Wednesday, September 4, 2013

A beautiful day

It started off with a spectacular sunrise. Days that start with a great sunrise always seem to portend great things to come, and this day certainly delivered on its promise. I had the day off work, and I planned to go up to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The mountains from the balcony, in their sunrise glow, made me hungry to be out there among them. Long's Peak, Colorado's northernmost 14-er, is visible to the right.

I packed a backpack with cardstock, acrylic paints, brushes, sunscreen, and a coat just in case I got cold (I didn't), and by 7:30 am, I was on the road to the park, waves of happy exhilaration and anticipation washing over me.

I was driving through the Big Thompson Canyon, where the signs say, "Bighorn sheep, next 10 miles," and I was hoping I would get to see some. Sure enough, I rounded a bend, and there were four stalwart ones right on the side of the road. (By the time I parked and got the camera out, they were trotting off into the distance, so in the photo they look like four white specks to the left of the more distant car.) It made me happy just to see the way these bighorn sheep walked. They were so muscular and yet so graceful.

I got up to Rocky Mountain National Park and took the shuttle to Bear Lake. Day after Labor Day = best time to go! The massive crowds of people were thinned to almost nothing, so Bear Lake didn't have the agonizing "Get Me Away From All These People" feeling that it did in July when I went.

The lovely view at Bear Lake:

I hiked to Bierstadt Lake, which also had a lovely view, and I sat on a rock and pulled out my painting stuff and painted it. It made me happy to apply color to paper, even though I knew it was turning out amateurish and...well, just funny-looking. This was literally the first time in my life I had ever sat outside to paint a landscape. But it was something I had wanted to do ever since I came here in July. I had been longing to come out here and paint this--even though I knew I wouldn't really be able to.

The painting in front of the original:

Then I hiked on a little further and came to the steep part with the switchbacks, where the inspiration had first struck me to come out here and paint, and I sat down exactly where I had said to myself I wanted to sit, and I painted another painting. But I got tired and hungry and by the time I was painting the aspen trees, I was a bit bored and just abandoned it before all the details were done. Oh well...even if I had done my most careful work, I would not have been able to do it justice. The point was, it was fun and it made me happy to do it.






On the way home, driving out of the parking lot, I passed two elk on the side of the road. I also saw lots of chipmunks, a huge wild turkey, and two deer, making my wildlife count entirely satisfying. 

After all that, I had a wonderful evening with some friends, the most delicious chocolate cake I have ever tasted, and a sweet time of sharing and prayer.

There was even a spectacular sunset to put a fitting bookend on the day (but I didn't get a photo of it).

Thank you, Jesus, for bringing such beautiful moments into my life. Thank you for this beautiful day!


6 comments:

  1. SO happy you had such a wonderful day! Can't wait to visit you and see some of those breathtaking sights for myself! How truly creative our Creator is!
    Love you!

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  2. I wonder if you are aware of the experiences of many prospective adoptive parents with GHRM and if you could shed any light from your perspective: http://speakoutaboutgivinghoperescuemission.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
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    1. out of bounds. bad form.

      this type of solicitation weakens your cause.

      to the author of the blog... good show. very nice indeed.

      Delete
  3. Out of bounds? Seriously? The question was asked sincerely. Young people who were involved in this organization deserve to hear both sides of the story and to know that the environment created by the leadership there was unhealthy despite the hard work and best intentions of those who were working there. I would think that the adoptive parents with children still there, who they have visited and bonded with and supported financially, particularly if the children are already legally adopted in Haiti, have a right to know their childrens' circumstances.

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    Replies
    1. I know nothing of which you speak.

      the first comment smacked of a predator. the second comment seems angry.

      now this poor author's blog is tainted with this silly exchange between a crusader and the clueless (me).

      please don't be mad, only tactful.




      Delete
  4. Maybe you should read the stories linked to. Anger is an appropriate response. Children's futures are on the line, there is nothing silly about it.

    ReplyDelete

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