Grateful Epiphany

Four days ago, I was wondering how long I could keep on going through chemo. I told myself to be patient, that better days would come soon, that there is something beautiful in everyday. All my mantras that get me through the hard time.

And then I am blessed with a day like today. I could get out and run an easy dawn workout with my friends, the moon setting over the Flatirons, and the grownup calves bleating in the fields. I could hang laundry outside at least once more before it gets too cold. I could spend a few hours watercolor painting and get lost in the colors. I could visit my mom and sit outside in the courtyard, plucking some bright leaves from the changing tree for her. I could stop by Whole Foods and delight in the sights and smells and choices. Crusty bread in abundance, creamy blocks of cheese, bright fall veggies, conjuring a memory of taste in the back of my mind.

The fatigue and queasiness of the last five days slip away as if it never happened, and the wonder rebounds.

 

Indian summer

We finally got back to the high country this weekend, the first time since the epic floods. The road up Boulder Canyon has been repaired allowing one gateway to Peak to Peak highway. The aspens were long past their prime except in a few tiny pockets, like this one near Ouzel Falls. What micro climate protected them for an extra week or two of glory?

Although there have been frosts, the grass in the meadows has greened up after all the rain, not the flat brown of a typical October. Signs of rockslides and high water can be seen when you look closely, but most views are unchanged. I wonder if we will have incredible wildflowers next year with all the moisture trapped in the ground and awaiting the seeds in the spring.