Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Snow Day


Snowy, cold, and blustery - perfect for savoring the joys of spending the day inside with a good book, a good movie, plenty of green tea, and a bite or two of dark chocolate. Wayne chose a day of skiing which I think is brave and adventurous for a man of seventy-two. I choose warm and cozy. 

The book for today is Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by The Countess of Carnarvon which I'll read on my Kindle. I finished watching the latest episode of Downton Abbey on Sunday with tears streaming down my cheeks. The series is still my current favorite show on television.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Belated Birthday Lunch

Two dear friends took me out today for a belated birthday lunch at my favorite local Mexican restaurant, Mountain Home Cafe. We spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and stitching here in our living room. I intended to take a picture of the three of us but forgot! It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Historic Day for USA


President Barack Obama was officially sworn in as president for his second term yesterday, an historic day for the United States. Today will be the public swearing in, accompanied by a day of celebration in Washington D.C. and all over the country. Today I am especially proud to be an American. I'll spend a lot of time watching the solemn moments and the festivities on television while stitching on my Cobblestone quilt.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Les Misérables

We saw Les Misérables at our local movie theater last night and loved it. Estes Park doesn't always get the movies that I'm keen to see but Lincoln is here as well so Bravo for Reel Mountain Theater! The Les Mis music is going round and round in my head and I find myself humming along.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Viewing the Aftermath of Fern Lake Fire

Moraine Park - blackened tree trunks and shrubs and scorched ground beyond and under the snow



Wayne and I took a "car picnic" up into Rocky Mountain National Park this afternoon in spite of the frigid temperatures. We didn't spend much time out of the car but I wanted to take some photos of the Fern Lake Fire burn area. With the snow on the ground covering much of the burned landscape, it's difficult to see the scope of the destruction and in order to see the worst of it, one has to hike back toward The Pond.

The fire flared up in the early morning of December 1 when the wind gusts were clocked at 75 mph. This was the beginning of a long week of evacuations, fire crews from all over the country, and high anxiety. Fortunately, there were no deaths or serious injuries and the only structure that burned was a summer cabin in the park. It was a stressful time for all of us in this little community but we worked together to help wherever we could and the generosity of individuals, organizations, and businesses was extraordinary.

It will be interesting to follow the recovery of the burned landscape so I'll be making frequent photo trips to document the area, especially beginning in the spring.

Black and gray ash still covers the ground

We had an amusing moment when we stopped to eat our lunch. Two bold magpies hopped onto the hood and rear view mirrors of the car hoping for a hand-out.

The fire did not cross to this side of Bear Lake Road

Friday, January 11, 2013

Cobblestone Quilt & Snowfall


Gentle snowfall - frigid outside - cozy inside. It's a perfect day to start a new quilt project, the first for 2013. It's called Cobblestone by Primitive Gatherings. It's small, just 15 in. X 15 in. and uses both cotton and wool fabric. It requires a lot of hand stitching, which I love to do. What a welcome relief it is to finally feel well enough to be excited about a new project. Carol is hosting Friday Afternoon Quilters today and I'm eager to get out and about.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

New Year


It's been too long since I've posted on this blog. I've had good intentions but something always seems to get in the way. I've had a bad cold (or maybe the flu in spite of my flu shot) since shortly after Christmas but I'm well enough to get back into the "blog habit." Happy 2013.