Rocky Mountain High!

So I'm still riding high on my trip to Steamboat Springs, nestled in the Rocky Mountains! We had absolutely gorgeous weather (well except for that crazy hailstorm on the drive in!) which ranged from 60° in the a.m. to 86° at midday, then cooling down to about 50° overnight. And it was a dry heat. Being from hazy, hot and humid New Jersey, it was an exciting change for me!

We stayed with relatives and so the first day they took us on a bike ride along the Yampa River. Along the trail we wound around suburban areas, quiet forests, a little bit of downtown Steamboat...

 ...past some art galleries...

...and even took a break at a beautiful Botanical Garden that was right on the path! The ride ended up being about 12 miles long — and for someone who has not exercised in a couple of years — I was pretty proud of myself. Plus, we got to see an awesome cross-section of the area. It was a great day.

We also visited the natural hot springs for a dip... that's actually where Steamboat Springs got its name from. The pools were varied temperatures from warm to hot and some of them were actually cooled by the mountain stream that ran through the area. Harnessing Mother Nature's finest resources. It was very relaxing.

We took a gondola ride up to the top of Mount Werner to enjoy some gourmet appetizers at one of the restaurants and enjoy the sunset over the mountains.

Now I know what John Denver meant by, "I've seen it raining fire in the sky." It was simply breathtaking!

We hiked around Steamboat Lake....

...and up to Fish Creek Falls.

And no trip anywhere is complete without a little jaunt into town for some artsy landmarks, some fine cuisine... and some shopping! In fact, I barely shop local anymore. It's all too commercial. I save my money for when I go away and for good reason.

Like when I walk into F.M. Light & Sons and they have an entire wall of cowboy boots! When I knew I'd be heading out west, the one thing I wanted to come back with was a good pair of boots. And I did. P.S. I'm in love!

There were tons of old signs in town. I just love funky vintage signs. I could have made a whole trip of just walking around and taking photos of them all. Maybe next time.

Oh yeah, and we even went to a rodeo! I haven't been to one since I was about 9, when a bull came rushing toward the fence I was standing on and squished my little finger between it!

They had a fun, funky ragtime band playing while we munched on BBQ and waited for the competitions to begin. They actually lived only two blocks from the rodeo. Nice gig!

We took a side trip out to an adorable old mining village called Georgetown which was filled with art galleries, antique shops, eateries and the like.

They really kept a lot of the old architecture from the mining days and that made this little stop even more charming. It's one of those teeny-tiny towns where everybody's nice and happy and friendly and it makes you want to buy a home there and stay!

Oh yeah, and sometimes we actually just hung out at the pool or on the balcony of our condo... especially after all that exercise. You know the only one who gained any weight on this vacation was my suitcase!!

We saw tons of stuff, did lots of things, and spent most of our time outdoors in the amazingly fresh Rocky Mountain Air. Being at 6,770 feet (and higher sometimes!) was definitely a challenge, but we also took it easy and slow... how a vacation should be.

It was super nice to get away and spend time with family from all over the country that we don't get to see very often.... and Summer in Steamboat was an awesome way to do it. Until next time cowboys and cowgirls.... Yeeeehaaaa!

Thoughtful Thursdays: The Beach!

Having grown up near the Jersey coast, my love of the beach took hold a very long time ago. Today, I am lucky enough to live in a quaint little Victorian shore town called Ocean Grove. So, you might have guessed that Summer is my favorite time of year. I love going to the beach with my mixed-media magazines, sketchbook and colored pencils, or perhaps an interesting art project that's "portable". 

However, sitting around doing nothing but listening to the waves crashing with my toes in the warm sand ain't bad either!

And there's plenty of wildlife to watch as well. Birds, fish, little crawly creatures, and the like!

And if you get tired of just sitting around (which does not happen that often, for me at least)... you can always take a stroll on the boardwalk. I just love the clip-clop sound of my flip-flops on the aged wood!

But no matter what time of day it is... what season it is... what mood I'm in... or why I felt the need to go there.... the beach is always a place of inspiration for me.

Whether it's the gorgeous colors of nature, the shells that collect at the edge of the sea, or the serenity that I feel when I'm there... for me it's like going home again.

I'd love to know... what places inspire you?

Well... I Was GOING To Relax!

Because I live near the beach, my work schedule is sometimes determined by the weather. And because of that... I found myself having worked 12 days in a row when this weekend rolled up. So I was determined to do nothing but go to the beach and relax for two days straight!

Well, then I had gone to a moving sale and found this dresser. It was only ten dollars! I'll say it again... ten dollars! I had to get it... even if it was based solely on price.

But it was actually the hardware that sold me. Look at that beautiful detail and patina'd antique gold color. Things that dreams are made of!

This beast turned out to have been made with a not-so-appealing laminate facade. Whoever painted over it used a black oil-based paint. Yikes! I was able to actually peel the paint off of the top, but the rest of the unit proved to be a bit unruly.

So, I sanded... just a little (my perfectionist days are over, baby!). Then I primed it... twice!

Painted it with an obnoxiously bright version of a tealy-seafoamy color called shoreline green.

And then added some antique gold highlights to a few key areas. Glad I finally found something to do with those Golden Acrylic metallic paints that are so transparent that I never really knew what to do with them!

I still have to put a coat of varnish over the entire piece, and then it will become a place for me to store my found object goodies from the flea markets and such. I'll show you a picture when it's all done.

So... yeah... ummm.... what was my point? Oh yeah... this is me relaxing! Hope you all had a nice weekend!

Thoughtful Thursdays: Rejuvenating The Soul...Getting Away!

Sometimes there comes a time when you've had enough... when the hustle and bustle of everyday life drives you a little bonkers... where you've come to the point that you can't even think straight, never mind do the things you'd love to do. And when that happens, it's time to recharge those batteries. Let go a little. Get out of the house!

It's time to get away...

I know for me that it's tough to think about going on a vacation (or even a weekend getaway) when there is so much stuff to do. But it's because there's so much stuff to do... that we need to get away! We go and go and go and go until we are an automated robot of ourselves on auto pilot. Time to change the scenery...

This is one of my all time favorite places to relax and unwind.... the stream behind the Woodstock Inn, Woodstock, NY. It's just so amazingly beautiful and you sit in these giant Adirondack chairs as you listen to the water trickling by while the sun shines on your face. At first it is hard to sit and do nothing... but you get used to it really fast!

Taking a break—no matter how long or short—really does rejuvenate the soul. It clears out the clutter in my mind and makes it easier to be inspired when I get back home. What rituals help you to recharge?

Hitting The Reset Button...

A 50-minute massage... a good meal at a favorite restaurant... and some White Zinfandel (with a side of gummy cherries)... This is how I spent my Friday night. Sometimes you just have to take yourself out and show yourself a good time. I deserve it! Relaxing, rejuvenating and restful. Ahhhhh......

Just Chillin...

Taking it easy this evening. It's been kind of a long week, even though it's only Wednesday. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about...

Just Hanging Out...

Just hanging out relaxing tonight... Treating myself well... Watching TV... Quality couch time. This is my beautiful Romeo, who kept me company this evening. He's a little loverboy, hence the name...