Sunday Morning Hikes

Colorado Blue Columbine - our state flower

Wayne and I usually hike together on Sunday mornings. Because of an unusually high snow pack last winter, Old Fall River Road didn't open until yesterday. It usually opens by July 4. Today we drove partway up this narrow, gravel, one-way road, hiked to a wild-flower filled meadow, then continued driving on Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake for lunch. We got home just in time for a thunder storm with spectacular lightning and thunder.

Tomorrow I plan to tackle my sewing loft which needs a great deal of re-organization and cleaning. It's been easy for me to procrastinate doing this task but tomorrow is Day 1 of the Big Tidy.

Alpine Meadow

Indian Paintbrush

Little Elephant's Head

Quintessential Britain - Part 3

The Cotswolds, Wales, and Scotland were also on our travel agenda. Our favorite hotel of the entire trip was Three Ways House (home of The Pudding Club) in Mickleton, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. The meals there, especially the desserts, were the best we had on the trip. We saw lovely landscapes and beautiful gardens. Hidcote Manor Garden, once privately owned, is now owned by the National Trust. We spent several inspiring hours wandering the paths.

I'll finish this post with a few more photos. We hope to visit the UK again some day.

Quintessential Britain - Part 2

Westminster Abbey

Some of the highlights of the first few days of our tour, while based in London, included: touring Westminster Abbey; visiting Bath and touring the ancient Roman bath house; touring the Tower of London; riding on the London Eye and visiting Stonehenge.

Interior of Roman Bath House

Inside the Tower of London

Lanthorn Tower dating back to the 13th century

View of the Thames from atop the London Eye

Stonehenge

Quintessential Britain

Quintessential British Phone Booth

My husband and I, along with thirty-three American travelers, have been in the UK for almost three weeks and I'm finally over my jet lag. Our tour, Quintessential Britain, was through Road Scholar and was absolutely wonderful. If you haven't gone on a Road Scholar tour, you should consider it. We toured England, Wales and Scotland with a great tour guide and several experts on architecture, history, culture, and literature. We began in London and ended our trip in Edinburgh. I'll post a few photos and descriptions over the next several days starting with London.

Natural History Museum - London

The main entrance of the Victoria & Albert Museum features this 30 foot chandelier designed by glass artist Dale Chihuly.