Top O' the Mountain ~ Beaver Creek

Open your heart.

Open your mind.

Open to life and all it holds for you.

~ Melody Beattie

Sunflower September 2011

graphite on paper

After thunderstorms the night before, Victoria and I woke up to a glorious day! We decided to head up the chair lift at Beaver Creek, to take in lunch and the incredible views. Nothing like a little gorgeousness to feed the soul!

Another thing that feeds the soul? Humor, which Vic has in abundance. I have missed that humor that is (most of the time) just this side of inappropriate. You find yourself laughing and a little shocked at the same time. I would like to share these little gems but in print ... it would not be the same! So, I will share the gorgeous views and you will have to use your imagination or call on a funny friend for the humor. :)

Up the mountain!

So different going up a chairlift without ski boots or snow!

Vic using her new camera ...

It's amazing after winter snows, how everything rejuvenates and flowers blossom. Only a few months before, skiers and snowboarders raced down this very mountain!

Cherish all your moments.

Embrace the beauty

and importance of each one.

~Melody Beattie

Our yummy lunch on the mountain!

All of the sudden at the end our lunch, it seemed as though it could start raining again, so we headed back down the mountain and into Vic's car. An hour after the photo below it was pouring down rain.

We got back to Vic's house, near Denver, in the early evening. Her husband Dan BBQ'd and we hung out, visited and had wine on their beautiful deck.

It was so great seeing her sweet boys again and after 3 years, they'd grown up so much! Here, Vic is showing them photo albums from their days in California.

Vic with their youngest ... so sweet.

Thanks Victoria for a fantastic time!

It was amazing and great getting to spend time with you!

I love you!!

Well, that it for Colorado. It was a great 8 days and it felt like 3 trips in one, because I did so much! Hope it's not another 8 years before I get to go back. I am still fantasizing about how I can get unlimited airline miles!

Visit places that remind you of eternity when you can.

See the mountains.

See the stars.

Walk among the ancient redwoods.

Stand at the ocean's door.

Let nature and life remind you of eternity

in ways that speak to to your soul.

~Melody Beattie

All quotes from Journey to the Heart

Blessings and light!

Beaver Creek and "S'mores"

The day after my tour of Boulder, it was time to head to Beaver Creek. My friend Victoria, who I have known since 10th grade, moved to Denver 3 years ago and she came to pick me up from my cousin Polly's place. One of Vic's favorite places in Colorado, happens to be Beaver Creek. In fact, her and her husband were there the weekend before!

So, Vic handed the kids off to her husband Dan, grabbed me and we "headed for the hills" or mountains rather. I'd never been there and let me tell you, it was beautiful! We stayed at the Westin Beaver Creek and somehow for 127 bucks we ended up in a two room suite. I am sure it has something to do with having rewards points as a member but she said she'd never gotten this room! The kitchen was bigger than mine at home (though that's not difficult to do!) and we had an amazing view of both the pool and the mountain from our room!

Down by the creek, beyond the hotel pool area ...

Come out of the azure.

Love the day.

Do not leave the sky out of your landscape.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Victoria, surveying the creek ...

More of the Brown Eyed Susans I saw everywhere!

The hotel pool ...

View from our room's balcony. Amazing right???

We headed up, the afternoon we arrived, to the Beaver Creek Village area at the base of the mountain ...

You can see what are the ski slopes in winter

and resort shopping ...

And then ... a little shift in the weather. This seemed to happen quite a lot in Colorado!

Vic walked me over to the Hyatt which has fire pits ...

and a whole spread of goodies to make your own "s'mores!"

Of course, I could not resist...

mmmmmm

... then we ordered something a little more hearty. :)

Then, just in time, we headed inside before the downpour. These folks didn't quite make it.

Apparently there is a saying in Colorado, "If you don't like the weather, stick around for 5 minutes."

This might be the silliest YouTube video ever, (below)

but I guess if you have never had (or made) a "s'more," it might be informative? ;)

On the Beaver Creek website, the banner says "Beaver Creek Not exactly roughing it."

I'll say!

Oh, and this is my favorite quote right now ...

Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told:

"I'm with you kid. Let's go."

~ Maya Angelou

Enjoy the week, my friends!!!

Boulder and Old Tibet

I can't believe I've been back from Colorado for 4 weeks! I started school the following day (Italian 103 and painting,) have had auditions, various appointments, went out of town for pastel class, worked at the studio and just had out of town guests!

I wanted to share a little Boulder from my trip with you all. And when I say a little ... There was definitely more visiting than picture taking but here are a few glimpses of beautiful Boulder.

I am not sure why, but the clouds in Colorado are amazing!

I found Boulder so beautiful and charming and a little bit on the "groovy" side. (It's a compliment!)

Here is an example of the grooviness. The shop is called OLD TIBET. I'd like to have a room like this in my house covered in flags. I tried hanging a string of flags in my living room but alas ... not the same. I found an "OM" necklace in the shop for my niece, for her birthday. She just moved to Los Angeles and I thought the OM would be a good little reminder to stay at peace and in harmony when driving down the Hollywood Freeway.

Let us cultivate love and compassion, both which give life true meaning.

This is the religion I preach.

It is simple.

Its temple is the heart.

It's teaching is love and compassion.

Its moral values are loving and respecting others,

whoever they may be.

~ His Holiness The Dalai Lama

The Flat Irons behind the cute old town area...

I love these flowers and they were everywhere I went in Colorado!

My cousin drove me around a neighborhood behind downtown with one charming house after another! So adorable!

The Pearl Street shopping area. I could have gotten in some serious trouble here. I found the most beautiful bright orange and white, tie-dye silk scarf at the Gaiam store, that for a moment I thought I couldn't live without. Then I realized, I had managed for decades without it and had survived. I was proud of my restraint but still kind of wish I'd had a little less self control!

End of the day!

With my cousin Polly!

Thanks for the tour Polly! Love you!!!

Let your love flow outward through the universe,

To its height, its depth, its broad extent,

A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.

Then as you stand or walk,

Sit or lie down,

As long as you are awake,

Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;

Your life will bring heaven to earth.

~Sutta Nipata

Hope you have an amazing week!

Blessings and light!