So, We Moved...Again!!!

 

 

 

It seems that the challenge of living 7000 feet in the air (originally I thought 6000...I was wrong. We were situated @ the highest point of The Springs!) has been too much for me. I just never acclimated to such thin thin air. So, we have kissed Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak good-bye, and said hello to Centennial, which is 1500 feet lower in elevation. It can only help! I did not think that the beauty could get any better, but I was wrong about that too. We are sitting facing a state park, hence, the 180 degree vista is waaaaay more than I could have imagined. These pics are from Monday and Tuesday nights' sunset, respectively. There is much more sky, the sunsets seem to go on and on and on, and then on even more.

We are so so grateful to be here, although deeply exhausted, looking forward to yet another new chapter...it begins...the Centennial house!

  'And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day and night.'

Exodus 13:21

ps. The kitty's and the  frozen pesto made the hour journey North w/out issue....whew on both counts!!!

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 Late afternoon walk around the lake @ The Broadmoor...

ahhhhh....SUMMER!!

So, Here We Are...

Sunset over Pikes Peak

The same morning view on a crisp clear day...today!!!

The same morning view, yesterday w/ low clouds...so beautiful!!

Instagram pic of above...detailed...

So, here we are at the beginning of 2014. Our birthdays, Christmas and New Year were lovely, low key, uncomplicated. We were grateful. I know that I have said it before. I was grateful that the year had passed, that my birthday 'felt better' than the year before, as it was the first one w/out Mom. So w/ a much lighter spirit, as a Family, we cruised through all of it, quietly. On the 18th of this month it will be 2 years since we left our sweet Dutch Colonial in Rhode Island and made the big move to Colorado Springs. I have literally seen my vision expand w/ the breathtaking skies, the majesty of Pikes Peak, which I wake up to every morning. The sun is brighter (and hotter 6000 feet closer to it's warmth), the sky is bluer. And, now, w/ my new camera (w/ WIFI!!!!) in tow, I can capture more detail from far away, and the close-up/macro shots, well, more 'macro-y'. I am still very much playing w/ the camera and have barely scratched the surface. But, these shots are telling. So, w/ hope in my heart for this new year of 2014, I continue to step forward...

Girl Whirl, sunning...

'But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.'

Deuteronomy 11:11-12

A Good Night in the Greenhouse...

Instagram pic of the display

My point of view...big long greenhouse!!

LOTS of greenery to make us all look better!!

Vintage Garden Art

Red Leaf in Resin

 Whew!!! My first show in Colorado is finished. Given that the temps were in the low 20's and falling, and that the show was literally in the greenhouse of Phelan Gardens, it was a very good turnout! I met some lovely, creative vendors, from making jewelry w/ pressed leaves and flowers (Wildflower Jewelry), to Vintage Garden Art, which is hand stamped flatware for your garden or plants (we made a trade!), to beautiful glass and grass jewelry from the Maasai women of Kenya! I had wonderful feedback and some excellent suggestions of 'where to go next', w/ the photographs. So much of selling art on-line, or @ shows like this one, is all about networking, and it was a good start!!! A hearty thank you to Jen Pelto for finding me on Etsy and including me in such a lovely event!

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house...'
Mt. 5:15

The Broadmoor and Tonto...What????

'I Am Crow', by Kirby Sattler

Johnny Depp as 'Tonto' in the movie, 'The Lone Ranger'

'Nightfall', by Kirby Sattler

'Yellow Horse', by Kirby Sattler

'Red Braids', by Kirby Sattler

The Broadmoor

The Broadmoor

Summer days are sizzling up here in The Springs and it is nice to get out in the late afternoon and early evening for a walk. Jimmy and I decided to drive 'down' to the Broadmoor to do just that. There are shops, the grounds are beautiful, it beckons. We found out that the outdoor shops, with their very friendly staff, were a relatively recent addition to the historic Broadmoor. The additions to the hotel are seamless. We walked around, enjoyed each of the shops we visited, along with speaking to the  interesting shopkeepers along the way. However, the highlight of our little jaunt, was walking into a gallery, named, Hayden Hays. The gallery has 2 locations @ the Broadmoor. One houses more traditional themes while the other caters to a western and wildlife aesthetic. Together they compile a unique collection of oils, acrylics, watercolors, bronzes, etchings, lithographs, sketches, photographs and wood sculptures sure to please both the serious collector as well as the casual visitor. We, the casual visitors, were completely taken by some of the work we saw. This is the reason. We walked in and were immediately struck by the beautiful detailed, bronze sculptures of horses and wildlife, children at play, Indians in their glory. The artist, Kirby Sattler, paints magnificent, stunning, breathtaking portraits of Indians. This is an important quote from the artist:

'My paintings are interpretations based upon the nomadic tribes of the 19th century American Plains. The subjects are a variety of visual references and my imagination. I am not a historian, nor an ethnologist. Being of non-native blood, without personal history, it would be presumptuous to portray the subject I paint from any other view than as an artist with an innate interest in the world’s indigenous cultures. I purposely do not denote a tribal affiliation to the majority of my subjects, rather, I attempt to give the paintings an authentic appearance, provoke interest, satisfy my audience’s sensibilities of the subject without the constraints of having to adhere to historical accuracy.'

We entered into a lively discussion with the lovely gallery keeper, about these paintings by the gifted Kirby Sattler. They are painted with golden heavy bodied acrylics on linen canvas. They are not small, 22 x 20, 34 x 24, and the gold framing brings out their beauty. Here comes the real kicker, here it is people. It seems that Johnny Depp's make-up in the movie, 'The Lone Ranger', in the role of 'Tonto', was inspired by Mr. Sattler's painting, 'I Am Crow'!! REALLY??? You can clearly see, the proof is in the, well, make-up. Jimmy and Edward had just seen the movie over the weekend. I know that there has been a lively debate, if you will, about Johnny Depp playing Tonto, which added to 'the moment', of this golden nugget of information. 

So, our late afternoon/early evening stroll around The Broadmoor gave us much more than we bargained for, hence, 'The Broadmoor and Tonto'. We walked away knowing that we will go back for more, dig a little deeper into the whole area, and who knew, a blog post too boot!

Fountain at The Broadmoor

Now We Have an Epic Fire....

Waldo Canyon started burning on Saturday, around noon. Right now, there are 15,342 acres burning. 32,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Yesterday around 4PM, the worst case scenario occurred. There was a thunderstorm on the other side of the canyon which contained 65 mile per hour winds and literally pushed the fire over the ridge and into the Northwest part of Colorado Springs, which is residential. As of this hour many many homes have been lost. Most thankfully, there have been no injuries!! We are about 20 miles away, a bit north and east and we are in a high spot. The pictures posted here were when this virtual explosion occurred. It was within that hour when we began to think about really preparing to evacuate. I received a recorded phone call from Medtronic, the supplier of Edward's diabetic equipment 'reminding' him of what to bring in case of evacuation. A shudder ran down our spines at that moment.

These pictures were taken from outside my front door, and down the street at around the 4 o'clock hour. One of our neighbors brought out a very powerful pair of binoculars which he set up on a tripod so we could see what was happening on the Ridge. We saw the houses burning well into the night....clearly. This is a historically challenging fire, where all agencies and jurisdictions are working in unison. Please be assured that we are okay. The information is non-stop and we will heed all warnings. Again, we are 20 miles away. We would ask that you pray for the people of Colorado Springs, for the firefighters, for the newscasters, for  all the very important decision making people who have been extraordinary, and for the weather cooperating. Will most definitely keep you posted.

Triple 'D'

Bacon cheeseburger w/ unbelievably delicious fries..

...and stacked, ready to be eaten...

Jimmy and Edward each received a clean plate club sticker!!

The clean plate club sticker pole...full from top to bottom..

We heard he was here for his show 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives', other wise known simply as 'Triple D'! None other than the all too adorable and keep it real, Guy Fieri. Jimmy went last month, and today, while out and about we decided to head into downtown Colorado Springs and twist Jimmy's arm to have another amazing burger. Edward was game, more like drooling. For me, well, I was just praying there would be something on the menu that I would eat. Eggs, always safe and good at any time of the day. So, we went to King's Chef Diner. A burger 'joint' around since 1956. We know, for sure that Al Roker was there, click on the link for a video. But, for me, just the idea that Guy had been there ('they' are sticking by their story. I looked all over the internet and could not find the episode...maybe 'yet to be aired') was good enough. This is far from our 'normal', but hey, every now and then, going off the beat and path w/ our good eating habits is fine...we had a great time and the food along w/ the novelty was all worth it!!!

WHAT??????

Red and yellow peppers, growing green!!!

And you thought that my first post after moving to the ever lover-ly Colorado Springs would be pictures of the grandeur of the mountains in the morning and the majestic sunsets which really do take your breath away or the details of the plane ride out here, and how well (whew) the kitties fared, or how Edward's blood sugars were all over the place the first week we arrived, or that you really do have to drink alot of water to stay hydrated, or that unpacking is much more fun than packing (thank you Ann), or that I am thrilled beyond words to have a closet in my office. I could tell you all about that, but, whaaaat???? Yes, people I am posting pics of peppers. For those of you who go food shopping, you know that the cost of fresh produce has sky-rocketed. Especially, peppers...the orange and yellow peppers are like investing in gold. So, when I walked into our 'new' supermarket and saw red, yellow and orange peppers on sale, 10 for $10, my heart sang. I cut them from the top, like a pumpkin, shake out all the seeds which are left, then slice them open, cut out the veins, slice them into 6-8 pieces, and simply roast them w/ some olive oil until they are tender, and crisp all at the same time. It is like eating candy, they are so sweet, and 'au natural'. When I cut open 2 of the peppers, I was a-gog, when I pulled out peppers growing inside of peppers...they were so beautiful, I could not pass up the opportunity to take some pics. Hence, my first post from Colorado, peppers growing inside of peppers. There is plenty of time for all those mountain shots. From what I can tell, they are not going anywhere, anytime soon......more to come!!

Rocky Mountain High in Colorado

View from upstairs...every morning, waking up to this!!!

Outside the front door...yikes!

Partial pic of our new home...lovely, open, new, green, earth friendly!!

Gas fireplace in the living room makes an open area very, very cozy...love the light!!

Jimmy has something to sit on...lol!!!

The kitchen is already the central gathering place for eating, connecting, hanging out...looking forward to spending alot of time here and feeding all the company we expect to see (hint hint)!

A great bright morning, feeling right at home!!!

So, it's official. We're moving to Colorado Springs. Jimmy has a new job with The Springs Church.

He has been in Colorado for a few weeks now, jumping into his new work, feet first. We are very excited and happy for the 'big adventure'. Edward and I just returned from a long weekend, and we nuzzled into our new house, met some wonderful people, marveled at the view of the mountains from our street and house. There is so much to do over the next few weeks...packing up this house, (our cozy Dutch Colonial), I am doing one Holiday show at the Aspray Boat House on December 10th, so, I have plenty to do to have enough stock, we have to get Edward packed up from his apartment in Boston, all mixed in with birthdays, Chanukah, Christmas, and the New Year. One day at a time is the only way to approach the transition, having faith that we are, without a doubt headed in the right direction, having 'committed our way unto the Lord', Psalm 37:5. Will keep you posted, as they say.......