Bents Old Fort

The end of corn harvest always puts our family in a mood for adventure.  We decided to travel to Bents Old Fort, located just outside of La Junta, Colorado.  Three hours in the vehicle was well worth a step back in history.  The fort is located on the Arkansas River in a picturesque setting surrounded by giant cottonwoods and wetlands.  Cattle and horses graze in open range and a few chickens and peacocks have access inside and out the fort.  Tyler was in his element.  Sunshine and river bottom makes my oldest extremely happy.  Travis was worn out by the end and fell asleep in Dustin's arms.  

History and Culture        http://www.nps.gov/beol/historyculture/index.htm

"William and Charles Bent, along with Ceran St. Vrain, built the original fort on this site in 1833 to trade with plains Indians and trappers. The adobe fort quickly became the center of the Bent, St.Vrain Company's expanding trade empire that included Fort St.Vrain to the north and Fort Adobe to the south, along with company stores in Mexico at Taos and Santa Fe. The primary trade was with the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians for buffalo robes.

For much of its 16-year history, the fort was the only major permanent white settlement on the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican settlements. The fort provided explorers, adventurers, and the U.S. Army a place to get needed supplies, wagon repairs, livestock, good food, water and company, rest and protection in this vast "Great American Desert." During the war with Mexico in 1846, the fort became a staging area for Colonel Stephen Watts Kearny's "Army of the West". Disasters and disease caused the fort's abandonment in 1849. Archeological excavations and original sketches, paintings and diaries were used in the fort's reconstruction in 1976."

Corn Harvest 2014

Every year I document our corn harvest.  It's a big deal in our household and exciting with the giant equipment the guys drive.  The combine itself is a corn eating green machine. I shot the pictures in two sessions and was lucky to have golden light bathe the field in the first shoot.  The boys were well bribed and they gave me some great smiles.  Daily we deliver meals to the field and the boys get to watch the operation. They are beginning to understand the importance of this annual event.  

Goodbye October

The camera on my phone is so small and my slr camera is so big that most of my life is documented on Instagram.  Late September I made salsa verde out of all the green tomatoes that had yet to turn.  I like to can during the Summer but prepping for my art show prevented using my garden to the fullest.   This years garden was a eating garden but lack of heat produced few red tomatoes.

We also learned a valuable lesson late sept.  My boys are extremely allergic to wheat dust, especially Tyler.  They both hacked and coughed all night long.  Vapor Rub on feet and the humidifier was applied and we survived the night.

The end of October feels like the busiest time of the entire year.  Halloween and Tyler's birthday are a week long event.  Tyler's b day present was a really cool bunk bed and an invitation to a friend for a sleepover.  We also celebrated our friends two year old birthday and I had the pleasure of sketching his cute expression.

All in all October was very busy and very fun.  Goodbye October till' next year :)