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It’s been a while, so this letter is in CHUNKS of time, weather, and adventures. |
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March 23,2023: For us in Colorado it’s been snow, then rain, then beautiful sunshine . . . then rain, snow, then another beautiful day. It’s called SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES. I love it! Today is a beautiful day and my Hiker Ladies group is heading up Ute Valley . . . with Yaktrax on! |
April 27, 2023 The weather is still bouncing around and Robert and I are in an emotionally bouncy time also since we made the decision to change out all our 20-year-old house carpets. OMG! It’s like moving! You pack and move everything from one part of the house . . . like the whole upstairs. Then you move to the whole next area . . . like downstairs. Next these nice guys show up and move all the furniture. They cut and pound for several days while you try to find a place to sleep since your bed is gone, and stay out of their way, yet still be available to answer questions. Of course we worked hard using our 80-year-old memories to try to keep track of where basic things were. We found ourselves asking: “Now which box did I put my toothbrush in?” . . . “How about my shoes?” Argg! So now they have finished. The furniture is moved back in place. Robert and I are slowly going through one box at a time: “Do I keep this? Or give it to someone? Or take it to Goodwill?”
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Robert’s daughter, Jenny, and, next week, her son, Zayden, have been wonderful with showing up to help haul boxes from downstairs to upstairs and from one area to another. Robert has been careful not to lift anything and throw his back out. I wasn’t so smart. Born with the personality of a helper/doer, I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing and hauling any heavy box that was needed somewhere. Well, after a week of this, my back was in huge pain. I was bent over, couldn’t sleep, and was crying in the middle of the night. Then, one particularly painful night, my sweet husband said: “Get your slippers on. I’m taking you to Emergency!” Everyone there was kind. They immediately put me in a wheelchair and rolled me into a room where I was met by a Physician Assistant who interviewed me on the causes of pain, then palpated my back to find the exact problem area. She brought me two different pain medicines to take immediately, then the doctor came in and injected a strong steroid into my lower back area. They both gave me clear instructions on how to follow up over the next week. Then I was wheeled back out to the car and Robert drove me home. Again, I was crying, but this time it was tears of RELIEF! I felt no pain for the first time in a week! For the next few days, I was dizzy and confused about the medicine’s side effects but felt so supported by everyone. My doctor gave me an Acupuncture treatment. My Yoga teacher spent a whole class hour giving me a special Acupressure and Essential Oils treatment, while, at the same time, guiding the class through yoga movement. My classmates there were so supportive and most hugged and wished me well after class. |
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April 30, 2023: Onwards . . . carpeting is done. Whew! Now we just have to unpack all the boxes, find our toothbrushes and shoes again, and practice “LETTING GO”. It feels good, actually to “lighten up”. It might take us a month to finish the job and that’s OK. My back is slowly getting stronger. I’m off all pain meds and I am able to hike, bike, do yoga, and all the physical stuff I’m used to . . . just slowly and carefully, but I don’t HAUL AND LIFT! Jenny and Zayden are coming to help with that. Oh, Bless Them! |
So today a gorgeous Spring is exploding in our Colorado mountains. A brilliant blue sky with tufts of bright green peeking up from the soft brown earth. The birds are singing: “Here I am . . . a handsome male looking for a mate.” The owl calls: “Who’s awake? Me too.” (Can you tell I’ve been studying bird calls lately?) I took a “BREAK DAY” and went to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to relax and get some special animal love.
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May 8, 2023 Okay, here’s the final part of this letter. I do hope it hasn’t been too long, but I couldn’t say goodbye without sharing this last adventure. I just returned from a Trail Crew Leader Training in the mountains near Evergreen, CO. It was a two-day course to teach nature enthusiasts how to lead volunteers in building effective, safe, and environmentally friendly trails through back-country wilderness. |
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Three of us attended from our Trail Crew in Green Mtn. Falls, and I traveled and camped with an old friend, Doug, who’s family I lived next door to in MANITOU SPRINGS . . . probably ten years ago.Oh, it was a strenuous, exciting, and amazing adventure! We learned exactly how to read the environment (water runoff, rocks, gravel, slope lines), how to safely carry and use all manner of tools with weird names like Pickmadox, Pulaski, McCleod, and how to care for the safety of a volunteer crew while teaching them how to build a trail. My back is better, but I was very careful with the lifting, carrying, hoeing, and raking. Still, our trainers supported and encouraged us, and taught us so much! As well as physical, the course was quite mentally challenging as we practiced taking the group through the steps of safety and trail building . . . such as “CUSS” . . . Carry Use Store, and Safety in the use of tools with those unusual names. |
The climate in those northern mountains was beautiful throughout the day and then dropped to just above zero degrees during the nights. The hard part for me on the trip was shivering and shaking through the whole first night in my tent . . . under a gorgeous huge full red moon. Then, the next day, as the group heard about my discomfort, people loaned me sleeping bags, blankets, and ground pads. I was so warm and cozy the next night, I SLEPT LIKE A LOG! Whew!
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Well, now, I’m home, cuddling with my sweet, supportive husband, watching and listening to the spring birds sing through beautiful, bright Colorado days. |
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Thank you for reading and, I hope, enjoying this newsletter. I do love staying in touch. Yes, I’m still offering treatments in Craniosacral, Lymphatic, Essential Oils, and various other bodywork therapies on Fridays at my home in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. and am loving seeing all of my old friends and clients. Thank to my friend and our Mayor, Todd Dicksen, I am now officially licensed to work in this town. So I look forward to seeing those who show up for a treatment. I’m not great at immediate online connection, so people usually just call or text me at 719-684-0112. |
One of the fun things I did this summer, was to visit this fascinating sculpture of RITA near a little mining town called Victor just up the pass from Green Mountain Falls. She represents “Putting the Earth together again.” She is acting as a guardian of the mines there. She was created from all recycled and repurposed wood.
One day, a lady backs into my car in a parking lot, the next week I’m at a favorite trailhead and took a great hike on a beautiful afternoon. When I returned to the parking area, my car had been robbed! They didn’t bash any windows, but got in somehow, found my purse, and took all my cash and credit cards . . . and didn’t take my driver’s license . . . Thank Heaven!
But this morning a whole flock of large, black Ravens arrived on our porch. I’ve always admired Ravens and know they’re one of the most intelligent of birds.
My Animal-Speak book, on the spiritual powers of birds and animals, describes Ravens as “playful, excellent tool users, and, if a Raven comes into your life, expect MAGIC. This implies the ability to teach us how to “Stir the Magic Of Life Without Fear.” I’m learning.
So we’re not the only creatures that seem to speed up in fall. We humans have gatherings and preparations of all sorts to prepare for winter. For me: preparing the yard and greenhouse for winter, cook up/freeze the last vegies, switch out summer for winter clothing, and then . . . thank you’s and final celebrations of all kinds.
So, slowly, it’s all coming together. Fear comes . . . I breathe . . . Dig in and Stir the Magic of Life . . . the fear goes and the next piece is completed. Whew! Thank you, Raven buddies and Human buddies!
I recently met a friend at the grocery store that I hadn’t seen in many many years. She immediately recognized me and excitedly shared how much she loved getting these newsletters and felt very much connected with me. COOL! That’s what these letters are all about. There will probably come a time when I stop them . . . BUT NOT YET!