Moonbeam

Snow Day!

2012-02-17T10:41:00.001-07:00

Over a foot of snow fell on Loveland recently! The kids had the day off school, so we ventured outside for a bit to see the winter landscape. Thomas had a tough time trudging through all the snow, but we had a blast exploring. Next time, we'll strap on some snowshoes!

Thomas had a tough time getting up!

Henry and Jack

the wintry pond

a flock of ring-necked ducks

frozen wasps

a foxy border collie!

jack

snow art

The snow actually reminded me of VA storms---a wet snow--great for building forts, snowmen and snowballs! Steve helped build a snow cave for the kids.

We've had some wintering robins in our neighborhood too, so once the sun came out, so did the robins. We also had a flock of waxwings join the group, too.

The snow is still on the ground today as we have had some unseasonably cold weather here in town. Hoping it warms up soon, melts this hard, dry snow and gets us ready for another wintry snow day!

A Downy and a Seedhead

2012-02-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed watching a female Downy Woodpecker foraging for food on one of our Mammoth Sunflowers leftover from the summer season. I love leaving a few sunflower stalks out for the birds that stick around in the fall/winter. Last season, we actually had a bull elk come through our garden for our seedheads! Haven't seen him yet this season....but the birds are here!

Winter Birding

2012-01-28T12:33:00.002-07:00

There's a lot of talk of Snowy Owls venturing far south this season with a few sightings in Colorado. What's cool about Snowys is that they are usually out during the day, so you have a chance to spot one! I haven't had the opportunity to see one, but Thomas and I took a little birding excursion to our local wildlife reserve in our neighborhood. When we started our walk, it was so quiet. I thought, "There are no birds out right now...oh well," and Thomas was a little tired and whiny, so I said, "OK, forget it! Let's just go back...we'll go another day." Sure enough, Thomas said we should keep going. Our destination was a huge old grove of mature trees near the river. Once we made it over there, we heard the peeps, chirps, yanks and calls of the nuthatches, chickadees and woodpeckers. We stayed for a good hour or so listening to the sounds, observing the trees and the songbirds foraging for food, and enjoying the sunshine. Thomas played with his cars in the dirt while I searched the woods for sightings of more birds. It was a beautiful day and an excellent time for some soul food--much needed in the dead of winter.


had a squirrel watching us enter the preserve

Bullock's Oriole nest

Thomas checking out a woodpecker and observing winter nests

Black-capped Chickadee


White-breasted Nuthatch

very agile birds--hang sideways and upside down foraging for food

view from resting spot--chillaxed on the bench, listening to the calming sounds of nature

Thomas creating a little imaginary world with his cars, the dirt and other natural materials

cool, old dead tree

old tree at Morey Wildlife Reserve

another chickadee

singing and playing

cool, old, dead tree with possible nesting holes

walking back home with an old branch

Winter Craft

2012-01-28T11:31:00.001-07:00

With the winter winds o' blowin' and the kids in the cesspool of germs at school, we are always battling colds, coughs and the dreaded 'puke' virus. Hallie's been the puker this season, and when she's home for the day, Thomas and I can't get out of the house; so we usually find something crafty to do rather than just lie around and watch movies all day. With this round of sickness, I decided to start cleaning out the craft cabinet-- recycling old paper, chucking old playdoh, floam and all the other crap we accumulate over the months...and I also decided to go through the food cabinets that always seem to be packed with cans, cereal boxes, half-boxes of crackers, baking stuff, etc. that needs to go!

I found some cool stuff for the kids to use instead of just throwing it all away. So we did some old school crafty stuff, listened to some music, used our imaginations and enjoyed being in our jammies for half the day.
1. Old pallet paper
2. expired popping corn
3. random tub of craftiness
4. glue
5. paints

Butterfly Hoodie

2011-10-22T13:01:00.001-06:00

I'm way diggin' my Butterfly Hoodie from Hip Mountain Mama. It's a beautiful Fair Trade, long-sleeve hoodie made out of 95% Viscose and 5% Lycra, so it's super soft, stretchy and fitting. It's REALLY comfy and the colors are beautiful.

I really like unique, one-of-a-kind tops to express my creative personality, so this hoodie is perfect for me. The butterfly applique is hand-stictched on the front, and there is hand stitching around the hood, which is really a unique touch.

I recently wore my hoodie up in the mountains...just relaxing and playing some music with the hubby.

The hoodie also has some side pockets, which is nice, too.

Check out more unique clothing at Hip Mountain Mama!

My favorite hip store that cares about people and the environment---all products are handmade, sustainable and Fair Trade for anyone with a natural attitude at any altitude!

Take it easy,

~Misheli

Out With A Bang! Fall Foliage 2011

2011-10-22T12:23:00.000-06:00

The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you
like the leaves of Autumn.
~ John Muir

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. ~Elizabeth Lawrence

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days. ~John Burroughs

No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one Autumnal face.
- John Donne

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~Stanley Horowitz

On such a day each road is planned
To lead to some enchanted land;
Each turning meets expectancy.
The signs I read on every hand.
I know by autumn's wizardry
On such a day the world can be
Only a great glad dream for me--
Only a great glad dream for me!
~ Eleanor Myers Jewett, An Autumn Day

'Love Tunic' Review

2011-10-10T13:26:00.001-06:00

I love my Love Tunic top from Hip Mountain Mama!

I've been wearing the top a lot this fall since we've had an Indian Summer around here and I usually just grab a hip sweater for the cool evenings.

It's really cute as a short dress in the summertime, but I really like to wear it with a pair of jeans.

My hubby really digs the tunic, also because the halter top is pretty sexy and it's a great top for a date night anytime of year!

The tunic is really feminine and playful which is why I love it, too, and the colors are natural and earthy. I feel like smilin' when I wear it!

For other cute tops, go to Hip Mountain Mama. They are stocking up on some beautiful handmade, fair-trade clothes for the winter so it's definitely worth checking out all the new stuff! I just bought this beautiful Butterfly Hoodie and Boho Blouse from the store and wore it up in the mountains for my anniversary weekend. They are gorgeous! Reviews and pictures to follow...

Keep it real! ~Misheli

"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."

2011-10-08T09:41:00.004-06:00

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

"Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.

You are already naked.

There is no reason not to follow your heart."

~RIP Steve Jobs~
and thank you...

Inner-Work---A Creative Process

2011-09-14T16:50:00.001-06:00

I'm taking an e-course called, "Inside Out--A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery" --- to get me back in the creative groove! I feel like I am never putting the time in for the Creative Process and am always rushing through life trying to tackle all the daily projects. I have forgotten how to let go and just play--especially with the kids! I'm only on Day 2, but already I feel better just by creating a little piece of art with soft pastels. Hallie joined me and it felt so good to create with her. I am also loving the fact we have to journal everyday. I am finding that my journal is my best friend now. I used to journal a lot before I had the last 3 kids--and it feels good to write again. I'm really enjoying this class!

Hallie loves to create--here she is working on her butterfly with soft pastels

the art table for the evening!

my dragonfly--transformation!!!!

love this happy face -- feeling inspired by her creation!

Early Fall Family Hike

2011-09-14T16:32:00.001-06:00

I can't believe we are half through September already! Time just flies with each passing year, you know? I am really trying to focus on enjoying the little things and quit worrying about getting to the next project whenever I get some downtime.

So, this past weekend I hiked my first two Fourteeners. I'll blog a post about it later, but for now I wanted to share some photos from a family hike we did the next day. Needless to say, I wasn't moving very fast after hiking up to 14,000 feet the day before, but I was thinking about my family a lot and talking about how I wanted to do more hiking with them. I have always said I couldn't wait until they got older so we could do more hiking and here we are....the youngest being 4 and we really haven't been hiking all that much! So, I decided that when I got home, I would make it a priority to get more day hikes in on the weekends if we could.

So here we are....me, Steve and the youngest three exploring the Dunraven Trail just west of town. I can't believe we have never been on this trail as it is so close to home. The trail is about 3 miles long and hooks up with Rocky Mountain National Park. It's really beautiful and the trail follows the north fork of the Big Thompson River. The flora and fauna are really abundant and the kids got to explore, fish and listen to the sounds of the funky squirrels warning us amongst the lodgepole pines.


Steve teaching Thomas the ropes for casting a flyrod

Thomas loved finding unusual sticks and rocks

watching brookies

one slippery fish Jack caught!

happy fisherman!

cool purple beetle we found along our hike

catching one for Thomas

Hallie and her little brookie!

love this photo of Hallie and her dad

Add caption

cool little chipmunk checking us out

Jack noticed these cool beetles

cool squirrel--he had a black tail and a black ring around his mouth.

North Fork of the Big Thompson

Looking forward to more family hikes in our near future --- especially as the Aspen leaves change from red to orange to yellow before they are done for the season! This weekend I am hoping we can get up to Lake Agnes up near Cameron Pass. Stay tuned and happy Autumn!

Late Summer Days

2011-09-09T07:07:00.000-06:00

Late summer is the best time for wildlife and we have an abundance of sunflowers in our backyard each year! Once our sunflowers get ready for harvest, we get the squirrels, birds, bees, butterflies, sphinx moths, and hoppers all over the yard for some nice summer shows. In the fall, we usually get the elk strolling through the yard looking for leftovers!

The other day we had this acrobatic squirrel climbing on one of the tall, thick sunflower stalks grabbing and munching on the seeds. He was was so funny and entertaining to watch on a rainy afternoon!

We also have a lot of grasshoppers around these days for a catching challenge! Personally, I love to watch them and just check them out up close as they peacefully sit on the leaves.

We also had a really cool White-lined sphinx moth on our front door before school the other day. He was really cool to watch.

The sunflowers are so prolific this year--this is this the first year I didn't plant any seeds. All of these flowers grew from last year's harvest of seeds that fell to the ground. We have a ton of sunflowers in the garden, grass, sides of the house---just from birds, critters and elk dropping the seeds along the way. It was fun to see where they popped up as summer progressed this season. We actually had to weed some of the sunflowers out of the garden because there were so many crowding out the crops--but we just love to watch them grow taller and taller and slowly blossom by midsummer.

The kids have been making sand castles in our sandbox recently to cool off! Today, Thomas decided to make a "lake" for a summer splash!

And of course, my summer favorite, the hummingbirds. We've had a few hummingbirds most of the summer coming each day to the feeder. Unfortunately, the wasps are all over this time of year and we are continually dodging them on the deck! However, it's all worth it so we can check out these cool, fast little hummers!

Hoping we have a few more weeks of these warm, summer days to enjoy the hummers, birds, bees and butterflies. Old Man Winter can come quick to Colorado! In the meantime, I'll really take the time to enjoy these last days of summer.

First Day of School 2011

2011-08-26T10:32:00.000-06:00

Jack started 4th grade and has a few of his buddies in his class!

Hallie started first grade and Thomas is waiting to start his last year of preschool.

The Snowies 2011

2011-08-26T10:28:00.000-06:00

One of our favorite places to camp in the late summer is Medicine Bow National Forest. It's so hot down on the Front Range and camping up along the Snowy Range is just what we need to beat the heat and relax outdoors with nobody around. This year we camped with a few other families and had such a blast. The kids explored the creek and caught minnows and brookies as well as little frogs and tadpoles. They had such a great time just being free to wander around the area exploring all the subalpine streams and meadows up around 10,000 feet above sea level!

One of my favorite things about The Snowies, is that there is always snow up there! It's fun to walk in the snow up there!

I love the delicate alpine wildflowers trying to bloom before the summer is over. Their active growing season is so short that it really makes you appreciate these little flowers and the harsh conditions they live and grow in each year. Some only grow an inch or less a year and bloom for a short time if they even have the energy to bloom that year. They have to wait a whole year until snowmelt again to continue. It could take years and years for an alpine flower to produce a seed that would flower and spread.

The sunsets up there are beautiful, too. Where we camped, the sunset light hitting the creek was just amazing.

Another awesome reason we love our little camping spot is because of the small creek that meanders through the meadow. It's low enough that we don't have to worry about the kids getting taken by the water and long enough for the kids to explore and catch the little fishies. It's also a great place to cool off if the sun is shining!

The kids loved exploring the meadows while the adults relaxed at camp. They walked all over using their imaginations and yes, responsibly holding their BB guns.

Of course, fishing is always a favorite in our family and Steve was able to teach Thomas a few casting moves. He's starting to get it! This really is a special memory for Steve and Thomas.

I think the beauty of the area is really why we go up there each year. The subalpine streams and wildflower meadows can really help you just let go and truly enjoy the beauty around you. The wonders of nature abound up there in The Snowies!

"Like A River" by Kate Wolf

2011-08-17T12:14:00.001-06:00

My little sis left me a CD that her friend had made back in 1999 when we first moved out to Boulder. I was living on my own as a single mom, kind of lonely, reflecting and exploring my new interest in bluegrass and folk music. This great song was on the CD and I was instantly moved as the lyrics spoke to me so clearly, I would just play it over and over again.

"Like A River"

It's high on a mountain the warm winds are blowing

and where the winds are blowing to, there ain't no way of knowing.

The mountain grass is short; it's dry and close to burning

crying out for water as the season's turning.

The sweet smell of pines, the tall western cedar