Is it always cold in Estes? Or is it just me?

Recently, I was in Estes Park for Memorial Day weekend. I went camping, er rather I mean, campering*, with my Y Besties at Hermit Park. Yep, that was indeed the name, Hermit Park. No, there weren't any hermits hanging around; at least not that I saw. However, now that I think about it, there were some rather strange noises in the middle of the night. Hmmmm? But I digress, Hermit Park....the views were spectacular, the company was almost perfect...long story, no need to go into it....and the evening was full of bonfire and yummyness. But the sleep. Oh the sleep. It was freakin' freezing. Not kidding, fuh-a-reezing. And I mean, F.R.E.E.Z.I.N.G. Did I mention it was freezing? Even poor Tobey, the adopted Greyhound of Ellyn and Rhonda's, had chattering teeth that kept us up in the middle of the night. So sad. Freezing aside, I had a blast and was able to forget about the world around me and just relax, play games, take naps and enjoy the great outdoors. That rarely happens my friends. 93.5% of the time I feel like the world is riding heavy on my shoulders and I have no way to escape it; but campering this past weekend was a blast and I was able to do just that....escape. Well, for the most part anyway. Certain company only likes to talk about the Y; but we were able to muddle through it all. It was just what I needed.

We went in to Estes Park to stroll the art fair since we were so close to the beautimous mountain town of Estes to find reprieve from the strong winds that kept me sneezing all freakin' weekend. Yay for allergies. As I was strolling Estes, I took a walk down memory lane and was remembering the first time I visited there many many years ago with my friend Karey. It was cold and in the middle of February. But I loved it....cold and all. Often when I would visit we would grab our cameras and go explore. I loved it. I would do whatever I could to get the most perfect photo. As Ellyn, Rhonda, Tasia, Angie and I were strolling, I came across the infamous river where Karey and I have one of my favorite photography stories.

Picture it....winter in Estes Park, 1997ish.

Karey and I were on a photography adventure. We were by the above river that ran under this large bridge coming into Estes. I decided that for the perfect photo I needed to walk across rocks on the ice in the river under the bridge. Yes. Call me brilliant. Call me crazy. Call me adventurous. But, that's what I needed to do for that perfect photo. And trust me, I was after that perfect photo. During this photo excursion I was using one of Karey's nice 35mm film cameras. Very expensive for 1997. It's sorta like the digital big daddy of today, the D90. And as I was scaling the ice and turing my body into a pretzel on the rocks on the ice in the river under the bridge I got the perfect shot. After the shot, I turned around to get off the rocks on the ice in the river under the bridge and then....my graceful self, slipped. I slipped off the rock, onto the ice, in the river, under the bridge. As I slipped off the rock on to the ice I had a mini moment of relief because I did not breakthrough the ice into the freakin' freezing water. Again, I only had a brief moment of relief and then heard the infamous...crackle, crackle, crack!! And I went through ice. My only thought was, "oh shit, I have Karey's camera!" As I was going into this freakin' freezing water I kept my hands in the air with the camera above my head. Thankfully it was only deep enough to mid thigh. You can't even the sense of relief I had that the camera didn't get dunked in water. And then I realized I was freakin' freezing, I had no extra clothes and we had many hours ahead of us. As I was wading out of the cold water with the camera above my head, Karey came running to check on me. As she was peeking under the bridge and she noticed I was in the hypothermia water, her first words to me were...."Is my camera alright?" Really? Really? Thats your concern? I mean I get it. She's a photographer and loves her camera. But I was in the freakin' freezing water in the middle of winter in Estes Park. I had chattering teeth and no clothes to change into once I got out of the water. And we still had hours of exploring ahead of us before we would head down the mountain and head home to Thornton. Now I realize that at the time her camera was my concern too; which is why I made sure that I kept it out of the water at any cost. But, I was hoping that there would be a little concern that I slipped off the rocks onto the ice which crackled open and landed me in the freakin' freezing water under the bridge. Did I mention that the water was hypothermia cold? Yes, it was. I froze for the rest of the day. Actually for the rest of the winter season. I don't think I warmed up until I was in the middle of the hot Oklahoma summer. Once my feet get cold, that's it for me. I'm done for. I'm finished. I'm cold until I can find a way to warm back up. It was such a funny moment. When I think back on it, I always giggle at what that must have looked like...the shock of it all and Karey's concern for her camera. Yeah, I'll never let her live it down. It's locked in my memory bank forever.

All this to say, anytime I'm in or near Estes no matter the season, I'm cold in some form which always makes me think of my plunge into the freezin' cold water. Actually, now that I think of it when Shauna and I took a walk in RMNP she thought it would be great to walk around the lake. It was warm nearing summer, but still snowy up in RMNP. As we were walking we lost the trail and I knew that I knew we were on the lake, but Shauna wanted to push on forward, saying something like..."It's fine!" I hesitantly went ahead with her until my foot went through the snow and into the lake. Again, cold. Not hypothermia cold, but cold. What is it with me and Estes and the cold? Whether it be taking photos, enjoying a stroll or campering. It's always cold at some point. I'll just resign myself to bring a parka anytime I head to Estes.

Yep. That's all.

*Campering: when one goes camping, but does not use a tent and sleep on the ground; but rather partakes of the joys of a camper. I don't think I have it in me to be a tent sleeper anymore. I did it as a kid when I would dance in powwow's. I'm over it now. So...I go campering, not camping. ;)

"the earth, it sings about You!"






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the Creative Experience: Project 3

Project 3: An Ode to Grey

For our next project prompt we are going to give a lot of room for interpretation and just begin with a color: grey.

We chose this color because we are entering into what is arguably the only rainy season in Colorado and one of the most welcome periods of grey skies, knowing they usher in the spring. Also, we are in anticipation mode for the birth of @lizjoylewis’s second child, Greyson, or baby Grey.

Show us your ode to grey in any format you like. Paint it, photograph it, sing it, write it, film it.

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For project 3 I took a photo I have already used and played with photo editing. Other than brightening a photo, I've never tweaked them before, so I took time to make it look as grey as I could.

"Grey Skies"

I have another project that I'm working on for our "Ode to Grey" theme. Once it's finished, I'll post it. Oh and if you're wondering what happened to project 2....well, it's still being worked on. Ha!!

If you'd like to see the other projects being done by my creative friends, go to our blog, here!

Farewell February!

Dearest February,

It seems you arrived only yesterday; yet, here you are making your way out. You came and went before I knew what was happening. As is my life these days, flying by in a blur. Though you went by so fast, I do realize some good things happened during your stay. To name a few....

• I rekindled my love for the 'creative'. And every day I find ways to express it in a plethora of ways.
• I took more steps toward punching intimidation in the face. I'm still working on my right hook for the times it tries to creep up on me and keep me down.
• I, finally, spent some much needed alone time with Jesus. (I mean, I've been promising Him for some time that this would happen!)

So, though you are a short month February, I'm happy about what was accomplished during your stay.

Until 2011,

Me

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Here are some photos of my exploration of Nederland on my Jesus date with the lens. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day, but I'm not disappointed as it was nice to get out, explore, be silent and just 'be'.

PS and by the way, I went to "Adoration" on Sunday night. It was a wonderful night of worship and resting in the Lord's presence. Not to mention a fabulous way to end my Jesus date. Plus, I was able to be with my fun friends at Highway Community in Boulder.

for the love of creativity

I've been creative mindercising* lately. I've been excavating my creativity that I buried many, many, MANY moons ago. As I've been on this excavation process I have found that in the last month I keep seeing the world in snapshots. I'll be driving, walking, talking, working, or even taking the bus and I'll see something that catches my eye and in a flash it turns into a mental photograph. I also find myself to be constantly saying, "that would be an amazing photo."

I love photography. I love going on photography adventures in hopes that I'll stumble upon something that speaks to my soul.

Photography for me is therapeutic. Since I've been having this yearning to capture snapshots of the world around me, I thought to myself that my 4th Sunday Home Group** will be spent alone with Jesus and a camera. I'm planning to, not plan, and to not have any idea of what I think I should find or what would be an epic photo; but rather, to see where the Lord leads me, in hopes to see the world through His lens. I'm going to GO! and keep my heart, mind and spirit OPEN to what the Lord will show me.

Side Note: I'd like to give a shout out to Ray Rushing***, AMAZING photographer extraordinaire for lending me one of his Nikons, (or maybe I should say...trusting me with), to use for my creative outlet over the next few weeks.


Here's an example of one of those snapshots I see on a daily basis. I pass this particular spot often when I'm traveling back and forth from my Y office to our schools or the Boulder Y office. Yesterday it was dark and gloomy as the clouds were rolling in over the mountains full of fluffy white flakes. Something about it made me want to stop and just reflect for a moment. So, for once, I did just that. Stopped and looked. The only camera I had on me at the time was my camera phone, but I still felt compelled to take the photo. Something about the spot spoke to my spirit and wanted me to pause, and pray.

Then today, when running into Boulder, I came upon the same spot I see often and it looked completely different. It wasn't telling the same story. So, again, I pulled over and took a quick snapshot to remember what I was seeing today.

And that's one of the reasons I love photography. It takes a moment in time that will never happen again and captures it to be immortalized through a one of a kind photo. So, this will be my main creative outlet for the next month or two, or until I feel its time to move on to my next creative medium.

Here's to creative mindercising and getting arty*!

* Thanks Julia for the witty naming of our journey toward a creative mind! Your words are a creative experience in themselves.
**Origins does not have an in house service on the last Sunday of the month, but rather we gather in homes to love on each other and build our community. I have chosen to use said days, for the time being, to be alone with the Lord. Something I hardly ever do. But, this is my attempt to Raelynn date days with THE Big Guns. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
*** Ray Rushing's webpage can be found by clicking, here!!