Scout...

Scout. She is our new 4-legged Family member. We adopted her on August 6th from Dumb Friends League in Denver. She was 11 weeks old, tiny tiny tiny. She was the only kitten we looked at that day. The Girl had been gone since late May, and I was just not happy being without a cat/kitten. I was ready even though the house was clean as a whistle, I was sorely missing a having feline around. The Boys were on board.

I don't understand it, I have seen it often on social media: 'Help me to name my baby, help me to name my dog or cat or my mascot.' On occasion, I would throw out the name of Scout, although it was never chosen. So, even before we brought her home, (certainly, Scout would have worked for a male as well) she had a name. And, YES, I named her after the character of the 6 year old, 'Scout' from Harper Lee's remarkable book published in 1960, and in 1962, the equally remarkable movie, To Kill a Mockingbird. I even watched the movie again on Netflix, to remind myself why Scout was so stuck in my heart, and fell in-love once more with the innocence of a little girl who did not see the color of people's skin, but was able to see straight to a persons soul. So, her name, Scout, was officially sealed!!

This little kitty grew SO FAST, I call her, Miss Scout, the giant kitten. I am so so so glad to have these pics of her because now, she is 6 months old, still very much a kitten, but just really big! I forgot. I forgot what it was like to have a kitten, a baby animal in the house. At one point during that first week, I was so exhausted, I handed her over to Edward and said, here, YOU play with her. She was coming out of the gate at a thousand miles an hour and then falling into that deep 'kitten sleep!'

She is fearless, sweet, funny, very outgoing, a hunter/stalker, physically very strong. She has developed a different relationship with each of us, which is makes sense. She also filled a space in my heart, our hearts, which was missing. In many many ways we are still getting to know her, and she, us, but like any long term relationship, it's just going to unfold naturally as we go! So, Scout, the giant kitten, in the house!!!!!

Who knows, she may need a little feline friend to play with...to be continued..

The Orchid Show

So, allot has changed since Christmas, however, life marches forward, and so it has, right to the annual Orchid Show at The Denver Botanic Gardens. Last year, I was still using my trustee little Nikon, but this year, my sweet, not so new anymore, Sony has proven worthy. I have been studying up on how to take photos of flowers and I am so pleased with these results. The Orchids are ridiculously colorful, delicate, sensuous, strong, and very very tricky to bring  to full bloom. Hats off to the miracle workers at the Gardens for making this feast for the eyes, beauty for the soul, happen. It was an usually warm day, so the greenhouse sliders were open, and instead of glass and steel for some of the backgrounds, I had full access to the big Colorado skies. I took my time, met some nice people along the way, and lo and behold...for those of you on social media, I will be posting the 6 pics you have not yet seen on my Instagram feed, but spreading them out over the next many days, so, enjoy twice over. For those of you not on social media, enjoy!

 

 

'O Lord, how manifold are your works!'  Psalm 104:24

Lily Pads/Lilleypad, Etc.

I named my first Etsy shop, 'Lilleypad'. It helps to come up w/ something relatable, and hopefully, a bit clever. Needless to say, I have a true affinity for the Lily Pad flower. We have had the Botanic Gardens in Denver in the front of our brain, as it has been all over the news here. The infamous 'Corpse Flower', which they have in the gi-normous greenhouse was getting ready to bloom. Interestingly, a relative of the 'Lily Family', the Corpse Flower blooms once every 10 years, for about 2 days, and gives off the odor of a decomposing mammal. Gross, very very very gross. However, yesterday was cool, by Augusts' standards, and we decided that it would be a perfect way to seize the moment by going to the Botanic Gardens. I had a field day taking a boat load of pics, from Queen Anne's Lace, to the Sunflowers, the many many Lily Pads, the gorgeous Solarium (I want to live there!), and of course, the Koi Fish. As it turns out, I read today, that just a few hours after we left the Corpse Flower began to bloom. This was not something I wanted to experience, ever. But, we did see it, and I took some pics, which, somehow, not surprisingly, did not come out. But, I have to thank that strange creation for getting us to the Botanic Garden. What a gift, smack in the middle of Denver!

Post script: People were waiting as long as 3 hours to experience the 'Corpse Flower', and in some cases, were handed barf bags...things that make you go hmmmmmm.....

Koi fish...

Lily pads....

They come in all shapes and sizes!!

The Solarium, I want to live here!

So BEAUTIFUL!!

The bees are alive and well in Denver!!

Queen Anne's Lace, more bees!

From the gift shop!

The Corpse flowering plant...eeeeew
(not my pic)

'The Lord will guide you always;

    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

    and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

    like a spring whose waters never fail.'   

                                                            Isaiah 58:11

Settling In...

Cherry Creek State Park...snippet of the walking/biking path...

Storm on the move...

Sunset...

Sunset...just last night!

Soft tall grass in the late afternoon sun...

Well, it has been 3 weeks and 2 days since we moved north and 1500 feet lower in elevation. It feels longer. We are hardcore homebodies, so we tend to nuzzle right in to a new house once we get there. This move has taken us just a bit longer than 'usual', but, we are almost there. I can't quite put my finger on it. All of our 'systems' are set up and running, offices in working order, kitchen pantry is full. Edward has a huge space of his own to spread out and pretend that we don't live here (lol), most pictures which we want hung, are hung...maybe it will be when the first frost hits and we feel the house engulf us. We have been loving sitting outside in the early evenings and watching the sunset w/ the gorgeous vista which is set before us. Anywho, the lower altitude feels so much better. This is a great thing.

The state park is our back yard. We hear coyotes @ night singing their songs to one another, and it has afforded us a continual eye-full of such incredibly beautiful landscapes. (I already said that...worth repeating). The walking paths are welcoming and from our windows we can see the daily array of bikers, walkers, and horses. There is even a large area set aside for dogs and their owners. We have enjoyed every inch, thus far, of where we have placed our feet. There is so much more to see. With Autumn upon us, and the cooler weather approaching, we know that the park has more to give, so we continue to look forward! On my list of things to do, is taking pics of the horses who live right here!!!!

We are also loving being so close to Denver. There are so many choices of where to eat and shop, along with discovering the beautiful cities which hug Denver from every side. In essence, these City kids have the best of both worlds right now...we are just getting our feet wet.

Grateful would be a huge understatement, but grateful....

 'It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High;

  to show forth thy loving kindness in the morning,

and thy faithfulness every night,

  with an instrument of ten strings and upon the psaltery,

upon the harp with a solemn sound.

For thou, O Lord, hast made me glad by your work;

I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

  How great are thy works, O Lord!

  Thy thoughts are very deep!'

Psalm 92:1-5