Golden Autumn

"Even if something is left undone,

everyone must take time to

sit still and watch the leaves turn." 

- Elizabeth Lawrence

And that's exactly what I did yesterday when Skip, Mom and I drove into the mountains to gaze upon the incredible colors of Fall. Our Aspens tend to leave me awestruck every time I see them. I've learned not to keep taking hundreds of pictures of this Autumn event, as the changing colors in a photo never seem to appear as brilliant and impressive as they are when you're gazing in person at an entire mountain of gold. Autumn surely is "a second Spring when every leaf is a flower."

 

Broncos vs Seattle Sea Hawks

Wow, 24 days since I entered something on my blog. Where DOES the time go?

Had a fantastic time last weekend with my friend Cheryl who I have known over 30 years. She lives across the state in Grand Junction, and unfortunately we don't get together as often as we'd like. Cheryl and Jim have season tickets for the Bronco games, and I was invited to go with her to see the Broncos play the Seattle Sea Hawks last Sunday. We stayed at the Sheraton on the west side of Denver and were able to hop on a bus across from the hotel that drove us right to the front gate of Mile High Stadium. (I will NEVER get use to calling it Invesco Field. Totally dumb name!)

Anyway, I guess I had forgotten the amazing excitement and energy that can overcome you when you become part of a crowd of 75,000 individuals all cheering on the home team. And there is SO much more to see when you're in the stadium. I can get very bored watching the game at home with all those ridiculous commercials and half-time commentators who just love to hear the sound of their own voices. Personally, I'd rather be watching the half-time show than listening to them recap every play of the game!

It was an extraordinary weekend with a forever friend. And, naturally, it's always a plus when you walk away the winner!

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."  Henri Nouwen

Is this Cajun Country?

Well, actually we're still in Colorado - but for this day, I felt like I was livin' and eatin' down in Cajun country.

We had a mini family reunion last weekend in Delta, Colorado with Skip's family. These are three of his four sisters, and can they ever cook! Tonight's menu was jambalaya (an iconic dish native to Cajun country) and cornbread. If you're new to this food, it consists of bite-size pieces of chicken, fresh shrimp and sausage all cooked together in a delicious spicy brown sauce served over rice. And when you get these three Louisiana-bred sisters makin' this dish, you're talkin' a scrumptious meal! (By the way, I helped set the table!)

Getting together with family is always a special time for me. Nothing profound has to happen. We don't have to be going somewhere or doing something. It's being in the same room with each other, sharing  memories and laughing - that's what I love. There's those good times and bad times in the dynamics of every family. And this weekend, with this family, happened to be one of those GOOD times!

 What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.

- George Elliot

Friendship

"Much of the vitality in a friendship lies in the honoring of differences, not simply in the enjoyment of similarities." 

We had a book club, my friends and I. Often our time together became one of sharing the mundane and the unusual in our daily lives while the book discussion was relegated to the end of the evening. But that was Ok with this beautiful diverse group of women. It wasn't so much the intensity of our conversations that built such a strong bond between us, but rather the honoring of each others' soul. 

Pat Russell (holding the pumpkin) was in the fight of her life on this evening several years ago. For 5 years she was in constant treatment for cancer - but always living life to the fullest, smiling through the pain, and sharing with us her gift of wisdom. She died bravely and left an incredible emptiness in our hearts for a very long time. I think of this faith-filled woman often these days, remembering how she walked lightly on this earth, treating everyone she encountered with love and reverence. I hope I can leave behind such a legacy.

"True friends are never forgotten. They live within our hearts and souls forever, and always dancing on our stage of memories."

Balloon Lady

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.  

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

Every Tuesday afternoon for the past 12 years, my friend JoAnn and I have been meeting with the elderly Benedictine Sisters in the infirmary at Benet Hill Monastery. We bring them a home-made dessert (which we take turns making) and spend an hour with them in fellowship and conversation. We call it our Tuesday Tea Party - even tho no one drinks tea! We always think of a question to tweak their memories and get them conversing about the past. It's been an unexpected blessing for us as they share their wisdom and memories.

When we first began doing this, JoAnn and I were working at the Monastery. We are both retired now, but they enjoyed it so much that we decided to continue. So every Tuesday afternoon, the two of us meet for lunch and make the 50 minute drive to the Monastery for our Tuesday Tea Party. This is where the balloon lady comes into the picture.

It was yesterday - Tuesday - and we were eating lunch at Chick Fil A before heading up to meet with the Sisters. From our booth, I noticed this woman making these balloon animals for all the young children in the restaurant. I watched their faces light up with big smiles as she twisted and turned those ordinary colorful balloons into works of art. When she passed by our booth, I asked if she would mind making one for me to bring to the Sisters. It's silly little things like this that also light up the faces of us "older" folks, so I knew I could find it a good home. And I did! Meet Sister Ernestine who is now the proud owner of her very own balloon-doggie.

I Agree!

Went out with Skip yesterday and we stopped for lunch at Culver's. While he was getting our food, I was busy people-watching from our booth and spied this dessert menu. Nothing profound about it, just made so much sense to me, tho. Life IS short - so enjoy the ride. Eat dessert! Find things to smile about. Practice kindness. And don't let negativity rule your life.
Now, if I can keep all these in mind, it will be a delightful day.

Camera Ready

Whenever Skip and I travel up into the mountains, I always keep my digital camera right by my side hoping that I will catch that "National Geographic" photograph of our resident wildlife. On our drives, we'll spend hours scouring the woods, the valleys and the sides of the roads, most often seeing nothing - but this day we were in the right place at the right time.

We were driving back from a day spent in Cripple Creek, a mountain gambling town located on the western side of Pikes Peak and about 60 miles from our home. Having left most of our money behind, we were in need of something to lift our spirits. The narrow two-lane road out of Cripple Creek is a constant series of sharp "s" curves that wind back and forth down the mountain with a steep drop-off on the left and a vertical rocky incline on the right. As we rounded one of the corners, my eyes happen to glimpse a herd of big-horned sheep vaulting up from my left. In a split second, they were darting across the road and scampering up the incline on the other side. And at that same moment I also heard the screeching of tires and saw the red brake lights of the vehicles in front of me as the traffic in both directions came to a complete standstill. I was driving, so I yelled for Skip to grab the camera and start shooting.

It was really an amazing site. Most female big horned sheep give birth to a single lamb (baby sheep) in the spring. Once the baby is strong enough to follow its mother, the pair joins other mothers and babies. This was just such a herd. Once they were all safely across the road, they took their time to regroup and climb up the rocks - every once in a while glancing back at all the curious on-lookers.

We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful state as Colorado, and to be able to enjoy its variety of wildlife. For as long as I live, I will never tire of experiences like this.