Colorful Colorado

  • toyota tacoma camping
    Colorful Colorado,  Travel

    Have Truck, Will Travel

    I had a dream as a young teenager. It went like this: (1) Buy a used, purple pickup truck. (2) Travel the world. I think this dream first kicked in around my 13th or 14th year. I can’t quite remember where it originated, or why I landed on a pickup truck instead of an RV, Volkswagen van, or some Steinbeck-approved vehicle, but it persisted even as I crossed the threshold into my thirties. For more than half my life I’ve carried this dream around, and though I’ve grown up (mostly…I still eat an inordinate number of chicken fingers), began my career, got married, started a business, and had the privilege…

  • colorado nordic skiing
    Colorful Colorado

    Watching the Olympics made me try Nordic skiing again after 20 years

    We woke up to snow this morning — after several 70+ degree days — so it seemed an appropriate time to finally share this post. Oy, Colorado. You missed the memo that it is now April.  Have you ever sat watching the Olympics and thought, “Now that looks fun, I should do that.” And the next thing you know you have skis latched to your feet with a wide, icy snow field in front of you and no idea what to do next or how to avoid involuntarily falling into the splits while strapped to those skies? No? Me either. Good talk. Thanks for stopping by. The 2018 Winter Olympics…

  • Christmas Tree 2017
    Colorful Colorado

    When looking for a Christmas Tree

    When looking for a Christmas tree in the mountains of Colorado, you may just get distracted by all the other natural wonders around you that periodically you forget to look for the holiday wonder in question. “Nature” is what we see— The Hill—the Afternoon— Squirrel—Eclipse— the Bumble bee— Nay—Nature is Heaven— Nature is what we hear— The Bobolink—the Sea— Thunder—the Cricket— Nay—Nature is Harmony— Nature is what we know— Yet have no art to say— So impotent Our Wisdom is To her Simplicity.” -Emily Dickinson We’ll talk about the Christmas tree another time.   SIGNED, anya elise

  • St. Mary's Glacier
    Colorful Colorado

    St. Mary’s Glacier

    If you are in Colorado and you are not taking yourself on outdoorsy expeditions right now, then you are not doing yourself any favors. Get outside! Breathe in the coming autumn. Go now. Do it. I’ll wait. . . . Good work, friends! How did it go? Let’s get together and exchange stories over coffee, hot cider and cake. Here, I’ll start: At the end of last week, my sister and mother — and trusty philosopher dog, Bailey — went on an adventure to St. Mary’s Glacier.

  • devil's thumb ranch
    Colorful Colorado,  Travel

    Devil’s Thumb Ranch

    I had to go back into the archives for this one, my friends. Way back. One and one-half years back to be precise. I thought perhaps I had shared this before on my former photo blog, but it turns out I didn’t. Compelling narrative, no? I should probably write a memoir. The weather is getting warmer and I swear that summer will be arriving soon. Despite the fact that snow has been falling all day long (no….stop….leave us alone…), I am certain we are within reach of those long summer days full of sandals, mountains, outdoor grilling and more. With all this summer longing positively driving my every waking thought, I decided to…