19-08 Pagosa Springs Colorado, Fred Harmond Museum

19-08 Pagosa, Fred Harman Museum

You know, every little town and hamlet has it’s own museums and Pagosa Springs is no different. Along with the County Museum, they have the Fred Harman Western Art Museum. Fred was a comic strip artist who created the Red Ryder and Little Beaver comic series. The museum is in the home he and his wife built here and his artwork is displayed throughout the simple ranch style home. On the property is the original Harmon homestead, an authentic log cabin.

Walking into his art studio, one sees the last painting he was working on before he passed. I even sat on the “John Wayne” couch! Flanked by another visitor, father and son who’s last name was Wayne as well. A monster of a couch about 10 feet long and covered in a western print fabric that you just knew by looking at it was where John Wayne would sit and even sleep on. John Wayne was a good friend of the Harman’s and would visit often.

A tree trunk was on display with a carving on it that read “ Kit Carson and dated 1859?”. It was found in the forest surrounding Pagosa Springs and was probably near a hide-out of Kit Carson’s.

I’ll be staying at the Hide Away campground here just outside of Pagosa Springs for another month, as the owners decided to offer me a great deal. Cutting the price in half. I was looking forward to being closer to Durango, but I can afford a lot more gas with all those savings.

I’m enjoying the spectacular weather, considering all the reports I get on TV about the heat wave in Denver (17 straight days of 90 degree weather) and all across the country. It’s so enjoyable to be able to sit outside, read a good book and just glance up every once and a while and look at the lush green spruce and fir trees climbing up the side of the ridge opposite my campsite. The sky is so richly blue with strikingly while clouds lit up by a very crisp sun. I’ve got to remember to put some suntan lotion on when I’m outside, as my face has gotten a bit red from all the sun.

Plans are being made for some great adventures this coming month. A lecture on Indian culture at Chimney Rock, a summer dinner theatre play put on by the Springs Theatre Company and I’ll also be taking the Durango/Silverton Railroad in August. Now if that’s not enough, I’m sure I’ll find some other great adventures as well.

If your interested in hearing the same radio station I’m listening to out here, click on the link:

http://www.ksut.org/index.html It’s a great public radio station out of the Ute Indian Reservation.

Well I missed all the excitement the other night. An 800 lb black bear came across the street, got hit by a car and was really pissed! Did a fair amount of damage to the car driven by a woman. The bear wondered back into the wood apparently only temporarily dazed, thrashing at the trees and making quiet a noise. Shortly afterward the police came with sirens and lights flashing. Can you believe I slept through it all. Darn.

Oh and the other day, I was watching Good Morning America and saw two of my friends up in Cape Cod, Raul and John! How exciting to see friends on TV. Chef Raul was telling Sam Champion about his French Toast dish, which he bakes. I actually had my back to the TV, working on my computer and heard Raul’s voice, looked around and there he was on TV, bigger than life…. TV really does add 10 lbs .

I completely re-read the book “1491”, New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. If your interested in Native American history at all, try to get a copy of 1491. It covers all the Americas and provides completely new insights on the development of this part of the world before it was “discovered” in 1492. I’ve completely highlighted my copy and will probably read it a third time. Charles Mann has really done his homework, the notes and biography consist of over 100 pages of references, which thankfully one does not have to read. Expect to learn more in this one book about our world than you ever could possibly imagine. Good writer, fascinating story.