1st Anniversary in Colorado!!

I can't believe we've been here a year already!  Time flies so fast!  This year we have been trying to add to our existing landscape of mostly rocks!  I hate them!  I understand why Colorado mostly landscapes with rocks, it lowers the risk of fire danger, but I can't take it anymore!! So we created a couple of flower beds in the front yard

We haven't dared plant too much in the backyard because of Alofa!  We planted a couple of trees along the back fence, and she has dug them out, and the drip system three times now.  After the first two times,  I told Haley she gets to fix them and figure out a way to keep her away from them, or she will have to replace them if they die.  This is a picture of her replanting the tree, and she ended up putting a picket fence and chicken wire all the way around them.  So far it has worked....we can only hope!!

So, here's a couple of things we've learned about Colorado;  the weather and the wildlife can be very unpredictable and crazy!!!  Thunderstorms are a very common ocurrence; almost daily.  But I don't think I have ever experienced one quite like we did one night last week. I think our neighborhood was in the dead center of the storm.  The lightning was striking dozens of times per minute,  it woke all of us up (but Gage).  Upon looking out the window, we saw lights going on in just about every house in the neighborhood, blinding lightning strikes, golf ball sized hail, and my new flower beds looked as if they were going to blow away.  The plug outlets would buzz and the house would shake every time the lightning would strike.  For several days following the storm, we were under multiple tornado warnings.  Tornados actually touched down all across the state, but none near us, thank goodness!  Then as quickly as we get excited, it's gone and the sun is shining.

There is so much wildlife around us.  There a wild cotton tail rabbits everywhere!  A couple of weeks ago, while taking Alofa for a walk, Haley had two coyotes following them.  Elk have been spotted on the golf course early in the morning, as well as Haley has seen them on her walks.  And, we recently had a bear wandering through the neighborhood!  Crazy huh?  I'm sure our elevation is a major contributing factor, as we are almost 1,000 feet above Denver.

But we love it here!!