Catching Up

Summer is over and fall is running out of time.

Snow has fallen on the high peaks and (luckily) has melted.

Temperatures are cooler - winter is beckoning.

My pansy boxes and container plants thrived through summer and fall.

Wildflowers were spectacular.

I miss their vibrant blooms.

Our 59th wedding anniversary was in August.

We spent several days in Vail celebrating.

Moose continue to pass through our property.

Fall is the time for rut so we must be extra-mindful when outdoors.

I love seeing the snow clouds hover over the peaks.

However, I'm happy to see the white disappear again!

Winter lasts a long, long time at high altitude.

The views in fall are breathtaking.

Gold predominates.

I keep active and look forward to the blessings of each day.

Searching for the positive continues as my focus.

Good things are not hard to find.

I look, listen, and stay present.

The choice between gratitude or dissatisfaction is easy.

I choose gratitude - I hope you do too:

find one good thing - pass it on

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Update

I last posted in July.

We've been feeling fine.

The days pass quickly - I think more quickly now that I'm 80!

In August, while the Shasta Daisies were blooming, Bob and I celebrated our 58th anniversary.

During September, our container plants and perennials still flourished.

However, nights became colder.

We had snow flurries that whitened the peaks.

By October, aspen leaves put on their show.

We enjoyed a spectacular fall.

Moose began to mate so we were very cautious and watchful when outdoors.

The pre-dawn Hunter Moon glowed above Imperial Peak.

In the beginning of November, we got back-to-back snowstorms.

Breckenridge Ski Area opened for the season.

dusk and moon-rise over Red Mountain

My changing Colorado landscape is my One Good Thing today.

There will be snow on the ground at my house through May.

We are blessed by white.

I hope you're well and continue to be active.

May love and peace abide with you.

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Goodbye 2023!

We had a fiery end to 2023.

Piles from the forest cut were burned in December.

134 acres of piled debris in the National Forest were lit.

Fires blazed and smoldered for 8 days.

Since our property abuts the National Forest, we had a front row seat. 

Fire is both mesmerizing and terrifying.

Smoke billowed but luckily didn't find a way into the house.

Smoke continued to rise from the ashes for many days.

We hope destruction will eventually lead to rebirth.

Perhaps wildflowers and saplings will grow to cover the open spaces.

Now, views from our property are unobstructed.

Skiing through the cut, we relish vistas of meadows and mountains.

I'm sharing two videos:
fire blazing behind our house
moose traversing our property at dusk as the fires continue to burn

 

The many blessings of 2023 are my Good Things as the year comes to a close.
I look forward to 2024.

Wishing you all the blessings of the season.

Thank you for visiting.

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Goodbye Fall

Since I last posted, we've had snow twice - it melted within a day.

Grasses in the meadow turned golden.

The forest floor glowed russet.

Foliage was beautiful.

Now most of the trees are bare.

We have daily sightings of moose.

They're temperamental during  rut. We don't antagonise them.

We welcome displays of color before the coming of white.

We've been working daily to prepare for winter. The deck furniture is stored. The tractor and snowblower are oiled and ready. Our boiler is winterized. The property is raked and cleared of summer debris. After the next snow, I'll sow seeds, hoping for summer blooms.

Goodbye fall - you've been my One Good Thing the past month!

Thank you for visiting.

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Goodbye 2022

I spent November and December inside because of my torn ankle tendon. The cast was removed 2 weeks ago. I must use extreme caution bearing weight again. My left leg/ankle/foot are weak from disuse. Range of motion is a problem. So, I begin prescribed rehab exercises carefully at home. Slowly, day by day, I feel less discomfort. Early in 2023, I start rehab at my Physical Therapist's office. Tendons are slow to heal. 

It's a lesson in patience for me.

It's very,very cold in Breckenridge, CO.

Our streets and sidewalks are icy and snow-covered.

Walking outdoors is not an option for me.

Instead, I do floor exercises and ride a stationary bike.

I'm lucky to have spectacular views of the outdoors.

Nature beckons me.

Patience and gratitude are my good things today.

morning moon over Imperial Peak

I tell myself to stay present.

Thank you for visiting.

Stay well!

Goodbye 2022.

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A Setback but Still Good Things

 There are good and bad times in every life. 

Sometimes life feels easy and sometimes it seems hard.

About a week ago, I had a major setback with my ankle. I tripped in the house and felt something snap. I knew I'd reinjured the tendon. An MRI confirmed that the tendon is now torn. I'm in a soft air cast for at least a month and in a brace at night. It's a walking cast, but the DR prefers I stay off it as much as possible. I'm mostly sitting with my leg elevated.

scattering wildflower seeds 

Bob is running himself ragged taking care of me, cooking meals, and doing all the chores. 

Yesterday, he scattered wildflower seeds while I "supervised" from a chair on the deck.

Snow is starting to accumulate. I admire the falling flakes from inside the house.

Obviously, I can't venture outside in icy/snowy conditions.

I try to focus on the many good things in my life:

a husband who takes care of me

books that help pass the time

family and friends who offer love and support

A former student heard I was ailing and sent 2 dozen roses.

They were quite spectacular.

I still have a few in bud vases to enjoy.

I watch the moon set to the west.

A rising sun casts a glow over Red Mountain to the south.

Can you find 3 moose in the photo?
Only the ears and head of one of the calves are visible through the middle evergreen.
The twin calves are huge though they were only born this spring.

Wild things still wander near the house.

I'm grateful for these Good Things.

Thank You for visiting - I hope you're well.

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Celebrate Life

It's been a month since I posted.

Sometimes, a break from the computer is necessary.

I welcome quiet into my mind and heart.

I change my focus.

There is still snow around my mountain home.

However, as temperatures rise, I begin dreaming of blooms.

Just down the street, daffodils raise their bright faces.

We took a  day trip across Vail Pass into Pitkin County.

In two hours, we said hello to spring.

At home, flakes continue falling.

I can't hike in the forest until more snow melts.

But, each morning, as usual, I rise to greet the dawn.

Finally, for a few weeks, there are less tourists visiting.

So, I walk 5 miles through quiet neighborhoods.

I appreciate the stillness.

"Hi Barb!"

I say hello to fox and moose.

I'm watchful for bears, but so far I haven't seen any.

Three of my grandchildren graduate from high school in May.

They'll fly away toward their own special interests.

I'm proud of them.

On May 9, I celebrated both Mother's Day and my 77th birthday.

I think double 7's might be lucky for me.

We make our own luck, of course.

I told Bob I'm going to continue celebrating for awhile.

I give thanks for life, for love, and for all of my blessings.

A little girl in my neighborhood paints rocks and places them for others to find.

I appreciate this message.

I hope you do, too!

Thank you for your visit.

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