On the Road Again

The roomie Megs and I are hitting the road this morning with UTAH! in sight.  We have about an eight hour drive ahead of us - eek!  However the goal is Lake Powell (see above) and from what I have been told Utah is a gorgeous state to drive through.  Ms Goose is going to be staying with her aunts for this little vacation.  She is not the biggest fan of water and the thought of her on a boat for five days - well I'm not trying to give my dog a heart attack.  I will be back by Friday because Allison is coming into town for the weekend!!  Camping and fly-fishing here we come. 

It's the Simple Things

Like an ice cream cone on a hot sunny day in a sleepy town ... 

or new friendships 

or great hugs 

or just laying out and enjoying the morning sun 

One thing I have learned while being here is taking the time to enjoy the things we take for granted.  Our days are not getting any longer and we will continue to fill our schedules with as much as possible ... so take a minute and remember the small / simple things we so often overlook. 

Enjoy your weekend y'all! 

Rock Star

This weekend was filled with ridiculous events that make up my life at the current moment.  On Friday I cruised on over to Summit County - home of Keystone, Breckenridge, and Aprahoe Basin to see my cousin Matty play.  He is a rock star - along with his fantastic band.  

His band is called Big Richard a 6 piece rock band and AWESOME.  I danced to my hippie heart delight.  They write some of their own music but also played some covers such as - Widespread Panic (Ophelia), The Who (Teenage Wasteland - which I know that's not the right name but whatever), ACDC (Highway to Hell), and Grateful Dead (Black Star).  Ahh - it was fantastic - Moonbeam was in her element kids.  Moonbeam is my alter ego by the way for those of you who have never had the pleasure of hanging out in my company for extended periods of time.  Okay where was I ...  So I found some fantastic guys to dance with some not so fantastic - one thing I realized about these mountain towns is that some of these guys do not get off the mountain very often.  In some respects - an untapped resource for the single ladies and in other respects an untapped resource that should not ever be tapped.  But regardless free drinks for Pav!  

After the show I said goodbye to my men and headed out with the cousin to his pad.  Which being that is circa 2:30 in the morning I was unable to appreciate the view until the morning.  When I woke up the next morning and went out on the back deck this was my view: 

 Six peaks can be seen from his back porch - GORGEOUS!  After saying my goodbyes I headed back to Boulder.  I decided to choose the most scenic route for the trip back which took me through Loveland Pass and Clear Water Canyon.  

The top of Loveland Pass - which is somewhere around 11,200 feet in elevation.  The picture just does not do it justice - it was just beautiful.  And here is one of Clear Creek Canyon. 

At one point I just turned the radio off, rolled down the windows, and listened to the creek.  It was wonderful. 

Saturday evening Megs and I held a small cookout for the new friends that we have met and then took our gathering to the bars.  What a fantastic evening - we drank, we danced, we laughed - at one point we were all laughing so had tears were just rolling down my face.  Our jaws hurt from laughing so much.  Ahh good times. 

Sunday I got up nice and late - circa 9:30 - Megs made a fantastic breakfast and we headed off to the Celestial Seasonings Tent Sale.  I came out with 18 boxes of tea for $8.10. Yes that is right - $8.10.  It was AWESOME.  We were headed home when we saw a sign for a Winery Tasting and we both just looked at each and said - "Well I mean if we are in the area?!" So we went to Boulder Creek Winery and had a sampling of their 8 different wines.  Great winery - really nice people - and delicious wine! 

Sunday evening we headed down to Denver for a group meeting about Lake Powell.  Ahh - so this has been an addition to the adventure of Colorado - but I was invited by Megs and her brother to go to Lake Powell in Utah.  There will be something like 17 of us on a house boat cruising around Lake Powell.  I can not tell y'all how excited I am about this adventure to come!  

Environmentally Friendly & Gorgeous

This past weekend was just too much fun as per usual.   Friday a group of 17 of us headed down to Denver to eat at the Watercourse - a vegetarian restaurant that is YUMMY.  Before y'all meat eaters start making any faces - I'm telling you this is some of the best food I have eaten.  The menu was huge - the portions fantastic - the drinks refreshing - and the desserts delicious.  We all had a wonderful time.  The large group parted ways after dinner - some wanted to go dancing - while others (including myself) wanted to check out the bar scene of Denver.  Needless to say several several bars later - the new roomie Megs and I found ourselves catching the last bus to Boulder at 2:22 AM.  Now that was an experience.

Megs and I waiting for the bus ... we were trying to pass the time via a photo shoot.  

Saturday after being dragged out of bed the four roomies headed to the Soy Compound for some fun in the sun.  Now you might be asking yourselves - Soy Compound?  Well - one of our friends has the hook up and knows the people who created many of the soy foods you see in your grocery store today - and I'm not just talking about the tofu ... soy milk products, etc. Well as you can imagine their home is GORGEOUS and one of the most environmentally friendly places I have been.  It was like a resort...awesome way to spend the day with new friends. 

Walking into the house you cross a bridge and to your right is water fall - plus down below are giant gold fish swimming around. 

The view from the garden looking towards the pool and deck area.  The flower pictures from previous blog post are from the garden. 

The swimming pool / lake - it was all natural and had algae that self cleaned the pool.  After getting out your skin felt super soft - it was crazy.  Also - check out the view of the mountains in the back ground - gorgeous!! 

Sunday was filled with another adventure - Megs and I headed to where she grew up - Evergreen, CO.  Beautiful mountain town ... that happens to have a wild WHITE buffalo running around with one of the herds.  According to Native American Indians 2,000 years ago a young woman who first appeared in the shape of a white buffalo gave the Lakota's ancestors a sacred pipe and sacred ceremonies and made them guardians of the Black Hills. Before leaving, she also prophesized that one day she would return to purify the world, bringing back spiritual balance and harmony; the birth of a white buffalo calf would be a sign that her return was at hand. 

Prior to checking out the white buffalo we attempted to drive up Mount Evans... 

Y'all see the snow?! Thats right we got caught in a SNOW STORM in our attempt to drive to the top on the highest auto road 

Not sure if you can tell - but that is snow falling!! 

That's okay - because on Tuesday I went down to Colorado Springs and checked out the US Air force Academy and drove to the top of Pike's Peak (another 14,000 ft mountain).  I'll put up the pictures of that crazy adventure sometime this week. 

Pav and the Goose Happenings

Y'all I do not even know where to begin.  

Each day I have been going on hikes and attending yoga classes.  Yoga - my new obsession. Catherine of course has been raving about yoga for months and well I have been very intimidated by it.  Well with Catherine and Mandy by my side I have now attended several yoga classes, some twice in one day, and even several hot sessions!  It is amazing - I have never challenged myself physically, mentally, and spiritually.  If you have never taken a class - do it.   

Now let me step off my soap box and move onto the hiking ... so far the Goose and I have done Mount Sanitas and the Flatirons.  

The Flatirons - Lucy (in the middle) is having the time of her life with her cousins Misha (the one with the fluffy tail) and Oliver (the chocolate lab). 

 

So far I have summated Mount Sanitas twice - it is a great hike and has a fantastic view from the top.  You can see all of Boulder and then some. 

Goose and I at the top! 

Now besides hiking and yoga - I have been exploring Boulder and taking little road trips around the Boulder area.  The Boulder Farmer's Market is hands down awesome.  Not only is the selection of organic foods - fantastic but they have live music and a beer garden.  Two thumbs up.  I have gone to Nederland - a little mountain town north of Boulder, Evergreen - a gorgeous mountain town where my new fantastic roomie Megs grew up and Johhny Depp apparently owns a home, and Gun barrel - where Celestial Seasoning factory is located!  Of course I went on a tour and tasted tea from the menu of 124 options.  I also got to see Sleepy Time tea being made and package! 

This past week has been amazing - however here is the real deal - everyday I meet someone new.  I have met some of the most wonderful people - open, giving, friendly, intelligent people.  Each person who has come into my life I feel as though there is a reason - something I am to learn from this person.  It is such a beautiful thing - relationships - friendships - the humans ability to have this love and be able to share a level of themselves with others.  It is truly wonderful.  

Fantastic Giveaway!

Everyone needs to head on over to Polka Dots and Cupcakes before June 13th and enter for a wonderful giveaway!  She has reached 100+ followers and has decided to give away an awesome Hobo Wallet .... 

You Don't Eat No Meat?!

That is right kids - I have given up meat for awhile.  Now that I am living with two vegetarians I figured I would give it a swirl. So it light of giving up meat - Mandy and I decided it was only right that I go all out on my last meat meal.  I bought and grilled up 1 lb of Bison Meat - with blue cheese crumbles - and ate the whole damn thing.  

The Finished Product - Does it not look so Delicious?! 

The First Bite - YUMMY!  

 

Almost Done! 

 

Finished!! 

After eating the 1lb monster - I promptly took the dogs on a walk.. a nice long walk.