It’s hard to say goodbye…. even if it is just for the Winter.  My son, Wade and I closed our “Mt. Retreat” for the winter.  We would love to keep it open much longer in the season,  but the risk of the plumbing breaking,  because of freezing temperatures,  is too great.  My son-in-law, Scott (who just passed away) and my daughter Emily, have been our “official closers” for the last 13 years and they have always preformed a magnificent job, no broken plumbing  and no mouse droppings on counters in the Spring.

Being out of the closing loop for so many years, it took Wade and I almost two days to get everything bucked up tightly.  Remembering the exact sequence is important.  For instance, you can’t drain the water heaters until the interior is completed.  Every thing inside is bagged in plastic or draped with old sheets.  Closing properly in the Fall insures an easy opening in the Spring.

Winters here on the “Mountain” are hard, so we put up boards on the end of the porch to advert the snow.  Looks like the making of a hut the kids came up with… doesn’t it.   The wind blows from this angle and so the wood really does help.

The stairs have to be sealed every year and still the hard winters have turned them gray.

The futon couch frames are covered and the BQ is taken in for the winter.    The trailer is small… so this 60 foot porch come in mighty handy for feeding the gang and bedding down lots of grands in sleeping bags.

The last chore of the day is putting the coverings over the porch windows and putting down the end flaps.  Emily called and ask,  “Are the flaps down yet?”  When I said, “Yes,”  we both cried.  Perhaps she will have the courage to help us next year… but this year it was too much for her….without Scott.

We bid our farewell to the “Valley” and headed for home in the late afternoon.

We took the scenic way home over Woolf Creek Pass.  It snowed here the week before but most had melted off.  At this altitude,  the air is cool and clean…. so refreshing.

The top of the world.  This photo was taken a few weeks ago.  What a view.

This was the same view as we came across the top for the last time this year.

Goodbye Tabby… We love you.

Till Later

Kathy

Insightful Nana

P.S.  Where is your “Place of Peace”?