Telluride Plein Air ~ Lost Dollar Road, Ridgeway and Tride Alleyways

Next day, September 28th, in Telluride, we rise to slightly smokey skies (from nearby fires) and carve our plans accordingly. Perhaps a relaxed ride down valley will move us away from the smoke and there are some fabulous views to catch too.

As we weave our way out of town we take a right turn up towards the airport, but more lovingly called Lost Dollar Road to me. Past the airport we're pleased to discover the majestic views have been
rescued from condos, leaving a sprinkling of new homes and the ole' ranch buildings I so treasure. This image is of the rugged San Juan Range in the background where Lost Dollar actually winds through and over the mountains coming out just above Ridgeway. But it's a way 4-wheel drive road and we choose to return to the valley and drive the highway en route to Ridgeway.

WOW - has Ridgeway grown from when I once looked at property to buy there! New homes, B&Bs and plenty of new businesses dot the main road and some side streets too. We saunter out of the car and have a tea at a nearby coffee shop and sample the Farmers Market going on in the park. This charming town echos times gone by yet with a new vitality stirring. Here's our view from the park, drinking in the ole' business buildings that surround the town square.

Our evening back in Tride is relatively quiet. I I have the pleasure of helping my friend Hether put together a from-scratch cake to be part of the special Tiramisu dessert for her hubby in a couple of days. I also learned how little comfort I have following recipes - and why I stay out of the kitchen usually! After another test run at another pizza place (Roland seems to be seeking the perfect pizza in Telluride!), we take a new evening walk heading away from town, southward, towards the mine. The town, or maybe the mine company, have done a remarkable job of renovating the area with the "mine tailings", making a modern hike/bike trail along the river where wild flowers bloom and late summer shadows grow long.

Next day we breakfast and find the only thing on the agenda is meandering the streets, or more accurately, the alleys to catch the tucked-away charm of teeny alley homes, rustic collections and exuberant gardens. Oh my camera captured bunches but, I think this back-alley log cabin is MY
favorite. You may not have know my penchant for ole' cars and collectibles ... well, you can see this place has it all (not to mention the log cabin I almost built on one of the Telluride mesa - but that's another story).

The evening took us all into town to peruse what the Plein Air Event has calling, the "Wine Festival Paint Out". Plenty of sweet paintings and as I wandered past the artists, I gathered ever single printed favorite image I could. I pocketed many of them in a black envelope on my journal page but, the most joyful serendipity happened when I placed the two business cards ... right in the midst of the tree shading the Ridgeway Park and saw how they

perfectly camouflaged in the tree branches!

Did I mention how I LOVE journal page surprises!? ... especially when they just "POOF!" present themselves!

Some "Sweet-est Favorites" before Flying Off to Telluride Reunion

This has gotta be one of my happiest memory journal pages. Following some trips or events I like to just sit down after the fact and nest into what was the very, very "favorite-est" parts of that time. It is with this page I did just that for my "Women's Journaling Alpine Retreat 2013". On our final retreat day we'd all assembled delightful, diverse lil' "Harvest Books". Kind of what we in brief, had "harvested" from each of the rare and rich spirits of the women at this retreat.

T'was one of the most riotous and creative times at the entire retreat and I wanted the nest my book securely in my journal. I adore my book, with it's tumble of word descriptions in the middle page and then, the individually designed page by each retreat participant, chattering joy, inventiveness and personality across the small, folded pages. It's such a treasure, so unique! I chose this copper, iridescent envelope which I cut off so as to display and make accessible my fold-out book. I loved the "serendipity" of the rusty, copper-ish fishing hook and Chef Izzy's simply elegant business

card residing so cohesively on the page too. Truly a statement of tender gems my life has been sprinkled with ... reminding me I am absolutely blessed.   :)

And not much less charged with happy energy, the opposite page starts chronicling my Telluride Reunion trip. For not much less than a year, I'd made my decision to make this travel down memory lane. And as it unfolded, not only did I get to reunite with many friends but, I was able to show at THE gallery of my dreams too. This page gives you a peek out the final plane flight that took me from Denver over miles of exquisite Rocky Mountain terrain into Montrose. It was just east of Gunnison that I began seeing the small clumps of yellow dotting the mountains below. Oh WOW - - it was my beloved Aspen trees in their golden autumn garb. I nearly cried. Some of you know how connected my heart is to these trees ... many times tears have come to my eyes just being under these lovelies. And it really grounds me to my Colorado roots.

When I reached Montrose my ole' friend (as in having been a friend for forty five years) picked me up with hugs and excited conversation. We shopped for groceries for my next week in a lil' B&B and settled in to meet her new husband. Their cozy home cuddles up against the eastern slopes of the long valley leading to Ridgeway and seeing ole' familiar territory where I'd so long ago lived stirred my heart. We barbecued dinner in their front yard barbecue (which you see here) then, moved inside as the evening cooled.

Boy, did I feel like I was home. I folded myself into the deep mattress and covers of Colorado nights, smiling at the anticipation of the coming days.