Annual Cabin and Wildflower Tour takes a twist

By Stephen Clearheart Johnson
North Forty News

The Cabin and Wildflower Tour in Red Feather Lakes, now in its fourth year, is scheduled to take a new twist. Slated for July 26 from 12 to 4 p.m., this year's event features a "destination tour" of six homes and a "bonus" cabin in a self-guided walking tour.

Participants in the tour have a chance to win a drawing for a 12-by-18-inch matted and framed print of the original art used in this year's poster. The $10 ticket fee serves as the drawing entry. All proceeds from the tour will benefit the Red Feather Lakes Volunteer Fire Department.

The original watercolor, painted by local artist Candace Alexander and framed by Ross Reid, is also depicted on T-shirts, note cards and posters available for purchase. CDs by musical artist Robert Doughty, who will perform during the tour, also are available.

Alexander was selected as the artist because she is well known locally, twice winning the Fine Arts Festival poster art contest. She has lived in the area for eight years.

Alexander notes that donating her work is her way of paying back the community. "The people have been very good to me here," she said.

Noted for her depictions of birds and animals, her donations have included gifts to the raptor program and other local fundraising projects. She is passionate about her work with animals, believing that she is "helping to continuously recreate an animal so it isn't lost forever."

Tickets for the tour are available at Red Feather Super, Red Feather Trading Post, Hill Top General Store and Mountain Crafts Gallery. In Fort Collins, tickets can be obtained by calling 223-1332. For more information about the tour, call Shelby VanBuskirk at 881-3601.

The drawing will take place at 4:30 p.m. in the barn of hosts Ralph and Alex Hinst, in the Red Feather Ranch neighborhood on Prairie Divide Road. The winner need not be present. The original piece by Alexander will also benefit the fire volunteers when sold via a silent auction on Fire Day scheduled for Labor Day.

Carpooling to the nearby tour site will be available at the POA building hourly from noon onward.