Tag Archives: Flowers

Hello, Colorado!

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Welcome back to our cross-country adventure! If you missed the first leg of the journey, you can read about it in Thought I’d Skip Gardening This Spring.

With our sights set on Colorado, we left Iowa and trekked across Nebraska. We stayed at a couple of Nebraska campgrounds along the way, gaining another hour as we entered Mountain Time. The plan was to stay with my father’s brother Donald for a few days, just outside of Denver, while our van was being serviced in Boulder. My Dad was finishing up a visit with them and was flying out the day we arrived. Before taking him to the airport mid-afternoon, they went golfing and out to lunch. We didn’t want to arrive to an empty house, so we stopped at Barr Lake State Park in Brighton, Colorado, for an early afternoon walk/run.

We spent close to four hours at Barr Lake. So many birds, so little time! Identifying them can be a challenge, but I did see a Western Kingbird and a Bullock’s Oriole for the first time. Actually, several of them.

We arrived at Donald and Valois’s in Centennial, Colorado, just before supper and spent a good deal of time and effort unloading all the essentials from our van in preparation for its service appointment. My cousin Diane and her husband, Pat, came by toting a bounty of leftovers from the weekend family feast for my father’s visit. We were well fed!

In the morning, we drove to Boulder to drop off the van at Titan Vans. Besides some maintenance services, we also asked them to remove a bench seat they’d installed in the original build. We hardly ever used it and wanted the precious storage space. (Anyone want a barely used seat?) We picked up a traffic-cone-orange Kia Kona at Enterprise Rental and stuffed it with more essentials from the van. Moving out of our van when we’re traveling is like packing for the trip all over again. It was hard to know what to leave behind.

Anyway, in our down-sized vehicle, we headed for the Bobolink Trailhead in Boulder for a run/walk.

The most notable part of our visit to the Bobolink Trailhead was when Mark found an obstacle in his path while on his run. A cow! Sorry, no photos.

After a stop at Whole Foods to pick up some lunch, we drove back toward Denver, stopping at Denver Botanic Gardens to meet up with cousins Donna and Barbara. The Gardens were Donna’s idea and what a perfect, sunny afternoon we had! When a brief shower did pass by, we ducked into the Tropical Conservatory full of exotic plants and a treehouse.

Here’s a small sampling of the multitude of gorgeous flowers we saw…

Well, maybe a few more…

After the Botanic Gardens, the four of us had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. At dinner, Donna told us about a couple of young Great Horned Owls that lived in a tree along a walking path near her house. So, of course, we had to follow her home. First, we got a tour of her own home gardens, which were beautiful! Then, we took a walk in search of owls… And we found them! (Along with our first sighting of a Spotted Towhee.)

The following day was a quiet one. We planned to take a bike ride along a nearby trail, but my bike brakes weren’t cooperating. So, Mark biked while I took a nice walk around the neighborhood. The afternoon was spent preparing to get back on the road the next morning. Later, we met up with Mary and Ruth, friends who’d moved to Colorado from Massachusetts several years ago, for dinner in Denver. It was good to see them.

In the morning, cousin Michael and his wife, Lori, stopped by for coffee and a brief visit. And before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye. Donald and Valois had been the best hosts. We really enjoyed all their stories and the family history discussions. I’m sure they were ready for some alone time after all their company.

In Boulder, we picked up our van with it’s newly configured space, unpacked our rental car, and then drove back to Centennial to pick up our bikes and anything else that didn’t fit in the Kona. We said our final goodbyes and headed west to Utah.

Until next time, Colorado!

Northbound!

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Forty Augusts ago, we travelled north to Canada as a newly married couple, visiting Quebec and Toronto and coming back home by way of Niagara Falls. To celebrate the last forty years, we’ve headed north again.

But this time we’ve veered northeast through Maine instead, on our way to New Brunswick and beyond.

First stop, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. . .

It was a beautiful day and the trolls were calling. If you’ve never been there, you may not know about the five (troll) art installations by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. We only saw three of the five, but they were impressive.

Before we found any of the trolls, though, we visited the butterfly house. It’s almost magical standing in the midst of countless butterflies flying overhead, all around, and even at your feet.

So many of the flowers were at their peak of color. Everywhere we turned, the landscape made me smile.

In addition to the troll sculptures, we found some stone creations and other interesting artwork.

We even found evidence of fairies at the end of the Back Woods Trail near the river.

It was a beautiful, relaxing afternoon. I highly recommend you put a stroll through the gardens on your to-do list this summer. And try to find those two trolls that eluded us.

After our visit, we headed to our son’s house in Winterport, just south of Bangor. We spent a rainy night parked in his driveway and the following rainy day visiting downtown Bar Harbor. It’s off to Acadia National park after that. A story for another day.

T.M.I.

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I’ve been remiss in my blogging. In considering the reason for this, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is NOT because I’ve had nothing to say. Quite the opposite. There’s TOO MUCH to say. Family stuff, community stuff, and global stuff bombard me and I struggle to keep up. I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling this way.

Life is messy — like the spent sunflower seeds in this photo. Everyone’s “mess” is a bit different. My mother, who is declining into dementia, has been the greatest focus of my time and energy for the last few years. My own involvement in social activities, like church and chorus, has taken a turn during the pandemic and I’m reassessing my priorities and assessing my own needs. Too many details to mention or even fully grasp are whirling inside my brain. Messy.

Some days, all I can do is focus on the simple things — the things that bring a sense of momentary peace and beauty — like the crocuses in this photo. Today, my “crocus” will be venturing outside in the retreating drizzle to start turning over the dirt in my garden beds. That’s all. The mess of life will still be here when I’m done, but that’s okay. Maybe it’ll feel a little less daunting. I encourage you to do the same if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Give yourself permission to focus on the crocuses. And have a blessed day. 🙂

August Treasures

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Every August, I look forward to the blooming of the hibiscus at the corner of my front yard, with it’s lunch-plate sized blossoms. It never disappoints!

The Rose of Sharon trees follow suit.

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The honey crisp apples begin to ripen and so do the tomatoes!

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The Sneeze Weed is in full bloom. . .

the Hydrangea & Zinnias are hanging on. . .

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and the Coleus still stands its ground brilliantly. 🙂

 

Thinking Outside

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I saw on the news recently that being outdoors is good for one’s mental health. Duh! This is news? There’s something about the trees, the birds, the expansive sky above, the grass or the mountains under your feet. Right? Why do we need studies to prove what we all already know? Just stepping outside, after being cooped up in an office, in front of a computer screen, or in a house doing dishes and laundry, can make your whole being sigh!

So, I try to take daily walks outside, as much for my brain as for my body. When I finished walking this morning, I picked pea pods, a single cuke, a handful of raspberries, and a decent bowlful of blueberries from my gardens. And I brought them inside. But, as I passed all the flowers in the yard, it dawned on me that I never think to bring them inside. I know people who bring cut flowers in all the time. Why haven’t I? I had no answer for myself, so I grabbed the kitchen shears and went back outside to collect a bouquet.

My point is, if being outdoors can make you happy, then why not bring some of the outdoors in? I’ve got garden-fresh fruits and veggies and a lovely bouquet to boost my spirits. What kind of outdoor treasures do you bring indoors?

You know, they don’t even have to be living things. Just reminders of your connection to the great outdoors. Think about it! Think outside! 🙂

 

Daily Gifts

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Each day has such potential and so many opportunities to give and receive. Just yesterday, I sat in my favorite meditation chair at the beginning of the day to remind myself to be open to whatever the day might hold. Then, I went for a short walk.

I cut the walk short in order to make my weekly yoga class. I tell you this because it means I didn’t take my normal daily walking route. Instead, the final leg that day took me up a dead-end street perpendicular to my backyard. My neighbor was just coming out of her house.

“Do you want some peonies?” she asked.

I said “Sure!” not really knowing if it was plants or flowers she was offering.

She opened the passenger side door of her SUV, reached in, and produced a beautiful bunch of pink peonies. It was like a jar of sunshine! I finished my walk with a big smile on my face (and a bouquet of peonies in my hands).

So, whether you’re the giver or the recipient, remember that each day has its gifts. You just need to get out of bed and maybe even step out of your door. 🙂