travelogue

Roof Ranch Outdoor Tour

Cedar and Owen give you a tour of some of Roof Ranch’s outdoor amenities. Check out the Airbnb listing for more, plus photos of the interior (before we filled it with our stuff…). We’re in Coal Creek Canyon, outside of Golden, Colorado.

Get ready to zip through a tour of some of the grounds at Roof Ranch!
poetry

big bear comin’

our resident bear decoy

big bear comin’

Hi, big bear, not afraid of people
headed towards your house*

we look at each other and nod
time to take precautions
to hide those honey bears
at the backs of shelves
secure the latches
on the hot tub
hook the zip line seat
in place
set the parking brake
and put the cars in gear
give the children
whistles in bed
close the piano keyboard
put the fuzzy slippers
close to the crack
under the door
(to pretend this house
already has its bear)
and pray it’s not your time
then wait
one ear to the ground
one finger testing the wind

*We got this text at dinner tonight. Considerate, alarming, befuddling. What should one do when a bear is on the way? We actually did: bring the dogs in, close and latch the main level windows and doors, abandon our plans to go across the creek to set up the wildlife camera tonight, cover the grill, and hang the hummingbird feeder higher. What else should we have done? What else would you add to the poem’s whimsical to-do list? We may need your suggestions for tomorrow!

poetry

roses in rain

roses in rain

the smell of wild roses makes me weep
she said
conjuring the overwhelmingly poignant joy
that’s bound to put you over the edge
feet sunk into velvety dune sand
while waves build and collapse
for thousands of miles before you
soon as you slip one behind an ear
the petals fall
but the scent stays
sometimes I put a petal on my tongue
like a communion wafer
eager to embody sweetness somehow
today after the thunderstorm
they’re windblown and blowsy
petals plastered to leaves
spangled with tiny crystal balls
so heartbreakingly beautiful
I forget about trying to read the future
just tuck one behind my ear
breathe in joy all day