Welcome to Mountain Aire

OUR TOWNHOME IS FOR SALE!

We are selling our townhome at 0112 Linden Cir, Carbondale, CO.  There are lots of photos, details, and contact information on this website:
www.carbondaletownhome.com

This has been a great home for us but with a new job for my husband, we need to relocate.  There are great views here, walking distance to downtown Carbondale or the Crystal River.  We have very nice neighbors and community, plus a dog friendly town.  If you like a four season location, this is the place.  The photo here was taken from the bedroom/office on the second floor of our townhome.

There will be an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, October 6, 2012 from 12 noon to 2 pm.  Please come and take a look!

Selling Our Carbondale Colorado Townhouse

We are relocating and putting our lovely townhouse in Carbondale, Colorado up for sale! My husband David got a new job.  The townhouse is part of the Keator Grove complex at the corner of Hwy 133 and Keator Rd. We are still working on getting a realtor but here are some photos of the place with more to come.  Please enjoy and if you know anyone who is interested in buying a 2 story townhouse with 2 bedrooms, a full bath, a 3/4 bath, and 1/2 bath, please pass the word! Near the end of the photos, there are some outdoor pictures of views from the townhouse.  If you are not familiar with the Roaring Fork Valley area (Aspen to Carbondale to Glenwood Springs) please take a look at my photos in the photo gallery and past blog posts too.  Most of the photo gallery and blog posts are about this area.









 








 






 














Here are some outside views from the townhouse throughout the year. This is a really beautiful area that looks great no matter what the season.
 
















 


 

Eagle Watch

On Saturday, Jan 28 we took a drive up the Frying Pan River from Basalt and there waiting for us was a beautiful eagle. Actually he wasn't waiting for us. He was watching for his fish dinner in the river, I'm sure.  Please enjoy...

From the Redwood Forest

What a great vacation to the Redwood Forest in California!  We have always wanted to see these giants and so we took a trip to California, stayed in a wonderful, relaxing bed & breakfast on Trinidad Bay and took a short drive to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove.  Please enjoy the photos!

Maroon Bells and the Spectacular Fall of 2011

Maroon Bells located near Aspen, Colorado was incredible to photograph this year. The rains this summer produced one of the most gorgeous fall foliage displays seen in the past 30 years here in the Roaring Fork Valley. This video was made with stills taken with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel camera, video from an iPad, and iMovie. 
 

Filoha Meadows Hike

David and I got up early this morning (5:30 am) to hike the trail from the Redstone Campground to the Filoha Meadows Reserve. It was a beautiful cool morning and not even the birds were up until we made our return hike back to the car. Filoha Meadows is a protected area and only the Roaring Fork Conservancy tours can walk around the area.  We have been on two of the tours since we moved to Colorado and loved them. The public can hike into the area from July to Sept 30 as long as they stay on the old railroad trail which is a very easy level hike with a few stone covered areas and some sandy areas. Be sure to be prepared for lots of pesky mosquitoes in the meadows area.  The many different grasses, flowers, and beautiful scenes here make the hike worth it though.

Palmetto Mastersingers Concert April 28, 2011

Tonight (April 28, 2011), the Palmetto Mastersingers will perform a concert at the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia, South Carolina.  They will be performing among other works my composition of "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep".  I wish this fine group of men a great concert and hope to hear back from them on their experience with performing my piece.

Schola Cantorum on Hudson

A photo from Schola Cantorum on Hudson's Facebook page.  This is from their Journey of the Soul concert which included my composition "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep".

A kind email from the Marketing and Communication Director, Jack Whyte said:

"I just wanted you to know that your piece tonight was GORGEOUS, as was the entire concert.  Just gorgeous--and the performance was terrific.  Your piece was so moving I had to use all my control to keep from completely falling apart, and Deborah [King] placed it beautifully into the theme of the concert.   So thank you for writing this beautiful work, and I can’t wait to hear it again tomorrow." ~ Jack Whyte, Director of Marketing and Communication, Schola Cantorum on Hudson

Schola Cantorum on Hudson Performs "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep"

The New Jersey ensemble, Schola Cantorum on Hudson will be performing my composition "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep" for TTBB Chorus and Piano on Sat. March 19, 2011 at St. John's in the Village in New York City and again on March 20, 2011 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Montclair, New Jersey.  I'm very excited about the interest this piece is generating. Another ensemble (Palmetto Mastersingers) in Columbia, SC will be performing it in April.  More information on that on a later post.  Recordings and a video of the original group who commissioned this work can be seen here.
 

Snowmass Balloon Festival 2010

Here is a slide show of photos taken on the second day of the Snowmass Balloon Festival near Snowmass Village, Colorado which ran Sept. 17-19, 2010. The first day, the balloons have a race down valley, so I was able to see them hovering over Red Hill in Carbondale. The photos here from the second day were a great opportunity. The balloons stayed in the area and it was a wonderful treat to see them up close. Parking is very accessible to this beautiful event. It was a calm and clear day... perfect for photography, especially with the fall leaves beginning their changes. Please enjoy!

First Friday Art Walk - Artists, Authors, Dancers, and Food!

Where can you find a place where in a few short blocks, you can experience great art, sculpture, ceramics, book signings, fire dances, great restaurants, and more?  CARBONDALE, COLORADO!!! Watch as I take you through an evening of Carbondale's famous First Friday Art Walk held on the first Friday of every month. This town really appreciates the fine art of living.

 My appreciation goes to featured artist Dáša Baušová and featured ceramic artist, Ginny Beesley for allowing me to photograph them and their fine works. Many thanks also to Ro, Amy, and Holly at the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities,  Lori Hutchens, owner of Novel-Tea Shop, authors of "Out of the Canyon" Allison and Art Daily, and the Masri Nar Dance Troupe for bringing great events to Carbondale.

Come with Us on a Hike Up Red Hill

The day started out with a fresh blanket of snow. David and I headed for Red Hill which is only about a mile from our house. This is a popular hiking area for Carbondalians.  David had been up Red Hill before a few times but not with this much snow. I don't think I've EVER gone hiking in the snow. It's a nice climb and worth the effort just to be surrounded by snow-covered trees, deep blue skies, and meditative silences.  Here's a slide show of some of the photos taken today with a little of my harp improvising.  Take a deep cool breath and enjoy.
 

Winter Farmer's Market in Basalt, Colorado

When David and I go on vacations, we always love to visit the local farmer's markets. There's something inspiring about the fresh products and the people who lovingly bring them to market. We are now truly blessed in our new location to be able to visit a farmer's market year-round. There's a fantastic Winter Farmer's Market in Basalt, Colorado which is about 10 miles from our home in Carbondale. According to the Post Independent, about 300-500 shoppers have been coming to the market every week since it opened around Thanksgiving.  The market runs every Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and is located in the Willits Town Center in Basalt just off Hwy 82. The entrance to the Farmer's Market is just down from the Kitchen Collage of Roaring Fork, which is another great place to visit to find beautiful glassware, pottery, and that unusual kitchen gadget you've always wanted to find.

I was so excited to see so many vendors of variety at the Winter Farmer's Market. The indoor market was filled with vendors selling wines, cheeses, specialty oils, breads of all shapes and flavors, pastries, pastas, gourmet chocolates, soups, honey products, coffee beans, photography, furniture, and hand-made garments.  There was even some live music. If I could have, I would have purchased something from every vendor but alas, I had to narrow it down to a few but believe me, I'll be back.  Megan Lund is the coordinator for the market. She is also a running and fitness coach for Hit the Ground Running. Megan, you've brought together a great collection of entrepreneurs and artists under one roof. Thank you for making this happen!
 
I wish I could write about every vendor I saw but these are some that I spoke with briefly. Quinn Gallagher of Midland Baking Company located in Basalt, was the first vendor we saw as we opened the door to the farmer's market.


Beautiful breads, baked goods, and brownies... oh my, the brownies!!  We did take one home with us and it was so amazingly good that I could feel it dance through my veins. These brownies were laced with swirls of caramel... one of the most beautiful brownies I've ever seen.

Carol Rathbun, the Singing Heart Honey Lady displayed bee products of all kinds. I personally thought the light and sweetly fragrant honey skin cream was wonderful but her jars of honey, bee pollen, and honey soaps really made me want to buy some next time.

John Barbier and his delightful French accent charmed the crowds with his Maison La Belle Vie Winery samples. John's vineyard is located in Palisade, Colorado near Grand Junction. He brings 150 years of family wine business tradition from Loire Valley, France to Colorado.

Steve Johnson, who runs the Back Alley Coffee Company in Carbondale offered his freshly roasted coffee beans. Steve is a wholesaler of organic coffees and finds that providing coffee to area businesses a perfect balance to his life.

Yalonda Long (right) and friend Susie Jacobson (left) had a booth with uniquely named soups. Yalonda explains that her soup and tortilla product names are inspired from her recent divorce.  Her tortillas are named after men and her "In the Soup" brand named soups have labels like "Bankrupt Butter Nut Squash, Termination Tomato, Alimony Minestrone, and Cheapskate Chicken Noodle".  Yalonda and her delightful sense of humor reminds me of the saying "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!"

Heather Morrow's booth of Morrow Chocolate in Aspen was filled with a wide variety of chocolate delicacies such as chili chocolate. I tried her hot chocolate which was made from all the leftover broken pieces of chocolates. It was smooth, delicious, and made me happy all day long.  Heather mentioned that she may be doing some chocolate making demos at the market.

Doyle demonstrated a special and ingenious rocking chair, hand-made by the Roaring Fork Custom Billiards company. The RFCB, owned by Greg Gimbel specializes in billiard tables artfully crafted from logs and timber of various woods. Their specialty is uniquely designed billiards tables but I was very intrigued by the rocking chair made with several rows of blocks held together by ropes. The blocks would conform to the body, which made it super comfortable. Hmmm, I wonder if they make office chairs or gaming chairs????

Julie Bloomingdale presented Pappardelles' Fine Art of Pasta. I was amazed at the 30+ varieties of pasta for sale.  Pappardelle's is known for their slow-cooked pastas made from durum semolina flour. I was also interested in their long list of raviolis on their website.  It was difficult to decide which pasta to buy but we took home the one made with chives and loved it.  We combined it with chicken, onions, bell peppers and a little marinara sauce.  It was such a treat. The pasta was thick, full of body, and flavorful. We could have eaten the pasta alone and been happy.

So that was part of our Saturday. We look forward to visiting the Winter Farmer's Market again. Who knows what new adventure in eating we'll find next time!
 

Celebrating 13 Lucky Years at the Six89

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. It doesn't seem that long yet I feel like David and I have known each other for twice that long. I'm one lucky wife having a husband like David who has all the qualities I could ask for, including setting up blogs ;-) .

To celebrate, we made reservations on Sunday night at the Six89, a great award-winning restaurant in Carbondale that has numerous write-ups in publications such as Gourmet Magazine. We didn't know exactly what we wanted to order until we asked about a listing on the menu "Random Acts of Cooking".  This is such a great idea, I'm surprised more restaurants don't offer this concept. When you chose Random Acts from the menu, you leave your evening of 5 courses up to the chef's whim, who I believe was Mark Fischer.  Forgive me if I got that wrong or if I describe any of our courses in error. All I know is that I loved it.

Before ordering from the menu, we were greeted by a friendly and professional wine waiter who helped us make our wine selection. He promptly brought out the stemless wine glasses and a "beaker" of wine. This was a new sight to us so the waiter explained that you receive a little more wine with the beaker compared to just a glass of wine. He received no arguments from us.

Next, still before ordering, we receive complimentary appetizers (small photo above David's photo) which gave us a little clue that we were in store for a great evening of cuisine. We ordered the Random Acts with no hesitation. The waitress asked if we had any food allergies or extreme dislikes for any foods. We replied no but then after she left for our first course, we thought maybe we should have said, "nothing alive please."  No worry, the entire evening was filled with delicious and creative combinations of food (nothing alive). The portions were kept small due to the many courses but we were so full at the end, we couldn't possibly think of dessert.  I won't try to embarrass my self by trying to describe each course but you can look at the photos above and see that each one was prepared with great care and attention to presentation. Now, take those photos of delicious food and multiply them times 5 to describe how it all tasted. Absolutely heavenly!

I have tried caviar before and decided it's salty taste was not for me. However, the combination of a sprinkling of caviar and chives over crème fraiche on a crisp crostini was delightful (top right photo).  Each course was beautifully displayed on unusually shaped pottery which stood center stage to the simple white china for each place setting.  I won't torture the reader with a long description of each course but I will say it was worth every penny. The grilled Tasmanian salmon (left photo, 3rd row) was superb, the scallions (right photo, 2nd row) were flavorful, the beef short ribs (right photo, 3rd row) were meltingly tender, even the "intermezzo," an oriental spoon serving of sorbet sitting on a layer of diced pears soaked in Jack Daniels and ornamented with a few sprinklings of bacon (left photo, 2nd row) were refreshing and delightful to the tongue.

Ordering the Random Acts is an adventure each time (much like each year of a marriage) because the chef uses his instincts for the night. He may serve something from the main menu or he may try out something brand new he plans to premiere next month. We felt that everything we were served was wonderful from the interesting sauces to the freshness of the ingredients (which mostly come from local farmers/ranchers).

I can't wait for our 14th anniversary so we can return for another Random Act!  Thank you Six89 for making our 13th a memorable evening that we'll talk about for a long time. And thank you David for being my caring and loving husband all these years and for treating me to this wonderful evening.

Happy New Year Twenty-Ten!

A new year, a new decade, a new state, a new home, and a new job!  David and I welcome 2010 with enthusiasm and wish a fruitful new year for all our friends and family.  We spent our New Year's Eve quietly in the comfort of our cozy townhouse. We got the movie "Up" and got take-out from local restaurant Beijin Tokyo, a great restaurant we'll visit often now that we've tried their food... yummmm! We saw the blue moon as we drove around. Blue moons on the last day of the year occur only every 19 years so what a great treat for the final day of the year!

On New Year's Day we lounged around a bit but then took a walk on the Rio Grand Trail, a 40+ mile trail that stretches from Glenwood Springs to Aspen.  Hikers, walkers, bicyclists, cross country skiers, horseback riders, dogs (with owners), and snow shoers use this trail year round for commuting and recreation. No motored vehicles are allowed on this trail so it makes a peaceful and safe place to get some exercise and solitude.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

We took photos and videos of the beautiful scenery including a gentle stream that follows the trail and the cross country skiers that were about. We noticed temperatures were not too bad.  It was 32 degrees but no wind at all and we bundled up so we were quite comfortable the whole time.  We still comment how much difference temperatures can feel with a lack of wind.

As we begin our new year, we look forward to new adventures, new seasons, and new opportunities in Colorado.  We look forward to meeting new friends and hope that our friends from Amarillo will keep us up-to-date with their news.  Happy New Year everyone and may you all have peace and joy in your lives in 2010!

Sunday Drive to Snowmass and Aspen

Today was a refreshing drive to Snowmass Village and Aspen.  We took David's sister, Karen to see how the wealthy spend their money.  Of course Sadie is always welcome on our trips.  She loves the ride and loves to be greeted by all the people on the streets.  Beautiful skies and sunshine led the way for us.  We exited too early  for Snowmass Village but were glad we did as we found spectacular snow covered mountain views.
One cannot capture the powerful and spacious mountains of this area with a humble photograph but perhaps the reader can pretend breathing in frosty mountain air and use their imagination with the photos I have here.

We briefly stopped at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center.  I've been catching notices in the Post Independent newspaper about the various classes and events offered here.  It looks like a perfect place for a retreat or hmmm... oboe camp or harp camp perhaps.  The facility looks like it's comprised of several buildings including a dining hall. One building we entered had a large open room with a labryinth laid out on the floor.  Ambient music was softly playing and a poster with instructions on how to approach the labryinth was displayed. I hope to come back to this place and possibly take a class or two.  There are several craft type classes including photography, painting, journaling, etc.

As we approached Aspen and our usual covered garage parking area, we spotted a paraglider in the air.  Karen and I promptly got out of the car while David and Sadie parked.  To our surprise, not only was it amazing to see a paraglider in these cold temperatures, but we could tell he had skis on too. I can't imagine a more interesting way to break your leg but apparently this person is much more experienced than I. (ha).

As we shopped through the many clothing, sports, and art shops in Aspen, we were often stopped by people on the street asking what kind of dog we had.  Sadie is a Keeshond/German Shepherd mix and quite unusual compared to the many Golden Retrievers, Boxers, and other better known breeds.  We had Sadie all "dolled up" in her yellow jacket with the fleece collar.  Sadie is always very popular in Aspen especially with the ladies dressed in higher fashion.  They find her quite adorable.

What to do if your dog's legs shake from the cold

Our dear dog, Sadie who has recently past her 11th birthday (or is it the 12th?), has been showing signs of thinning hair.  Doesn't that figure, that you have a dog with the coat of a llama living in hot, dry Amarillo, Texas and then when you move to chilly Carbondale, Colorado, she starts to lose her hair?  Actually, we've taken Sadie to our new vet and had her tested for all kinds of possible reasons she is losing her hair: thyroid, Cushings disease, fungal culture, mites and now that those have all turned up negative, we are now trying melatonin doses.  We'll see if that works in the next 7-8 weeks.  But in the meantime, I couldn't stand to watch her little back legs shiver in the single digit temperatures.  Sadie loves to be outdoors no matter how cold it is!!   So we found her a chic new jacket at Paddywack's in El Jebel.  Now all she needs are those doggles for the bright sun!  Or maybe I need the doggles to shield my eyes from her bright jacket!

Crafty & Creative Carbondale

The Craft 2 Wear Show was a big hit at the First Friday Art Walk in Carbondale.  The stage was set for the December 4th festivities with single digit temperatures but that didn't stop a large crowd from shopping and dining along Main St.  It didn't slow down Santa either as he was escorted by the elementary school children to the 4th St. bonfire.

I was stationed at the CCAH Gallery and main office doing a variety of things from serving a  hot cider/rum concoction, to passing out fliers about the new Third Street Center, and also taking a few candid photos of the evening.  The hot cider/rum drink was the favorite of the evening as bone chilled shoppers thawed themselves in the Gallery.

I was so impressed with the creativity of the local artists and their displays in the Craft 2 Wear Show.  Who knew that making a purse from tabs of soft drink cans could look so stunning when woven with metallic threads?

Multi-talented Barbara Sophia displayed her handmade jewelry made from hand-picked Hawaiian pearls and her hand-painted silk scarves and gorgeous kimono were on my "must have" list.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kathy Hansel's creative and stunning handmade jewelry was a feast for the well-dressed woman's eyes.  The rich colors of Kathy's jewelry pallette would give a warm touch to any ensemble. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Felt was also very creatively revealed from fingerless gloves and scarves to children's darling booties. Lovely color combinations with the soft texture of felt made me want to buy everything I saw.


The crowd was quite interesting to watch too. Tonight was the night to wear that crazy stocking cap or fun scarf.  The main point tonight was STAY WARM!  Carbondale has some of the most colorful people. There's something about the residents of a mountain town that makes you want to dig deeper into their background and history.

It's amazing too to see the many volunteers working with the Town of Carbondale and the Carbondale Council on the Arts and Humanities.  Lea Z. for example with her winning smile was hard at work selling Carbondale T-shirts decorated with an advertisement-laden pick-up truck (a nice use of advertising coupled with art.)

I mentioned earlier about the Third Street Center.  This is a project that will be a milestone in the Carbondale arts history.  Carbondale in it's famous tradition of collaboration and recycling will be transforming a former elementary school on Third St. into a 45,100 square-foot home for over two dozen nonprofit organizations. It will serve not only Carbondale but all the areas around in the Roaring Fork Valley including Rifle and Basalt.  The CCAH hopes to move in by March 2010 and the projected completion for all of  the construction is May 2010.  Visit the Third Street Center's website and find out how you can be a part of the history with your generous contributions or volunteer work.

To end the evening, David and I took a brisk stroll down Main St. to find a good restaurant.  In Carbondale, there are so many great places to eat and many are award winning.  We tried to get into the new Hestia but the wait was a litle too long for us.  Obviously everyone else wanted to try out the new place in town too.  We were pretty hungry so we stopped at Russet's and what treat that was!  With the chilly air still inside us, we melted into our chairs with a lovely hot buttered rum and a sweet Turtle Delight beverage.  Delicious hot appetizers warmed our bellies and we were contented for the evening.  Russet's is a great place with friendly service, classy atmosphere and terrific food.  We'll definitely visit there again soon.
 

First Friday Art Walk, Craft 2 Wear, and International Gathering

Carbondale has a First Friday Art Walk each month to promote the arts and downtown businesses.  Last month (November), I had a great time playing the harp on the street outside "The Lift Coffee House" which is a charming cafe with lots of character.  It was comfortably cool on the south side of "The Lift" but as the air got chillier, I got to take the harp inside and continue playing. David and I had a great late supper there after I finished playing the harp.  Wonderful food and fun ambiance!   Next door, at the "Novel Tea Company" (bookstore and gifts), author Carol Ann Wilson was reading excerpts from her book "Still Point of the Turning World, The Life of Gia-fu Feng - Author of the best-selling translation of the Tao Te Ching".  Carol Ann Wilson is a lovely speaker and had shared many interesting anecdotes with us.  The atmosphere at the First Friday Art Walks is so memorable.  The brisk mountain air coupled with the aroma of fine foods from the many award winning restaurants leads you down Main St. One can leisurely chat with friends sitting at the outdoor dining areas or warm yourself indoors with a coffee and dessert.  Carbondale reminds me of a young Taos... interesting shops, lots of artists, and terrific dining.

This Friday will be an especially enchanting evening in Carbondale.  Starting at 5:15 pm the First Friday Art Walk teams up the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities (CCAH) and the Town of Carbondale to bring art, hot chocolate, roasting marshmallows, Santa, and much more to Main St. visitors.   I will be toasty and warm in the CCAH Gallery serving wine and bringing that extra, EXTRA special holiday cheer!  The downtown Christmas lights are all shined up and ready to be lit on this magical evening.  I imagine it will look like a scene from a Kinkade painting as the Carbondale Elementary School Choir  escorts Santa from the CCAH Gallery down Main St. to the 4th St. Plaza for a bonfire and goodies.  I hope I can get some photos of this adorable scene.  The shops in Carbondale will be decorated and open for fun Christmas gift hunting.

The Craft 2 Wear for the Holidays is also preparing for a fabulous show this Friday.  Designers, silkscreeners, knitters, and jewelers will show off their wares and provide visitors with great ideas for Christmas gifts.  This should be really wonderful and inspiring because the people in this area are extremely creative.  There's no telling what we'll see this Friday.

From Friday through Tuesday, Carbondale will have a very unique group of visitors.  The 11th Annual International Gathering will meet in Carbondale. It is estimated that about 100 native elders, healers, scholars, shamans, and spiritual leaders from throughout North and South America will hold prayer blessings, ceremonies, indigenous concerts, panel discussions, healing workshops, and community drumming circles  at various locations in the valley.  One location is the Carbondale Nature Park which is one of Sadie's (our dog) favorite places.  A 48 acre park with a great view of Mt. Sopris is a popular place for dog lovers to take their furry friends off leash.

The main heart of this conference is dedicated to help mend the wounds between all peoples and relations with Mother Earth, according to the organizers.  Mt. Sopris is considered a sacred presence and will be a focal point in some of the ceremonies and circles.  Delegates will come from all over:  Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Yucatan, Peru, Venezuela, Fiji, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii, South Dakota, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado and Montana.  I hope to witness some of these events.  It is no surprise to me that Carbondale has been chosen for the conference's location.  There is a special spiritual quality in the air here. Perhaps it is the striking view of Sopris as it hovers over the town with protective arms.
 

The Road to Maroon Bells

In September, David and I took a drive to a place called Maroon Bells, which is a mountain in the Elk Mountains about 25 miles from our town of Carbondale.  There are two peaks - South Maroon Peak (14,156 ft) and North Maroon Peak (14,014) with Maroon Lake at the foot. This gorgeous scene has the reputation of being the most photographed spot in Colorado.  The drive through the White River National Forest is not bad either with its meadows and pine forests laced with golden Aspen trees.  It was interesting to learn from the locals that these groves of Aspen trees are really clonal colonies that started from a single seedling and spread via root suckers.  Aspen with their shimmering leaves and stark black and white bark can live 40-150 years above ground but the root system lives longer than that.  That can be a big plus when surviving forest fires.

The Maroon Bells are also known as the Deadly Bells because they're dangerously unpredictable for hikers.  Unstable weak points of mudstone fracture beneath the climbers feet without warning.  The Bells got their "deadly" name in 1965 when eight climbers died in five separate accidents that year.  That convinces me to stay the photographer on the basin floor where it's safe.  That view is enough beauty for me to last a lifetime.

We chatted with the Forest Ranger on our way out and learned that the entrance can be closed from as early as October and not reopen until late May due to avalanches.  She said that this past season picnic tables were found split in half from heavy snow.  We also asked about hummingbirds since we noticed the hummingbird feeders hanging from the roof.  They are quite abundant in the  summer.  The Rangers keep hummingbird feeders filled outside the entrance building and if  the feeders run too low, the hummingbirds actually fly inside their office and hover in front of them with a hungry look on their beaks.  I can't wait to see these amazing little creatures next spring.
Now come join us on our Fall drive through White River National Forest and the Maroon Bells.  If you like the photos in the video, you can see the still shots in my photo gallery. The video is more enjoyable if you watch it full screen.  To do that, click on the 4 arrows to the left of "vimeo".

The Road to Maroon Bells from Janet Lanier on Vimeo.

The Beginning of Our New Adventure

Some things happen at a snail pace and some things happen faster than a jackalope can outrun a coyote. Our move from Amarillo, Texas to Carbondale, Colorado was the latter. Over the years, David has developed his skills as a web developer. His dream was to live in the mountains and when he applied for a job in El Jebel, CO, “our” dream was about to start. At the end of September 2009, David was hired as the Director of Web Development for Blue Tent Marketing and in a few short weeks, he was going to officially and in person start his new job. We had much to do in a very short time. We had to get our house in Amarillo cleaned up and ready to sell, find a place to live in Colorado, and we had to downsize, downsize, downsize (more about that in another post). Many of our friends were shocked when they got the email that we now live in Colorado. All we can say is sorry we created a cloud of dust as we left but you do what you have to do. With many prayers and the Lord's help, plus a great Realtor, Stephanie Lewis, we found a lovely townhouse in Carbondale, CO in a new development called Keator Grove. 

Now when you try to locate our address on a Google Map, let me give you fair warning... you won't find us (hee hee). Not only does Google not show the street we live on but it even misspells the name of the street nearest to us. (Yes, I did report it to Google... they're working on it.) You won't find Linden Circle in Carbondale, CO and you won't find Keator Rd. but you will find Keaton Rd on Google maps. We are approximately a 3 hrs drive west of Denver, 30 miles NW of Aspen, and 12 miles SE of Glenwood Springs.  Map

There is so much to see and do in this area so that's why I've started a blog. We have only begun to explore and I want to take all of you along on the journey with me. I thought I'd start out with telling you about the center of attraction here, Mt. Sopris and just the highlights of Carbondale's history. Future posts will be about the downtown area (including shopping, restaurants, events, and people), the hiking and biking trails, the scenery, the dog parks (or is it dog barks?), photos of our townhouse, and anything else that we find here that is post-worthy. I'll also have a calendar of events on this blog.

Mt. Sopris is the most prominent feature as you drive into Carbondale.  It is a twin-summitted mountain peak (both having the same elevation of 12,965 feet).  The mountain greets us every morning from our office/guest room and changes in color as the sun and clouds pass by. 

Our pastor from Washington Ave Christian Church  told us that he has seen Carbondale and commented, "God was working overtime when he built that part of the world!"

The town of Carbondale has an interesting history.  The Ute Indians were the first known residents but when Aspen became a huge mining town with the discovery of silver and gold in the late 1870s, Carbondale grew with hunting and farming folks that took advantage of the rich and fertile soil to supply the mining town with food. In the 1880s, twenty families moved into the valley from Pennsylvania.  These early settlers started cattle and sheep ranches and grew potatoes which became the main crop for Carbondale.  The settlers named the town after their hometown Carbondale, PA. With the silver panic of the 1890s, Carbondale's growth suffered but the potato farmers helped the town to recover and prosper... hence, the Potato Day celebration.  We just missed Potato Day in September and look forward to that next year. When Aspen grew as a world-class resort in the 1960s, the tourist industry affected Carbondale, even though it's 30 miles away.  We're about to see very soon the effects of the ski season on Carbondale.

Many of our friends in Amarillo assumed we were about to move from the North Pole of Texas to the North Pole of the world but Carbondale is rather unique in its weather stats.  They boast having 295 days of sunshine each year, low humidity, cold but mild winters and comfortable summer temperatures.  Carbondale has been given the name "banana belt" of the Roaring Fork/Crystal River Valleys because even though surrounding areas can get heavy snow storms, Carbondale can get a few inches or more but it soon melts (or at least on the south side of the buildings) in a couple of days.  We were overjoyed at the first snow here after we arrived.  Six inches of beautiful, fluffy white snow made our cozy Keator Grove complex look like an old fashioned winter greeting card. Even when it's 40 degrees outside, we feel very comfortable in a hoodie and scarf because the wind is so minimal here.  I laugh when I read the weather forecast for Carbondale... "winds at 5 mph, calming later".  In Amarillo, a 15 mph wind was their definition of calm (hee hee).

We are loving our new area so much and look forward to each day.  We are getting more settled and still have boxes to unpack but now our house looks more like a home rather than a warehouse of boxes. I hope to keep everyone up-to-date on our experiences here with lots of photos.  Please check back for future posts and feel free to use the comments section for letting us know how YOU are doing!