Well, gentle readers, it was over the mountain and through the woods to my son Andy’s place on a mountain west of Grand Junction, Colo. Usually he and his tribe come to grandpa’s house for Thanksgiving so it was my time to make the trip to see them. What a sweet, wonderful, fun-loving, and loving family.

It gave me such a boost to see a family of six enjoy and love each other so much. Now that was a Norman Rockwell holiday situation on their ranch where the house is backed up against a big rock out-cropping surrounded by timber and pasture.

They have an assortment of elk, deer, an occasional bear or lion and so many beautiful birds that inhabit that area it’s always exciting to be there with them. It’s 18 miles down off the mountain to Grand Junction, where they both work along with one of their boys.

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That particular son, Gavin, presented grandpa with a new set of branding irons (ONO) as he has recently started a new career as a welder.

“They have an assortment of elk, deer, an occasional bear or lion and so many beautiful birds that inhabit that area it’s always exciting to be there with them.”

I have to say he did an outstanding job.

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The trip across the Rockies from my place to theirs is usually 5 1/2 hours, but with dry roads and very little traffic I made super good time. The ski lifts were mostly not open and if they were it appeared there was only one or two runs available at best.

When I went through Vail on Thursday I saw one, yep, just one body coming down the mountain and that was probably a member of the ski patrol.

I left at 5:30 this morning after being there a couple of days, and got home at 10:30 this morning.

I hadn’t been up through the mountains in well over a year, almost two years and it is always a treat to drive up and over the Rockies. What a beautiful mountain range!

I have been across there many dozens of times and I always see something new that I missed all those times before.

Andy took me on a tour of the plateau just west of his place and we almost made it into Utah. Man, Charlie Brown, there is a lot of open, fly-over country out there.

We drove in mud and snow as we crossed over the mountain and saw miles and miles of untamed wild beautiful country. Yep, there are ranches scattered through there but not so many that you would have anyone living just down the road.

I’m looking forward to the remaining holidays as we leap into December and the Christmas season.

They will start on my new barn in a few days and hopefully by the time I write another column it will be ready for use. It’s been a long trail from signing the contract back in August to getting it up.

Those guys have been busy, busy, busy. Me thinks the economy is not doin’ so bad?

Stay tuned, check yer cinch on occasion and find time to enjoy all of the sights and sounds of the upcoming holiday season. I’m just gonna’ up and say it … “I love you guys!!” I’ll c. y’all, all y’all. ❖