Anticipation and Contentment

The anticipation of the holidays. A time to break out of our normal routine - whether it is more running, more cooking, more shopping, more talking, more family. It's exhilirating and tiring. And somehow, it all comes about the way it is meant to. The sight of the stockings by the fireplace is still putting a smile on my face. There is still some uneaten peppermint bark hiding in the cupboard

And there is a feeling of satisfaction and contentment of another special season.

Contemplate

I'm sitting at my kitchen table at the cabin, watching the snow falling softly as it turns into larger and fatter flakes. Was it just 5 hours ago that I was running down on the plains in 50 degree weather? A day to contemplate change, and yet to also try to stay in the present. A minute blip in my blood test - is my today different because now I will have the shadow of a worry for the next three months? No - I will allow that worry only a small, temporary hold on my psyche. And I can sit here in the present and appreciate the snow, the river still flowing through the rocks coated in white, and the happiness from running a trail that hasn't been visited in several years.

Tis the season

The holidays are finally approaching, but you wouldn't know it from the weather. Trails in the foothills are snow and ice free, a pleasure to run on. At sunrise this frosty morning, deer were out browsing for their breakfast. A fox trotted across the road, intent on his destination.

Cottonwoods

Every tree is special on the plains - there are so few. The giant cottonwoods tell a story of the last 150 years, when the first settlers attempted to change the flow of water. Following the irrigation ditches and creeks, they march out onto the plains, surrounded only by grass and low bushes. In winter, their bare silhouettes are majestic.

Winter sun

What is it about sunshine that makes us crave its touch? When the sun is low on the horizon, it has a special way of streaming through my windows and finding me. It will jolt all the muted tones of winter into a startling display of forgotten color and textures. It always makes me smile.

Hercules

Today I christened the new showshoes with a hike up to the Hercules tree. It is a douglas fir unlike any other in the area. Reported to be over 600 years old, the trunk is massive in girth for a fir. Side branches are larger than the trunks of most nearby trees. It is not particularly tall, but has a spreading canopy that reminds me of an oak, providing shelter on a snowy day. The tips of the branches were adorned with Christmas ornaments of perfect cones.

Waiting

The birds are quieter and harder to spot in the winter. But those who stay seem to be more curious and less afraid. Perhaps they are the ones who are comfortable with picking up the dropped crumb or perching on the feeder when a human is nearby.

Patience

I'm grateful for holidays with friends, family and pets. What would the world be like without our unpredictable pooches? Linus patiently waited at the end of the counter for any spare popcorn that might fall his way. Such concentration - no distractions regarding what might be happening later in the day.

Icy Flows

Snow covered the trail up to The Pool. Although the Big Thompson is still running free from ice in places, it looks like winter all around. Boulders with a topping of snow frosting. Icicles dripping from overhanging rocks. Muffled sounds throughout the forest. A lone magpie perching on a branch, remembering the crumbs of summer.

Winter Water

The high country is trying to hold on to its last bit of warmth for the year. Ice is forming at the sides of the river, but the flow is still strong with the melting of last week's snow. Nature's attempt to turn toward winter was rebuffed for a time. While most everything looks ready for the winter slumber, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a harebell, still blooming when the calendar is about to turn to the month of November.

Canyon

Every time that I hike or run this trail, I am always stunned by its beauty. Winter with the quiet snow, spring with the raucous creek, summer with the abundance of wildflowers, and fall with the spectacular cottonwoods lining the creek. The chinooks are often roaring through the area, but you can find protected spots to stop and enjoy the sights.

Mountain Ash

There always comes a day in the fall when the leaves decide to drop off my ash tree, and it appears that the day has come. The tree has shed an incredible glow into the bedroom window each morning for the last week. I wake up and stay a little longer in bed, enjoying the light that only happens one week a year. Every little breeze makes my windchime sing, accompanied by the rustle of the newly fallen leaves. The ground is a crazy patchwork of still green vinca vines edged in white topped with beige, to golden, to brown leaves.

Warmth

During the day, I can close my eyes and fool myself into thinking that it is still summer. The sun feels warm, I can go barefoot at midday, and hang my laundry out to dry in the fresh air. But first thing in the morning, there is no doubt that the seasons have changed. The fireplace gives off a welcome glow that attracts us all.

Pumpkins

Fall colors are everywhere right now. The leaves range between yellow, orange, red to purple. The grasses are multi-colored - yellow on the outside with green stripes down the middle. But pumpkins are the happy face of fall. Will it make a perfect pie? Is it just right for carving the scary face? Have you ever seen a child without a smile on her face when she leaves the pumpkin patch?

Rocks

While the creek is flowing so slowly, some wonderful soul has been busy creating sculptures. Every relatively flat stretch of water is graced with several of these delicate displays, urging others to brave the cool water and create even more. I love the fleeting quality of these towers. Certainly they will not be able to withstand the spring runoff, but will they survive the snowstorms and ice in the coming months?

Farmer's Market

Saturdays in October can be some of the most perfect days of the year. If the frosts have not yet leveled the plants, flowers are still blooming in the garden, and the farmer's market has abundant offerings. Mounds of carrots and beets threatened to topple the tables. A hot cup of coffee, a poppy seed roll, and a stroll through the stalls is my favorite way to spend a Saturday. Today, however, brought a special visual treat. Outrageous, ostentatious - a multitude of mums.

Textures

The colors and textures of the season are in every landscape. The angle of the sun, the slightest breeze, the tapestry changes again. Dry grass stands tall until the first snow will drop it flat. Leaves await their release back to the earth.

Fall Colors and Sounds

October is the perfect month for running on my favorite trail. The sun feels gentle. There may be a breeze but nothing stronger. The fleeting nature of a good day can no longer be taken for granted. The trail was flanked with crimson sumac on the upper reaches that may hang around for another week. But the best part of today's run was listening to the red winged blackbird and the meadowlark. I anticipate their arrival as one of the first signs of spring, so it seemed fitting to be able to say goodbye to their warbling in the fall before the snow starts to blanket the ground.

Autumn Flowers

How do we manage to live in cities without any sign of nature nearby? Even sitting at the desk for a few hours with beautiful views out the window just isn't the same as smelling the fresh air and observing what is at hand. I went out this afternoon to walk by some gorgeous sunflower bushes. I had taken photos of these bushes two years ago, but the blossoms were fading. Right now, the bushes are loaded with blooms and tied up with twine to keep the branches from breaking. Hundreds of yellow suns, each one perfect.

Birds

Today I am grateful for the frenzy of birds that greeted me this morning. Although the thermometer showed it was in the 30's, I braved the deck for my morning coffee after filling the bird feeder. Mountain and black capped chickadees descended instantly, while pygmy nuthatches by the dozen waited in the ponderosa pines. Stellar's jays and hairy woodpeckers tried to get a few of those tasty sunflowers, while a fat little chipmunk sat below the feeder vacuuming up any spilled seeds.

Birthday

Today I am grateful to be alive. Two years ago I received a diagnosis that rocked my world. I never thought at the time I would be able to run another marathon and spend a summer leading hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. I am grateful beyond words. And today I was able to celebrate by climbing my favorite mountain, Mt Audubon, on a warm, Indian Summer day. Shorts and a T-shirt at 13,000 feet in late September? The sky is a color blue that only arrives at the end of the summer. The angle of the sun bestows a golden glow on every last plant that has any remaining foliage. Shallow streams are glistening like they never did during the summer rush.