An evening at the Cotten Cabin

Up Crystal Creek on Black Mesa, there is a Cotten family cabin. This is where Grandpa Cotten and his siblings grew up. No one lives there on a regular basis now, but it is often used for get-togethers, sometimes for weddings, and occasionally for overnights. It hasn't been modernized, so it is still without electricity, but with an outhouse. And it is on some gorgeous, rather remote, land. We try to get up there at least once each time we go out to Colorado.

It is lovely.

The cabin

Fishing with Papa in the creek

Orianna's boots and hat

Papa's fish

An itty-bitty one

Papa and Orianna looking for bait worms

Lily

Justin building a new handle for the pick ax

Cousins! 

Brylan, the cutie.

The two boy cousins

Mandy and Grandpa

Mick, contemplating life from the back of a four wheeler

Jerad

Mick giving Grandma a ride

Kids and Grandma and Grandpa

John and Kent

Mick and Dawna run some cows up here during the summer

Elsie heading down to the creek

The gang at the creek. There was a lot of teasing and splashing going on. 

Gilbert unsure about the rocky bottom

Justin watching Elsie head down to me at the creek. Elsie had been normally dressed, but somehow (maybe a cow pie? I forget) had already gone through her extra outfit and had to borrow Gilbert's extra shirt so she wasn't completely naked. 

The girls, getting a good rock to splash the boys with

Gilbert was unsure about heading up to the cabin alone with cows in between him and Daddy and Papa.

Girls and boys

Lily and Grandpa Cotten were good pals!

I believe this is Evan, who was great about entertaining Elsie and Gilbert. He was pretty great.

My husband playing his violin

Discussing music

Evening grass

Orianna coming back up from the creek

Justin, John, Jerad, and Kent playing together

Dirty faced baby

Lily and the boys

Love these kids!

My cowgirl!

Mandy, my beautiful sister-in-law

 A cold Lily

Evening light in the pine tree

Grandma Dawna organized smores. Elsie and Gilbert ate a lot of marshmallows.

Gilbert dancing with Elmer