At Altitude

Thanks Tim, What a Ride!

2012-01-21T22:10:00.001-07:00

I've written about the Broncos, but never at great length. I feel a strong connection to the team. Since 1977, my senior year in high school, which was also the year they went to the Super Bowl for the first time, and lost to the Dallas Cowboys. (And I seem to recall a certain sibling of mine, who was rooting for Dallas, and was banished to watch the game in my parent's bedroom). They lost, but I was hooked. On football in general, and the Broncos in particular. I'm sure it helped that I was the Varsity Football Manager at my high school...............Go Buffs! I learned that Football is a complicated, strategic, fascinating game.

Few in Denver were happy when John Elway showed up, he was not instantly beloved. The local press was pretty tough on him and he got off to a very rocky start. I was not a believer..............but over time...............I believed. John carried the team on his shoulders. The Drive.............all of that.

Then came the Super Bowl losses. Three of them. Brutal. Almost gave up hope.

Then Reeves was out, Shanahan was in. And everything changed. The Mastermind turned the Broncos into The Machine, and I dared to believe. All Bronco fans did.

Coincidentally, at the same time I was working for a local food bank, and ended up working with the Bronco Wives and the Broncos Charity Fund on food drives at the stadium. I was asked to speak at a Bronco Wives potluck, to inspire the wives about the work they were doing. And I tried to act like it wasn't a big deal that the potluck took place at John Elway's house. That was the same year I watched a game in the press box, the next year from the stadium announcer's box. I was living in Bronco heaven.

Those back to back Super Bowl wins were among the best memories I've ever had. I was living alone in a small apartment, and often watched the games alone, but the phone calls flew back and forth with my Dad and lil' bro. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Those were the days.

Always knew those years would be tough to top............

Since those heady times, it seems we Bronco fans have survived one disappointment after another. Who would fill John Elway's shoes? Surely Brian Griese had the pedigree to fill the spot. But no.........And on and on it continued with seasons of disappointment.

Then.............

McDaniels came in and it all seemed like a new era. Got off to a great start, then it all fell apart again. But Josh left us with a little take out box.

Tim.

I must admit ignorance. I don't follow college football. Never heard of Tim Tebow. Florida? Miles away. When Focus on the Family ran it's controversial Super Bowl ad.............that was the first time Tim showed up on my radar. Didn't understand how controversial it was that McDaniels drafted him. I was out of touch with the Broncos.

I had stopped watching. Yep, gave up watching the games, ignored the seasons, thinking all the magic was gone.

But 2011 was one of those pivotal years. And I decided to give the Broncos a chance. I missed football, I missed that feeling of joy, intensity and fun. So I started paying attention again.

New coach, new start. John Elway back in the mix.

The beginning of the season? Nothing but frustration. Kyle Orton? God Bless him. But a complete lack of ............what? A lack of emotion, lack of enthusiasm, lack of leadership.............and there stood Tim on the sidelines.

Waiting.

And then they begrudgingly gave Tim his chance.

Here we are after the dust has settled. Still winded from the ride. The ups, and the downs. The controversy, the screaming fans, the pundits. Denver Broncos 2011.

For the first time in years, I felt that old feeling. On so many levels. Maybe we could find our way back to a place where Sundays were fun and we were filled with joy, or at the very least a few hours of distraction. Excitement, that collective sense of purpose.

A friend invited me and I sat in the south stands of Mile High. For the first of what turned out to be two games against the Patriots. If you Denver dwellers remember, that was an amazing Colorado day. So warm, I didn't need to put my coat on till the fourth quarter. Felt more like a September day. The feeling in that stadium was hard to explain. The electricity, anticipation, joy.

Yes, joy.

I felt it in 2011. For the first time in..............well it seems like forever. And that day, though the Broncos lost, as I filed out of the stadium with thousands of other Bronco faithfuls......I was happy. And I remembered what it felt like to have those good things in life. Those intangibles. That undefinable thing that sport brings us.

Tim led us on fantastic journey. A journey of rooting for the good guy. The whole world watched as a fine young man, made us all feel younger, hopeful, jubilant. Against all odds, and against the pundits, Tim triumphed. And gave us those moments of distraction, excitement, and a little joy, followed by defeat and sadness, The full range of human emotion.

Our Timmy.

Who knows what the future holds? There are as many opinions as there are people.

I, for one, will never forget this season. I want to hang on to what this season meant to me. A return to my love for football. A return to the fun that hoping your team will win, brings. Win or lose, I am a Bronco fan once more...................

And I credit Tim Tebow for that. Good job, Tim.

You make me smile.

Tunesday on a Friday

2012-01-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Rest in Peace.

One of the truly all time classics.................what a song!!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Why not jump on the blogging bandwagon?

Wordless Wednesday. We'll give it a try.

She's Back

2012-01-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

So...............

I've been maintaining radio silence, as my small group of regular readers may have noticed. I should have just hung out the gone fishin' sign. I know I'm sometimes irritated when there's a blog I regularly read that goes silent with no explanation. As if they owe us a post. And sometimes, I grow concerned when a blog goes silent, hoping that nothing is wrong. It's weird, this virtual world we live in, where we feel we know people we've never met, and we leave the curtains open for people (IE: the whole world) to peek in at our lives. As a blogger for a few years now, its odd to see that things that draw people to your blog, the things they comment on, the things they don't.

Initially, I started blogging because of my ongoing need to write, the catharsis it provides has been helpful at times. But you censor yourself, thinking through the list of people you know read your words. In the end, its all strange. Very strange.

And I needed a break. Sometimes we all need a break. It's not as though I had nothing to say. Sometimes you have so much to say, you don't know where to start, so you just stop. At least that's the way it works for me. Not entirely sure I'm ready to start up again, but we'll give it a run.

Coming soon, the catch up post. LOTS has been going on here at Casa Rancho, with the holidays and all. And then there's the inevitable 2011 wrap up. And that whole "Tebow" thing.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

I'll try. Don't expect too much.

And Again

2011-12-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

I gave up. I did.

But Timmy didn't.

And I think I smiled for the first time this week.

He Made Me Chicken Soup

2011-12-09T20:12:00.001-07:00

From all over the city, from all over the state, we gathered. We filled a large cathedral. Every seat taken, and many of us filled the aisles, down the middle, down the sides and in the foyer. Each straining to hear, most not able to even see. We stood for nearly three hours.

As I looked around me, I saw the mighty. Senators and Mayors and Governors. Business Leaders and Socialites. But also like me, the common people. The everyday people touched by a man who also inspired us that we could do great things, because he did.

And all around me, the look of the grief stricken. Still stunned, still struggling to make sense of things that make no sense.

Our former Governor gave the Eulogy. One of the best I have ever heard given, and I've been to more than my fair share of funerals. We all laughed, with tears glistening in our eyes, as we thought of the man whose life we gathered to celebrate. And then I wept, along with men and women all around me. I'm so happy that the Denver Post published the eulogy in its' entirety. Take a few moments and read it. Noel's Eulogy

Anyone reading this................please say a prayer for his lovely wife Tammy, and the rest of the family.

As our Governor mentioned, everyone there today has a Noel story...............and so do I.

I met Noel when I was asked to come to his restaurant and talk with him about a large charitable event he was putting on. I, like most, was drawn in, and ended up working with him on the event. The event was complicated and difficult to pull off, two days of set up prior to a Sunday event, outdoors. By the time the day of the event came, I was run down physically and though I didn't really feel too bad, I had lost my voice. All day long at the event, Noel kept asking what he could do for me, how I was feeling. He wouldn't stop enquiring. He insisted I come along back to the restaurant after the long day, where many from the committee gathered, and he fed us all at a big table on the patio. He insisted that nothing on the menu was good enough for The Husband, so he disappeared into the kitchen and cooked a steak for him.

Early the next morning, my cell phone rang. It was Noel. He asked how I was feeling and told me it was very important that I come down to the restaurant. I asked what was wrong, he wouldn't answer, just insisted I come down. Thinking something had gone wrong, I arrived just before 11, and asked for him at the hostess stand. The hostess came back and told me to have a seat at the bar, Noel would be right with me. I nervously sat, thinking somehow I had let down this man I had already come to love. Around the corner he came, blue eyes twinkling with a large bowl in his hands. "Here's your lunch.". He sat in front of me the best bowl of chicken soup I've ever had, because it was made by him, with love. He kissed my cheek, and ran back into the restaurant. I'll never forget the bartender, saying.............."You're the one. He was here early this morning, chopping vegetables. He made it himself." And when I left, he sent the "leftovers" home with me. Enough to feed me for days.

I was hooked. And never told him no when he called.

MY FRIEND Noel was that kind of man. And thousands have a story just like that.

The Pain Passes

2011-12-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

"The pain passes, but the beauty remains". --Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)

"Mourning is one of the most profound human experiences that it is possible to have... The deep capacity to weep for the loss of a loved one and to continue to treasure the memory of that loss is one of our noblest human traits".-- Shneidman (1980)

Someone dear to me left the planet last week. It was, (once again) sudden and unexpected.

He was a man I met through business contacts. But then he turned out to be one of the most profoundly loving and giving people I have ever met.

Ever.

Sometimes in life, we meet someone who changes the course of our life. Sometimes by circumstance, sometimes by the sheer force of the life they live in front of us.

Noel, my friend, left a legacy of profound love, charity and giving. He, along with his lovely wife, literally changed the world.

They changed the world. They feed the hungry and clothed the naked and took care of the widows.

Literally.

Everything Jesus asked us, as His followers to do.

Noel built schools in Ethiopia, and fed the hungry of Denver, and along the way drug thousands of us along with him, asking us.............."what are you doing?"

AND THEN..........

In the most profound mystery of it all, we find out that he took his own life.

How is this possible? The man with the twinkling blue eyes and the the Irish brogue? The man with the biggest heart I've ever witnessed?

What level of despair could he have faced that took him to that moment?

I have no answers and my heart is broken.

On Friday I will join the many, many friends of this amazing man and celebrate his life in one of the cathedrals of Denver.

None of it seems real.

My Favorite Things - My Fairy Princess Bed

2011-11-25T07:32:00.004-07:00

As a little girl growing up, I was always taken with canopy beds. They were very popular then, and apparently I never outgrew the longing for one. As an adult I kept noticing the antique iron beds in movies, mostly westerns or others set at the turn of the century or earlier.

A few years back, I discovered American Iron Beds. They sell antique and reproductions of iron beds, in many styles and finishes .Check them out. American Iron Beds

I looked and looked, dreamed and dreamed, but couldn't bring myself to spend the money on such a foolish whim. Talked myself out of it.

Then my boss gave me a surprise bonus for my tenth anniversary with the company. When I saw the check I was pleased and surprised, and he made me promise it wouldn't go to pay bills or anything practical. "Isn't there something you've always wanted, but never bought?"

And then I knew.

I call it my Fairy Princess Bed, because I'm not ashamed to admit that I've never outgrown my love for fairy tales, princes and princesses. Knights in shining armour.............all that. I must admit, it still brings a smile to my face every time I walk into my bedroom, even though I've now had it three years.

Here it is, my Fairy Princess Bed.

This style is an open toe (no big foot board), trestor (half canopy). It doesn't overwhelm the room.

And I love it.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

My Favorite Things -The Tale of the Clock

2011-11-23T20:23:00.002-07:00

As promised, a series of posts about of few things I own that I really love and appreciate. It goes without saying that the most important things in life aren't possessions. But we all own things, and to find things that we love, that we appreciate, things that bring us joy, is nice...........

Some years ago, I stayed at my Aunt Alice's house, to help her get a Thanksgiving meal ready. On her mantel was an old clock. I fell for the sound of the ticking, and the chime on the hour. There was something about the sound that I found so soothing and comforting. So I decided someday I would find myself a ticking, chiming clock.

Enter Rocky Mountain Clocks on South Broadway in Denver. A wonderland of clocks. When I started my current job, I took my first check and picked out a clock for them to refurbish. It was the best one I could afford at the time and I had it for 5 years. One of the amazing things about Rocky Mountain Clocks, is that a few years ago, they took it back on trade, gave me credit for it, and let me upgrade to this beauty.

Close Up.

No picture I take can do it justice. I love this clock. It has an eight day movement, and the ritual of winding it once a week is part of the pleasure of owning it. After getting it home, I discovered, with great joy, a label inside the clock. A label (hard to get a good picture of) from the person who sold the clock.

Hans Gudio, Jeweler and Optician. Larimer Street, Denver Colorado.

I love my clock.

Someday, I'll wander into Rocky Mountain Clocks and drop a grand on a Grandfather clock.

Living a Beautiful Life

2011-11-21T19:00:00.002-07:00

In 1997 I ran across a book that was sitting in the waiting area of an office I was visiting. I thumbed through it, and was impressed enough to immediately stop by The Tattered Cover and pick it up. I've since bought the book at least 5 or 6 times, because I always end up giving it away to people and then get the urge to read it again.

Strange sometimes, how a book can make such a huge impact. Living A Beautiful Life, by Alexandra Stoddard was one of the those books that had an impact on me at the time I read it, and ever since.

Alexandra talks about how important the little details are. About the small things we do each day, and things we come in contact with each day, and how our lives can change when we make small changes.

At the time I read the book, I was single, living in a tiny one bedroom apartment, working for a food bank, and barely had two dimes to rub together. But I realized that I had been living my life waiting
for someday. Someday, I'd have a house, someday I'd be able to entertain people, someday I'd be married. The book talked about not waiting for someday, not waiting for a special occasion, but instead, doing little things to make each day special. Even if it's just for yourself.

At the time, I could ONLY do small things, as money was an issue, but I went to a Big Lots store, and purchased a set of brightly striped cloth napkins. I paid 50 cents each, and got eight. I also bought a beautiful coffee mug for $2. I've used cloth napkins ever since and always have a good coffee mug, one that looks nice, and feels good in your hands. Morning coffee is better out of a great mug. Living a Beautiful Life is full of ideas, "Grace Notes" she calls them, about the details of everyday life, and how we change when notice the small things.

I highly recommend the book, still available along with many others she's written.

Now, more than a decade later, I have continued to use this concept, to effect the things I surround myself with. And that gave me the inspiration for a new series of posts here, about my favorite things. You know the song................

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs"

A fairly decent list of 14 nice things. But I'll do my own list...............with photos. A good exercise of things I'm thankful for, this Thanksgiving week.

Stand by........

The Radio Station That Plays in My Head

2011-11-16T20:53:00.001-07:00

Hello blog readers.

Have I ever told you about the radio station that plays in my head? The people I work with know all about it. Because with all of them, I'm known for either bursting out in song, or talking to people in song lyrics. Most of the lyrics are obscure, so they don't realize I'm doing it. But I can't help myself. Whenever I'm not actively listening to music, there's a song playing in my head.

Anyone else out there like that? I can only hope for your sake.............not.

So this week, there's a song that someone has hit the repeat button on, and maybe, just maybe, playing it here will get it out of my head.

Mr Taylor, in all his 80's glory, with a song..........and lyrics..........and a video only possible of being hatched in his creative, slightly off kilter brain.(LYRICS FOLLOW THE VIDEO)

Enter the young idealist
Chasing dragons to slay
Exit the hustler
Packing up his M.B.A.

Freshmen scream in a classroom
Was there a sound?
First degree in the vacuum
I'm on college ground

Took a class, big fun
Modern ethics 101
First day learned why
Ethics really don't apply

Prof says, "One trait
Takes us to a higher state
Drug free, pure bliss
Get your pencils, copy this"

"Life unwinds like a cheap sweater
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better
And the truth gets blurred like a wet letter
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better"

Top of the class sits Ernest
He was brightest and best
Till the professor lured him
To the hopeless nest

Now he lives for the shortcut
Like a citizen should
Tells the class with a wink
"Only the young die good"

He says, "Ideals? Uncouth
Fatalism needs youth
Eat well, floss right
Keep the hungry out of sight

Save face--nip and tuck
Praise yourself and pass the buck
And don't forget the best advice
Everybody's get a price

"Life unwinds like a cheap sweater
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better
And the truth gets blurred like a wet letter
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better"

"While the world winds down to a final prayer
Nothing soothes quicker than complete despair
I predict by dinner I won't even care
Since I gave up hope I feel a lot better"

Nazis plead in a courtroom
"Pardon me, boys"
Profits fall in a boardroom
Did they make a noise?

Someone spreads an affliction
Company's nice
Someone sells an addiction
Puts your soul on ice

Half wits knock heads
Candidates in double beds
Good guys defect
"I can't precisely recollect"

Teacher's pet theory's fine
If you're born without a spine
Can't you spell wrong?
Sing it to him Papa John

"While the world winds down to a final prayer
Nothing soothes quicker than complete despair
I predict by dinner I won't even care
Since I gave up hope I feel a lot better"

"Life unwinds like a cheap sweater
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better
And the truth gets blurred like a wet letter
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better"

"Life unwinds like a cheap sweater
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better
And the truth gets blurred like a wet letter
But since I gave up hope I feel a lot better

Happy Nigel Tufnel Day 11.11.11

2011-11-11T09:36:00.001-07:00

HT to a coworker.

In addition to Veteran's Day, it's also Nigel Tufnel Day...............the man who made eleven such an important number............

Veteran's Day 2011

2011-11-11T06:54:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all of you reading this (and you know who you are), who've served our country. You think it isn't a big deal that you served. And that's because you're the kind of person who would.

Catching Up

2011-11-10T19:51:00.001-07:00

Life sometimes takes a sudden turn to the left or the right, and catches us completely unaware.

The last few days have been that way. And every time I'd think to post here, something would pull me in another direction.

When the phone rings in the middle of the night, it's never good news. As The Husband said, when the phone rings like that, it's never someone calling you to say you've won a house in Ouray.

This 3:30am phone call came from his younger brother, and I was certain it was bad news about my father-in-law. Instead, it was word that my mother-in-law was being taken to the hospital. Within 30 hours, she was gone. Sudden, unexpected, massive stroke. Joyce had been the one, taking care of an ailing husband, and seeming strong and healthy.

Still trying to accept, as it all seem a little unreal. Just a while back, in September, Joyce sent me a box in the mail for my birthday (she never missed any one's birthday). It was full of kitchen linens she had embroidered, some cross stitched pillow cases...........and then just an assortment of little things, each carefully chosen. As I look around my house I see little reminders of the kind things she's sent me, or The Husband.................she paid close attention when she was here, and then found things she thought we'd like.

Today was the funeral, and with that completed, the routines of life return, and we're left with just memories.

I have experienced the death of many around me, family and friends. It never gets any easier. The suddenness will make it take a long time to get used to the idea.

Sleep peacefully Joyce. You have certainly earned your rest.

I Do Believe in Tim Tebow, I Do!!!

2011-11-01T04:57:00.004-06:00

Tim, I do believe in you. I do! No matter what happens, you have conducted yourself in a way that makes me hopeful for the future.

As a life long Bronco Fan..............I'm frustrated with the coaching, the play calling, the offensive line, the defensive backfield.

But Not You.

No Big Deal

2011-10-29T09:11:00.000-06:00

I find it highly amusing that our weather around here made the national news...........

Yes it was 80 on Monday, and yes, it snowed on Wednesday. Up north around Loveland and Fort Collins, they got quite a bit and there was lots of tree damage from the weight of the snow on the still leafing trees.

But here At Altitude.............6200 feet to be exact, it looked like this on Monday when I left for work..........

And when I left on Wednesday for work...............

But it didn't even stick to the streets...............and we are all still alive.

Really not a thing at all.

Timsday

2011-10-25T04:22:00.000-06:00

Tim Tebow Comes To Town and Bronco Fans Are Dipped in Magic Waters

2011-10-23T20:03:00.000-06:00

My 'lil bro wrote the following rewrite of the speech from Field of Dreams. Addressed to John Elway, the man who brought us all the joy of two Super Bowl wins.............erasing all those losses.

To really appreciate it, you have to hear the original....

JOHN……… people will come.

They'll come back to Denver for reasons they can't even fathom.

They'll turn off I-25 not knowing for sure why they’re doing it.

They'll arrive at a parking lot where their stadium once stood.

As innocent as children……… LONGING for the past.

“Of course we won't mind if you look around awhile. It's only fifty dollars……there’s a new stadium right over there.”

And they'll pass over the money without even thinking about it. For its money they have, and PEACE they lack.

They'll walk into the new stadium and sit in their short sleeves on a perfect fall afternoon,
And they'll find they have reserved seats in the SOUTH STANDS. Where they sat when they were children, and cheered for YOU, JOHN their hero.

And they'll watch the NEW KID play………..

And it'll be as if they dipped themselves in MAGIC waters.

The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces.

People will come JOHN……………

The one constant over all the years in this town has been…….. The BRONCOS.

The people of this town have been ruled by it like an army of steamrollers.

The BRONCOS have been erased like a blackboard rebuilt and erased again.

But the BRONCOS have marked the TIME in this TOWN.

This field………. This game……….. its part of our PAST, JOHN.

It reminds us, of all that was once GOOD……….. and could be again.

Ohhhhh……… PEOPLE WILL COME JOHN.

Okay, So Here's the Deal

2011-10-14T21:34:00.000-06:00

It feels like we are at the beginning of a new era.........for us die hard Bronco fans. But we've felt this way before, only to be disappointed.

I think I take my football too seriously. I feel an emotional connection to the team. Were it not for that connection, what is the point? Don't get me wrong, I love the game of football. It's complicated, and strategic. It's exciting and physical. But when you're invested in who wins.........

Last Sunday, I was sitting on the couch by myself. Watching yet another, lackluster, stunningly boring performance by Kyle Orton. Brutal. Soul Paralyzing. And then just before half time.........

Tebow with his helmet on. What? I gasped.

Could it be?

And then the Wonder Boy, Timmy came in and energized a team, a stadium, a city, a state? Sure, we lost. But this Bronco Fan hasn't been that happy in years. Years. Sure there was the 6-0 season start with McDaniels..........but then our hopes were dashed.

But last Sunday, I had to call my Dad. My lil' Bro called me. It's a new season, with a Coach who must certainly be in the Hall of Fame for stubbornness. But the magic is back. In spite of Coach Fox, who has a long way to go before the fans believe in him.

Yes, this girl bought a Tebow jersey this week. And of course, now, the bye week. So we have an extra week to dream and believe...... that maybe.

Super Bowl 32 and 33. The glory days.............

Patience...........

Timsday

2011-10-11T04:00:00.003-06:00

AND THEN................

2011-10-09T19:51:00.001-06:00

There was a great cry heard all across the Land of the Broncos.........

We got our Tebow...............and we were glad..........

Now that we've had this..............how could we ever go back?

The First Snowfall

2011-10-09T14:11:00.000-06:00

Wasn't a lot, and didn't stick around (all gone today). But we had our first snowfall At Altitude.

We really needed the moisture, it's been so dry. And this will calm the pollen down, making it easier for me to breathe. And we're just due. I went to the grocery store yesterday morning. The snow mixed with rain was still coming down, and it just felt great..............

I'm a Colorado Girl.

Chili Madness at Casa Rancho

2011-10-02T19:58:00.002-06:00

Where At Altitude briefly becomes a food blog.

So each year in the fall, we search out a place to get some peppers roasted. Nothing beats the smell of a freshly roasted pepper. This year I found a stand near my office and their produce looked good so I picked them up Friday. For weeks to come, my car will have the distinct smell of roasted peppers. Not a bad smell.

This year I got a bushel of mild hatch, and a bushel of poblanos. I wanted to do some rellenos with the poblanos and they lend themselves to stuffing with more than just cheese.

The husband and I stood in the kitchen, listening to Boston and Steve Miller. Peeling, then bagging. I bag them in freezer bags, six to a bag...........and we have peppers for a long time to come.

I think these bushels were not as big as we've had in the past..........but we ended up with 14 bags of each kind of pepper.

We saved out some good ones, and the husband made his green chili.

And stuffed some poblanos with two kinds of cheese.

Following a quick bath in egg.........into the frying pan and smother in the green chili.

Now the peppers can be used to make a casserole.

And go great with my Mexican rice and beans..............

Mexican Grub. That's what some friends call it. And I take special requests..........

Seriously? Where is Colorado?

2011-09-28T21:30:00.000-06:00

Yes, the White House.......someone, at least put this out there for President Obama's recent trip through flyover country. Do you notice something wrong with this? Hmmm. What could it be?

You know, all those big rectangle states just seem the same to the "coast" folks. Stunning on one hand. Not much of a surprise on the other.

Frankly, as a Native Coloradoan, I'm disgusted.

H/T to Rob at www.peeniewallie.com

Octoberfest in September

2011-09-25T11:44:00.000-06:00

Why? Why is Oktoberfest always in September? Does anyone know? Of course, wiki knows everything. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest

I thought it was a Colorado thing, since it can be rather cold in October. Guess not.

Anyway after a few brief days in the high country (Summit County to be exact) where the aspen are turning but not quite at their height...............

Came home to plans to attend the suburban version of Oktoberfest. It really was one of those picture perfect Colorado September days. Off we headed and met the neighbors to listen to the oompa band, and indulge in a stein of heffenweizen. The boys had hot dogs, and posed for photos. Couple of hams, these boys are..............

That look of joy on T's face is because he was having a tooth crisis........his front tooth was dangling, freaking him out, but he'd have no part of anyone helping him get it out. Even with bribes. (update, this morning, the tooth came out overnight and he found it in his bed).

Overall, too many people, not enough things to keep the kids entertained, not enough food booths, long lines for everything. I can't stop myself from seeing everything from an event planner's perspective. But then, I was more than a little bleary eyed from my days in the hills.

The Fall TV Season

2011-09-19T04:06:00.001-06:00

Yes it kicks off tonight..............the new fall season. Some new shows look interesting, and some old familiars are welcome back.

In celebration of at least one of these shows...........a little video treat.

Dance is in my DNA. I love to dance, and I never do it............

My parents............were both dance instructors, a fact I am very proud of. And that's how they met. So I grew up watching lots of musicals and mom teaching us dance steps in the kitchen. So much to my amazement, my parents and I are not the only people in America watching, when Dancing With The Stars came on. I really do enjoy the show. And not just because of Maksim.

Ran across this little video gem last night, while distracting myself............enjoy, Dad.

.

The Closer Finale - Sort Of

2011-09-14T07:46:00.000-06:00

Reports of Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson's demise, where greatly exaggerated. We were led to believe that we were watching the final episodes of The Closer, one of my favorite series ever. Monday night's episode was quite the cliffhanger, and clearly no finale. I've scoured TNT's website trying to figure out just how many episodes were left and have been unable to figure out what TNT was up to.

Further research led me to some clarification. According to Matt Roush of TV Guide, we'll get more episodes in November, with the actual series finale..............next summer. Yet another instance of delayed gratification. You can read his report HERE.

So we get to extend our relationship with Brenda Lee and the guys a while longer, holding our breath to see how Curtis Armstrong's nasty lawyer will come after Chief Johnson and her just over the line tactics............

9.11.11 Never Forget

2011-09-11T07:48:00.000-06:00

Each year I experience the same thing. I love fall, September in particular. September has always seemed like the beginning of the year, not January. Surely this comes from school starting in the fall, a new grade, new start. All of that.

But for the last 10 years, my September has been marred, because as fate would have it, evil men (yes, I used the word evil) chose September 11th to unleash murder, horror and destruction on the United States. You can't get away from this................even if you wanted to, and with the 10th Anniversary this year, you can run but you cannot hide.

It's interesting to listen to the media, and even more so, to the people around me, to hear the wide variety of ways people are reacting..............as we all face 9/11/11.

Like everyone of a certain age, we can all remember where we were, how we heard, what we did that day. Much like other momentous days. I can remember the day President Kennedy was shot, even though I was a very little girl. Only years later, the murders of Martin Luther King. Jr. and Robert Kennedy. The day the shuttle blew up.........both times............and the day John Hinkley didn't succeed in taking Ronald Reagan from us. Each of these days are burned into our memory, along with some personal tragedies we have suffered. I remember getting the call at work, that a treasured friend of mine had died in a construction accident. The son of friends from church, dying in a car accident, and even recently, having Dad pass along the shocking news of the untimely death of my cousin Jeff. For me there is also that moment, answering the phone, and hearing the words that made no sense, that people had shot and killed my friends............and God had saved the life of another.

So........I approach this anniversary of 9/11 with mixed thoughts. I'm deeply moved and affected by all news reports of pain and sorrow. I have to watch myself not to sink too far into the sadness and drama. Many will (and have) said that the coverage is too much...........why do we dwell? Frankly, this is the reaction of many who have never experienced these things on a personal level. I hope we never forget. Never. I know those closely touched can't. You don't forget, you don't "get over". And anniversaries are always difficult. I guess forever. So as I surfed around the Internet, and watched the shows, and thought about what I might say here............I found a few pieces of film on YouTube. Moments preserved in time. Each dramatically different, and each from radically different perspectives.

First up, President George Bush, from the National Cathedral. Listen and go back in time. Think of how we all felt..............just 3 days later............listen for the strength and solidarity in his words. His unashamed proclamation of his personal faith, even quoting scripture....................sigh.

Then take a listen to the raw emotion of this...........a man known before and after for his left wing leanings. Disclaimer: I used to adore David Letterman. I watched him for years and found him to be the best of late night................and now I haven't watched him in years. In recent years he has driven me away, when his humor became cruel and so left leaning.........

With all that in mind.........listen to this...........and I saw it the night it was on.........

The raw emotion is stirring to see, his affection and admiration for Mayor Guiliani. Think back.......think back to those days, those weeks...........and how the world changed forever.

I heard someone on the radio talking about his memories from that day, he was in Manhattan........as he joined others running for their lives away from the Towers, and he couldn't forget that the streets were littered with women's high heel shoes.........discarded as they ran away. That was the small detail that had burned into his mind.

Today each of us will face, or not face, our thoughts about this terrible day in our collective history.

For me, I will watch the coverage, and take solice in the fact that we have survived. As a nation, we have survived. Living in the post 9/11 world has not destroyed us. I don't want to forget, or move on, because the lessons we learn from tragedy and grief make us better. If we let it happen. I really believe that.

Tunesday on Thursday - Carole King

2011-09-08T10:03:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, Carole King was singing to me from my outdoor rock speakers (everyone who enjoys sitting outside should have outdoor speakers). So, as a result I've been singing her songs all week. Can't get them out of my head.

I woke up this morning...............(crisp and cool) and was singing this one...............even in the shower.

Then I rolled into a medley with this sad song, and I found it on YouTube in a duet with James Taylor. An amazing album/concert/tour. So anyway..............enjoy.............

First September Weekend

2011-09-05T22:33:00.002-06:00

We have been surviving the hottest August on record. And yet I realize it's all relative.........hot in Denver vs hot in other places, no comparison. There's the whole humidity factor.........

So anyway, this weekend a "cold front" moved through and it's cooled things off, drastically here at Casa Rancho. Last night it was chilly. Not cool. Chilly. Have I mentioned that I love September?

So, while it was hotter today.......it was still dramatically different and I'm thrilled with the change. I'm thrilled that it's September. I love this month...............and this year......I'm certain it will be the best one ever.

Labor Day Weekend. The first in my memory without Jerry Lewis. Shall we talk about Jerry Lewis? Yes, but not in this post. Me and Jerry have a history. The Husband was working all weekend, training for the unthinkable in the post Columbine era..........it's his job. So I had time to clean out and reorganize my closet. And I had some quiet time too..........we all need quiet time.

Today, with a few calls, had a impromtu early fall dinner. I got inspired to set the table all Martha Stewart like..........and we broke bread with some dear friends.

Followed by several hours spent by the pinon wood fire............ahhhh.............the scent of fall. Carol King showed up......and played her Tapestry album. Yes, a classic.

It's..........

2011-09-01T05:54:00.007-06:00

Wait for it...........

Room - The Review

2011-08-26T22:40:00.002-06:00

My book club has been on a sort of summer vacation. Everyone gets so busy it's hard to find a time for everyone to get together. In the meantime, we've read two different books and will discuss both at next week's meeting. I've missed the girls!

So up first is the book, "Room". My neighbor, Nicole, said she couldn't put it down, so I was excited to read it. Nicole was right. The book pulled you in from the first few pages. Without giving up too much of the plot...............the book is written from the perspective of a 5 year old boy. Strange concept, and had I known that, I might have been reluctant to read the book. But the premise worked. The author, Emma Donoghue mastered the idea of describing the world through the eyes of a 5 year old, using that vocabulary.

As the story begins you gradually realize that the world of this little boy is not the same as the world you and I live in. He's in Room. With his mother. It's a dark, disturbing world, made less so through the extreme efforts of his mother.

Don't want to say much more.............I hate it when reviews give away too much of the plot, like movie trailers that show all the best parts.

If you're thinking of reading this book..............do so. But set aside some time first. The day I started reading it, I spent 3 straight hours before I could make myself stop.

Some Real Travel

2011-08-23T06:43:00.001-06:00

James Lileks, my blogging inspiration, has just returned from a European cruise/trip. His photos and prose are delightful as always........

The Bleat

I'm having vicarious travel adventures............

How To Tell Fall is Coming

2011-08-17T07:43:00.002-06:00

There are signs all around that summer is coming to an end, and the best season of the four is ready to begin..........

You open your inbox and what do you find?

And you open your mailbox and get your first catalogue.

Oh, and it's not just a marketing thing that's happening. The birds are starting their migration. Huge flocks of them are showing up on the hill behind my house. They fly off as a group, and sometimes land on the neighbors roof. I think this is a group of Northern Flickers, but they stayed only a few minutes, and the lighting wasn't good enough to get a great look or a shot.

The other way I know fall is coming is because I'm ready. Happens every August. Done with the heat, bring on the cool. I feel an Earth Wind and Fire song coming on...........no, not just yet.

Amazing Clouds

2011-08-13T09:24:00.002-06:00

I love clouds. I have whole file full of pictures I've taken of clouds. When the sun hits them just so.........they can take your breath away.

Here's a good one I took from my patio.

Here's another good one.

Okay, one more at sunset.

Then today, I saw this amazing video and just had to share.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

When Families Gather

2011-08-10T21:12:00.002-06:00

I come from a big extended family. While I only have one brother, (younger by 5 years, so I call him lil' bro) the extended family is quite large. My mother is the oldest of her siblings, 5 brothers and 5 sisters.

Sadly we have lost her oldest and her youngest brothers. And we have lost 2 of her sisters as well. One just a short while ago. Many years ago, a cousin of mine drowned while swimming in Mexico with his brother. Several years ago, a cousin of mine died of cancer.............but she had been removed from us for many years........and I barely knew her.

But as a family, we have certainly known loss. When there are as many of us as there are.........I guess that is to be expected.

Today we gathered to celebrate the life of my cousin Jeff. As reported here, he died, unexpectedly last Thursday, at the age of 48. It still seems unreal, and seeing his two younger brothers, was the moment I dreaded driving to the church today. They both spoke. They made us laugh and cry.

Some of our first cousins are spread around the country, some we didn't really know growing up, some we saw only rarely. But there was a core we saw all the time.......celebrating Thanksgivings, 4th of July's, weddings, anniversaries, and a few milestone birthdays along the way. I sat in the church foyer today, looking at many faces I didn't know.........all the many people my cousin touched in the small town where he spent his whole life. I saw the funeral director from the mortuary, who was a close friend of my cousin. I saw the same ladies from the church who arranged for lunch today, who were there a few years back when my cousin's dad, my uncle Rod had a funeral at the same church. In the midst of the crowd, were my cousins. Mostly boys.........no, sorry, mostly MEN. We are older. I'm no longer one of the few girls.........I'm one of the few women. I looked around at all my handsome cousins and realized how very blessed I am.

We have always liked each other, we have always gotten along. Whenever we gather there has always been more laughter than anything else. I have watched "the boys" play basketball on the driveway, and football in the backyard. When we were little I saw them running for Easter eggs in their little Easter suits. I was often in the kitchen with the aunts, cooking or washing dishes. Yelling at the guys to take the trash out. As we got older, there were birthdays, weddings and lots of football watching.............a few beers, and always............laughter.

Not everyone is blessed with the love of a large family............with people who come to celebrate, and who come to mourn. Today we did both.

I made sure today, to kiss everyone on the cheek, and tell them that I love them. Losing Jeff made me know that I can't take those things for granted. The people we love.................we need to tell them.
The cousins determined to get together next for a happy reason. As you grow older, there are so many reasons NOT to gather. Kids, work, obligations. All of that. We shouldn't let it stand in our way.

I am a very blessed woman. I have people around me who love me. We aren't always with one another as much as we would like. Miles separate us sometime. But I have family and friends who love me, and I love them. And when it matters............we gather.

In a recent post I shared a song from Carolyn Arends. On that same album is a song that touched me deep in my spirit when I heard it for the first time in a showcase concert in Nashville. I share it here because I've seldom heard a song that felt like I could have written it, if I had one drop of musical talent, which I don't. But Carolyn hit the nail on the head with this one. And it feels like she was writng for me.

So loved ones who read this............this song means a lot to me. On a better day I could figure out how to make it fit on my blog............but for today, click on it to go watch it on YouTube in full screen.

"We are reaching for the future, we are reaching for the past. And no matter what we have, we reach for more. We are desperate to discover, what is just beyond our grasp. Maybe that's what heaven is for."

Oh No, Not Again

2011-08-09T11:29:00.003-06:00

Just when I thought it was safe to go to Macy's..................

Marigold.

Seize The Day

2011-08-05T18:26:00.000-06:00

For the last three days, I've been listening to the same album over and over. I do that. I pull out an album I've not listened to for a while, then remember how much I like it, and listen to it multiple times. If the music is spiritual in nature (which most music is) when I listen repetitively, it's like it gets into my ears and then down into my spirit. The album is by an artist, Carolyn Arends, a wonderful singer and songwriter I met a long time ago in Nashville.

And then this morning I got a message to call my Dad. And he gave me the terrible and shocking news that a cousin of mine, Jeff, was out on a run last night, and suddenly died of a heart attack. I think everyone in our extended family would agree that Jeff was the healthiest and most fit of anyone in the family. It was just stunning news. Jeff is the oldest son of my mother's oldest sister. And he's younger than me by about three years.

None of us is guaranteed tomorrow.

When I got in the car to come home tonight, that Carolyn Arends CD was in the deck and started playing. And in a moment, this song took on so much deeper significance.

Concerning the Boys in Orange and Blue

2011-08-04T19:19:00.001-06:00

Let's talk Denver Broncos, shall we? There are a lot of us folks here in Bronco Country who are pretty excited about this season. It's a fresh start for the team............new coach............and perhaps a new QB?? It feels like it's been bumpy for a really long time...........being a fan hasn't been easy in these lean years. The ups and downs of all the QB changes since Elway's retirement.......holding out hope each season, only to face disappointment. Granted we all knew it would be hard coming off back to back Super Bowl wins, hard to top that............actually we probably never will. Being the first time and all. But the hallmark of a Bronco Fan is eternal optimism.......what will the new season bring?

So I decided I should write a little about my attachment to the Denver Broncos......a brief history if you will, of how the Chick Voice and the Broncos first came to be a pair. Only a select few (to include my Dad, my lil' bro and few others) will care. But I am longing for the old days...........not just the Super Bowl wins, but the passion which all us fans felt. The days when bumper stickers all over town said, "If God Doesn't Love the Broncos, Why Are Sunsets Blue and Orange?".

More to come.........

The Closer - Final Season

2011-08-01T21:15:00.000-06:00

I guess we all expected a wild ride for the final season of The Closer. Tonight's episode was no exception. Thought they were going for that character development angle, considering there are rumors out there of a spin off..............so tonight we met Lt. Tao's son...........nice twist.

But without giving tonight's episode away if you haven't watched..............I found this episode to be particularly dark. Really gut wrenching and I cried. They are moving the overall story line ahead, but tonight's crime was particularly sad and ultimately disturbing.

Hope this isn't a trend.

Summer Nights

2011-07-30T17:48:00.001-06:00

It's been a not so ordinary summer for all kinds of reasons. We haven't really sat out on the patio as much because frankly, there's been two conditions................raining or uncomfortably warm. They're saying on the news that we've had 16 consecutive days of temps over 90. But last night it cooled off so nicely that we spent the evening outside.........until after dark, even felt chilly enough to have a fire and The Husband pulled out a blanket. And the soundtrack was Led Zeppelin. Loud Led Zeppelin.

There continues to be an assortment of cool little creatures lurking around the wall garden. Including caterpillars. They like to hang out the in the Virginia Creeper.

And can you see in the background there?........a few lone columbines, hanging on through all this heat. Hearty little guys.

And the sunset was a memorable, although I couldn't get a good angle. Click on this one to expand it, and look at the great colors of the mountains and clouds. Impressive.

Finally - A Tunesday with Phil

2011-07-26T05:00:00.008-06:00

Late Saturday afternoon, Phil Keaggy was playing on the rock speakers in the back yard. Just a random play of the many albums of his loaded on my IPod. Phil's music kind of goes with nature and the outdoors. It's hard for someone who's never seen Phil live to understand what the experience is really like. His albums are wonderful, some of the most played in my collection, but live, he's stunning.

Looks like someone has posted from his live DVD and this will give you a taste. He is one of the kindest, most humble artists I've ever had the privilege to be around. Phil Keaggy, and that looping thing he does.........an entire band all by himself.........and all the while missing a finger! Wow.
Take 15 or 20 minutes of your day and listen to the master.

Bad Blogger

2011-07-25T12:26:00.000-06:00

It's been pointed out to me by more than one person that I have been neglecting my blog. It's true, my mind has been elsewhere. I know I find it somewhat annoying when I have favorite blogs I read that no new posts show up on, as if they owe us one. What would I do without my 5 day a week dose of James Lileks? I know, I'd find myself wondering if he'd been to Target lately, and if he found a scent he liked at Bath and Body Works, or what movie he watched last night. All that important stuff that he somehow makes infinitely interesting.

But I guess in my head I don't think there's anyone out there who's life is altered if I do or don't post. (Okay, there's my Dad, but he's always been in my corner). Sometimes life just gets full, doesn't it? And for me, sometimes it's just my brain that gets full. It's seldom a matter of not having anything to say. I ALWAYS have something to say. Usually I just have too much in my head, and don't think any of it is worth writing down, because no one would be interested but me. And aren't all of our own thoughts endlessly interesting...................to us?

I will attempt to be better. But be forewarned. This means I will talk about those silly little things............like the fact that I saw a hummingbird eating at my honeysuckle bush yesterday. And that The Husband and the boys from next door found a crawdad on the sidewalk (who I think is now dead in my birdbath). Oh and then there's the fact that this season's Big Brother cast is a giant bore. Did I mention that the final Harry Potter movie made me cry? Shamelessly as a matter of fact, and I was not the only one in the theater that was crying. Also I feel a "favorite things" series coming on. Because there are things around me that make me happy when I look at them, and I think I should share. I can't wait to see the movie "The Help". Did you know I bought 2 salt lamps? Have you ever even heard of salt lamps? I hadn't. Who besides me has a little crush on Tim Tebow?

So you see my brain is full of unimportant thoughts, it's just they are only important to me. But I guess that's part of the self indulgence of having a blog in the first place. We like to hear ourselves "write". I just wish I was as good as James Lileks.

Dog Days of Summer

2011-07-16T21:34:00.001-06:00

Three times this week, our weather has made the national news..............at least Good Morning America has talked about the high volume of water falling from the sky. All this daily rain and the high humidity is making for a pretty steamy July, and frankly, around here, we're just not used to this. For ten days in a row I think, there has been afternoon or evening showers. Some sensational lightning shows as well. Hail in parts of town, including DIA, where it damaged many planes and delayed flights. Hassle for everyone.

Today was no exception. There was quick shower in the late afternoon, but then a downpour around seven. I love weather, rain especially, but the humidity is not so pleasant and they're telling us we may hit 100 tomorrow. Seems like not so long ago I was hoping for the snow to end..........and here we are.

More steaminess is in the forecast..............bring it on.........

The Closer - Opener

2011-07-11T20:12:00.000-06:00

I would expect no less................first episode of the last season of The Closer..............jaw dropping! Continuing from last season, Deputy Chief Brenda Lee is using her slightly sketchy tactics to get confessions, or in this case, actions from the bad guys.

Sad that this will be the final season, but since it is, no doubt they will pull the rug out from under us multiple times.

If you have not yet watched this first episode, well, don't miss the last 30 seconds!!!

Water For Elephants

2011-07-05T21:06:00.000-06:00

I'm way behind in all of my book reviews, so I'll attempt to get caught up.

Pretty sure I was one of the last people to read Water For Elephants, and I rushed to do so. The book club I'm in had read it before I joined them. But we had a girls night out (GNO) to see the movie, so I read the book about three days. It was different than I expected. I went into the read thinking it was a chick tragedy kind of book (Oprah pick, you know). But instead it was written from the perspective of the male character (played by Robert Pattinson in the movie). For some reason, the book reminded me of a Stephen King short story, a la Shaw Shank Redemption. It was a love story for sure, but that didn't seem to be the main focus. It seemed more about aging, and reflecting on the choices we make, and the long term effect those choices cause in life.

So the book was, pretty good. Not the fantastic read I had been led to believe.

So the movie. The best part of the movie was just going out with the book club girls to watch it. Having Robert Pattinson in the cast was I'm sure a big draw to many. I personally didn't find him that compelling in this role. They did the normal movie adaptation thing and changed some things. They eliminated the owner of the circus entirely. I think that took out some layers to the interaction between the characters. Reese Witherspoon fit the role nicely, but there didn't seem to be much real chemistry between she and Robert.

So overall.................eh.

Just eh.

4th of July - 2011

2011-07-04T19:19:00.000-06:00

It was a hot one, here At Altitude. Not nearly as hot as other places, I know, but a scorcher none the less.

We have neighbors across the street, who were original owners, like us who sold, moved out, and closed on their house this week. A job offer is moving them up north of here not so far away, but a world away as opposed to seeing them almost everyday. We met when they came looking for a snow shovel to borrow, the first week we both moved in.

I have a hard time with change..............a really hard time, and even when the change is for the good, I still struggle. In this case, we'll miss the friendship.

So we combined a going away bash for them, with the annual block party, which we've had every year we've lived here. The block was jumping, lots of people, many who I met for the first time.............all in the house, outside the house, in my back yard, on the the driveway, in the garage. Kids galore............water balloons, squirt gun fights, ladder golf, Frisbee, games of catch, hot dogs on the grill, cupcakes and rice crispy treats, in other words, an all American 4th of July. We even had great tunes, thanks to a friend who's a DJ and brought his gear.

In a poetic moment, the new owner of our friend's house showed up too and came and hung out with us all for a while, and met all his new, noisy, party loving neighbors. Welcome to a neighborhood that's actually a neighborhood, not just a row of houses where no one interacts. In this little slice of the world, we all watch out for each other, break bread together and enjoy the feeling of home.

We shot off some fireworks, the kind we can, and someone....... who just moved out ......provided the out of state variety......but we got away with it. I sat, observing last night, as the party was winding down. I get to the end of days like that and the filmmaker buried deep inside me, sees the whole thing from behind a camera lens. It was in slow motion as the kids flooded the street in the near dark, the glow from the sparklers illuminating their faces.

We live in a great country, in a great state, and my little slice of it is not so bad either.

And sparklers are one of my most favorite things.

Wild Kingdom - In My Tiny Garden

2011-06-28T15:03:00.000-06:00

I like to walk along the retaining wall in My Tiny Garden and look at each plant, see how much it's grown or if there's new blooms. I do this just about every night when I get home, after dinner and it's part of me transitioning from workday to home. I bought some Root Blaster this year, to see if it would help things along and so far it seems like it's really given my perennials a boost. So last night I'm checking out the Virginia creeper I planted a few years ago and I lifted up the leaves to check out the hostas that are growing at the base. It looked like there were some dried leaves under there..........I started to reach my hand in................and something moved.

I couldn't believe my eyes............so I took a few more shots.

It was amazing how much this moth really looks like dried, curled up leaves. With a little Internet research, its a Paonias excaectus, or the Blinded Sphinx Moth. I guess they are not that uncommon, but I've certainly never seen one..............I hope it laid some eggs. Being the nature geek that I am, I did what all geeks do...............I poked it with a stick and it started to flutter, showing it's full colors when I did.

As it fluttered, it landed on The Husband's shoe before he picked it up and put it back on the wall garden.

Pretty cool, huh?

Bird Rescue

2011-06-24T10:27:00.000-06:00

Wednesday when I got home from work, I did the normal routine, got Bessy out of her basement apartment (where she now has TV)and then went around opening up all the first floor windows to get some air moving. I have an aversion to air conditioning............but it's not really about being cool.......its the sound the a/c units make. Weird, I know but I have this issue with sounds. Anyway, I digress. I sat on the couch to watch some news and eat some leftovers. My Tiny Garden has become somewhat of a bird sanctuary, with all the necessary things to draw them in.....water, seed and plants they like. I kept hearing what I knew to be a robin raising more of a ruckus than usual. So I went out to investigate. There was in fact, a robin on the fence outside one of my windows who was hopping around, seeming to be quite agitated. But I kept hearing a second bird I couldn't see. I thought maybe it was under a honeysuckle bush by the window, so I dug around, to no avail, then realized..............a baby bird was down in the window well.

Now the window wells are a death trap for all manner of creatures, they fall in, and if we don't notice right away..............well, lets not think about that. At least one baby bunny has been saved this year, from a slow death, because the husband saw it soon enough to save it............back to a life of destroying our grass.............

I digress again. So down the basement I went, with my gardening gloves, and because I'm a good blogger, my camera. Here's what I saw................

Baby robin was squawking up a storm while perched on the bottom ladder rung. I climbed in the well and was able to lift it up to get back out on solid ground. By the time I got back upstairs and back outside, Bessy was chasing the baby bird across the yard, mom bouncing down the fence, before the baby got through the fence to the neighbor's back yard. Looks like the little one was not quite ready to fly, but nearly so.................glad there's not a lot of cats in the neighborhood.

Glad this one ended well (I think), time to get that chicken wire on the window wells. The grates let too many things in..............

Tunesday - "Smooth" Summer Solstice

2011-06-21T07:18:00.003-06:00

In honor of Summer Solstice, which is at 11:16am around here, a song that screams summer.

First of all, Santana..............well I saw him at Mile High Stadium in 76 or 77. Amazing. In that all star rock band, he'd have to be on guitar for me..............Rob Thomas was the perfect fit for this song.

And I can remember just when I heard this song the first time, driving home one night, it was playing on KBCO with no announcement of who it was. I reached over and turned it up, thinking, wow, new Santana, because you can't mistake it being him on the guitar. I knew it would be a hit, a big hit, so hooky and memorable. The song went on to win a grammy for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Supernatural won for Album of the year. I guess I can pick them. The video itself is actually good too. I love watching Carlos' face when he plays..........

So enjoy..........and welcome to the summer of 2011. I think it's going to be a great summer.

My Most Loyal Reader

2011-06-19T07:46:00.000-06:00

Happy Father's Day to my most loyal reader..............my Dad.

I am very blessed to have a Dad who has been my rock my entire life. As a little girl, I looked forward everyday to the sound of his car coming home from work, the best part of each day. We've always talked about the important things and the everyday things. He always believed in me and convinced me that I could do whatever I put my mind to.

In his retirement years, we've enjoyed reading the same books, watching the same movies and sharing the joy of sitting in your own back yard, enjoying nature and the feeling of being home.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you.

A Sunday Afternoon

2011-06-12T16:27:00.000-06:00

Finally a quiet day. After a hectic and busy run of days. Book clubs and BBQ's. Smores and baking cakes. Babysitting the neighbor hood, and yes, this weekend it felt like babysitting the WHOLE neighborhood. But it's a blessing to live in a great neighborhood, with great friends and lots of kids to fill the house with fun and laughter. Had the newest members of the Circle Posse, twin 3 year olds all day on Saturday..........and somehow, okay, my doing, we took the rest of the Posse to Daniels Park. Two cars and lots of car seat shuffling and the boys fighting over who rode in the convertible. But the buffalo were out, and posed for a picture. Not everyone has a herd of buffalo as neighbors.

Then I actually got all of the Posse to stand (relatively) still for a few photos.

It felt like my old days as a substitute day care teacher.

The sun was out this morning and it really felt like summer, though we've got a few weeks to go, and I couldn't resist treating myself to some sunflowers at the grocery store, because sunflowers scream summer.

Today has been quieter, Michael Buble on the outside speakers. Lots of quiet time to think and relax.

Great Day.

Tunesday - Rich Mullins

2011-06-07T04:00:00.003-06:00

This week I found myself drawn to listen to some Rich Mullins music. And this is a favorite when my spirit needs a lift................

For Danny

2011-06-06T04:00:00.109-06:00

As I think about it now, I only knew Dan for about 8 months. Such a short amount of time, but he left a lasting impression. I remember the night I met him, he was sitting on a couch watching NWA wrestling, and he stood up and shook my hand when I was introduced to him. I could tell immediately he was a little on the shy side, he didn't really make much eye contact. But he was quick to warm up, and soon he seemed like an old friend. Dan was older than me by nearly a decade but he soon took to calling me Mom. It always made me smile on the inside when he said that.

He lived in a room in a boarding house, something I didn't realize even existed anymore. When I thought about that, it reminded me of old Andy Griffith show episodes, because Barney Fife lived in a boarding house too. Though I don't know what the exact facts were, Dan was part Native American, a fact he was quite proud of, and he was delighted when I told him I had some Cherokee blood in me as well. On more than one occasion he told us, "my people call me The Hawk". That always made me smile when said that, he was quite serious. I think.

There was a sweetness and gentleness about him, at times he almost seemed childlike. The night Dan died, we had a conversation about getting older. Since it was 1989, we were talking about the fact that 10 years from then it would be 1999 and the last year of the millennium. We were figuring out how old we would be in 2000. Dan's math was all off and when we pointed that out to him, he got a little quiet, sighed, and said "I don't think I'm going to live much longer." Well that stopped us in our tracks. When we asked him what was going to happen when he died. He said very matter of factly, that "when I die, my spirit will go to heaven". It was the clearest statement of faith I'd ever heard come out of that sweet man's mouth. In a matter of hours, that very thing would happen.

Evil, pure evil, was in the hearts of the men who took Dan's life, for no reason other than he was in the wrong place, and got in their way. I hate that he died in moments full of fear. But I am comforted by the fact that his next conscious thought is in God's presence. Hours later that night, his words came back to me...............somehow he knew.

I went to his grave site during my lunch hour one day last week. It's near my office and I'd been thinking about him a lot, as I always do near the anniversary of that terrible day. They held Dan's body for nearly a month looking for next of kin, and finally in July of 1989 they laid him to rest. As I arrived at the cemetery another funeral was happening in the little pavilion near his tombstone. Just as I sat down in the grass, there was a 21 gun salute, and then someone played taps. It was a poignant moment.

You are not forgotten Danny. Myself and others think of you often, and for me, it's with a small smile, and a few tears..........that you're life was taken in such a violent way. And that now I'm much older than you ever got the chance to be.

"Good-night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

If you're a newer reader around here, the back story to this post is here

My Tiny Garden Tour

2011-06-02T21:50:00.001-06:00

Here's a post specifically for my Dad because I know he'll appreciate the progress in my garden, in a spring that has warmed up slowly..........making us all wait for things we love about spring.

My peonies took a pounding under the last snowfall, but they've come in twice as big as last year.

And I think in a few weeks, we'll have some blooms.

My Dianthus decided to bloom, just today, when I checked last night they weren't open yet.

I found a beautiful deep red geranium to put in the pot next to my herb garden.

And last but not least, my columbines have had a rough spring. Two varieties didn't show back up at all, and the ones that have come in are much smaller than usual. I think this is my bad, it was an incredibly dry winter, and I should have got some water out there a few more times. But they are still an amazing flower, in all their varieties. And here's a good one.

So the long wait for summer appears to be at an end. It was over 90 downtown today, and up here at altitude my temp gauge on my car said 87. I guess we're there.

Daniels Park in the Fog

2011-05-30T07:29:00.001-06:00

The Husband is finishing up his last few weeks on the graveyard shift............trying to sleep during the day. So I got out of the house yesterday morning to keep things quiet and slipped up around the bend to Daniels Park. Not many folks around on a Sunday morning, but the birds were putting on a concert just for me. The valley was foggy, but the scrub oak has leafed out just since last weekend. The view is always amazing.

There's a great outcropping of rock that gives a great view of the vista..............

Not a bad way to spend a few hours......

Pinon Fires and Smores

2011-05-30T07:16:00.000-06:00

With the fire ban lifted in our county, it was finally time to fire up the chiminea and that means the neighborhood kids look forward to smores.........the first of the season.

Sticky fingers and full tummies.

With a Grateful Heart

2011-05-30T07:05:00.000-06:00

Every Memorial Day weekend there are vets outside our local grocery store. They collect donations for the local VFW and hand out these little red poppies, a small reminder of what this day is really about. I look forward to being able to shake their hand and thank them for their service.

Thousands have paid the ultimate price in defense of our country. And today while many will enjoy a BBQ and time with family, there are thousands serving in harms way, and their families left behind to miss them and live life without them.

Thanks to each of you reading this, who have served your country. Today I will set aside a moment to think and reflect on the freedoms we enjoy, paid for with the blood of brave men and women.

Tunesday - Santana Tyler

2011-05-24T06:38:00.011-06:00

It not quite time for those great summer Santana tunes.................but in the meantime, how about a great paring................the guitar player and the singer, (both on my favorites list). The official video of this song is nearly unwatchable, so this version does away with most of it...............

Steven Tyler (the voice) and Carlos Santana..................both doing what they do best.

Ups and Downs of Springtime in the Rockies

2011-05-19T10:39:00.001-06:00

Sometimes, life feels like a series of ups and downs. We let our emotions take us on a ride of happy and sad, joy and sorrow. And I always get wistful in the Spring and Fall. It's kind of like the weather.

And sometimes, you have to settle for a candle.

We who live in this beautiful state of Colorado are fortunate. Not everyone who lives here realizes this fact. But a daily check of the evening news is confirmation. Our climate, especially here in the front range, is quite mild. Tornadoes are not unheard of, but rare, mostly in the eastern plains. Hail? Sometimes, seldom enough to cause more than plant damage. Flooding? Again, localized and mild. Only 2 really big floods in my 50+ years, and big is a relative term. Nothing even close to the damage and devastation being suffered by fellow Americans all over the south. We don't have earthquakes, and obviously not hurricanes or tsunamis.

So the worst things we have going here weather wise are the fact that the May snow, killed off my lilacs buds, just as they had started to bloom and put out that incredible fragrance..............oh well, I'll go buy a lilac scented candle. You should always have a backup plan. And..............we've had about 5 or 6 days when we haven't seen the sun all day.............because we've been getting the rain to make up for almost no snow fall this year in town. The mountains, continue to get hammered with snow, highest snow pack in many years. Which means we'll have plenty of water to keep our lawns green this summer.

So to recap...............we had a mild winter at Casa Rancho..............not a lot of snow shoveling. In spite of the the very dry and mild winter, we're getting lots of May showers, for the June flowers. And everything is looking very green. There will probably be no watering restrictions because of the amazing amount of snow in the mountains. If we have a repeat of last summer, we never even hit 100 degrees, and of course there is little to no humidity.

So I'm thinking we've got nothing to complain about, lots to be grateful for, it's all a matter of perspective. There's a saying around here, that "if you don't like the weather, wait a minute". It changes in a heartbeat. Fredrick Bonfils, co founder of the Denver Post first coined the phrase, "Tis a Privilege to Live in Colorado". That phrase was on the masthead of the paper for most of my life.

This Colorado girl agrees. I've described a certain feeling to a few people close to me. When I look around at this magnificent place I live, I sometimes feel like there are roots growing out of the bottom of my feet, deep into the Colorado clay...............and my arms are like the aspen, feeling the gentle breezes making the leaves flicker.

God forgive me for ever taking this place for granted.

Snow in May

2011-05-13T10:58:00.000-06:00

At 6200 feet, it's common to get some snow in May. While the moisture is great when it melts, you have to fight to hang on to tree limbs. The snow sticks to trees and bushes that are leafed out. So since it looked like this yesterday morning........................there was tree whacking before I left for work.

So glad we got that patio furniture out. And it's not like it's my fault, I haven't packed the turtlenecks away yet!

Spring Weekend Accomplished

2011-05-08T21:33:00.003-06:00

Big weekend at Casa Rancho. Enjoying the first real warm temperatures of the year. So we got the patio sealed.

Using some slave labor..........................T & D did the sides. Good job guys.

Next weekend we'll get some plantings in all the pots and on the wall garden, we are all set for Summer 2011.

Today we headed up to Daniels Park for a late morning brunch. Several of our neighborhood friends joined us, along with the Circle Posse, who love to ham it up and pose for pictures. We were missing one of the regular crew, and our only little girl in the Posse didn't want to get up there will all the boys.

Once we got back home and as long as the gang was around, we put them to work. Kids seem to find washing cars highly amusing. Why would we deny them the pleasure? They got my car, The Husband's jeep, and two others.

So we made lots of progress getting things done, but it was also a great weekend, enjoying the sun and warm temps.

Hope all the moms out there had a great day. You are loved and valued!!!

Spring Weekend

2011-05-05T21:17:00.000-06:00

Can it be? We are really going to have a full on, rock star, spring weekend?

That's what they are saying.

So we'll finally be able to get the sealer down on our patio. It's in need of a face lift............and maybe if it stays dry enough to thoroughly cure, we'll be able to move the patio furniture up. Then it will actually feel like spring. Everything is coming along nicely in My Tiny Garden. Pictures to follow. The lilacs are ready to bloom.

These are the small things that make my day.

Tunesday - Train - I Got You

2011-05-03T10:08:00.000-06:00

About a decade ago, I did an event in Boulder, Colorado. It was a bunch of radio people, so I felt right at home. It was a KBCO crowd, which only makes sense to people who live here.................but Bruce Cockburn performed, so I was a happy girl.

During lunch the people attending, largely ignored the band playing.............but I knew I was listening to something special.

The band was Train.

Here's a great cut off their latest...................which harkens back to a favorite tune from the 70's.

Review - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

2011-05-01T20:05:00.001-06:00

I talked the ladies in my book club into reading this classic. To my surprise, none of them had read it, or for that matter, had even heard of it. It was one of a number of classics my mom put in my hands as a young teen, and told me to read. It been years since I read it, and I think I enjoyed it as an adult even more than I did on the first go round. The story is about Francie, a young girl growing up in Brooklyn in the early 1900's. It's a story full of struggle, poverty, alcoholism but also the yearnings and emotions of a young girl. Francie sits on the fire escape reading books from the library. She looks through the leaves of a tree at the world around her. She loves her father, in spite of his obvious flaws and weaknesses. She longs for the affection of her mother, who dotes instead on her younger brother.

The women are the strong characters in this book. It seems all the men around them are flawed. I think the intent of the author may have been to look at the way mothers and daughters relate, and the way women bond together in their struggles. If you're reading this and looking for something different for your book club, be forewarned...............its a long book. But I think everyone liked, or even loved it in our group.

Read, people. Read the classics. You will be all the better for it.

Movies I Always Watch - "Hook"

2011-04-28T18:30:00.005-06:00

This is probably an odd choice for the list of "Movies I Always Watch" But I just love this "kid" movie and even own it. I recently watched it with kids who'd never seen it, and they seemed to love it too, so I guess it has held up well. The movie, starring Robin Williams is a Steven Spielberg movie, but not one of his bigger hits. The movie came out in 1991, and I remember going to see it with my parents on a Saturday afternoon. I often met them for Saturday movies, during that time, a habit they'd had since their childhoods. That particular time for me had been a bumpy ride, and going to the movies was a weekly escape, and this movie did the trick like none I'd seen in a long time.

The storyline is a variation on the Peter Pan story, with a tag line, "What if Peter Pan grew up?" The grown up Peter, played by Williams, is a lawyer, married, 2 kids, and no memory of the fact that he was/is Peter Pan. All the childhood adventures in Never Never Land are lost on him, until a series of events begin to cause him to remember. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, because you really should see it. Dustin Hoffman is amazing as Captain Hook.

The surprise of the movie was Julia Roberts, as Tinkerbell (a childhood favorite character of mine). Tinkerbell loves Peter, but the adult Peter thinks she's a hallucination. She helps him remember, and get back to Never Land.

Easy for me to understand why this movie resounded with me so strongly. As a child I was drawn to stories with magic, fairies, princes, and castles. As children, we're always yearning to be older, then some of us get to a point in life when we realize what we've lost as adults. The sense of wonder, of unbelievable things happening................this movie stirs all that up.

If you love childhood fantasy movies, and have never seen this, you should. If you think you don't like these kind of movies, maybe you're just the person who should see it. Maybe you've forgotten what it's like to be a child. That would be a shame. You have to remember your happy thought.

My favorite line in the movie, comes at the very end, when "Tink" is talking to Peter after all the adventures. She's heading back to Never Land, but Peter is staying in the real world.

Peter Banning: [sees Tinkerbell on the Peter Pan statue] Tink!

Tinkerbell: Say it, Peter. Say it and mean it.

Peter Banning: I believe in fairies.

Tinkerbell: You know that place between sleep and awake? That place where you still remember dreaming?

[Peter nods]

Tinkerbell: That's where I'll always love you... Peter Pan. That's where I'll be waiting.

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T16:41:00.000-06:00

Easter day not as expected. My inlaws decided not to drive through the snow up north to come over. Instead, while I was cooking, The Husband endured my singing at the top of my lungs, along with GLAD (see below) followed by Rich Mullins tunes as well. Good thing my neighbors like us.

My boys next door, T & D (honorary grandkids as The Husband calls them) were anxiously awaiting some egg decorating. And I think they did a fine job.

Now we're stuck making egg salad all week, but it was well worth it!

The Easter Song - Glad

2011-04-24T08:06:00.000-06:00

Beautiful harmony. Simple lyrics. A long time favorite. Nice guys too..........

So Close And Yet So Far Away

2011-04-22T21:38:00.000-06:00

Yes, spring time in the Rockies is a study in delayed gratification. It's warm, but not so much. We're a month off in the old adage of March winds, April showers, May flowers. Around here, its March snow, April winds, and May is a toss up. But today it was almost warm enough to ride home with the top down on the convertible.

So I did it anyway. If you turn on the seat warmers and set the heat to warm, it works. With satellite channel 14 (Classic Vinyl) on the dial, I drove home to The Rolling Stones, Jethro Tull, Eagles, and all the good stuff on vinyl. You know you've found your perfect radio station when you at one point realize you owned every record they have played. Hair flowing in the breeze, tunes cranked up, not caring one wit what anyone around you thinks................

Once home, everyone in the neighborhood was outside, soaking in the end of day sun. Kids, hitting plastic golf balls with plastic golf clubs, rolling toy cars down our driveway. "Take Out Friday" followed, a great end to the week. My house was full of little ones, giving me the love only they can give.

Soon will come the warm summer nights, sitting outside, each season has it treasures.

I live in an amazing state..............I am blessed by that fact.

A Columbine

2011-04-20T05:13:00.004-06:00

I CAN'T WAIT!! The Help - Movie Trailer

2011-04-19T13:54:00.001-06:00

I just so much loved the book, as noted HERE

Guess we'll have to wait till August, which means you still have time to read this amazing book BEFORE the movie comes out. Double-Click through to you tube so you can see it full screen.

Our Fine Feathered Friends

2011-04-17T08:57:00.001-06:00

I guess my fascination for birds goes back at least two generations. My Grandmother's yard had multiple bird baths, and the big expanses of grass attracted robins looking for worms. I'd sit on her back porch with her and she recognized and pointed out the calls of the various birds who were the regular visitors. She could even imitate a few.

When my Dad and Lil Bro built a koi pond in his back yard years ago, the moving water and surrounding vegetation attracted a variety of species. We bought Dad an Audubon guide so he could identify his visitors.

But for years I lived in apartments and didn't really have much chance to observe the birds. All that changed about 10 years ago when I moved into an apartment with a big outdoor balcony. Not thinking anything would really happen, I put up a feeder and filled with seeds. Within a week I was swamped with sparrows and house finches. That spring I was also invaded by red winged blackbirds, who spent most of their time in nearby wetlands, swaying in the breeze on cattails.

Crazy as it may sound, when we moved into our house 6 years ago, one of the things I looked forward to the most was being able to thoughtfully build a backyard that had all the key elements to attract birds. With a feeder, birdbath, birdhouses and trees, the birds began to come. Each year a wider variety shows up, and it brings me great joy.

I've rubbed off on the people around me, The Husband doesn't just notice them at home, but while working, and on the golf course. Then a happy surprise has happened in just the last few weeks. It started with the tattered copy I have been dragging around for years, of this book.

In the circle where we live there's an abundance of little boys, who I've attempted unsuccessfully to interest in bird watching. At their age, they'd rather be riding bikes and playing kickball, and I don't blame them. Who wants to sit still and be quiet if you don't have to? But I pulled out my tattered field guide a few weeks ago, and little Ben across the street showed an interest. He'd learned about birds on a field trip his mom took him to, he started to devour the book. I'd been planning on buying a new one, so I gave him my copy. Apparently he's turned into quite the "birder". His mom says he carries the book everywhere he goes, even to a birthday party yesterday...........and he told me very quietly on Friday, "I really love this book". He couldn't be tempted away from it, even by pleads from the other boys to ride bikes. Maybe he'll grow out of it, just a phase, but it's fun to see a little one taking pleasure in Nature.

For me, to sit outside, or by a window, field guide and binoculars at the ready is and exercise in calm. I think your heart rate slows, and your brain has lots of spare energy to think, pray, even write blog posts in your head. Alone, or shared with someone else, I think most people would be surprised how relaxing and soothing it can be. Just a flat dish, kept filled with water, will attract birds. Give it a try!

And this weekend, the red winged blackbirds showed up.............a true sign that spring is really here.

Happy 3rd Blog Birthday

2011-04-17T04:13:00.000-06:00

Today is my 3rd year blogging................thanks to all my loyal and new readers..............you enrich my life.

Tunesday - Memories

2011-04-12T20:57:00.001-06:00

The very first concert I ever went to, outside of church things, was when my Dad took me to see the 5th Dimension at the Denver Auditorium Theater. I think this was the roots of my love for live music. We had been listening to the 5th Dimension's tight vocals and harmony at home. They were "groovy", and I loved it. The excitement of seeing them live was amazing. What a night. A few of their songs have been playing in my head in recent days..............as often happens, songs get stuck on replay. So in an effort to share with my readers the soundtrack of the radio station that plays in my head (KDON)......here's a good one. Marilyn's smooth as silk voice.

And since we're remembering those sounds...............here's one just for you, Dad.

Torn Distal Bicep Post Op Day 42

2011-04-11T21:23:00.001-06:00

Update on The Husband's arm. He's been in physical therapy since last week, twice a week, he goes back tomorrow night. Not easy to coordinate the appointments with his graveyard shift..........but this too shall pass. He's seen significant improvement with his range of motion, even in just a few appointments.

The therapist wanted him to wear a compression sleeve, to help with fluid build up. She gave him a lovely flesh colored one...........but then he showed up with this..............

So now I'm referring to him as Allen Iverson...........which is funny since he disdains all things NBA.

One of the main issues with this type of injury, surgery and rehab is your ability to supinate your palm up...........so he's working with a small weight each day. Here' what he can do with the good hand.

But the injured arm will only go this far

So we've got a ways to go...........but he tells me he started working with his firearm at work last night, he's got range qualification coming up...........he's got to be 100% before he can hit the mean streets again.

Spring Comes Slowly

2011-04-11T21:06:00.000-06:00

Spring is taking it's time this year, which is just as well.............if all the trees leaf out and then it snows, you can end up losing branches...............or the leaves freeze, fall off and we have to start all over again. But Easter is only two weeks away and I'm anxious to spend some days in the back yard. So I planted some seeds of various kinds and put them in pots on the dining room window sill. The only thing coming up so far is the wheat grass..............and I think Bessy could plant and get wheat grass to come up. But it makes me feel a little less suburban to grow something...............anything.

And there are tiny, bright green leaves coming in on my aspen..............you can see them in the late evening light.

The doves are back...........and I swear I heard a hummingbird............but then, I hear things.

After an unusually quiet weekend, (golf on in the background, the Masters, you know) I found extra time to just sit and watch the birds come and go.............Bee Gees "Main Course" playing on the rock speakers, it was just too windy and about 20 degrees too cold. But music and contemplation can work wonders for your soul.

Deja Vu

2011-04-11T10:53:00.000-06:00

You just never know what you're going to see when you wander into a antique/junk store. Sometimes you find a slice of your childhood.

End of the Day Tunesday - Leon, Michael and Chris

2011-04-05T20:52:00.001-06:00

Sometimes there is a cosmic alignment. Song, vocals and arrangment. The melody, the lyrics, the instruments.

In this case, a Leon Russell song (maybe his best ever?), Michael Buble with his fresh, modern, retro crooner stylings, and the cherry on top, Chris Botti who makes the trumpet sound like a human voice.

Enjoy.

I love these artists, this song.

Finally....................April

2011-04-04T13:00:00.003-06:00

May have mentioned here and elsewhere that I hate March. Useless month, really. Usually we get buried with several snowstorms, often measured in feet not inches. This comes when I am finally DONE with that snow that I was so in love with, the previous fall when it first fell. Yes, I am fickle and disloyal when it comes to weather..................I grow weary at the end of each season and want whatever comes next.

This March however was less desirable than most................as the snows never came, so I couldn't mentally envision the snows melting, trickling down to bring life to My Tiny Garden. It was just windy and bleak. And dreadfully dry.

April, however, is in its fourth day and showing all the signs of being the schizophrenic weather month it always is. Friday and Saturday were everything spring days should be................warm with a chilly undertone...............golden sunsets. Sitting in the sun.............kids using chalk on the driveway and scootering, biking about. And in the backyard...................Bessy finding the sun spot, with her head RIGHT NEXT to the rock speakers while KBCO played, and I put compost down on my wall garden.

Sunday was more of the same (although a little too windy). The house filled up with eight adults and six little ones.............all gathered to partake of Mexican Fiesta night................more on that later.

The literal cool side of the pillow came on Sunday, when, after a few hours of sunshine......the rest of the day looked like this outside my loft window.

Tomorrow?

Bring on the moisture.

Are We There Yet?

2011-03-29T17:26:00.001-06:00

April I mean. How many more days?

I hate March. It's the needless month of grey and brown.

I am ready for April.

Dancing With the Stars Delayed Reaction

2011-03-23T20:53:00.001-06:00

There will be delayed reactions to this season's episodes of Dancing With the Stars. Because of The Husband's schedule, there is DVRing and delayed watching. Yes, he still watches this show with me.

My two sentence reaction:

Ralph Macchio was the delightful surprise of the night.

You go Kirstie...............we're pulling for you!!

Springtime in the Rockies

2011-03-20T17:21:00.037-06:00

Finally we are at the beginning of the beginning of Spring 2011. My blog buddy, GDazz over at her place, is showing off what spring looks like in Texas. Click the link and go see..........she's a great photographer/artist.

Here At Altitude, March 20, 2011 is still mostly brown and grey. It's a delayed gratification test.......spring comes slowly and March is often our snowiest month of the year. This winter has been a very mild one. Plenty of snow in the mountains, but here in the plains we are far below the norm. Still a strong possibility of snow to come............even a big one. Let's just hope it's soon and not after the trees have leafed.

Thing HAVE begun to change, if only so slightly. So I took a few sad photos today, just to prove to myself that the first signs of warmer days to come are here.

The honeysuckle bushes...................

The lilac bush............

And best of all, tiny little columbine leaves, pushing their way up..............

Okay, it's a beginning!!!

Boston Rob for President

2011-03-17T12:15:00.000-06:00

Not my idea. Stole it right out of the mouth of......................................wait for it............................... Dennis Miller.

So if you don't know who Boston Rob is, you may as well stop reading this post. Or, if you're not a fan, you may throw things at the computer screen. But after last night's episode, it's clear Rob is ruling the roost at his camp.

As I'm driving into the office this morning, fellow Survivor Fan, Dennis Miller is the one who suggested that Rob should just run for president as he certainly knows how to get the job done. On a side note, it always makes me feel less guilty about loving Survivor, every time Dennis Miller talks about being a fan. If nothing else, Rob is a master manipulator of people...........and they smile while he's doing it!

Torn Distal Bicep - Post Op - Day 14

2011-03-14T11:45:00.000-06:00

So we're making progress each day...................the wound appears to be healing nicely.

On the down side, it's amazing how much his arm has shrunk from so little use. Out side of doing stretching excercises each day, no weight or resistance until after he sees the surgeon at the end of the month. The Husband says that it hurts the most in the morning (or actually in this case..........late afternoon) when he wakes up. In order to stay on light duty, he's working an overnight graveyard shift at work.

Sigh...................we are exhausted. Him from trying to sleep in the middle of the day, and me from waking up with a start because I'm alone...............we haven't had this shift in YEARS and its NO FUN.

Bruce Cockburn - Small Source of Comfort

2011-03-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

It's a great day when Bruce Cockburn releases a new album, and today is one of those days.

From the previews I've heard its going to be a great one............I'll update it here after I've had a few days to live with it, and let you know. In the meantime, since there's no new stuff from him on youtube.............here's an oldy but goody, from the Breakfast in New Orleans Dinner in Timbuktu, a favorite album of mine. "If this were the last night of the world, what would I do?"

Great Expectations - The Review

2011-03-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

Whew...............I'm proud of myself. Finally finished Great Expectations. My first Dickens book. Took some time and I almost quit. But now I can add it to the list of classics I assigned to myself to read. This assignment stems from the fact that I was never once........... asked to read any of the classics during my 1970's public education. We discussed Simon and Garfunkel lyrics (and some Beatles too). So we were getting American AND British band lyrics..............but the classics? Nah. I'd also like to point out that I began reading this long BEFORE Oprah said I should. But I probably will also add A Tale of Two Cities to my "To Be Read" list.

It's a hard read. I could pretend that it wasn't, but there were points at which I did want to set it aside. I did not expect this book to be filled with so many plot twists. Those seemed to happen in the last third of the book as Dickens started tying all the ends together. I understand there are two endings to the book, the edition I read has the second ending. It would be easy to blame the difficulty of reading this book on the time frame it was written, but I'm also reading Jane Austen, written even earlier, and I find her novels far more readable and easier to follow.

Wish I could say that I enjoyed the book, wish I could recommend that YOU read it...........but I can't. There is satisfaction in the completion, as if it had really been assigned to me.............but it was not an enjoyable read. However, cultural literacy is important to me and I've known I should read at least one Dickens book. Perhaps I should have started with A Christmas Carol.

Day Four - Post Op

2011-03-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

Amazingly, The Husband's cast came off yesterday. He can move his arm around.................no weight or resistance yet, but we're on our way back to normalcy. The wound itself is small and I just know you want to see it...............I'll make the pic small so you can click on it only if you want.................

Not so bad, is it?

Day Two - Post Op

2011-02-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

Our patient is doing well. Nights are rough, tough for him to find a way to lay down comfortably. But he just took a shower with a trashbag over his arm. Add a little Glad Press n' Seal wrap at the top. Watertight seal.

Only taking one Percacet a day and just over the counter for the rest. Sat in the sun yesterday for a few minutes. We'll see the surgeon on Tuesday to get the fiberglass splint off and see where we go from there.

It's Official - Torn Distal Bicep

2011-02-24T15:34:00.001-07:00

The Doctor told him the muscle was curled up like a corkscrew in his arm. So tomorrow we'll head off to the orthopedic clinic and they will reattach the tendon to the bone. It's a day surgery thing, with rehab to follow. I'll be off with The Husband for a few days, and he's taking the whole week off next week. It will be light duty for a while, but hopefully, he'll be golfing by May!

Bumps in the Road

2011-02-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

Been a wild and woolly week At Altitude.

When things get hectic at work or at home, I tend to retreat and stop posting, when in fact, the opposite would probably be therapeutic.

Started a week ago Sunday, when it was just a picture perfect day in Colorado. The Husband and I had planned on taking in a movie and dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day. But once we went out front of the house the sun was just SO warm and inviting, all plans fell by the wayside. That sun warmed us up, and we stayed outside, soaking it in. Bessy loves it too.............she's been suffering from a little cabin fever, so she found a comfy spot and settled in.

The county plows our streets (why would we complain?) but that leaves a huge ridge of snow at the end of the driveway that has to be shoveled to get in and out. In an attempt to spread it out and get some melting, we shoveled. Unfortunately, in one of those quick movements with the shovel, The Husband heard a pop in his elbow and I saw him grimace.

Eight days later, two doctors appointments, an MRI, and a week missed from work................we still don't know for sure.........but he may have a partial tear of his bicep at the elbow. It's currently a pleasant shade of yellow. Doesn't hurt much he tells me, but he has little flex strength in that left arm. Not so good for doing his law enforcement type job. So we wait. Thursday morning he'll see a surgeon and we'll know where we go from here.

Sigh................

2011 Grammys

2011-02-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Each year we watch the Grammys.....okay, I....watch the Grammys and it could be amazing, inspiring, horrendous, appalling depressing or entertaining. Or all of the above.

So from our loft............Grammy Reviews.

Tribute to Aretha Franklin.

B plus.

Not a fan of Christine. But Jennifer Hudson rocked it and Yolanda is just.......... Yolanda. Amazing.

Lady Gaga? Too soon to say. Madonna? culture effecting vibe? maybe not so much.

Muse...........too "late 80's" for me. The Dark Decade. Cool video effects.......but would I sit around listening to this????????????? Not a chance.

Pretend Black and White footage...............average music. What are we doing here? I'm lost. Completely Lost. Apparently this is the portion of the show when I feel downright old and culturally irrelevant. This music doesn't speak to me on any level. I still don't even know who these people are. Moving on.

Usher/Bieber................cool pop tunes? Memorable? Hardly.

Followed by randomness that was extremely random.

Dylan.

What shall we say? Age has not improved his voice. But he is Bob Dylan. Guitar players backing him? Amazing.

Lady Antebellum. Some great lyrics. But the music is just more of the same. Zzzzzzzzzzz.

Muppet R&B? Add some Gwyneth. Bizarre. Can I haz some real music? Pweeeeze??

Katy? I think someday she may be an incredible artist. Not yet. If maybe she could stop rebelling against her roots for the sake of rebellion. Teenage dreams are all good...........however.

Keith Urban and Company.........playing real music with real instruments honoring Dolly.

Song of the Year goes to real singers, singing with real instruments, to heartfelt lyrics. Lady Antebellum.

Hopeful somehow.

Eminem. I get it. Still not what I would listen to, but I get it.

Mick.

How can a Brit do quintessential R&B like that? Saw him in May of 1978, Folsom Field. "Some Girls" Tour. We thought we died and went to Rock and Roll Heaven.

Kris. We're talking Kris. Kris Kristofferson. I've seen him twice in person. Tonight he was introducing Babs. Barbra Streisand doesn't do this. But she did. Did she sound nervous? Yes she did. She is still Barbra. From childhood I listened to her, and soon learned to appreciate the matchless talent she possesses.

Record of the Year ........ COUNTRY WINS. Lady Antebellum.

Over all, lackluster year for music.

Saw nothing tonight that would cause me to make any music purchases.

Non Paid Commercial for Dennis Miller

2011-02-11T14:52:00.004-07:00

Dennis Miller makes me laugh so hard, I sometimes think I'll crash my car. While a talk radio vacation is still in effect for me, I still tune in for at least a little while each day before and after I get to the office. I'd listen more but I'm afraid I'd get nothing done.

For the uninformed, Dennis Miller has a daily talk show which is carried here in the Denver market on 710KNUS. He covers current events in the news cycle, but there's also quite a bit of movie and TV chatter. He's so smart and well read, that I'm sure a full one fourth of what he talks about is lost on me..........but none the less.......... for the parts I get........ he makes me laugh.

Today, he was referring to the happenings in Egypt as "Islam -apalooza", and his comment on Mubarak finally stepping down....."This guy's like Brett Favre in a fez." Guess you had to been there.

Anyway, some of you reading this(and you know who you are) tell me you never listen to the radio............but he's worth listening to (9a-11a)instead of FOX all day.

Tunesday - Barry and Babs

2011-02-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

So as we continue with the cheesy (beautiful) music theme.....you know, Valentine's Day and all......

Been spending too much time listening to Sirius Channel 3. Heard a great Bee Gees tune, then a great Barbra Streisand tune. That brought to mind the great duets they did......this CD got some play in my house (and still does). Found some live footage. Barry Gibb. Be still my heart.

Football Joy

2011-02-06T10:22:00.002-07:00

Looks to be a good game today. Hope the Packers win. Feel bad for Packer fans because of the Favre thing.

But here At Altitude, we have reason to smile again.

Finally.

Shannon Sharp,one of the most exciting, funny, joyful players to don a Bronco uniform. Now in the NFL Hall of Fame. And a well deserved honor. He broke my heart when he left us for a while, but then he came back. The little boy from Georgia has done us proud.

A Hero of Mine

2011-02-06T08:26:00.001-07:00

Remember when it felt like this??? I do.

Weekend Tunes

2011-02-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Music is a big part of my life. As mentioned before here.............this is due to the saturation of music experienced by me as a child, because my parents loved it, and my childhood is filled with music. Not all people experience this. The Husband tells me he has no recollection of his family listening to music........ ever.

I see music as a tool. Not just a past time or hobby. I use music to alter my reality.

Tired? There's music to wake you up. Restless? There's music to sooth you. Stressed? There's music to calm your nerves. Need to let go and have fun? There's music to celebrate.

Though I'm addicted to talk radio, I have determined to listen to more music, less chatter.

So in celebration of Friday, I cranked the satellite radio on the way to the office today, cause it's Friday, after all. No talk radio, no news, just tunes. On channel 3...................the LOVE CHANNEL.............comes this song. Heard it hundreds of times.............suddenly realized........it is musical perfection. YES, it is a song about adultery. Ignore the lyrics if you can. But the arrangement, the vocals, each perfectly timed, each flows into a hooky song that is apparently a grammy winning song. Incredible song.

Then I popped over to channel 7, the 70's channel.........and lost my mind. Cranked it, pounded the steering to the rythymn......and found myself happy by the time I got to work. You can't listen to this song at low volume.....and Dad, I think you called this acid rock and you won't like it. Just an example how music can make your day.

In the Company of Women

2011-02-03T21:56:00.001-07:00

I was a brave person last night. I had dinner with a group of six women, only one of whom I had ever met before. For most other people this would not be a brave move, but for me it was.

I met the woman who hosted and set up the meeting a year ago, through business contacts. We did a little business together, but more importantly we hit it off on a personal level. Most of our meetings lasted longer because it always took a while for us to get around to actually talking business. We found that we had some mutual acquaintances. We got to know each other a little better. So we've met for coffee every few months or so, and I enjoy her company.

Last week, we met again and the conversation took a detour (completely unintentionally) to spiritual matters. To make a long story shorter, she asked me to come have dinner with a group of women. She had met each of these ladies over time and she uncovered that each was deeply spiritual, each in unique ways. There was no agenda, no plan, no leader. We just talked and shared a meal and listened to each other's stories. Though diverse in every way, in ages, backgrounds and circumstances still we marveled at the variety of ways our lives intersected. One woman works where The Husband does, one lives a few blocks from my parents, one lives just down the road from me.

On the whole, I'm not usually comfortable with women. I am quick to make your acquaintence, but slow to become friends. And I've spent most of my professional life surrounded by men, often the ONLY woman, so this is my comfort zone. I can talk sports or politics or business, which has made feel safe in the company of men. Women.............not so much.

Fortunately, when The Husband and I moved into this neighborhood almost six years ago, we met and made friends with other couples. So I count more women as friends then ever. I have made progress. I've even been in two book clubs.............one disbanded, one still going strong. But this was a big step for me last night. I still get butterflies in my stomach before book club meetings.............and last night was really a stretch. But I'm proud of myself, and the places this road may take me.............but more about that later.

Tunesday - Somewhere in Time - John Barry

2011-02-01T06:00:00.001-07:00

More pretty music, as suggested in last week's Tunesday selection..............

In honor of the passing of the incredible composer, John Barry this weekend. Yes, John was most known for his James Bond theme, but he was also the person who composed the soundtracks of many of my favorite movies.

It doesn't get much prettier than the soundtrack to "Somewhere in Time". Possibly one of the most romantic movies ever...........a film that introduced us to Christopher Reeve.

This soundtrack, purchased on CD, was played on the repeat mode.............and saw me through many sleepless nights when I battled insomnia in the 90's. Here's just a taste of the music, with no video distractions.

Now, take a look at some footage from the movie...........note the reflection in the window...........a shot that is amoung my favorite EVER in a movie.

There's Cold.......and Then There's Cold

2011-01-31T22:34:00.000-07:00

I'm fairly certain that back when I was a kid.................(did I really say that?).........they never closed the schools and gave us a snow day............because it was cold.

Yes we have snow.

Yes, it's cold.................

But all the schools around the area are closed tomorrow..............not for the 3 or so inches we have.

But because it's cold.

I have some very vague memories of Mom bundling us up in layers of clothes, gloves and hats...............and waiting till the last minute before we set off for the bus stop. But off to that bus stop we went.

And I don't remember any kids in our neighborhood loosing fingers or toes to frostbite.

Alas these memories must be part of the lore of walking to school, uphill, both ways..................etc. etc.

Have we grown wimpy?

Maybe.

Meanwhile.............I just heard the Douglas County snowplows go past my house...........they plow the residential streets down here in the land of high property taxes.

We're getting the real winter treatment around here.