Under a Red Roof

Surprise

May 9, 2016 in Exploring, Gardening + Nature by Colleen | Permalink

choke cherry

green mertensia

pasque flower

trumpet gooseberry

sand lily

yucca seed pod

best friend ever

white loco

scarlet paintbrush

three tooth ragwort

old school litter – a pull tab!!

the path home

One surprise, two surprises, three, and FIVE!

First surprise – not a single contractor chez nous this weekend. A quiet house, me and the hubster, the hubster and me. We celebrated, of course we did, with pyjama lounging, music turned up loud, a delicious lunch at La Baguette, French and cheesy, as in loaded with cheese, not corny, a mushroom omelette and a casserole, namesake baguette loaded with butter, red ripe strawberries, sweet as could be.

Second surprise – hail! Bouncing and skittering during lunch and on our way to our new favorite library, the East branch of PPLD. Nothing like our beloved Bayne Library in Bellevue, but lovely still, modern and bigger and with a stunning view of Pike’s Peak. I’ve decided, should I ever make a Colleen style fil-um, the cosy couches of the reading area will play a role. One day I’ll take a picture, and you’ll understand why.

Third surprise – wild flowers at Palmer Park, some hidden in plain sight, others practically hollering to be seen. As you might imagine, I did a lot of squealing in delight. I can’t wait to try to grow some of these at the new homestead!

Fourth surprise – Radiohead released their latest album, A Moon Shaped Pool! As someone who likes so little of what is released into the world these days (yeah, I am one of THOSE people), I was and remain giddy at hearing their bit of newness, playing it on a steady loop. Thank you ever so much Thom, Ed, Colin, Jonny, and Phil. You make my world better.

Fifth and best surprise – my brother Chris (hey brother…) called! This is no small feat because he is in a tiny town in Namibia, Africa, doing a stint in the Peace Corps. It was our first time speaking in over a year and a half and did as much chatting and laughing as humanly possible in fifty-three minutes time.

Here’s hoping your weekend was equally wonderful, with a lovely surprise or two…

Snow . Ice . Sun

March 29, 2016 in Gardening + Nature by Colleen | Permalink

We had two snow storms in three days, the first ugly and brutal, with howling horizontal winds raging for more than eight hours, rattling brains and nerves, the hubster shoveling what was mostly ice in the dark once all had finally calmed down. But the second one left the whole of Colorado Springs blanketed in a fairytale hush and our block looking so pretty. It’s almost all gone now, sun melting it down to puddles and crusts of ice and love.

Tags: Gardening + Nature

Falling

February 1, 2016 in Gardening + Nature by Colleen | Permalink

Snow falling this morning, and yesterday, and into tomorrow, too, inch upon inch, each flake a single lively presence, bouncing and skittering down my sleeve, loud enough to hear. More sounds, cars hissing, the scrape of a shovel, the squeak of boots, a goose honking, then three, the creak of their wings in flight. Full winter and the crow squawking, the kingfisher gunning for privacy but only finding me, again and again. The eagle is the quietest, its mere presence more thunderous than us all.

The hubster and I took our engagement photos in front of the miner, so many years ago. Next week will mark twenty-five years since our first date, him in his rugby shirt and me in the cream-colored rayon with the Indian head buttons, eating pizza at Old Chicago. A long time. The best time. And now, back in Colorado, falling in love all over again, with him, with blue sky, with mountains and plains, and snow.

We found a house that we like, a real fixer, small and brick, wood paneling and a fireplace in the basement, a yard aching for some love and care. Think good thoughts.

Tags: Birds, Gardening + Nature