LOCAL ITEMS

Lunch with celebrated birder Judy Boyce of Lake Fork Valley Conservancy last Friday, during which journalist learns Judy has taken initial steps to rejuvenate the famed lower Lake Fork Blue Bird Trail which was pioneered by the late Helmut Quiram.

Astute readers of these pages will recall that starting in the late 1980s the late Mr. Quiram had the vision to create nesting boxes to encourage an increase in the local blue bird population. Quiram’s vision was enormously successful and prior to his death, age 91 in November, 2014, the lower Lake Fork blue bird population along Highway 149 had indeed soared as the result of literally hundreds of specially-designed nesting boxes which Helmut built and maintained.
Even prior to his death, annual maintenance of the nesting boxes proved a challenge, local volunteers including former resident Karlita Ellis assisting with the repair and cleaning out of the nest boxes.
The task and enumeration of blue birds and other species occupying the nesting boxes later fell to students at Western State University in Gunnison, although in recent years maintenance on the boxes lagged.

Boyce, a several-year resident of Elk Meadows north of town, is widely known for her interest in birds and a monthly column which she astutely pens for this newspaper. Given that interest, it was only natural that Boyce would eventually set her sights on Quiram’s north-of-town Blue Bird Trail which since earlier this year she has carefully enumerated, assigned GPS coordinates, and cleaning out years of accumulated nesting material.
Included in the process, Boyce is taking notes on bird houses which are in need of repair, some now dubious in attracting nesters due to the fact some are hanging upside down or are roofless or — in a few instances — totally vanished. To date, Judy has documented roughly 62 nesting boxes starting from immediately north of Lake City and extending down river as far as Mile Marker 91 on Miller Flats. Her work thus far chronicling lower Lake Fork nesting boxes is with the support and encouragement of two staffers at the Gunnison BLM office, wildlife biologists Kathy Broadhead and Andrew J. Stokes.
Boyce is seeking fellow bird-minded enthusiasts to enroll in the nesting box revitalization effort, requisites clearly being an enthusiasm for encouraging blue bird nesting, volunteers’ height and dexterity also helpful for boxes which are otherwise out of reach, as well as rudimentary carpentry skills for the repair of nesting boxes which have deteriorated.

Just returned is Zumba Instructor Yolie Brown who shares details on a trip to India which she shared with former Lake City resident Laurie Perla, formerly with Lake City Area Medical Center and now a holistic healer in Grand Junction.
Laurie was here for the Wine & Music Festival in September and at that time casually mentioned to Yolie that she would be in India in November, joining a spiritual pilgrimage along portions of the Narmada River visiting Hindu temples and other sacred sites in central India. The 15-member group consisted of primarily U.S. citizens and one Canadian seeking insights into the spiritual culture and was led by jovial Manoj Chalam and Rajiv Tomar starting off in New Delhi and then multiple flights and bus excursions ending at Varabasi on the Ganges River.
The bulk of their travel on the eye-opening and insightful excursion, according to Yolie, was along the sizeable, post-flood Narmada River with stops at important Hindu religious temples at Indore, Maheshwar, Khargone, an island temple at Omkareshwar, and Ujjain, with interesting stops also at Kolkata, a temple at Bally-Belur, and Serampore.

Yolie says the trip was enlightening from a variety of perspectives, including fascinating people who she met along the way, a majority of whom were equally fascinated by the foreign visitors and frequently requested selfie photos. Food and at-times spicy cuisine were also memorable, the tour group enjoying both urban and rural landscapes amid comfortable temperatures in the mid-70s, the landscape view frequently partially obscured by a persistent pollution haze. On both the Narmada and Ganges Rivers, burning funeral pyres were frequently observed, as well as the populace on both rivers going about their daily ablutions.
On her return flight after India, Yolie stopped off at Da Nang, Vietnam, where she saw the sights while visiting Lake Citians Charles and Bear Ferris.

Hinsdale County is now accepting applications to rent a motorized boat slip at Lake San Cristobal for the 2024 season.
Motorized boat slips are chosen through two separate lotteries, one for non-commercial use and one for commercial use. Five non-commercial boat slips and three commercial slips are available for rent. Drawings for both the private and commercial boat slips will take place during the first Board of County Commissioners’ meeting of each year.
Non-commercial motorized boat slips are $600 per season. Commercial boat slips are $1,200 per season. Slips are available for the entire season, mid-May to October 15, weather dependent.
Those wishing to participate in either of the boat slip lotteries may contact the Hinsdale County Administration office at 970-944-2225 or [email protected] for an application.
Only one application will be accepted per boat, only one boat slip per business.
Those chosen for a slip must pay the corresponding fees within 30 days of the lottery or the reservation will be forfeited. Forfeited reservations may be filled through a subsequent lottery.
If the County receives less applications than slips available in either lottery, the remaining spots may be filled with either commercial or private applicants at the County’s discretion.

In belated Thanksgiving travel news, we note that Lake City Heights residents Glenn and Susan Heumann spent the holiday with their son and family, Eric and Claire Heumann, and their son and daughter, Leo and Nora, in Beverly Hills, Michigan.

Highlights while in suburban Detroit included a trek to the Henry Ford Museum, excursion to the Christmas Village via steam locomotive, and family fun run in the Detroit Turkey Trot.
Prior to Detroit, the Heumanns enjoyed a circuitous route, driving to Scranton, Pennsylvania, for the wedding of a cousin, J.J. Brenner and Val Davi, and then Glenn’s sentimental return visit to the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, followed by a brief sightseeing jaunt to Niagara Falls.

Also in late turkey news, we’ve caught up with traveling Celeste Scott and learn that in between trips she hosted family members to Thanksgiving at her Riverside Estates home. Gathered around the Scott table were her sister and brother-in-law, Pam and Hector Gomez, Celeste’s brother and his partner, Barry Thompson and Steve Ferenzy, along with Barry’s daughter and her husband, Angela and Jamell Mejia, and their children, William and Millie.
We might also mention that Celeste, esteemed former president of Lake City Arts, had an exceptionally exciting November, on one of her football jaunts meeting up with Oklahoma State University football coach Mike Gundy. Celeste took in a series of OSU Cowboys’ football games, the first a victory over arch rival Oklahoma University — the famed Bedlam Game — in Stillwater on November 4.
Celeste was also in the stands rooting for the Cowboys in Orlando, Florida, against the Central Florida Knights, on November 11, and then in Houston, Texas, November 18 as OSU defeated the Houston Cougars. OSU, says the breathless Celeste, now proceeds to the Texas Bowl against Texas A & M on December 27.

Fresh from her India adventures, Yolie Brown tells us that Yoga, Zumba, and Tai Chi classes are continuing on a weekly basis this winter. Yoga classes consisting of taped recording led by Charles Ferris, are held in Anthony Gallery at 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday schedule, while Yolie has resumed energetic Zumba dance exercise classes which are held in the Armory at 9:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Also in the Armory, Jerry Gray continues as instructor for Tai Chi which is held 8 a.m. each Wednesday and Friday.
Busy veterinarian Linda Downs, 62, Buffy Hurd Witt’s son, Logan, age 22, and South End native Bob Kleckner, 45, come to mind for birthdays on Friday, December 15. Adding a year December 16 are Breck Thompson, 60, Skylar Goldberg, 27, and Ball Flats seasonal resident Amy Matzick, 76, followed Sunday, December 17 by Judy Gray, 67, lower Lake Fork resident Tom Russell, 83, Benjamin Dean Fuller, 22, KaitLynne Salley, 25, and the inveterate traveler and proofreader Lorie Stewart who according to our calculations will have 71 candles ablaze on her birthday cake.
December 18 birthdays are Hinsdale Veterans Service Officer Erin Cavit, 67, a crisp salute to Lake City Mayor Dave Roberts who is turning 64 years old, Gavin McNitt, 58, upper Lake Fork landowner Clay Wormington, 71, and Dan Plies, 88.
Tuesday, December 19 birthdays are Olin Pete Jessee, age 83 in Bogata, Texas, 40-year-old Joseph Frank Jeffers in Sidney, Nebraska, and Winston Beck who is celebrating birthday #16 in Mexico. Congrats to 76-year-old Lake San Cristobal dweller Tom Brady, Josha Smith, 58, and Lake City native Christine McDonald Mergleman, 57, on December 20.

Sweet Treats at
Lake City’s Holiday Open Houses…

Light snowfall last Friday evening was an added bonus for a succession of holiday open houses, locals and out-of-town guests sampling a wide variety of tasty appetizers and main dishes, desserts and beverage.
Snugly dressed guests visited during the library’s open house while Ben Hake looked out over a fun smorgasbord in the Armory. Daniella Robinson was festively attired for the holidays at Community Banks of Colorado open house, guests including her fiancée, Miguel Garcia.