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.