Welcome to Aspen, CO

Welcome to Aspen! Here's a sampling of the ski runs, taken from my seat at the local coffee shop, Zele. Max will have a big time boarding on these runs!

Happy Birthday, Pam!

A view from the front porch .... Mt Sopris..... and a view from the back deck, the Capitol Mountain range of the Rockies, behind me in the photo.

October 29......my favorite day of the year! Followed closely by December 15, Max's birthday!

This was a birthday to remember....the first one EVER that I've spent alone.....well, ok, Sage was with me, but I refer to alone as no human company. Spent the day taking 2 hikes - one with Sage, one alone, and explored Basalt....where I found an excellent little locally owned bookstore, but they were, unfortunately, out of Eric Clapton's new book, so it will have to wait.....and received many cards, texts, emails, and phone calls......I am blessed to have so many people sending me this much love!

October Full Moon Rising in Old Snowmass, CO

Who can resist the beauty and romanticism of a moon like this?

Sage, the 10 year old yellow lab I'm sitting spent a few nights just sitting outside howling at it. Who can blame him? I know exactly how he feels!

Independence Pass

Welcome to Independence Pass, the short cut through the moutains between Aspen and 285 in CO. After driving this with no snow on the roads, I totally understand why they close it Nov - April.....there are many areas where the road isn't wide enough to accomodate 2 cars, let alone RV's, semi's, etc. And on one side of the road is a steep incline, and the other is a drop off.....and you might notice that there are no guard rails......

Glenwood Canyon

Glenwood Canyon - and the hiking / biking trail that winds along the Colorado river, and some of the rapids in this river. the biker in the bottom photo gives you an idea of how big this canyon is.

RuthAnn's cousin James says that in the spring, as soon as the rafters are permitted to bring groups, locals line up along this trial to watch the fun....apparently these rapids provide all the excitement one could ask for.....

RuthAnn's visit

RuthAnn returned to the southwest. She's a real gamer, as my friend Guy would say, as she made the 8.5 hour road trip with me to Snowmass, CO the day after flying into ABQ. But we hit Santa Fe in a big way before we left for Snowmass. Interestingly, Santa Fe is the home of the famous "Inn at the Loretto" and RuthAnn's mom's name is Loretto. We couldn't resist!Along the way, we found that Independence Pass was closed due to snow, so we had to take the long way around to Snowmass, taking us along I-70 through the truly magnificent Glenwood Canyon.

So here are the snow covered Rockies on Oct 18.....and then Saturday, just as RuthAnn, her cousin James (also from Hamilton, a 1974 Fairfield High School grad who lives in Glenwood Springs) and I arrive at the summit of a mountain ridge to watch the sun set, we get hit, literally, with a blizzard that left 6 inches.

You can see a few of the Aspen ski runs from this photo taken from a coffee shop in downtown Aspen. Max is going to LOVE boarding out here!

En route to Aspen, we had to navigate a herd of cattle walking on the road, on their way to who knows where, but they obviously weren't at all concerned about us or the car!

Thankfully, James has a 4 wheel drive vehicle, so he drove us home.....and then was nice enough to take RuthAnn to Vail the next day to hand her off to her brother, who also has a 4 wheel drive vehicle, which is the only reason he was permitted to drive over Vail Pass.

But even luckier for me, the snow melted this week in the 70 degree, sunny fall weather we've enjoyed!

Elizabeth Kucinich campaigns in Taos Thursday, Oct 11

Elizabeth Kucinich visited Taos Thursday, Oct 11 to promote her husband's vision in his quest for the presidency.

Elizabeth and her friend are seen here talking serious issues with the Governor of the Taos Pueblo.

Here are a few photos from Sunday afternoon on the Rio Grande, taken by my friend Lou Morgan. The colors are luscious this time of year.

Taos Fall Arts Festival

My friend Ginto Naujokas took the 1st and 2nd place honors for Pottery in the Taos Fall Arts - Open show - an annual event for 33 years.

The large jar is a Japanese wood fired pot - in the kiln for 8 days/7 nights.

The white is mica clay from New Mexico and is a quick pit firing process. He burnished it for many hours prior to firing to create the shine.

Tribute to Ruth Kemper Reames March 5, 1912 - October 11, 2007

My Grandma, Ruth Kemper Reames, was my role model and personal hero. She loved me and was always interested in what turns and adventures my life took, regardless of the outcome. She understood that it is the simple things that matter most. Good food, family, friends, and laughter were her ingredients for a full and happy life. She didn't judge the actions of others, merely observed and was available to talk if you wanted to, but mostly just loved you. Regardless.

My grandma died Thursday morning. She was 95 years old and had been married to Freeman Reames for more than 70 years. She went to sleep and didn't wake up. We should all transition so peacefully.
She was an extraordinary woman. She was one of 6 children: 5 girls - Evelyn, Pauline, Helen, my grandma, Pearl, and a brother, Donald. She was a mother of 3 children: Sandra, Peggy, and Dan. My mom, Sandra, was her first child, and I was her first grandchild. Grandma was wise and accepting. She was also a business owner - she had a beauty shop in their home. Trips to Grandma's house, for me as a young girl, meant polishing my nails and sitting in the dryer chairs reading "Photoplay" and "Modern Age"- both "People" type magazines about Hollywood and the stars.

Grandma was a great cook! Everyone who ate her applesauce agreed that it was the best they'd ever eaten! Her pies were incredible, too, and I am not a pie person. She also made FANTASTIC sugar cookies, but swore that my grandpa's were better.

She loved to fish with my grandpa – it was one of their favorite recreational pastimes. She was an excellent seamstress and could hook a rug, quilt, and embroider.

One visit several years ago, I listened to a conversation between my mom, and my grandma and grandpa about a peach. The conversation was a long one, regarding the size of the peach, where she'd found it, that it was big enough to share, that it made 2 peach pies, how juicy and sweet it was, and how delicious this peach was and how much they had enjoyed the peach pies. That was my first clue about the real important things in life, and that my life was not allowing time to just reflect on the really simple things, like a peach. I’m sure there were many conversations like this, but it was the first one I’d really heard.

Visits to grandma's house also meant listening to the latest records in my Uncle Dan's collection. I was totally into his music in the early 60's. He is only 5 years older than I am, so I had an early musical education and was introduced to “the British Invasion” - "The Dave Clark Five", "The Rolling Stones", "The Animals", and "The Beatles". Grandma was great about letting me play his records, even though I'm sure it was the last thing she wanted to listen to. And when I would bring a girlfriend with me for a weekend visit, Grandma encouraged us to hang out in the breezeway and sing along with Diana Ross and the Supremes - "Stop, in the Name of Love" and "Love Child. We were also really good at "Jimmy Mack" and "Dancin' in the Streets" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.

Grandma and Grandpa lived at Indian Lake, Ohio until about 10 years ago, when they moved permanently to West Palm Beach, FL. They were surrounded by their 3 children until last year when my Aunt Peggy moved to the Atlanta area. In June, 2006, my Grandpa Freeman died. My grandma's family members were her best friends and with whom she socialized. After Grandpa died, she lived in their condo for awhile, and then was invited to live with my Uncle Dan and Aunt Gracie. My Aunt Gracie took this photo of Grandma in July.

She spent Sundays with my mom, volunteered at the homeless shelter, the Salvation Army, and checked in on her friends. She baked, played cards, and loved life. She taught me homeopathic remedies, to trust my inner voice, not to take myself or life too seriously, and that age was only a number. She didn't live her life or make choices about her activities based on her age. She said that you must never let your age determine your choices or actions. It is only a number. Age is a state of mind.

Grandma will be remembered by her 3 children, 8 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, more nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews than I know of, and hundreds of people whose lives she touched.

I am grateful to have had her in my life, and that Max had his great grandpa till he was 18 and his great grandma till he was 19.

She lived fully and died peacefully. I carry her in my heart.

Wool & Movies in Taos!

This is the weekend of the Wool Festival with guest appearances by the Morning Star Alpacas, (the white ones) and the Llamas, who make really interesting moaning noises.

















It's also the weekend that the Taos Mountain Film Festival was here, and wraps today - what an exciting weekend.


I talked with Brenda, the volunteer coordinator for the Taos Plaza Visitor's Center, who told me the story about the American Flag flying here in the Plaza. It's one of only a handful of flags that have been given permission to be flown 24/7. It's a "Lincoln" flag - one from when Lincoln was president, one that doesn't have 50 stars. If my dates are correct, there would be 36 stars on this flag. Interesting, no?

Hiking Italianos Trail Sat Oct 6

The aspens are turning gold all over Taos Mountain.


Check out the light orb over my forehead....

Pink Clouds over Taos Sat Oct 6

This is the sky I woke up to......isn't this amazing!

The Taos Gospel Choir Rocks the Taos Inn!

Last night the Taos Gospel Choir brought the house down.....Fantastic!!!


The absolute BEST massage therapist in Taos is Deborah Curtis, singing her heart out and wearing the black cap.

My friend Linda, in my yoga class, is one of the featured soloists and is on the right, in an off the shoulders black top.

Mary, at the piano, founded the Gospel Choir after she relocated here from New York City where she was a jazz pianist. She still plays jazz, every week or so, with the Aaron Lewis Trio - usually appearing at the elegant El Monte Sagrado's Anaconda Bar.


I was caught recalling my own singing days with the Taft High School Treble-Aires! Hmmmm, after last night, I am thinking about auditioning for Mary Bruschini's Gospel Choir. What fun they obviously have!