photo heavy Denver post

 

Okay - time for the photo heavy Denver post.  I've been busy with back at home things, but I'm also anxious to share before the busy holiday weekend.....so then...

I flew into Denver Thursday night, arriving just before 9pm Denver time, which was 11pm my time.  I was pretty tuckered out and I don't think everything, if anything, I said that night made a whole lot of sense.

 

On Friday, my friend and hostess Tina had to work, so I made plans to walk a few blocks into town and meet up with some scrapbookers who I've known in the online sense for well over five years already - some even more, some less. When you work and play in the same network and online community as others for so long, you get a good sense of their humor, their interests, and there's already a shared bond in hobby.  It's a cool and fun thing to put those personalities and names to real live faces. 

From left to right - Houston, Mary Kay, Heather, Emily, myself and Arleigh.  We ate at the Egg Shell and it was awesome.  I misbehaved though and ordered this delicious egg and potato dish and then suffered some serious guilt when Emily ordered yogurt, granola and fruit.  I enjoyed my meal tho and my scale still likes me. Phew

 

I really have to thank Emily for bringing everyone together. It was a fun morning. I love meeting people.

 

I really like this picture I caught of Arleigh - she had taken her hat off and I couldn't resist. Brian says, PINK!

 

After breakfast we walked a couple of blocks over and passed some time in Penzey's sniffing and purchasing spices. I walked out with a nice little bag full.  I bought Greg some Black and Red after the lady reassured me that it would satisfy his need to kick everything up a notch.  For myself I bought some Cardamom, just in time for holiday baking.  I picked up a few others as well.

After that we hit a couple other stores - a chocolate shop, a German bakery - where I'm tickled to say that I behaved.  The raisins in the carrot cake saved me.  I was so close to buying a piece until I learned there were raisins.  Blech. I'm not a fan of raisins in my carrot cake.

The scrapbookers all drifted apart and I headed back to Tina's with my spices and new sunglasses - and snuggled up in the lazyboy with a book - nodding off every so often - until she got home.

Friday night we headed to downtown Denver. It was a little chilly with my fleece,  but not too bad.

The view was wonderful.  I could have easily spent more time here. Next time, right?  I was wishing I had a zoom lens - there were some interesting characters.

 

These two tho - I really enjoyed my evening with them.  That's Tina on the left, and my husband's cousin Janet on the right.  We stayed up and giggled until Tina's roommate shushed us and we had to call it a night.  hmph.  Apparently we even tried to include my cousin Julianna in on the action as she informed me that Tina's phone called her twice and while nobody was there, she was witness to our good time. 

Cell phones are risky.

 

On Saturday morning, Tina and I started our day at Udi's for breakfast, where we both ordered this salmon and egg breakfast thing that I'm not having any luck finding online to link - but it was incredibly delicious.  We were just both surprised that the salmon was actually raw and came on top of our bread.  But boy, was it good.

We ran a few errands then, got some Advil for my tiny headache and then headed up to the mountains.  It was gorgeous.

 

I'm not sure what the names of the areas we went to were - I wasn't paying much attention, just absorbing the beauty and the ride. There were a lot of snowboarders about and this guy - he looked about to launch himself and was setting up his video camera.  Had it not been so cold and windy up on the top like that, we would have stuck around and watched, but our fingers and cheeks were quickly freezing up, so we headed back to the truck for warmth.

 

Well, after I made Tina pose for 20 minutes so I could get this shot.......

This was the shot that sealed the deal - I definitely need that wide angle lens.  I can't remember the name of this town, but it was one of several where Tina had lived. She was an excellent tour guide stuck with a poor receptor.  (does that make sense?)

 

Actually, I had left my journal/notebook back at the apartment when I really should have had it with me on this tour so I could write down those things.

 

I love this color combination.  mmmmmmm.

Speaking of which.....

 

Remember those glasses I had to buy because they have *Sun!* in Denver?  Well. yeah.  So we're driving along and all of a sudden I tell Tina - pull over pull over!!  I just love that contrast and color combination!  So she pulls over (she gets me) (well, mostly) and I hop out to take a few pictures. The first thing I did was take off my sunglasses and it was this majorly serious letdown.  Until then, the browns had been such a gorgeous yellow hue - and when that hue met up with the red barn it was jaw dropping.  I was crushed when I realized it wasn't real. 

So I tried to capture it this way, but the mood is lost somehow. 

 

 

It was still worth the stop anyway.

 

A little further along, Tina suddenly tells me to get my camera ready and to take a picture of the town's sign.  She assured me that one of my blog readers is really going to appreciate this one.  I'm just taking her word for it.

 

 

Our journey then took us through a bit of canyon, we saw some trains - but I wasn't prepared camera wise - and ate lunch in Grand Lake. We bought some stuff for sandwiches at the local grocer's and ate near the dock - but it was cold. By the time I finished my sandwich my lettuce had ice chunks on it. At least, it felt like it did.

 

After our lunch, we headed up into Rocky Mountain National Park with the hope that we'd see some moose. We didn't see any moose, but we did see all those elk in the distance and I was not very prepared lens wise.  But it was fun.  Only the first ten miles of the park were open this time of the year, so we got to the barrier and then started heading back towards home.

 

And I had her pull over just one more time before the sun went down. Man, I love that 10mm.  wow.

We wound down our day looking through photos, enjoying a yummy dinner, cheesecake for dessert and more visiting.

On Sunday - I didn't take any pictures but for two of the cat that didn't turn out.  He decided he didn't like me once I pulled my lens on him.

We spent a few hours at an antique mall before lunch time and heading to the airport.

It went quick - but I felt like I did a lot and really enjoyed seeing what I did of Colorado. Like Tina said - there's still so much to see, I'll just have to go back someday and next time take the family. One of these days.

And with that - that coffee that I had after dinner is just about wore off and I can be thankful that the kids don't have school tomorrow as I crawl into bed at 1:30 am.  I'm still on Colorado time. 

be good.

Comments

[Brita]

Whoa, you look great! I hardly recongnized you. Inspiring. And I LOVE the sunglasses barn picture/story.

[Jan C.]

The sunglasses picture is actually pretty cool. It's like you're getting snow and dessert at the same time depending on whether you look through the glasses, or around them!

[Jan C.]

lol, I think I meant to type "desert." Obviously, I bake too often for my own good.

[Ally]

Well, while I agree that there is still much more to see in Denver... and those photos are FAB... I think your next running away from home trip should bring you to Arizona - where Kesti and I could be your tour guides and trust me... you shall be amazed! :)

[Ann Bimberg]

i didn't know janet was there still!
i woulda said to say hi from me...
but, alas, sharyn, no bookstore??

[joanne (spagirl)]

looks like a lot of fun! i love meeting fellow online scrappers (met emily at cha!!) and, i love penzey's... wish we had one here! great photos!

[Jennifer]

Wow! You got some awesome looking pictures!!!

[Pamela Young]

Sounds like you had fun! Love all the pictures! :)

[Cheryl]

You're making me lonesome! ...and I appreciate the Kremmling sign :) Thanks.

[heather]

wow beautiful pictures

[slammie]

beautiful pics!

[Nicole Harper]

looks like you had a great time...especially hanging out with those lovely ladies in the first pic! :)

[Callie Ann]

Excellent pics and story.. Thanks for sharing

[Julie M.]

So fun looking through your pictures! And especially reading your thoughts that went with the pictures. :D

[emily pitts]

so much fun! thank you for spending part of the day with us, it's always a treat to get together. you had a gorgeous day to see the mountains!

[Denise]

Awesome photos! It looks like you crammed a lot of fun into your trip. Thanks for sharing!

[Nancy K]

Oh Sharon,
Those pictures are amazing. What fun to see Colorado again, especially through someone else's eyes(or lens if you will).Glad you were able to see at least some of the park, we spent many weekends up there.And Grand Lake has to be one of the prettiest spots- we stayed there for a weekend.
So glad you had such a nice trip! Next time, take me:) Thanks for posting the pics! Happy Thanksgiving

[Tina H.]

Hi Sharyn!
Wow....I had no idea I called Juli:) I'll have to call her and find out which great gossip she heard.
Cheryl noticed the Kremmling sign - I told you so (I didn't just say I told you so, did I?)
If your daughter really wants a photo of the cat...I have a bunch of great ones!
Tina

[Amy L]

Hey you look awesome - inspiration for me, I think I'll start that program after these crazy holidays. I have a good excuse of a full time nursing baby in the mean time.
Sounds like an awesome trip. But I am waiting for the Greg running the house post - in need for a good chuckle!

[~ Junkyard Jennifer]

You look great. Sounds like a fun trip. Have I told you lately how much I enjoy your humor? :)

I've been thinking of you a lot lately because I have one more pound to go to be down 1 bag of sugar--and I'm hoping to hit it this week, but with Thanksgiving and all... We'll see! I keep that analogy in my head ever since you first mentioned it.

~ Jennifer