Colorado Reunion ~ Merriment and Alpen Glow

(Note: Just a lil' memo to let you know ... this trip took place the end of September 2012. )

After rising to crisp Colorado blue skies, I found a phone message from my friend. She'd arranged a Brunch at her place for several of my ole acquaintances to converge ... and I'd best be there!! Cool! I have my mornin' Chai Tea and amble over to my friends! There's Anna (who I'd known as Margie, and still can't remember to call her Anna) who's strumming on Hether's newly acquired banjo, Billie (who later arrives after just having flung himself over his bicycle handle bars, bruising himself and the apples he'd brought to contribute) and eventually, my ole' architect (did I tell you I'd had plans of buying property and building a home in Telluride? Well, that's another story ...), George Greenbanks. In the wanderings of George's office I spy this fantastic pen and ink sketch of George and I ask, if he has a small one I could perchance have? Digging in his pocket, he pulls one out and hands it to me. I smile, tears again ... this sketch is of George 'n my dear friend Hether at George's home in the garden.
A flood of memories wells up inside me and I'm between giggling and tearing up. It was a whole lifetime ago, yet still one of my very favorite times that held up so many opportunities to my young life at that time. I'm not unhappy where I am but my curious mind and creative heart wonders what my life would be like had I followed some of those dreams I'd had then ... all the way to fruition. I wonder ...

Mind wandering aside, after nibbling on brunch George and Billie offer us tours of  their nearby homes. I'm jazzed, homes are such holograms for us humans. And these two homes did not disappoint. Meandering our way up to Billie's I was reminded that George is the best town history buff, and we all garnered stories about each house and the people around it too! Where Billie's home had a warm, clean Asian feel with many an artist's thoughtful touches, George's was eclectic, with holdings from every imaginable memory and person. I ached a bit inside, wishing I'd stayed in Telluride, weathered the life there and had a home and life there now. But it was not the time for that future to manifest and so many other dreams have come true. I just had so many opportunities, it's hard to pick which one to follow.

Eventually, our group moved in our different directions and I return to my room to ready for my evening plans with my renewed friendship in Linda. Her business is the care and maintenance of homes for whom Telluride is not a primary residence. With her dedication to work, her Virgo organization and her integrity, Linda's positioned herself well in the small community. She picks me up and I travel deep south of town where I knew the Telluride Mine's tilings ponds to be. Now days the ponds have all been fixed and the homes there are some of the most exclusive ($1 million per lot). I savor the aspen sprinkled grounds while she does her work and soon we are curving back thru town and out the north end. My friend prefers solitude and lives nested out of town. Her cozy two-story home affords her lovely views overlooking the opposite mountains and mesas. She prepares a yummy fresh dinner and as we're talking I'm hopping up and down. The exquisite color play going on across the valley on snow-capped peaks and golden aspen groves is breath-taking. I try to capture it here in my journal peering over the nearby rooftops ... I hope you can gather even just a snippet of the pink, gold and orange alpen glow.

What an amazingly rich day ... I return to town and my quiet bungalow ... with memories and heartfelt friendships dancing in my head ... as I fall asleep.

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.

Thursday's Retreat Heads Over the Ridge

This glistening Thursday shown with turquoise blue skies and warm sunshine. After our mornin’ yoga and a savory breakfast, we bustle, getting ready for our hike. We’d put of this hike to Thursday, waiting for more perfect weather – and today was just that!

By 10am we were and trekking over the ridge, dropping down into the lovely valley with Duck Lake resting in the palm of granite and green. After poking through the fascinating crumbling cabins of yester-year (great aged wood!) we weave through my beloved aspens groves. I just adore this area. The pristine surroundings, the sparkling lake, the sensual undulating granite!! Just to the left of Duck Lake are these waves of rock. We crawl like ants, poking and prodding from different vantage points in response to an exercise Jean has assigned us. Our aim was to simplify and then, later when we had time to peruse the quick sketches - - take one of our images to full color. Here's my completed page.
By now, it was lunch time and we find cozy dining upon rounded rocks to relish the elegant lunch our Izzy had packed and carried in pack, our “Roasted Vegetable & Goat Cheese Wraps with Romesco Dip, Apple and Chocolate Chip & Cocoa Nib Cookie and a homemade Protein Bar too”. Lovely, eh? And so sophisticated for a back-packed lunch!

Following lunch we proceed with one word exercise and then launch into some free time to start sketching. We love counting the catfish skittering below us in the shallow end but, also begin counting the plumpness of the cumulus clouds beginning to multiply over the ridge. To be wise and avoid being caught in any possible rain storm, we gather ourselves up and braid our way back up to ridge, homeward. It still allowed us silly time, like digging mushrooms (Izzy is a whizz at this!) and also great at being “a tree among trees”.

Once back to the cabins, we relax and refresh, ready for one more creative endeavor: Stamp Making. Subject suggested was something that depicts/epitomizes who “you” are. Here’s Kitty deep in the process and one result.

Our evening was not a let down compared to the already dynamite day … because it was our Finale’ Farewell Dinner. Izzy reached her peak of presentation and flavors and we playfully dished up "Roast Salmon with Israeli Whole Wheat Pearl Cous Cous and Summer Ratatouille (stewed Kale, Chard, Chickpeas and Squash)” and desserted with “Green Cardamom Flan”. She’d truly outdone herself and we fancied every moment of it!

Just another day in “Journaling Retreat” heaven and no relief in sight!