John Keats once observed that a thing a beauty is a joy forever. Well, we here at funmurphys want to spread joy, so we like to run pretty pictures. Since we didn’t have much of a vacation this summer, and I never did manage to post all the pictures from last year’s trip to Colorado, I’ll be putting up more pictures of beauty.

When we last left the photos, we were in Denver. We left Denver to go spend several days in Estes Park at a condo at Fawn Valley Inn. I can recommend the Inn to anyone as the people were very helpful and friendly, the accommodations themselves were great, and it’s just outside the north entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. My favorite place was on the back deck, listening to the Fall River below and looking at the mountains above. Estes Park itself has quite a dramatic setting, next to a lake and surrounded by mountains. The day we arrived the weather was pretty dramatic, although the clouds quickly moved out while we ate lunch and we had clear skys for the afternoon.Estes Park


Given how empty all the land around is the crowdedness of Estes Park itself was a bit of a shock. We spent some time rambling about Estes Park itself, riding the tramway to the top of Prospect Mountain, (OK, I didn’t because of my issues with heights and falling), and shopping for my son’s first pocket knife (and T-Shirts). We stopped and rested after our exertions one day, and after laving our feet in the fall river the family posed for a picture.Murphy Family in Estes Park

Of course these mere representations aren’t like really being there, but they are all I have to share with you — friends, family, and otherwise.