in Providence. I’ve been thinking about why.

My continued experience having been to all 50 state and Puerto Rico, ten Canadian provinces, and ten countries is that people are people. It doesn’t matter where you are. Once you get to know them, this is easier to see...."

Now I should watch and form my own opinion of the level of friendliness in Durango, my new home.

 

East by Southwest

 A Japanese restaurant was the chosen site for a combo birthday and thank-you dinner for my son and his wife.

Dinner at the East by Southwest restaurant last night was super. I had tempura shrimp and veggies, Tai had vegetarian sushi, and Kendra had duck spring rolls (I got one) and Ramen with pork. That was after mojitos and edamame and beet fries. We left nary a crumb!  

A trash photo perhaps. I was anticipating delicious food, and my blackberry mojito (without spirits.)

The restaurant was pretty close to where I now live in Durango. My son and his wife often come here to take visitors out to dinner. They say they have a good Mexican and Thai restaurant in Cortez, where they live about 46 miles west of here. We stopped and picked up ice cream to take to the apartment where I served brownies a la mode for desert. (Regular vanilla ice cream!)

Then Tai and Kendra flattened more boxes and took them out for recycling. It makes the place begin to look like its lived in.

A nearby grocery with organic produce.

Yesterday I felt like I was coming down with something. But my son hooked me into his Netflix so I watched Remarkably Bright Creatures...or whatever it is with Sally Field. So lovely. 

So I took it easy, didn't do much, lots of lying around and eating tiny meals. That's what the body seemed to want.

This week's events

 

Me and my Leo friends!

Yes, my windows were quickly closed when the steam engine toot tooted by this morning around 9 am. They go up to Silverton almost on the hour in the mornings. I have less information about return trips because my west facing windows are shuttered by the blinds to keep out the bright sun in the afternoons.

My son, Russ,  is quite proud of his daughter who was in the Washington Post!

What do you think of Olive Oil Ice Cream?

Our air quality has gone down to moderate due to the nearby fires. But our wind is from the NNE so it's not directly coming our way. I went out before 11 (on Wed. when I wrote this) and didn't notice any problem...but I'm still adjusting to the altitude and using oxygen continuously.

It was delightful going out around 8 and not feeling hot at all! Air quality was ok too. (You may have seen some of these photos before if you ever read my musings on my other blog, Inner Workings.)

I got my exercise bringing things in from the car which were purchased the day before, most of the work is hiking down the long hallway to my apartment.

By Wednesday afternoon I could walk without holding onto the railing...and not be completely out of breath. This altitude of 6512 constantly makes my lungs work harder. My apartment is second from the end!

With windows open at dawn, I was cool enough to wear my Alpaca shawl!

I made buckwheat pancakes for last Sunday night supper. They were ok tasting, but crumbled more than regular wheat ones.

Silly little things to adjust to. 

A dark towel works to combat sunlight streaming along the bottom of the bedroom blinds,

I often nap around 2-3 when that sun just blasts against these windows.

The first train of the day is a diesel. The steam engine seems to pull the second one. I don't know if this is the pattern all the time, but it seemed to be this last week.

A nice fortune-teller type forecast! I do hope you have all these things come your way!

Just a grand-pup ( and some bees)

 

 I already shared the Unitarian deer.

My son plays almost daily with my grand-pup, Zora. He throws a ball, she brings it back, over and over again.

Tai with Zora on a back packing  camping trip.

She's happily resting on the remains of her  doll.

And speaking of dolls...

My friend Teresa made sure I'd remember Black Mountain with this little stuffie. "You've got a friend in Black Mountain NC"  Of course the bookshelf didn't remain  empty for long.

I just saw a wonderful mural (among several) by The Good of the Hive. Here's the video.

This beautiful mural is part of Matt Willey's The Good of the Hive mural project: hand painting 50,000 honey bees—the number in a healthy hive—in murals and installations around the world. Located on the former Honey & the Hive building in Weaverville, this beautiful mural was painted in 2016 and still remains on the building (as of Sept 2025 Google Maps).

This mural became a loving tribute to Honey & the Hive founder Sarah McKinney, who sadly passed in 2020.

The mural can be found at 23 Merrimon Ave/US-19 Business.

Sharing with Saturday's Critters