February 27, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Moose Hunting in Alaska with Eider Duck

My Alaska cousin, Eider Duck, went moose hunting. He sent us these photos. Eider and his humans drove north on the Dalton Highway.

Eider Duck on the Dalton Highway

These are his human hunters.

Ready to start the hunting trip

They camped in tents in northern Alaska for two weeks in September.

Eider, take care of the humans.

Hunting in northern Alaska requires a variety of vehicles.

These hunting vehicles came here on trailers behind their trucks

This is a sample of the area they visited.

Careful Eider. Don’t get lost out there.

Some of their traveling was near the famous Alaska pipeline. The pipeline here doesn’t look very far from the ground, but it is.

Passing the Alaska pipeline

Eider told me the pipe must me far enough off the ground for herds of caribou and moose to easily pass under the pipeline. Eider and his humans are heading down this road.

Northern Alaska in September with Eider Duck

Eider said he had fun on the hunting trip, but the humans did not see even one moose. The moose also know when it is hunting season. Eider is back home now and ready to go to the grocery store with his humans. The rule of his human hunters: If you shoot it you must eat it. They did not shoot any moose, so there is nothing to eat. A trip to the grocery store will fill the refrigerator this season.

Eider will going to the grocery store soon.

Thanks for the photos Eider. And thanks for telling me about your camping and hunting in northern Alaska last September.

February 25, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum with Zeb the Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, went with mom and her friend to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, Colorado.

Quilt Museum

The third biennial quilt challenge took place here and many of the competing quilts were on display. This quilt, titled Change Begins with a Dream: The Flight of the Magical Lawn Chair won first place.

First place by Bobbi Baugh

Bobbi Baugh of Deland, Florida, made the quilt. Second place was awarded to Living Fossils I by Charlotte Bird, of San Diego, California.

Second place by Charlotte Bird

Charlotte says time, process and change are persistent themes in her work. The third place winner was Amani by Barbara Yates Beasley of Boulder, Colorado.

Third place by Barbara Yates Beasley

Barbara loves animals and asks, Is this cheetah thinking of dinner? We liked these other quilts, also. This is named Tail Feathers.

Tail Feathers by Marcia DeCamp

It represents the bright and layered hues of Pan-American birds against a dark blue sky. Velvet Shadows was another entry in the contest.

Velvet Shadows by Marianne Williamson

Marianne Williamson of Miami, Florida created this quilt. She says: “I dyed, discharged, and painted silk, velvet, and cotton for texture so that the shadows on the rocky hill would come alive.”

The quilt museum has a private collection. These older quilts, from the museum’s collection, were on display. All of these older quilts were hand made. Many of the newer quilts are sewn on machines. This is called Kansas Sunflower from 1935.

Kansas Sunflower

The Kansas Sunflower and other dahlia-style patterns have retained their popularity from the early 1930’s through today, especially in the Midwest. This is New York Beauty from 1896.

New York Beauty

This quilt shows the work of more than one hand. The quilters signed their work in the lower portion of this quilt. We also like Nineteenth Century Tulip from 1897.

Nineteenth Century Tulip by Mildred Johnson

This quilt was completed my Mildred Johnson of Bethel, Ohio. This quilt called Crown of Thorns is from 1880

Crown of Thorns 1880

Information at the time of purchase gave the quilt’s origins as from “Clarksville, TN, Officer’s family, 1880. This quilt, Turkey Tracks, is from 1927.

Turkey Tracks quilt

The information posted at the museum “In the nineteenth century, the turkey tracks pattern was a traditional one for “freedom quilts,” given to young men on their twenty-first birthdays. Great care was taken not to call the block by its other name, Wandering Foot—the recipient might spend his life wandering and never settle down.”

For more information visit http://www.rmqm.org

February 23, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

A Snowy Day in Denver

I, Zeb the Duck, was ready for a day trip to our Rocky Mountains yesterday, but it did not happen. The weather forecast correctly told us that we would receive snow. So, instead of a trip to the mountains, we shoveled the driveway. One of our wonderful neighbors was shoveling our sidewalks by 8:30 a.m. Then we stayed inside and mom baked banana bread. Smelled good and tasted great. We did go outside for a couple pictures.

Fresh white snow

The snow does look pretty here. So white and clean. Now I am on the hot tub cover.

Zeb on the hot tub cover with about 10 inches of snow

I am light enough to sit on top of the snow, but this stick shows a little more than 10 inches of snow. The hot tub is in a corner of our yard, against the house, so the rest of the yard may have received more or less. As mom is writing this Sunday evening, it is snowing again. We do not have the snowstorms other parts of the country received this year, but this enough for us for now. We hope you are enjoying your winter and seeing some pretty snow as well. It should be sunny again in a couple days.

February 21, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

More Fun at Winter Park Resort with Zeb and Soapy in 2015

Yesterday, I, Zeb the Duck and Soapy Smith Duck, took you to Winter Park Resort.

We are here!

Today we will show you more of this great Resort. After we left the ice skating pond, we saw this.

We like this musical instrument

Humans can play this instrument and make music. We ducks really like to hear the musical sounds. Further into the Village, we reached the ski slopes.

Skiers and Snowboarders

We watched the skiers and snowboarders. Here they are, coming down the slope.

Skiing down the hill

We saw adults with regular length skis.

Adult size skis

They we saw smaller humans with the shorter skis.

Shorter humans with shorter skis

After the humans come down the hill, some of them head for the chair lift to go back to the top, and some remove the skis and snowboards while resting, eating or shopping.

Skis and snowboards are temporarily placed here

There are many places to shop here.

We went inside these stores. We saw great stuff

And there are condos in the same buildings. That is very convenient for the humans. Some humans want private skiing lessons, so this is the place.

Private lessons here. And a resting area

Or, this is also a great spot to just sit, rest and watch all the people. Soon, many people are tired and finished for the day. Now it is back to the parking lots to drive back to Denver, or to go to a condo and prepare to do it all again tomorrow.

Finished for today

Colorado is a great place for skiing and snowboarding, but we wanted to show you that there is so much more to do in Colorado’s mountains during the winter. For more information, visit http://www.winterparkresort.com We hope you enjoy Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this winter.

February 20, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Winter Park Resort with Zeb and Soapy: Winter of 2015

Today, I Zeb the Duck and Soapy Smith Duck, went to Winter Park Resort.

We are here!

This resort is so much more that just a ski resort. Leaving the parking lot we decide to ride the Village Cabriolet.

We are going to ride on this

This free sky ride takes us to the village.

We love riding over the snow

From the sky ride we see the lanes for humans to ride in big inner tubes.

Humans go tubing here

And look at this: another moving sidewalk to carry humans and tubes to the top for another ride.

Easy way to return to the top

This moving sidewalk is even enclosed. Extra protection for rainy or snowy days. What a great idea! Arriving in the village, we like this chair made from skis.

This chair announces the ski resort

This wagon, and others, are for humans to carry tired children, tubes, skis snowboards, etc.

Everybody loves red wagons

That is really convenient! Isn’t this Coca Cola Bear just perfect?

Our friend!

We love him. Snowboarders need a safe place to leave their snowboards while they rest, eat or shop.

For snowboards

Remember we are in the mountains in the winter and it is snowy and cold.

To warm your feathers, or hands

This fire pit feels nice, so warm and cozy. This skating pond is wonderful for beginners.

To help new skaters keep they balance, or ride

Humans can ride on these, hold on to them for balance, or give the little humans a ride. There are also experienced skaters on this pond.

Maybe some time we can ice-skate.

There are so many more things to show you at the village at Winter Park Resort. We will have more pictures tomorrow, even showing you some skiers and snowboarders. See you tomorrow at Winter Park Resort.

February 19, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

The Year of the Goat/Sheep

Happy Chinese New Year!!

This is the year of the Goat or Sheep. According to Chinese astrology, each year (starting from Chinese New Year) is associated with an animal sign, occurring in a 12-year cycle. This year, 2015, is the Year of the Goat.

For those born in the year of the Goat (1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015), your lucky colors are brown, red and purple. Your lucky numbers are 2 and 7. Your lucky flowers are carnation and primrose.

The personality of those born in the year of the Goat is described as calm and gentle. You are generally believed to be gentle, mild-mannered, shy, stable, sympathetic, amicable and brimming with a strong sense of kindheartedness and justice. We ducks like humans with these personality traits.

February 18, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Tubing and Snowmobiles near Winter Park, Colorado

Today Zeb and Soapy went to Colorado Adventure Park to enjoy the snow and Colorado sunshine. First we stopped at the Tubing and Snowmobile Tours building.

Ducks waiting for moms to go inside

These snowmobiles look like we could have fun here.

This is a big snowmobile. Too big?

They are big, but we are ready to go. But wait… these are more our size.

This one is better for us. Let’s go moms

Now we are ready to ride. We can go tubing also. This hill is a better size for two rubber ducks.

Our first tubing experience

It was fun! The humans can practice on this hill and then come down this bigger hill on the tubes.

Bigger hill for human tubing

Now they are down, how do they get back up to ride again?

So easy. Save energy for tubing downhill again.

Look at this moving sidewalk. This is great for humans and ducks. We like this place, but even with the bright Colorado sunshine, we are getting a little cold. This fire pit area is just perfect for warming our feathers.

Warmth of fire feels so good!

We really had fun here today. We hope you will try tubing and snowmobiling this winter.

February 17, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Happy Mardi Gras 2015

Today is Mardi Gras. We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks and our humans, wish you a very pleasant day. According to Wikipedia, Mardi Gras meaning Fat Tuesday in English, refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Epiphany or King’s Day and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”, reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

Popular practices on Mardi Gras include wearing masks and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades, debauchery, etc. Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other European languages sharing the Christian tradition, as it is associated with the religious requirement for confession before Lent begins. In many areas, the term “Mardi Gras” has come to mean the whole period of activity related to the celebratory events, beyond just the single day.

February 16, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Twin Rivers Condo in Fraser, Colorado

I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, went to our condo near Winter Park, Colorado.

We love coming to Twin Rivers

This is very exciting for us because this is where we joined our human family and became the Colorado Traveling Ducks. This is the first time Zeb and Soapy have visited in the winter. This is a big pile of snow in our parking lot.

Brrr

We are happy that the parking lot had been plowed. After unpacking, we headed to the indoor recreation area.

More fun inside

This hot tub is great.

We are ducks and we love water

Sure feels good after sitting on that snow pile. After the hot tub we played a few video games and then tried the sauna.

Rather hot in here

This was the first sauna for these traveling ducks, and we liked it; but not too long mom. We could melt. We wanted to follow the path along the Fraser River. This is our regular walk when we come here in the summer. However, looking at this pile of snow, it is not summer now.

Lot of snow here. Cold snow!

As we walked along the river, it was cold and there was snow, but the river was not frozen solid.

Frozen in places

No ice-skating here today. We really like to see the river frozen in places and the water flowing freely in other places.

Only partly frozen

We think the river looks like a post card. Steve, Soapy’s dog, is telling us it is time to go home and she is leading the way back to the condo.

We are coming Stevie

Back inside, we warmed in front of the fireplace and enjoyed the view from the windows. Soon Zeb and Soapy wanted to sit on the railing of the deck.

One of our favorite places

This is a favorite place for ducks to sit whenever we are staying at the condo. Tomorrow our moms are taking us out to another recreational area of Winter Park. We hope you will come back and see where we go next. We like Fraser and Winter Park, Colorado and we think you would like it also.

February 14, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Happy Valentine’s Day 2015

The Colorado Traveling and their humans wish you a Very Happy Valentine’s Day.

A sweet treat

We love you all!

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