Colorado Country Life July 2013 by American MainStreet Publications

[July 2013]

al Unustuions Attrac

Unusual Sites to See

BLACK FOREST FIRE ELECTRIC CO-OP RELIEF FUND Hundreds of our fellow electric co-op members lost their homes and businesses when the Black Forest Fire burned through their community in June. Thousands of others have been affected by the fire. Colorado’s electric co-ops have established a fund to raise support for these co-op members. All funds raised will be donated to a charitable organization working with those affected by the fire. Make checks payable to CEEI*/Black Forest Fire Fund. Send the form on the left with your donation. Keep the one on the right as your receipt. Credit cards cannot be accepted. *CEEI is CREA’s 501.c.3 organization.

Black Forest Fire Electric Co-op Relief Fund

Donation amount $__________________________________

Name:____________________________________________

Date:_____________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________

Name:____________________________________________

City/State/ZIP:______________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________ Phone:____________________________________________

THANK YOU for YOUR

DONATION

Send your donation to: CREA/Black Forest Fund, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216

[contents]

July 2013 [cover] Illustration by Donna Wallin

4 Viewpoint

16 Unusual Sites to See

22 Gardening

5 Letters 6 Calendar 7 Co-op News 12 NewsClips 14 Blowing in the Wind

20 Recipes Ice pops, a cool and toothsome treat

24 Outdoors

Electric co-ops come in all sizes with members whose needs vary

Take a trip off the beaten path in Colorado this summer

for everyone on hot summer days

A snapshot of Plant Selects’ top varieties of plants adds to possibilities Blue-ribbon bluegills a surprisingly feisty and fun fish to reel in

25 Energy Tips

Get the facts on how to save with a mini-split heat pump system

29 Funny Stories 30 Discoveries

The pros and cons of wind power

1,400 550,000

the number of vintage washing machines at the Lee Maxwell Washing Machine Museum

the number of jobs in the U.S due to coal mining. Source: coalfacts.org

1945

the year Mike the Headless Chicken lost his head

COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor@303-455-4111; mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Donna Wallin, Associate Editor; dwallin@coloradocountrylife.org • Amy Higgins, Editorial Assistant/Writer; ahiggins@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING: Kris Wendtland@303-902-7276, advertising@coloradocountrylife.org; NCM@800-626-1181

The official publication of the Colorado Rural Electric Association || Volume 44, Number 06

OFFICERS: Bob Bledsoe [Tri-State] President; Bill Midcap [Fort Morgan] Vice President; Don Kaufman [Sangre de Cristo] Secretary; Jack Schneider [Poudre Valley] Treasurer; Kent Singer [CREA] Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Bill Patterson [Delta-Montrose]; John Porter [Empire]; Don McClaskey [Grand Valley]; John Vader [Gunnison]; Jim Lueck [Highline]; Megan Gilman [Holy Cross]; Dan Mills, Tim Power [K.C.]; Jeff Burman [La Plata]; Stan Cazier [Mountain Parks]; B.D. Paddock [Mountain View]; Debbie Rose [San Isabel]; Eleanor Valdez [San Luis Valley]; Dave Alexander, Kevin Ritter [San Miguel]; Randy Phillips [Southeast]; Jim Jaeger, Ron Asche [United Power]; Bill Jordan [White River]; Stuart Travis [Y-W]; Scott McGill [Yampa Valley]; Basin Electric, CoBank, Moon Lake Electric, Wheatland Electric [Associate Members]

EDITORIAL: Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Phone: 303-455-4111 • Email: mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org • Website: coloradocountrylife.coop • Facebook: facebook.com/COCountryLifw • Twitter: @COCountryLife Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly for $9/$15 per year by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual.

[viewpoint]

Getting to Know Electric Co-ops

Electric co-ops come in all sizes and densities with members whose needs vary BY KENT SINGER || CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR || KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG

Not all electric co-ops are the same. Representatives of the state’s 22 co-ops sit next to each other in the Colorado Rural Electric Association’s boardroom each month. But, they represent different areas of the state, different demographics, Kent Singer industries and socioeconomic levels. These directors decided a year ago that they wanted to learn more about each other’s co-op. So, starting last year, the CREA Board of Directors began traveling to the headquarters of one of the member co-ops for one monthly board meeting a year. These trips are designed to foster a better understanding of the issues that impact each co-op and to encourage interaction between the directors on our board and those on the board of the host co-op, who are invited to participate in the two-day meeting. In addition to holding our board meeting at the local co-op, we also tour some of the facilities that are either operated by the co-op or have something to do with the electric industry. For example, as part of last year’s visit to the headquarters of Sangre de Cristo Electric Association in Buena Vista, the board toured the pumped hydropower facility at Twin Lakes. This year, the CREA board traveled to Glenwood Springs to visit the headquarters of Holy Cross Energy. As part of the trip, we toured the snowmaking facilities at Snowmass Village ski area as well as a barn-like structure that Holy Cross built to conceal one of its substations near Snowmass Village. We also got a chance to tour Holy Cross’ recently renovated headquarters, which includes some of the latest innovations in energy-saving design concepts. These site visits remind us of the incredible diversity of CREA’s members

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 4 July 2013

and the challenges that are unique to each system. The 22 co-ops that are members of our trade association serve over 70 percent of the land mass of Colorado and span the entire state. That means our members provide electric service to accounts ranging from farms and ranches to large commercial manufacturing plants, from suburban homes to ski areas and everything in between. Our members are diverse not only from a geographic standpoint, but also from a cultural, political and economic perspective. Our recent visit to Holy Cross Energy emphasized that point. That central Colorado co-op serves about 55,000 meters primarily in Garfield, Pitkin and Eagle counties. The service territory is relatively compact, with about 18.5 consumers per mile of line, more than twice as high as the seven consumers per mile of line that is the average across the state. In response to the desire of its membership for more renewable energy, Holy Cross has funded rebate programs, initiated two community solar gardens and also enabled biomass and coal mine methane projects. While the membership of Holy Cross supports these types of initiatives, the member-owners of other co-ops have different economic circumstances that may result in more concerns about the basic price of electricity. That was the case with the recent legislative fight over Senate Bill 13-252, the bill that doubled the renewable energy standard or RES for most electric co-ops. Although CREA supported the broadening of the types of resources that would count under the Colorado RES, most of CREA’s members were concerned that the mandate would cause electricity rates to increase.

CO O P E R AT I V E PRINCIPLES

I Voluntary

and Open Membership

I Democratic I Members’

Member Control

Economic Participation

I Autonomy

and Independence

I Education,

Training and

Information I Cooperation I Concern

Among Cooperatives

for Community

This is why we frequently tell the legislature that one size doesn’t fit all: Colorado’s electric co-ops are unique utilities when it comes to member interest in renewables, where their power comes from, load profile and other key characteristics. Co-ops are owned by their members and those memberowners are empowered to elect board directors, attend board and annual meetings and influence the direction of the cooperative. This “hands-on” control of the co-op is one of the key differences between electric co-ops and all other electric utilities. And while there is much diversity among the electric co-ops, what we have in common is far more important than our differences. The commonalities are based on the bedrock co-op principles: nonprofit operation, democratic member control, open membership, return of patronage capital and, most importantly, concern for the communities in which we operate.

Kent Singer, Executive Director

[letters] Remembering Electric Lessons

I got excited when I read the article about “The Story Behind the Switch” (April ’13, Sangre de Cristo Electric Association edition). I remember 25 to 30 years ago when our third grade classes in Buena Vista all studied electricity. Sangre de Cristo Electric had a special morning for us when the linemen took all of the teachers and kids up in the bucket truck and we could see all over town. Vern Kidder came and gave an electricity demonstration. Coletta Sanchez, Buena Vista

Praise for Science Support

I commend the Colorado Rural Electric Association for involvement with the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair. Students spend untold hours in research on their independent science research projects. For CREA to recognize and reward them for their efforts is praiseworthy. For a number of years I worked as a volunteer with the students at the Woodlin Junior-Senior High School on their research projects. For (CREA Executive Director) Kent Singer to be joined by Stuart Travis of Y-W Electric Association as a judge was a wise choice. Mr. Travis is an alumnus of the outstanding Frontiers of Science Institute sponsored annually by the University of Northern Colorado.

WiseSaver Instead of using your clothes dryer, hang your clothes to dry. You’ll save money and energy while keeping your home cooler.

Lois Scott, Lindon

Healing Wounded Warriors

I was very interested in reading about Dave Roever (May ’13). My brother, Raymond Brown, was a World War II veteran living in Azel, Texas, near Fort Worth. He was a good friend of Dave Roever; his stepson piloted Dave around the country then. Raymond was very fond of Dave and we followed his career around the country. My brother died in 2006. I was glad to read Dave’s story and see that he is carrying on his work. Elsie Hargis, Springfield

Got a comment? Something to say? Send your letter to the editor by mail to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org. You MUST include your name and full address. The full address will not be published. Letters may be edited for length. ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 5

[calendar]

[July] July 11 Chama, New Mexico Cinder Bear Express Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 888-286-2737 • cumbres toltec.com

July 13 Ovid Ovid Days Town Park 4:30 pm • 970-520-5587

July 20-21 Elizabeth Elizabeth Celtic Festival Casey Jones Park elizabethcelticfestival.com

July 26-27 Monticello, Utah Pioneer Days Veterans Memorial Park monticelloutahcoc.com

July 13 Rye Mt. Aire Festival Brush Canyon Ranch 719-489-3478

July 20 Grand Lake Buffalo BBQ Rotary Pancake Breakfast Town Park 7-11 am • 970-531-5795

July 27 La Veta Francisco Fort Day Francisco Fort Museum franciscofort.org

July 11 Pagosa Springs Lunch & Auctions Extension Building on Fairgrounds 11:30 am • 970-731-0402

July 13 Beulah Walk Your Dog Hike Mountain Park Environmental Center 9 am • 719-485-4444

July 12-14 Durango Art on the Animas Arts & Crafts Show Santa Rita River Walk 970-247-2117 • fairandphoto@ frontier.net

July 16-20 Grand Junction Mesa County Fair Mesa County Fairgrounds 970-256-1628 • mesacounty fair.com

July 12-14 Palisade Colorado Lavender Festival Palisade Town Park coloradolavender.org/ lavenderfestival July 13-14 Buena Vista Collegiate Peaks Stampede Rodeo Buena Vista Rodeo Grounds buenavistacolorado.org/ calendar.asp July 13-14 Colorado Springs Open Garden Tour Seven Residential Gardens in Southwestern Area elpasoco.colostate.edu/fox July 13 Grand Junction Barbecue and Barbershop: “A Taste of Music” A Taste of Heaven 2817 North Ave. 5:30 pm • grandmesachorus. org July 13 Monument Warriors Float Tube Fishing Tournament Monument Lake 8 am-2 pm • wounded warriorusa.com

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July 20 Poncha Springs Homestead Ranch Guided Tours Hutchinson Homestead Ranch and Learning Center 11 am • 719-539-3160 July 20 Westcliffe WMV Rotary Pancake Breakfast Custer County School Parking Lot 7-10 am • wetmountain valleyrotary.org

July 17 Beulah Circus in the Pines Family Night Mountain Parks Environmental July 20-21 Winter Park Center Pavilion Alpine ArtAffair 7 pm • 719-485-4444 Highway 40 by Post Office 9 am • alpineartaffair.com July 19 Calhan July 20-21 Calhan Pride Day Winter Park Colorado Avenue in Fraser River Valley Lions Club Front of Town Hall Pancake Breakfast 3 pm-12 am • 719-347-2586 Parking Lot Next to Alpine ArtAffair July 19-21 970-531-2978 Cuchara Art Show/Sale July 25 Community Center Dolores 719-742-3565 Behind-the-Scenes Curation Tour July 19-20 Anasazi Heritage Center Durango 2 pm • 970-882-5600 Book and Audio/Video Sale Durango Public Library July 26-28 970-375-3380 Mancos Mancos Days July 20-27 Various Mancos Locations Calhan 970-533-7725 El Paso County Fair El Paso County Fairgrounds www.elpasocountyfair.com/ Pages/default.aspx

July 27-28 Fairplay Burro Days Various Fairplay Locations burrodays.com

[August] August 1-3 Westcliffe Arts and Crafts Fair Hope Lutheran Church 719-783-9138 August 2-4 Crested Butte Crested Butte Arts Festival Elk Avenue in Downtown Crested Butte crestedbutteartsfestival.com August 2-4 Westcliffe Square Dance Weekend Westcliffe School Gym monarch.mavericks@ yahoo.com August 3 Leadville Wildflower Train Tour and Picnic Lunch Healy House Museum and Dexter Cabin 10 am-4 pm • 866-386-3936 August 10 Dolores Escalante Days Mountain Bike Race 5th and Central 9:50 am • 970-564-1400

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS

July 20 Colorado Springs Anniversary Celebration Western Museum of Mining & Industry 719-488-0880 • wmmi.org

TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE TO:

}

Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303-455-2807; or email calendar@coloradocountrylife. org. Items will be printed on a space available basis. For more information on these and other events, visit coloradocountrylife.coop.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop September 2012 11

[newsclips]

Co-op Service Territory Scorched in Black Forest Fire

June’s Black Forest Fire burned through electric co-op territory served by Mountain View Electric, which has offices in Limon and Falcon. The fire, which started June 11, has been named the state’s worst fire, to date, having burned 16,300 acres, consumed 509 homes and taken two lives. There were nearly 11,000 MVEA members without power the second day as the fire damaged lines providing power to five substations owned by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which supplies power to MVEA. Power was quickly rerouted and electricity was restored to 8,000 members within an hour. MVEA crews continued to work around evacuated areas to further restore power to an additional 1,500 members over the next couple of days. MVEA and Tri-State crews were first allowed into the burn area Thursday, June 13, but were then pulled back as the fire changed direction. Tri-State finished its repairs to three sections of infrastructure by Monday morning, June 17, and re-energized its lines. MVEA crews were also granted full access to the fire zone June 17. More than 21 miles of line and 800 poles are in the fire zone and will have to be inspected. Many are completely burned or on the ground. MVEA did have to postpone its annual meeting, which was to have been Thursday, June 13, at Falcon High School. A new date was to have been selected at the June 25 board meeting and is now posted at mvea.org.

Mountain View Electric crews replace charred poles and restore electricity in Black Forest.

GOVERNOR SIGNS SB 13-252

CO-OP BOARD VISITS MICRO HYDROPOWER SITE

Senate Bill 13-252, which doubles electric co-op renewable energy mandates that must be reached by 2020, was signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper Wednesday, June 5. Concerned with the increased requirements and no additional time to meet them, the electric co-ops had asked that Gov. Hickenlooper veto the bill. He decided not to, but did issue Executive Order B 2013-003 creating an advisory committee to review the cost and feasibility concerns of the co-ops.

“We’re not just in the electricity

Members of the Colorado Rural Electric Association Board of Directors visited Snowmass ski mountain near Aspen as part of their May meeting at Holy Cross Energy in Glenwood Springs. Board members had an opportunity to see this 115-kilowatt micro hydropower plant on the mountain. It uses spring snow runoff to generate electricity from May through August. They also toured the snowmaking operation at Snowmass and visited the unique Holy Cross Energy substation.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 12 July 2013

business — we’re in the people business. Our mission is to improve the lives of the memberowners we serve.” Jo Ann Emerson

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jo Ann Emerson addressing the NRECA Youth Day rally

[newsclips]

Electric Co-op Teens Visit Washington, D.C. Last month, 28 Colorado students and three chaperones represented their electric cooperatives in Washington, D.C., at the Youth Tour sponsored by the nation’s electric co-ops. Prior to flying to D.C., the group met Thursday, June 13, at United Power in Brighton. There the students learned about electricity, linemen duties and government before heading to Denver to take a tour of the state capitol. The group then headed out Friday, June 14 and had a weeklong adventure touring some of D.C.’s most compelling attractions, including Mount Vernon, the Holocaust Museum, the Jefferson Memorial and the Smithsonian museums. The Colorado teens were also given a tour of the U.S. Capitol and met some of Colorado’s legislators. The students and chaperones headed back to Colorado on June 20 with great memories and souvenirs of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Colorado electric cooperatives that participated in the Youth Tour included: • Delta-Montrose Electric Association • Empire Electric Association • Gunnison County Electric Association • Highline Electric Association • La Plata Electric Association • Mountain Parks Electric

Pedal the Plains Returns to Ride Eastern Colorado

Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are once again assembling a team of cyclists to participate in the Pedal the Plains cycling event, September 20-22. The Touchstone Energy team will ride to raise money for Energy Outreach Colorado, a nonprofit organization that provides money to Colorado families who have trouble paying their heating bills in the winter. In 2012 the team raised almost $3,500 for the program. Pedal the Plains takes riders through Colorado’s eastern plains where they get acquainted with the culture, history and landscape in the plains’ communities. This year, riders will start in Eads in southeastern Colorado and work their way to Lamar and then La Junta, passing through several other communities along the way. Approximately 1,500 riders are expected to participate. To make a tax-deductible donation to the co-op bike team’s fundraiser, send your name, address and check to CEEI/EOC, CREA/Pedal the Plains, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216. All donations will directly benefit Energy Outreach Colorado.

2013 Colorado Youth Tour delegation at the Einstein statue in Washington, D.C.

• Morgan County Rural Electric Association • Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association • San Isabel Electric Association • San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative • San Miguel Power Association • Sangre de Cristo Electric Association • Southeast Colorado Power Association • United Power • White River Electric Association • Yampa Valley Electric Association

Readers Response

Readers Say No to Paying for Rebates The majority of Colorado Country Life readers are not willing to pay more for their electricity to finance wind and solar rebates for their neighbors. That was the consensus of those responding to an unscientific survey in last month’s magazine. Of those responding, 83 percent said they were not willing to pay even $1 toward rebates for others in their electric co-op. A New Question for Readers When it comes to power lines, substations and transformer boxes, which is more important to you: Cost or aesthetics? Send you answer to info@coloradocountrylife.org.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 13

[industry]

ARE ANSWERS BLOWING IN THE WIND? The pros and cons of wind power BY MAGEN HOWARD

For many, answers to our nation’s energy and climate change challenges lie in the wind. From commercial wind farms to backyard setups, the sky-scraping structures with massive rotating blades have become synonymous with “going green.” At the end of 2012, wind generated about 60,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to serve more than 15 million homes. Wind power production is booming, with output increasing by leaps and bounds over the past several years.

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Costs are dropping for wind power projects, although federal subsidies are still necessary for wind to compete with traditional sources of electricity generation. A January 2012 study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reports it costs between 24 and 39 percent less to produce wind energy on a perkilowatt-hour basis today than it did a decade ago. As of early 2013, 50 electric co-ops either own wind turbines or buy output from wind farms, amounting to 4.3 gigawatts, or about 9 percent of the U.S. wind generating capacity, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Like any resource, wind has pluses and minuses when it comes to generating electricity. Here’s a look at how wind power stacks up.

These wind turbines generate power in Alaska where their use has proven a successful option to burning fuel oil.

Intermittency issues Wind power development opportunities vary greatly throughout the country. It’s viable in many states, ranging from the Great Plains and Midwest as well as the Atlantic Coast, but is limited in the Southeast and Southwest. Yet, even in locations with strong wind resources, an active wind turbine typically only generates 30 to 40 percent of its capacity factor, the total electricity it could generate operating around the clock. A 2010 National Renewable Energy Laboratory survey found less than 1 percent of land in states such as Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia was windy enough to achieve at least a 30 percent capacity factor. Wind is also an intermittent fuel source. The wind doesn’t blow all the time, so electricity generation is not reliable or constant. Energy from wind usually peaks in the early morning hours of the day, when most people are still sleeping. Intermittency means coal- and natural gas-fired power plants must act as backups so electricity continues to flow as needed when the wind isn’t blowing. Backup power sources increase the total cost of wind generation. As of now, technology to store power from renewable energy for later use is still immature and expensive. Wind and other renewable energies could become more valuable as

advancements in energy storage systems are tested. First developed in the 1970s, utility-scale energy storage is becoming more economical on a large level thanks to recent manufacturing breakthroughs that increase the longevity while lowering the cost of batteries. With energy storage, the electricity produced by wind can be used during times of peak demand — the electric utility industry’s version of rush-hour traffic, when power use skyrockets — to avoid purchasing expensive supplemental power. “Energy storage would also reduce the intermittency of wind, which allows for more efficient use of backup generators, among other benefits,” says Doug Danley, the technical liaison on renewable and distributed energy for the Cooperative Research Network. “CRN is continuing to study energy storage systems so that electric cooperatives can best use these technologies to the advantage of their consumer-members.” Once the electricity is produced, moving it from a wind farm to homes can be difficult. Transmission infrastructure may not be available in areas where the wind blows best, and building new transmission lines takes time, money and a lengthy governmental approval process. Before turbines go up, studies must be done to judge the wind’s variability in a given area. And although the sight of a tall, white wind tower may not be as intrusive as other types of power plants, environmental and economic impacts must be assessed. Will the turbine kill songbirds and bats, or disrupt their migratory patterns? Will shipping routes be affected by an offshore wind farm?

Electric co-ops working for you While great strides have been made to incorporate renewable energies such as wind power into America’s electricity generation portfolio, making wind work as a reliable, affordable energy source will take time. Electric cooperatives have long been on the forefront of new technologies and Colorado’s co-ops are no different. They continue to evaluate and implement renewable energy opportunities that work for Colorado members.

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Unusual Sites to See Off the beaten path in Colorado BY JIM WINNERMAN

Vacation

Interested in injecting some unusual fun and unexpected memories into a Colorado summer? Memories that will last a lifetime and may even become a highlight of a day spent exploring the Centennial State? Just stop by some of the lesser-known, offbeat attractions in our state. For example, you may enjoy swinging in to the washing machine museum in Eaton up in northeastern Colorado. Or you might stop by the UFO watchtower outside of Hooper in the San Luis Valley for a different kind of experience. There are museums featuring a prison, rows and rows of saddles, clowns of all kinds, keys of all kinds and more. Admission to these out-of-the-ordinary attractions is usually nominal and frequently free. It is almost certain there will not be a crowd, and whoever is in charge will be happy to spend as much time with you as you like. If the person happens to be the obsessed founder, he and she will likely be as interesting as the attraction and have a self-deprecating sense of humor about his or her hobby. Just remember to check the hours each attraction is open. Most have normal schedules, but some are only open weekends or seasonally. Many will open just for you if you call ahead to schedule a visit. It’s summer. Get out there and enjoy some of the off-the-beaten-path attractions you’ll find just off Colorado’s byways.

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Lee Maxwell Washing Machine Museum

When Lee Maxwell and his wife, Barbara, received an antique 1905 Rue washer from Barbara’s aunt in the mid1970s, no one realized it harbored an “infectious” bug. It wasn’t until Maxwell was driving to Maine in 1985 that he realized he had become infected with a need to own more of the old contraptions. When he arrived in Maine, three washers were strapped to the top of his RV. By the time he returned to Colorado, Maxwell was pulling a new utility trailer loaded with 13. Today he has 1,400 vintage washers in his home “laundromat,” a 20,000-square-foot building on his farm. It is also the Lee Maxwell Washing Machine Museum, and the thought of stopping at 500 machines has long passed. One of Maxwell’s more peculiar machines is designed to be powered by a goat on a treadmill. Another, perhaps an early forerunner to the totally automated home, washes clothes, churns butter and grinds meat. Manufactured by companies ranging from Acme Barbara and to Zenith, washing machines were produced by more Lee Maxwell than 1,000 firms by the early 1900s when their popularity surged. But they were working machines and few people collect the household necessity. Maxwell says he knows of two museums that have collections of fewer than 50 each. Maxwell, an avid traveler, says his collection also includes machines from every state as well as others he has found throughout the world and had shipped back to Colorado. Along the way Maxwell has “cleaned up” in the record books. In 2000, he was recognized as having the world’s largest washing machine collection and was awarded the Guinness World Record, which he still holds. He has also become America’s foremost expert on vintage washing machines, even writing a book on the history of the appliance. Admission: $3 by appointment Maxwell, who says he has “never spent a penny on advertising,” maintains a website that features more than 35901 WCR 31 3,000 washing machine photographs and magazine ads, a Eaton, CO 80615 patents archive and a library of maintenance and operator 970-454-1856 • oldewash.com manuals.

[continued on page 18] ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 17

[continued from page 17]

UFO Watchtower

Judy Messoline says that when neighboring farmers told her repeatedly they had seen UFOs, she jokingly suggested she was going to erect a place for the public to see the mysterious aircraft for themselves. “I’d never seen one myself,” she recalls, “but I built it for fun and as a little ‘mom and pop’ tourist attraction.” As soon as the tower was completed, the sightings began. Today there have been 67 sightings reported by visitors to the tower. Messoline herself has been there for 26 of the sightings, which have included lights that speed across the sky and then instantaneously reverse course, to lights that simply streak across the sky in sporadic starts and stops. “We had 12 people on the tower one night, and all witnessed a cigar-shaped object move back and forth across the sky,” Messoline reports. “The next day someone down the valley called and asked if we had seen it. It is always nice to have other witnesses so we can be sure we are not crazy.” Most visitors come during the day. “There is not a speck of light pollution at night, and that intimidates most people,” she says, adding that the tower is open 24 hours a day. Messoline, who has the keen sense of humor needed Admission: $2 per person or $5 a car to confront any skeptics, laughingly says to her knowledge she has never been abducted by aliens. Then she adds: Located 2.5 miles north of Hooper on Hwy. 17 “I’m not opposed to it. I’m game. Let’s go!” 719-378-2296 • ufowatchtower.com

Grandpa Jerry’s Clown Museum

The name of this museum might conjure up visions of creepy clowns meant to frighten children, but that is far from the truth. The late Jerry Amen collected everything clown related, except the costumes. However, according to Jerry’s widow, Dale, the museum “does not have any of the ‘icky’ stuff,” and she says no one has ever even visited wearing a clown costume. Today the museum’s collection numbers over 3,000 clown related items, and has been referred to as likely being the pre-eminent museum of clown memorabilia in the world. Housed in a small, pink-trimmed building, the collection covers the walls and much of the ceiling, along with several floor-to-ceiling display shelves. Included are themed collections of clown No admission fee; donations accepted music boxes, clown cookie jars, clown banks, Open Memorial Day-Labor Day clown tea sets and clown whiskey decanters, or by appointment; call ahead coffee cups, paintings and more. 22 Lincoln Avenue • Arriba, CO 80804 “Jerry was never trained as a clown,” 719-768-3257 or 719-740-6195. Amen says. “Once in a while he would put ourjourney.info/MyJourney on a red nose for children, but that is about Destinations/ClownMuseum.asp all. Normally he was just a goof, though.”

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Bailey Saddleland Musuem

Don Bailey says his penchant for collecting saddles originated when he was a child. “We were quite poor and our family only had two saddles, so I would sniff around in the tack rooms of my parents’ friends,” he says. “Today I own many of those saddles and know their history.” Bailey’s collection, which he feels is one of the top three in the nation, numbers 350 saddles. Many date to the period between 1880 and 1920 when he says Colorado was the “saddle capital of the world.” Three saddles date to the 1860s and at least 25 were made in the 1880s. Many were made by some of the most famous saddle makers in the United States. One has bullet holes through the back, but Bailey does not know how they got there. Another saddle was made to be the largest in the world. The saddle swell (the area in front of a rider’s knees) measures 36 inches instead of the more normal 12-inch width. “It looks like a longhorn steer coming at you,” he says. As Bailey’s collection has grown and his interest in saddles has become known, he is offered saddles all the time and is constantly buying more. “People know there is some foolish guy out there who may actually buy something,” he says. Housed in a museum on his ranch, the collection is a result of family genetics, and his museum is proof he inherited the collection gene. The saddle collection is augmented by collections of buggies and wagons and other tack such as bits, bridles and No admission charge spurs, as well as antique cars and signs. The museum also houses a Open Memorial Day-Labor Day Saturday and re-created saddle shop, an old post office and an old bunkhouse. Sunday 2-6 p.m. or by appointment With his museum located far from the city lights, Bailey says he 20140 County Road 125 • Simla, CO 80835 enjoys having visitors. “I might even pay people to come,” he says 719-541-2736 or 719-740-0658 laughing. www.ourjourney.info/MyJourneyDestinations/ SaddlelandMuseum.asp

Petrified Wood Building

With walls and floors made of petrified wood, this building could be said to date back 175 million years. Otherwise, it was built in 1932 as a gas station.

No admission fee 501 N. Main St. • Lamar, CO 81052 roadsideamerica.com/story/2051

Get Out and Explore this Summer These are just a few of the interesting and unusual places to visit on the eastern side of Colorado. But the Centennial State has much more to offer. Find your own interesting place to visit at ourjourney.info/AboutOurJourney or www. roadsideamerica.com/location/co/all. Then head out for a fun-filled summer trip. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop and read about even more interesting and unusual places to visit. You can also enter a roadside attraction book. See page 30 for information on how to enter. ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 19

[recipes]

Ice Pops, Baby

Kid’s cool, toothsome treats perfect for summer days (and adults) BY MONA NEELEY || PUBLISHER/EDITOR || MNEELEY@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG Stand Up Straight If you’re using the pop molds with a metal cover, it’s important to be sure the ice pop sticks are inserted as straight as possible. If they’re crooked, you will have trouble removing the cover after the ice pops freeze.

Kids love frozen, fruity treats on a hot, sunny afternoon. Turns out, adults will, too, if the flavors are a little more grown up. There are a variety of containers that ice pops can be made in, including specialty trays designed just for ice pops, complete with plastic sticks that contain “trays” to catch the melting ice pops. These work especially well for kids and larger ice pops. However, you have to make sure you get those plastic sticks back or the set is no longer useable. Sets that use wooden craft sticks eliminate that concern. You can also use the wooden craft sticks and turn other items into ice pop makers. These include shot glasses, small paper cups, small muffin tins and more. Once you have poured your ice pop mixture into your container, cover it with tin foil. Place it in the freezer for about 2 hours. Then remove it from the freezer and make a small slit in the foil at the center of each ice pop with a pointed knife. Push the wooden craft stick through the slit to just below center of the partially frozen ice pop mixture. Return it to the freezer for at least 2 more hours.

Strawberry Ice Pops 2 1/2 cups fresh whole strawberries 1/3 cup cold water 3/4 cup superfine sugar 2 cups chocolate candy coating

Win an Ice Pop Book

This month, you can enter to win one of our ice pop recipe books. We have two to choose from: Perfect Pops and People’s Pops. Email your name, address and phone number to contests@ coloradocountrylife. org. Enter “Ice Pops Book” in the subject line.

Wash the strawberries and remove the stems and leaves. Place in blender with water and sugar. Purée. Pour strawberry mixture into 12 shot glasses. Cover each glass with a 4-inch by 4-inch square of tin foil. Place on tray in freezer for 2 hours. Remove tray from freezer. Insert craft sticks and return to freezer for 2 more hours. Remove tray from freezer. Remove tin foil from tops. Place shot glass in warm water until the ice pops can be removed. Dip each ice pop in melted candy coating and place stick up on waxed papercovered tray. (Make sure ice pop is “dry” or candy coating will not stick.) Return ice pops to freezer for 15 minutes.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 20 July 2013

Pineapple Pops 3 cups fresh pineapple chunks 1/2 cup superfine sugar 3 tablespoons light corn syrup 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 cups vanilla yogurt In blender, purée fresh fruit with sugar, corn syrup and lemon juice until smooth. Add yogurt and blend again until smooth. Pour mixture into ice pop molds. Freeze at least 4 hours.

Hibiscus-Pomegranate Pops 2 cups water 2 hibiscus tea bags 1/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup pomegranate juice

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the tea bags and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard. Whisk in the sugar. Pour into a large bowl and let cool completely. Stir in the pomegranate juice. Pour mixture into ice pop molds. Freeze at least 6 hours.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop April 2013 21

[gardening] [gardening]

Tennessee

Curl y lea

f sea

purple corn

flower Narbonne blue

kale

flax

Picture Your Plant Select Garden

A snapshot of this year’s top plant varieties adds to possibilities BY EVA ROSE MONTANE || ABUNDANTEARTHGARDENS.COM || GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

Plant Select, a nonprofit cooperative program administered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University along with horticulturists and nurseries throughout the United States, has done it again. It revealed a new selection of perfectly adapted plants for our Western climate. According to Plant Select, these plants are all required to: • Thrive in a broad range of garden situations in the Rocky Mountain region • Be resilient to the region’s challenging climate • Exemplify the unique • Demonstrate disease and insect resistance • Flourish in low water conditions • Display a long season of beauty in the garden • Ensure noninvasiveness Next time you’re at the nursery, keep an eye out for this year’s winners: Chieftain manzanita — This Colorado native evergreen shrub is a vigorous selection and somewhat of a rare sight in Colorado. It features lovely, smooth red bark, clusters of small, pink urn-shaped flowers and broad leaves that stay green all year round. It’s a nice feature in the garden and can be used as a large ground cover. Curly leaf sea kale — This perennial sends up shoots of white flower clusters that add beauty to your garden all summer long. It is notable for its huge leaves that can give a tropical, lush feel to green spaces. Narbonne blue flax — A form of our native blue flax, it is fuller figured with larger flowers that bloom months on end. It thrives in well-drained conditions that receive full sun to part shade and is considered xeric once established.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 22 July 2013

Tennessee purple coneflower — A cousin to the common coneflower, this species is something to celebrate as it has recovered from endangered status. It blooms June to August in full sun to part shade and enjoys conditions that are moderate to dry. Turquoise Tails blue sedum — This plant offers a sculptural element to the garden as its pale yellow flowers hover over mounding succulent blue leaves that hug the ground. It requires little of the gardener who tends it and is generally regarded as deer resistant. Scott’s sugarbowls clematis — This is a long-blooming Western native that has delicate foliage and large blue nodding flowers that come out in late spring. It enjoys full sun and does well with moderate to dry soils. Bees enjoy this plant as much as you will. Sandia coral bells — This is a mini version of the coral bells that have had a long history in gardens. Its leaves are tidy and evergreen and its pink bell-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds and bees. It enjoys well-drained soils in full sun to shade with moderate to low water needs. Oxslip primrose — A tough plant with pale yellow fragrant flowers, it can withstand more heat and drought than most primroses. It is happy to grow in partial shade and moderate to dry soils. Use these well-suited, underused treasures wherever you want a little something special and enjoy the new life they bring to your garden beds. For more information and to see introductions from previous years, visit plantselect.org.

Other Plant Select varieties to watch for:

Kashmir sa ge

WiseSaver Air dry your dishes instead of using your dishwasherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drying cycle to save energy and money. An energy tip brought to you by CREAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EnergyWise Project.

mpet

ingbird tru

rpet humm

Orange ca

Winecups

Eva Rose Montane hosts a cutting-edge series on gardening in Colorado. Read more gardening advice at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Living in Colorado and then Gardening.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 23

[outdoors]

Blue-Ribbon Bluegills

A surprisingly feisty and fun fish to reel in BY DENNIS SMITH

D If you’re on Pinterest, we invite you to start following Colorado Country Life. We have several boards that include gardening, recipes, crafts, decorating, outdoors, etc. Follow us.

Share your ideas with us at pinterest.com/ coloradocountrylife

Find us on facebook.com/COCountryLife ColoradoCountryLife.coop 24 July 2013

Despite the fact that bluegills are one of our most prolific game fish, certainly one of the better tasting, and are caught by more Colorado anglers than all other species combined, they get little respect from “serious” fishermen. Trout, bass, walleyes and — to a lesser extent — northern pike, tiger muskies and wipers generate most of the angler attention in our state and the majority of ink in our outdoor publications. Maybe that’s because trophy-class bluegills (a term you’ll seldom hear in this part of the country) are hard to find in the Rocky Mountain West, and more difficult to catch than big trout or bass — a fact those serious anglers might be reluctant to admit. Their casual disregard for big bluegills seems a peculiar bit of irony when you consider rarity and degree of difficulty are two of the attributes anglers usually prize most when rating other game fish. Hard fighting is another, but many anglers agree that, relative to their size, bluegills may be one of the most belligerent fighters of all. In spite of all they have going for them, Colorado bluegills do have an image problem that’s difficult to overlook: Most of them are small and easily caught. They’re prolific breeders and quite often overrun the food chain in many of the waters where they’re commonly found, rendering the entire fishery little more than a pond full of hungry runts. There’s not much glory in catching a 4-inch fish that would just as soon eat a radish peel as a red worm. Big bluegills, on the other hand, are fish of a completely different scale. I’m referring to those in the 1-1/2- to 2-pound

class or larger. Bluegills of this size are usually, though not always, found in deep lakes and reservoirs with thriving populations of predator species. Often referred to as “bull” bluegills by fishermen across the Southern and Midwestern states, they are secretive and spookier than a rabbit in a field full of coyotes. They can also be extremely selective feeders, a term usually reserved for persnickety trout. If catching little bluegills is easy, catching large ones consistently is a distinct challenge. Here in Colorado where trophy bluegill habitat is at a premium to begin with, simply finding productive bluegill water is the main obstacle to overcome. While several of Colorado’s record-class bluegills have come from abandoned gravel pits (and these should not be ignored), anglers searching specifically for trophy-class bulls should focus their efforts on bigger waters, especially those with lots of bass, perch or walleyes. A fertile lake with ideal water chemistry and restricted spawning habitat combined with large numbers of predatory species will produce big bluegills. Fertile water supports the large variety of foods for the “gills” to feed on and proper chemistry accelerates growth rates. Lakes rich in limestone, for example, usually grow big fish faster than those lacking it. A shortage of ideal spawning habitat limits breeding to some extent and predators control overpopulation by eating the young bluegills. You won’t find many runts in a healthy, well-balanced lake. Ask other fishermen, wildlife officers, biologists and park rangers if they know where to find big bluegills, and don’t be surprised if they all point you toward our local, well-known bass and walleye lakes.

Miss an issue? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors.

[energy tips]

COLORING CONTEST WINNERS MINI-SPLIT SYSTEM Get the facts before buying one of these heat pumps

BY JAMES DULLEY

Does it make sense to install a mini-split heat pump system?

CALEB, AGE 10 POUDRE VALLEY ELECTRIC

Colorado Country Life sponsored a coloring contest in its May issue. Winners were notified by mail. All of the entries were fun to see and we appreciate all of the effort of those who entered. Here are four of our favorite entries.

DAISY, AGE 7 MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC

MICHELLE, AGE 8, SAN ISABEL ELECTRIC

MORGAN, AGE 2 1/2 GRAND VALLEY POWER

CONGRATULATIONS AND HAVE A SAFE AND WONDERFUL SUMMER.

Mini-split systems offer heating and cooling, quiet operation, flexible installation, control and increased efficiency. The main drawback for mini-split heat pumps is cost; they can run up to more than $1,000, plus the cost of installation. A mini-split system is similar to a central air conditioner or heat pump, with the condenser fan, coils and compressor in an outdoor unit, which is flat and small. Some models allow the outdoor unit to be placed up to 100 feet from the room or group of rooms to be cooled or heated. This virtually eliminates indoor noise pollution from these components. Instead of having the indoor cooling coil in an air-duct system as with your existing central air conditioner, the coil is mounted in a fan unit on the wall or ceiling of the room. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The outdoor unit is simple connected to the with an inverter compressor. outdoor unit by refrigerant and electric lines. Mini-split systems can be used to cool an entire house by installing indoor wall units in several rooms. The conditioned air will naturally circulate throughout the house. This is commonly done in houses using baseboard electric or hydronic heating, which lack a duct system. Installing a duct system for central air-conditioning in an existing two-story house can be an expensive project. Some mini-split systems allow you to set the central heat pump thermostat higher at night so it runs very little. This provides substantial electricity savings. For more information on the mini-split heat pump system, visit coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Energy Tips.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 25

Colorado's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Team

Powering the Plains

Raising money to help those who struggle to pay their heating bills

Ride with or sponsor Colorado's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives' Team A team of representatives from local electric co-ops will ride in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pedal the Plains bicycle tour of eastern Colorado. They will ride from Eads to Lamar to LaJunta and back to Eads September 20-22. If you would like to ride with the team, call Donna at 303-455-4111. If you would like to sponsor the team and help raise money for Energy Outreach Colorado, fill out the form on the right and send it with your check. Make check payable to CEEI/EOC. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 26 July 2013

Sponsor our team and help to raise money for To send your tax-deductible donation, fill out this form and send it and a check to: CREA/Pedal the Plains, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP: I would like to contribute: 0$20 0$50

0$75

0 OTHER $

0Please send receipt

DONATIONS WILL BENEFIT ENERGY OUTREACH COLORADO

[marketplace] Advertise in MarketPlace Call Kris at 303-902-7276

WiseSaver Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees to lower your energy bills and fatten your wallet. ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 27

[classifieds] TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD Please type or print your ad on a separate paper. Indicate how many months you would like your ad to run and which month to start. There is a minimum of 12 words at $1.63 per word/month. Be sure to include your full name and address for our records. Check MUST accompany this order or call to pay by credit card. Send your ad to: mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org

ANTIQUES ANTIQUE ALLEY, Salida, CO, July 13th & 14th. Antique Show and Sale, Poncha Springs Fairgrounds (5 miles west of Salida, just off Hwy 50). Saturday 9-5, Sunday 10-4. Admission $3.50, two for $6. Glass grinder at work for you. www.facebook. com/jspromotions2013 Jo Peterson 719-596-1022 jopete48@aol.com. (510-07-13) ANTIQUE RESTORATION STUDIO – Antique conservation. Quality craftsmanship since 1974. Bayfield, CO, www.antiqueresdurango.com 970-884-1937. (988-08-13) CHAIR CANING, hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-10-14)

ANTLERS ANTLER CHANDELIERS made only from REAL antlers. We are the manufacturer and we sell all of our products at wholesale prices; save as much as 60% from store prices. Many other antler products and mounts, including 5’ moose mount, 56” elk mount and giant moose paddles. Showroom open May 15 through October 15 in Granby, CO. 15 years at this location, over 900 satisfied customers! Designers: We can provide you a single item or a whole houseful. Call ! (970) 6273053. (085-09-13)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES (These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.) LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME opportunity. No sales, investment, risk. Training/website provided. Monthly income plus bonuses, benefits. Call Carrie 303-579-4207, www.workathomeunited.com/ ourabundance (932-10-13) ColoradoCountryLife.coop 28 July 2013

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PIANO TUNING PAYS. Learn with American School home-study course. Tools included. Call for info. 800-497-9793. (158-01-14) REDUCED $50,000 -- 14 spacious motel rooms, beauty shop (rented), studio apartment, lovely owners’ quarters. Good Business. Many repeat guests. Completely remodeled. Call Betty 719-263-4773 or cell 719-251-1554 (025-10-13) START YOUR OWN BUSINESS – home/internet. Simply the highest quality candles/beauty/fundraising. Enter free drawing. www.natures best.scent-team.com (831-07-13)

CARS/TRUCKS/BOATS 14’ SeaRay W/TRAILER, motor, fishfinder, TrolMotor, poles, gear, lifejackets, $1450 or best offer, 303-912-4547 (106-07-13) 50 SUBARUS! (1995-2012) Outbacks, Foresters, Imprezas, Tribecas & more! Great prices! Warranties available! Dealer: www.Monument Motors.com 719-481-9900 (57408-13)

CEMETERIES GOLDEN CEMETERY – 2 lots for sale, side by side, Masonic section. Contact Bill 970-724-3282 (121-08-13)

CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Clocks bought and sold. Call Robert 970-247-7729, bob.scott@ usa.net (109-09-13)

EDUCATION

GIFTS

REAL ESTATE

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS/ PARENTS: Looking for a different approach? Want something exceptional? Biblical perspective, wilderness adventure, college prep, close Christian community, housing provided. www.emhweb. org (035-07-13)

PET MEMORIALS! Personalized quilts, pillows with your pet’s picture, embroidered name, dates. www.twosistersmemorybears.com (114-07-13)

ARROWHEAD, CIMARRON, CO. Level, treed lot. ALL utilities in place (underground). 2 sheds, graveled driveway/parking, much more. Community has many amenities. Evenings 512-229-7826 (109-09-13)

FOOD BIGGEST LITTLE CORNERSTONE CAFÉ in Eaton, Colorado. Super green chili !! 130 1st Street. (09410-13)

FOR SALE 2004 HARLEY DAVIDSON Softail FXSTI, $10,950, low mileage, excellent condition, garaged, fuel injected, 6spd trans (HD conversion), Vance-Hines pipes, red pearl paint, too many extras to mention. Call 719-337-8861 (117-07-13) DIESEL GENERATOR 7000W, 12hp, new, $5000. Honda gas-powered 300gpm 3x3 centrifugal trash pump, new, $900. Gas-powered 5.5 Honda 10gpm air compressor, new, $950. 970-493-4524 or RStienmier@digis. net (120-07-13) GRASSFED YAK AND BISON MEAT for sale. Delicious and nutritious. Delivery available. Fourth, half, or whole. 720-256-3364 (029-07-13) OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS — $380 with warranty. Also sell portable concentrators and oxygen supplies. Repair and service of equipment. Aspen Concentrator Repair Service 719-471-9895 (040-08-13)

HELP WANTED $400 WEEKLY ASSEMBLING PRODUCTS FROM HOME. For free information, send SASE: Home Assembly – CC, Box 450, New Britain, CT 06050-0450.

DURANGO, CO., see all listings, residential and land. Call Linda Crowther, Keller Williams Realty, 970-749-2088. DurangoColorado. com (107-07-13)

EARN $55,000/YR PART TIME in the farm equipment and livestock appraisal business. Ag background required. Classroom and home study courses available. 800-4887570 or visit www.amagappraisers. com (935-10-13)

GRAND COUNTY, 5 acres, metal building with living quarters, shop, RV garage, barn, corrals, pasture with live creek. $385,000. tinyurl. com/ColoradoMultipurposeOn5acres (119-08-13)

HOBBIES & CRAFTS KNITTING, FELTING, WEAVING, spinning, natural dye extracts, Jacquard and Gaywool dyes. www. tablerockllamas.com Colorado Springs, 866-495-7747 (791-09-13)

MACHINERY & PARTS SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North America’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings. THE place to sell equipment. 800-459-2148 www.sawmill exchange.com . (267-09-13)

POULTRY/GAMEBIRDS

STORAGE BUILDING/GARAGE, 30x30, easily assembled, meets code. $6,450. Call 970-532-7082. (112-07-13)

FREE – 5 EXOTIC CHICKS or 3 ducks with 100 frypan special @ $37.50 plus shipping. Also Cornish Cross, standard breeds, fancy chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, bantams, guineas, pheasants, quail, supplies, video. FREE COLOR CATALOG 417-532-4581. Cackle Hatchery – PO Box 529, Lebanon, MO 65536. www. cacklehatchery.com. (876-07-13)

FREE

QUILTS

FREE BIBLE VERSES against Free-Will theology as 2 Timothy 2:25-26 and God-loves-everybody psychology as John 10:25-29. Dr. Edwin Vrell, Bible Theologian, 2210 Main, #304, Longmont, CO 80501, 303-772-8825 (995-09-13)

AWARD WINNING LONG-ARM QUILTING Services - Karen Niemi, 303-470-9309, http://creative. stitching.home.comcast.net, creative.stitching@comcast.net (846-08-13)

FREE BOOKS/DVDS. Soon the “Mark of the Beast” will be enforced as Church and State unite! Let the Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com 888-211-1715. (814-08-13)

2 BEDROOM HOUSE on 4 acres, LaVeta (Navajo Ranch). Also duplex, Pueblo. Both close to golfing. 719-821-1150 (118-07-13)

REAL ESTATE

GRAND JUNCTION HORSE FARM, 3130 A 1/2 Rd, 3550+ sq. ft. home on 14 acres. Newly remodeled, new central air, new boiler, new water heater, new roof, half brick ranch w/new vinyl siding. 5 bdrm, 3 1/2 bath, living room, dining room, large kitchen, large family room. New carpet/tile/wood floors. Full horse barn w/indoor stalls & outside runs. All steel fencing, arenas, loafing sheds on large pastures. Additional fencing around home & inground heated pool. RV building (50x28’), two large ponds, etc. $625,000. Ginny 970-260-9629, Terry 970-261-3001, Gtraudt@ edbozarth.com 3% to 6% to any REALTOR w/buyer (946-12-13) PAGOSA SPRINGS – Vacation Home Management, “Need someone you can trust to care for your home while you’re away?” Call Pagosa Home Manager, LLC. A family owned & operated company with over 25 years property management experience. Licensed, bonded, insured. Call Rod Manning 970-946-0626 www.PagosaHome Manager.com (111-11-13) TURN-KEY CATTLE/HORSE RANCH. NM-Colo. border, 5 miles to Navajo Lake. Approx. 110 acres, 80 shares water ponds, springs, home, barns. E-mail for pictures, dbenesch@ earthlink.net (018-08-13) WANTED: PROPERTY TO LEASE for hunting, fishing. We offer landowners numerous benefits. Hunting club also looking for new members. 303-460-0273 (069-08-13)

[funny stories] RELIGION

WANTED TO BUY

BECOME AN ORDAINED Minister by correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, PMB 767, 6630 W Cactus, B107, Glendale, AZ 85304. http:// www.ordination.org (441-12-13)

NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-08-13)

WANT TO PURCHASE minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-03-14)

OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1975. Call Wes 303757-8553. (889-08-13)

WE PAY CASH for minerals and oil/ gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800-733-8122 (099-02-14)

TICKETS NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. All seating levels available. Call 1-888-NFR-rodeo (1-888-6377633) or www.NFR-Rodeo.com. *BBB Member; Since 1990. (912-11-13)

VACATIONS EXPERIENCE CENTRAL EUROPE with us! Private and small groups. www. euroamtravelclub.com or call Frank at 970-749-5824. (115-09-13)

VACATION RENTAL KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-245-6500; makana crest.com; kauaiweddings.com. (756-05-14) KONA, HAWAII, Paradise Villa condo located on the 18th fairway of Kona Country Club with sweeping ocean views; 3bdr, 2ba specials. (503) 369-2638; www.konacondo. info (116-11-13)

OLD COWBOY STUFF–hats, boots, spurs, chaps, Indian rugs, baskets, etc. ANYTHING OLD! Mining & railroad memorabilia, ore carts! We buy whole estates. We’ll come to you! Call 970-759-3455 or 970-5651256. (871-11-13) OLD GAS AND OIL items: Gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc. Pieces, parts, etc. considered. Also 1932-34 Ford cars and trucks, parts and pieces, too. Any condition. Brandon, 719-250-5721. (519-11-13) OLD POCKET WATCHES – working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209 watch doctor@hotmail.com. (870-12-13) VINTAGE FISHING TACKLE. I buy rods, reels, lures, creels, etc. References available. Call Gary at 970-222-2181. (960-08-13)

Did you know that you could get a for $9 in-state and $15 out-of-state? Just call the nice people at CCL at 303-455-4111.

3-year-old grandson and I went inside to have a snack. After getting us something to drink, I told him that Grammy needed to sit down because I was pooped. With the wisdom of a 3-year-old, he looked at me and said, “In your pants?” Liz Tozer, Cortez

Three men were sitting in the hospital waiting

Advertise in the classified section. Soon everyone will know your business. Call Kris at

303-902-7276.

for their wives to give birth. A nurse came in and said to the first man, “Congratulations. You are the father of twins.” “That’s fitting,” he said. “I work for the Minnesota Twins.” A bit later, the nurse returned and said to the second man, “Congratulations. You have triplets.” “That makes sense,” he said. “I work at 3M.” At this point, the third man got up and was rushing toward the exit. “Why are you leaving?” asked the other two men. With a panicked expression, he replied, “I work for 7Up.” Taylor Hudnall, Fort Collins

A man was helping one of his cows give birth

A CCL SUBSCRIPTION IS A GREAT GIFT

Colorado Country Life subscription

After doing yard work for a couple of hours, my

Thanks, my sister is in Arizona and always wants the news from home. I’ll get her a subscription for her birthday.

when he noticed his 4-year-old son standing wide-eyed at the fence, soaking in the whole event. “Great. He’s 4 and I’m going to have to start explaining the birds and the bees,” the man thought. “No need to jump the gun. I’ll just let him ask and I’ll answer.” After everything was over, the man walked over to his son and said, “Well son, do you have any questions?” Still awestruck, the boy said, “Just one. How fast was that calf going when he hit that cow?” Beth Cox, Loma

Two bachelors were having a conversation about cooking. One bachelor confessed, “I got a cookbook once, but I never could do anything with it.” “Too much fancy stuff?” asked the other. “You said it. Every one of those recipes started out, ‘Take a clean dish.’” Michael Taylor, Denver

We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year, we draw one name from those submitting jokes and that person will receive $150. Send your 2013 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check. ColoradoCountryLife.coop July 2013 29

[discoveries]

Cool & Quirky Colorado Destinations

Enter our July contest and you could win a copy of Roadside Americana, an entertaining book about some of the most delightful, ostentatious, off-the-wall attractions in the United States and Canada. Some of Colorado’s attractions include: Steve Canyon in Idaho Springs — a 40-foot limestone carving of Steve Canyon, a patriotic cartoon character from the 1940s.

Mike the Headless Chicken in Fruita — a sculpture of a chicken that stayed alive for 18 months after its owner missed the brain stem when chopping its head off.

The Wagon Train

Take a two-day ride July 20 and 21 on the El Paso County Wagon Train, where the atmosphere crackles with years gone by. Saddle up your horse and load up your wagon starting at Bailey Ranch, one mile north of Simla on County Road 125. From there, you will enjoy meals, music and entertainment with fellow riders as you make your way across the prairie until you arrive at the El Paso County Fair. For more information, call 719-740-0658 or 719-439-0706. For registration forms and flyer, visit elpasocountywagontrain.org.

Bishop Castle in Beulah — a one-man construction project built using rocks from the surrounding forest. A fire-breathing dragon is high on top. TO WIN this funky read, email your name, address and phone number to contests@ coloradocountrylife.org. Please include “Roadside Americana” in the subject line.

HAVE A TOTAL ADVENTURE

In Durango, get a full package of exciting activities with Durango Mountain Resort’s Total Adventure Ticket. For $45, you get unlimited alpine slide rides, unlimited scenic chairlift rides, unlimited mountain bike uplift and miniature golf. Your ticket also gets you two of the following activities: Sky Hike Adventure Family Ropes Course, water runners, bungee trampoline, climbing wall or mechanical bull ride. Find out more by calling 970-247-9000 or visiting durangomountainresort.com.

Zip Line Tours

Adrenaline junkies can fly high through canyons and forests on an intense zip line ride. We found several companies in the Centennial State that promise thrill-seekers an amazing zip line adventure that will take your breath away. Here are some options to mull over… if you dare: Royal Gorge Zip Line Tours in Cañon City — 719-275-7238, royalgorgeziplinetours.com Captain Zipline in Salida — 877-947-5463, captainzipline.com Zip Adventures in Vail — 970-926-9470, zipadventures.com Top of the Rockies Zip Line in Leadville — 970-668-5323, topoftherockieszipline.com AVA Mountain Top Zipline in Buena Vista — 855-947-7464,

coloradozipline.net ColoradoCountryLife.coop 30 July 2013

RIDE THE RAPIDS

Immerse yourself in Colorado’s coolest rivers on a rafting adventure. Three Rivers Resort offers several options from mild ripples to drenching currents and can accommodate rafters of most ages. The resort also offers fishing, kayaking, stand-up paddle, hot air balloon rides, horseback riding and more. Before you go, check out the resort’s specials by visiting 3riversresort.com/ hot-deal where specials, such as reduced room rates and combination packages, are common. To speak to a Three Rivers representative, call 970-641-1303.