Tag Archives: Mountain Living

Just in Time

Finding the Way Home, , ,

Are you finding yourself wanting to snuggle in on a cool evening and read a book? Are you thinking about a gift for a reader?

Finding the Way Home may be just what you’re looking for and it’s available on Amazon.

by Linda L. Flynn
Genre: Juvenile Fiction/Girls & Women
Fiction/Contemporary Women
Price $17.99

Finding the Way Home, Book 2 of the Rosethorn series is a fictional story. You’ll reconnect with Liz, returning from Paris, where she discovered her passion and planned her future. Quickly, her high expectations were dashed as she discovers the plans she and Eric set in motion were unravelling. Life happens. Just like it does to you and me. The messiness of relationships and family issues unresolved threaten to undo Liz. She discovers an inner strength and confidence while navigating these challenges. Finding the Way Home invites you to shadow Liz as she matures and refines the dreams for her future. In the process, she learns, sometimes one must face the past to unlock their potential. Much of this story uses the Colorado Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. This environment allows the reader to discover the richness of natural beauty and friendships found there.

And yes, the cover is a photo from the Roaring Fork Valley.

After reading the book, please leave a review, or leave a comment here. I’d enjoy hearing from you.

Traveling with children this summer…

Gabriel and the Bear, , ,

Are you looking for a book your kiddos might read?

Look no further.

Gabriel and the Bear may be the answer.

Story of a young boy’s first encounter with a bear

This story provides a peak into a fun outing where a young boy sees his first bear in the wild, and it also offers insight into how to enjoy wildlife and remain safe.

I grew up in the Midwest, in a small town. My exposure to wildlife was limited to the few small critters we’d spot in our yard or visiting a zoo. Books for children painted pictures of animals being our friends, or were stories of cute interactions between children and animals. My eight years of living in the mountains in western Colorado taught me the realities of sharing the land with wild animals. I learned a healthy respect for these creatures. I knew women whose homes had been invaded by bears; whose cars had been demolished by a bear who got inside the vehicle. I witnessed how enormous bears are. There are foolish, unsafe behaviors of tourists seeking selfies of themselves or their children with wildlife that I read about.

Gabriel and the Bear may provide the subtle encouragement to keep your eyes peeled when driving through the countryside. You may spot something and be able to watch a creature of the wild in their natural habitat. The book also has a section dedicated to bear facts. Are you aware of how fast the slow, lumbering black bear can run, or of all the different colors a black bear can be? Learn those truths and others in the book.

Carol Gault, who is an amazing wildlife photographer, has provided the art within the story.

You can find the book on Amazon.com 

People say…

Things to ponder...., , , , , , ,

… the mountain casts a spell over people who live near it. When one leaves the area, the spell causes that person to never really leave, but at least continue to return.

Maybe…

Maybe not…

We left the area about six weeks ago, then returned to retrieve a vehicle we’d left behind. Our conversations revealed we each felt happy to be back in town, driving the streets, seeing a few friends, enjoying the sights and having food from several favorite places. 

Let there be no mistake. We know our new home, the region where we live, the town we’re part of is exactly where we are supposed to be and we’re thrilled to begin this new adventure in our life journey.

We’ve returned to locations from our past homes because of the people, but never experienced the feeling of simple happiness by just being in the area. Perhaps there is a spell on us from the mountain, or maybe it’s because we each experienced so much personal growth and deepened our spiritual lives here; made many friendships and memories. We changed living here. We’re not the same people we were when we moved here. We smile, knowing we’ll be back again.

Beautiful Night Scene

Have you ever felt like living somewhere changed who you are?

Pandemic Outing…

Pandemic, , , , ,

Yesterday was a beautiful morning, so we drove to town, stopped at our favorite coffee shop for take-n-go drinks and took off.

Took off for a drive up a nearby mountain pass. The spring melt has the rivers flowing at near peak capacity.

Fresh Mountain River

The morning air, fresh and cool, offers the fragrance of spring. One could smell the earth, the heat generating from the rocks and the moisture in the shade under the trees. The sound of the water racing downhill, roaring over rock walls, splash landing at the base before flowing into the river filled the air. In one location, the cool spray carried gently by the breeze, brushed against my face.

The roar of water, rushing and gushing downhill

In another location, we sat nearby and absorbed the sensations of being by water, out in nature.

Honestly, at one site, I got dizzy sitting there. We were in the truck, parked close to the river’s edge. The sights and sounds were relaxing, refreshing yet simultaneously invigorating. As I sat and watched the water, I got the sense the vehicle was moving. It wasn’t. Yet the water was so intense, so fast and so mesmerizing, I lost track of everything else.

Are we moving?

Perhaps these photos will take you to these places also…

Spring… is coming to the mountains!

Light Hearted Living..., , ,

The air is filled with birds singing, happy for the promise of warmer weather.

Yesterday, while on my way to town, I saw my first bluebird of the season.

Yeah!

They are absolutely my favorite.

From now through summer I’ll have the pleasure of seeing the vibrant, electric blue darting in the tree branches, or flying in the air.

It always brings a smile to my face.

Let the warmer weather come.

Now Available…

Gabriel and the Bear, , ,

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to encounter a bear in the wild?

Gabriel and the Bear is now available on Amazon.

Story of a young boy’s first encounter with a bear

Read the story and you can experience the event through Gabriel’s eyes. At the end of the book, there’s a collection of bear facts to familiarize you with information relative to bears and living in close proximity to them.