It’s hard to follow with exciting and interesting anecdotes and photos after four weeks in Switzerland, especially when some of this first week back has been adjusting to the time change – waking at 3 AM for example.

Never-the-less we managed to catch up on a mound of mail, supping with old friends and helping others with projects. Oh and a couple of hikes.

Kurt and Carol pulled off hosting all the Durango regulars plus McKenney at their country abode. The occasion was to greet their grandchild and daughter who was down from Bozeman for an Art Show and family visit.  Carol and Laurel have been fortunate to have had multiple “showings” at a variety of Art Shows this summer, Carol with her jewelry and Laurel with her paintings.

Fun catching up with folks who used to get together more regularly in the past. But a doctorate and grandchildren has kept Monte and Misha busy lately, Cathy and John are often traveling, building and bringing in the hay, Carol and Kurt crafting and touring the Art Show circuit, not to forget their new and continuing family obligations.  And the most special of all to visit Durango for this occasion was ever-busy and three-pass-distant Tom McKenney.  Of course you all know why we’re never available.  Good times, great folks and wonderful food.

Kurt has, to his credit, helped to promote solar energy in the Four Corners thru his personal experience on his own home, followed by Monte and Misha’s installation and ours as well.  He took it much further promoting (thru Four Core) a Solarize Your Home program which got 100 additional homes solarized last year.  This year he’s taken the project to Pagosa where they’ve set a goal of 50 more homes.

An off-shoot of Kurt’s major high profile solarization effort has been a group of DIY solar enthusiasts who are “barn raising” solar installations for their friends, neighbors and folks keen on doing it themselves at almost a quarter of the price some of us early adopters paid.  I’ve been responsible for introducing at least four of these DIY projects and this week got on several roofs installing railing and in one case felling 40′ trees.

There was still time to shake-out the legs as it’s still quite colorful in our high country.  This trail is just outside Durango not far from Monte and Misha’s house.  Just 3,000′ above it.