And Why Did You Decide to Go There?

While Paonia, CO, on the Fourth of July is a delight, it is off the beaten track. For 2o years, we have visited Paonia close to annually. There is a ranch in Paonia called the Double N where we stay. It is a special place with family ties, and frequently, we join the Grandparents at this ranch.

The Double N is located seven miles outside Paonia in the Gunnison National Forest. "On a good-sized parcel of land, the property consists of hay fields, a portion of a mesa called Lion's Gulch (guess why) and a trout stream. From the back porch (grandpa's favorite evening hang out), the fields, stream and mountains are all visible in picture perfect composition. The views of the mountains change seasonally. While each season has its beauty, fall is the most spectacular when the groves of aspens look like yellow ribbons decorating the range.

The girls loved "the Ranch" this year. Going into the trip, I knew La Nina was going to enjoy it. At 3, she is old enough to participate in some of the fun and is learning to tolerate travel. But the Magster was a worry, as she had the potential to make everyone in the valley miserable if she got to screaming. Luckily, the Magster took to the Double N immediately. In fact, the Magster slept better on our vacation than ever before. She slept through the night, she took good naps, she woke up at a normal time...I don't know what got into her. Must have been the altitude.

I am glad the kids liked the ranch as we plan to take them to visit it annually. Visiting a place so different from where we live is good for them. I hope their experiences in Colorado will help develop a sense of the diversity in this country and in this world.