FALL IS COMING

Last weekend, we took a jeep ride up in the mtns above Glenwood.  Up above 4 mile on a beautiful sunny day.  The first week of August.  Summer still, right?  See all that brown stuff out in the fields?  That's what

the locals call skunk cabbage.  And it's brown because it's already had some frost.  Ask an old timer what that means this early in the summer and he will tell you to get ready for a hard winter.  Me, a summer time lover just cringes at that thought.  I don't actually hate winter, it's just too long for my tastes.  I  would prefer nov, dec and jan then spring again.  That of course, would kill the ski season and break my husband's heart as he loves winter, skiing and teaching.  So I am trying to get out in the sunshine and enjoy the nice summer days while they last.  Because we have already had some crispy fall feeling mornings here lately.

I have been gearing up for my show in Palisade.  Painting "things" to spiff up the booth. 

Red is my theme color as you can see.  I painted an old suitcase and lined it with fabric.  Would show it here, but my new camera isn't here yet.  This weekend will be a work weekend getting inventory ready for the

big day.  Plus I have market on Tuesday.  It will be a fast and furious week.

But I will take a few moments to get outside and enjoy a little summer sunshine while it lasts.

NOW

because, it's fading faster than I care to think about.

JEEPING IN THE MOUNTAINS

Yesterday afternoon, we jumped in our little jeep with Marley and headed up Transfer Trail.  This is a rough and very BUMPY 4 wheel road that crawls up on top overlooking Glenwood.  You do have one beautiful view to reward your bone jarring ride.  Further up the trail, we came into my most favorite area of old growth Aspen Trees.

This one was amazing.  Normally the Aspens grow straight up, with some waves and bends.  But this tree has been really through some wild growing.  If only the tree could talk! ...If you click on the picture you can get a closer look at the knots it has produced! Makes you wonder how that happened, doesn't it?  Growing up in western Colorado, we always called these tree Quakes.  I was nearly an adult, before I learned Aspen trees was it's more common name.  Quakes was the more local name when I was a kid.  The name refers to the way the leaves quake in the wind.  Someday I would love to spend a summer tromping through old growth Quake trees and take pictures of all the unusal ones... that would make a great picture book, wouldn't it?  I have always loved unique growing trees of any kind.  The quirky ones that seem to stand out in the crowd.  Hugely jealous, prehaps.

While driving through this stand, I spotted this heart tree and had to make Dan stop so I could jump out and take it's picture. I wish now I would of hugged this tree. Must do that next time I am up there.  Because this tree really had a message for me I later found out.  The next day I  loaded it into photoshop and "carved" these words onto the tree...  A little reminder about the afternoon I spent in the mountains with my sweetheart!

While we were bouncing along, I was noticing the carvings in the trees.  The oldest year I saw carved was 1976.. but am certain there are much older years if you took the time to really look around. 

  You can see how fall is nearly over in these woods.  All the leaves are nearly down and later we even ran into snow on the ground on the other side of this mtn. 

Marley loves to go jeeping..  he stands most of the way, just loving the air, the ride and the view!

On the way down, lower elavation, I did find a stand of trees with their bright yellow leaves.  It was starting to cloud up, so the blue sky is nearly blocked out by the clouds. 

A fun afternoon.  An artfull day in the mountains.

ta

MUSIC IN MY HEART

This sweet bird flew into my art this morning.

She knew he was there.  She could hear his song.  As he came closer, she looked into his eyes and felt his music in her heart.  It lifted her spirit and she felt the wind bring her closer to the autumn sky.