The Black Family

4th of July Fireworks

I know it is so goofy, but I had a great time photographing some of our Idaho Springs Fireworks for the July 4th celebration. The City shoots off the fireworks over the little waterfall by the water wheel. They had strung a wire with a beautiful display of white sparks that showered down on the wheel and trees nearby. Yes, it did start a little fire, but it burned itself out quickly.

Visiting Old People Can Be Fun

Okay you kids that are coming to see us--check this out. Are you in?

A picture I took of these rafters riding the crest. . .

. . . then down they go!

Just a little prep for you guys coming to Idaho Springs to see us! Get psyched.

Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease

Side view of the water wheel-- a local landmark.

My companion and I went for a walk one fine morning and decided to take along the camera to get a few rafting pictures to share with family and friends, luring them to Colorado to visit us. We did get some great rafting pictures, but our timing was just right and we got these shots of the Idaho Springs City crew greasing the axle of the huge water wheel on Clearwater Creek. When we saw that the pictures turned out pretty decently, we took them to the city newspaper and they printed one in the paper. I wanted the credit to say--"photo by Sister Marcia Black, find her and she will help you find true religion," but it just said, photo by Marcia Black. Hmmmm, just plain old Marcia Black.

Please pass the wrench (or I'll whack ya).

The city diverts a small stream coming in from above to water power the wheel.

We're Done! Yes, they did enjoy an audience. . .

LeGrand becomes an honorary city crew worker after we promised to get the pictures to them. We actually did run off quite a few great prints and gave them to the city manager to pass along to them. Now we are trying to track them down to give them something better. . .

Mountain Lion in our Back Yard!

Elder Black and I were coming home late one night when a big cougar ran up from the creek and across the road right in front of us as we were turning into our driveway. That was very exciting and a little un-nerving. Our landlord had just warned us not to go into our backyard after the sun started going down to avoid the bears and now we have another animal to avoid in the dark. Isn't this just the coolest thing? I told my dear companion "No more sleeping out on the trampoline!" Actually, no one here lets their kids (at least the keepers) sleep out.

No, this was not the one we saw running across the street. That night was too dark, the lion was too fast, and I was too shocked to get a picture. I did take these photos, but this particular beast was stuffed--the only safe way to get this close to a cougar!

Kirsten Jill Black: Registered Nurse

Jill passed her NCLEX boards for the Registered Nurse exam. She is now officially an RN!

Congratulations Jilly. She has been working on this since 8th grade, going to CEU/SJC during the summers and taking concurrent enrollment classes. Now, at the ripe old age of 20, she has reached her educational goal. After finding out today that she passed the big test she said, "I am so relieved, I could float to the moon!" When you come back to earth, lets celebrate!

Rafting on Clear Creek

Our little town of Idaho Springs is about 3 miles long and only a few hundred feet wide because we share the narrow valley with Clearwater Creek. The creek is a collection of water from the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains and is running high, cold, white water rapids. Clearwater Creek is actually fed by a river, making it unique in all the country. The rafting season has begun! I took these pictures by our home. Any takers?

An Interesting Encounter with Buffalo Bill

Several times, Elder Black and I saw the roadside sign not far from Idaho Springs, advertising the Museum and Grave of Buffalo Bill. One day, after an appointment, we decided to make the ten minute detour and see what it was all about. Yessirrreee! It really was a nice museum, beautiful mountain overlooks, and the final resting spot of William F. Cody, know as Buffalo Bill.

He grew up on the plains, joined the army, and was a decorated soldier. Finally, Cody took up the trade that gave him his nickname, hunting buffalo to feed the construction crews of the Kansas Pacific Railroad. By his own count, he killed 4,280 head of buffalo in seventeen months. He is supposed to have won the name "Buffalo Bill" in an eight-hour shooting match with a hunter named William Comstock, presumably to determine which of the two Buffalo Bill’s deserved the title. This would horrify Colorado citizens today.

Later, Buffalo Bill became a showman and organized Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show featuring real Indians, cowboys, buffalo, and other strange assortments of interesting characters.

Cody died on January 10, 1917, and is buried in a tomb blasted from solid rock at the summit of Lookout Mountain near Denver, Colorado and our own Idaho Springs. We are glad we took the bait and followed the sign to this beautiful Colorado lookout and Buffalo Bill’s final resting place. If there are buffalos in heaven, they better be on the lookout. . . (That is, if Cody makes it to heaven.)