SummerTime in the Colorado Rocky Mountains

  Living in the city, especially suburbia can get a little hot, noisy, stressful and hectic in the summertime.  This week I had a wonderful venture out of the cement jungle and headed to the hills for a wonderful afternoon with a girlfriend.  We celebrated my birthday at a quaint pizzeria, and then window shopped through wonderful artisan shops in this little bustling mountain town. 

When you take moments to look around, you can find re-purposed planting boxes, which is of course after my own heart!  I love this old basin that has been re-purposed as a clever planter.  Summertime in Colorado is so beautiful, and there are such wonderful surprises around every corner, just quaint little pops of colors, people dining outside on patios with their trusted four-legged side kicks beside them...it made me want to rent a little cabin and go explore for days!  For four hours, I was lost in the beauty, the sound of the stream moving through town, and of course the sparkling silver that shown through jewelry boutique windows!  I love looking at pieces of art, especially local artisans....I was truly inspired to get some fresh pieces made!

There was wonderful girl chit chat with my dear friend, and laughter, and there are seasons in your life when laughter is by far the very best medicine...and being out of town for a little break from reality never hurts either!  Life is really all about the little things, which is so odd, because we aren't suppose to "Sweat the small stuff," but on the contrary...it is all about the little things, and anything other than that should really be looked at as nothing more than just noise.  Shelter, food, health, friends, family, love and laughter, this is all you need to be complete...

The rest, well the rest is just gravy!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Detour AHEAD, Proceed with Caution, Don't Forget Your Compass, and Watch for THE RED FLAGS this time!

A compass, so that you may never get lost, and always know the direction of your dreams.
-Michelle Hansen

Life is pretty interesting.  The Compass is one of those pieces that I absolutely love the idea behind it, probably more that the image itself.   There are times where you think that you are on the path to living the life that you have imagined, and live throws you a curve ball.  One of the hardest things to do  is to start your life over, people come in and out of your life for a season, and sometimes you are left picking up the pieces of utter destruction or loss.  So, how do you find the strength to pick up the pieces, put out the fires, and continue on living a life with your compass intact? Well, this is the journey that I'm on.  I have been here before, I'm a widow and was married to a wonderful honest and loving man. So, I picked up the pieces and continued forward...I remodeled my home, kept myself busy, and just kept going, a strength that I'm sure he helped me with.  We fast forward 3 years, and I'm starting over again.  The wonderful thing though, is that I have the memories, and strength from him and God to get me through this, this time.  I find joy in the really simple things, and this has remained true throughout my life.  I do not need to live a life consumed with "if 1 is good than 10 is better," or "go big or go home." Or live a life that is just smoke and mirrors! Life and living a true life for me is about true friends, wonderful family, and having faith.  This morning as I drank my coffee and watched the sunrise, I was overwhelmed with a quote that I was reading.  I would love to share it with you, it said..."Each day is a new adventure pointing the way to an ever-better way to live."

So, know that during extreme trials and tribulations, be steadfast, honest, protect yourself, hear the warnings, laugh as much as you possibly can, and don't lose sight that where you have been, isn't nearly as important as where you are going.  So, where am I going? I don't know...but I do know that I'm putting one foot in front of the other and getting stronger by the day, so that much I know is true, the rest...well, the rest will work itself out with the help of my army of angels, fleet of support, and daily studio time, still being creative doesn't hurt either.