Sunset Photos

On our way home from Denver on Saturday we hit Grand Junction just as the sun was setting so here are some photos I snapped....have I mentioned I love my iPhone.

Rose Rouge

This is on the trailer for Much Ado About Nothing, but I recognized it from being in the movie Serendipity even though it isn't on the soundtrack. I can't wait to see Much Ado About Nothing. Anything by Joss Whedon and I want to see it!

52 Week Photo Project: Week 19

We were in Denver this week and so these are a few shots downtown. The Denver Art Museum and the Denver Public Library.

Happy Mother's Day

My beautiful Mom. Feel incredibly blessed to have a Mom who has such a kind heart and generous spirit. I love you Mom! Happy Mother's Day!

I also wishing Happy Mother's Day to my other Mom - Michael's Mom. I have come to know such a sweet woman and love her dearly! 

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. seeing Michael's parents
2. getting to socialize with people I really like and enjoy their company
3. burgers at Sam's No 3 - SO SO GOOD!
4. writing poetry and drawing doodles
5. 10 years of living Colorado with Michael

M + D

Today is an anniversary of sorts - 10 years ago I moved from Ohio to Colorado to be with an amazing man that I love even more today than that snowy day in 2003. It was the best move ever.

* photo - I took up at Hays Falls when we were there recently. 

Stuffed Peppers

Michael and I have had these a couple times now. They are a low carb option when craving Philly cheese steak sandwiches. It also was a nice change from how I usually do stuffed peppers.  I have used a combo of red, yellow and orange peppers as Michael isn't fond of green peppers.  

Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers

2 large bell peppers

8 oz thinly sliced roast beef

8 slices provolone cheese

1 medium sweet onion - sliced

1 cup mushrooms - sliced

Preheat oven to 400◦. Slice peppers in half lengthwise removing ribs and seeds. Sauté until onions and mushrooms are nice and caramelized. Slice roast beef into thin strips and add onion/mushroom mixture. Cook 5-7 mins. Line the inside of each pepper with provolone cheese and fill each with meat mixture until they are overflowing. Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese and bake for 15-20 mins until cheese is golden brown. 

Everybody Hurts

52 Week Photo Project: Week 18

Michael had some work to do in Carbondale yesterday so we had a little day trip. This is a view of Mt. Sopris on the way to Carbondale. 

We also had a chance to go to Hays Falls and to the top of McClure pass.  Both of which were so nice to see again. It is a favorite spot of ours. 

Play on Little Children

Dan Dyer - "Play On Little Children" from Paste Magazine on Vimeo.

Brain Pickings which is a daily read for me offers up Literary Jukebox - a song and quote.  This is a song from it.

52 Week Photo Project: Week 17

Michael and I had several opportunities for photos this week....not only the ones I am posting, but we had an outing to a cemetery where we took a walk and snapped a lot of photos.  These photos were taken at Riverbend Park in Palisade.  The bottom two are of Mt. Garfield which is a landmark we can see throughout Grand Junction.

No excuses ... just do it ...

Some friends of mine growing up are having a tough time.

Kids that lived down the alley from us - one of the boys has cancer that has spread throughout his body.  He's currently in hospice where they are trying to make him as comfortable as he begins to pass onto the next leg of his Journey.  Reading the comments on Facebook has been tough.  I feel sadness for them all.

We take a lot of things for granted.

As busy as things have been in the last several months - I know I've lost track of things.  Dates going by, weeks running into one another - and before long it'll be summer.

That's why it's important to make the time to do special things.  For us - whether it's poetry dates or photography ... it's about making the invested time and allowing us to breathe in that moment.

...because we ultimately don't know what'll happen tomorrow - but it's our own fault if we don't make it count today, tomorrow and the days that follow.  We have it in our ability to do it ... and we need to stop making excuses for why we don't.

Just Give Me a Reason

52 Week Photo Project: Week 16

Michael had a job in Pueblo this past week and one night we were driving back from dinner when I spotted all these murals.  I didn't mention it that night as I thought maybe it was just graffiti.  But when we passed by it again the next day - I said something to him so he found a way to get me close so I could take some photos.  They were really amazing murals and glad I got a chance to see them. 

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. Michael starting to feel better....not great yet, but better.
2. a successful time in Pueblo
3. getting through the snow storm. We traveled through one to get to Pueblo - even though it is sunny and green now
4. a nice evening snapping photos with Michael
5. heading home tomorrow

Boston

From the Poem Boston by Samantha Reynolds: 
"without the triumph they deserved
without the simplicity of tomorrow
without the trust that a sidewalk
won’t rupture and swallow them again"

The poem says what I had been thinking and feeling as I listened to the news yesterday. 

Big Bright World

52 Week Photo Project: Week 15

This is a photo I took and then used a program on the iPhone called Zitrr Camera to make it into a sketch.  It is of the check-in door of Radiology. Our week started off rocky with Michael making a trip to his regular doctor and then to check and make sure he didn't have a blood clot in his leg at Radiology in the hospital. He didn't thankfully, but we have spent a lot of time in doctors offices this week as his treatment was an antibiotic and he broke out from that so was back in the doctors office. So 2 trips to the doctor office and one to radiology this week. I know he is ready to heal and not be back in a doctor's office for a bit - even though he does have a follow up tomorrow.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. Michael going to the doctors this week (3 times plus a visit to Radiology) - it is one of the least favorite things for him, but I was very worried about him so thankful he went and is getting treated.
2. an easier night for him tonight than last
3. finding dye-free Benydrl today
4. chatting with a good friend this week. She has been in my thoughts and glad to get a chance to talk to her.
5. chatting with another good friend this week as she helped us out by looking at some photos of Michael's bug bit/rash and helping give him some relief before we could go to the doctors.
6. lemon poppy seed muffins - such an amazing treat
7. getting a chance to see family while in Denver
8. Pantry and freezer stocked - been a while since I did some stocking of supplies
9. meal planning and prep - I have done a lot of prep this week so that when it comes to making meals it should be easier on me.
10. Michael buying me the first season of Downton Abbey on DVD
11. being home although we leave again next week
12. pretty trees blooming for Spring

Judgement

From Don't Let Anyone's Criticism or Judgment Define Who You Are on TinyBuddha:
"Ultimately, I realized that I felt insecure because I was carrying around the words and judgments I’d heard at different points in my life as if they were written into the code of my DNA."

I have done that for 45 years. Some judgement I have been able to let go, but some just linger and haunt me. But it is one thing I continually work on - letting them go.

Sarah Kay

I love TED...as I always discover talented, brilliant, amazing people through it.  Sarah Kay does two poems and both have that element I love about poetry....connection.  You hear a line and it says "you are not alone."    I am not sure I could ever do spoken word poetry, but I love it and love how it makes me feel...even when it is sad.  Again it is feeling that connection.