Walking is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside. Elizabeth von Arnim

Translate

Monday, October 03, 2011

Happyone has returned

Hi all, i'm back and ready to blog once again.  It's been nice having a break.

My day today started as usual with my morning walk.  It was pretty cool out there with a temperature of only 40 degrees and i had to wear a couple of layers of clothing.  It was cloudy but dry and was actually quite a nice morning for walking.  The picture shows some flowers growing up along one of the foot bridges along a walking path.
I walked around the lake and saw quite a few of the regular walkers and runners.  Most commented on the cool weather.
I saw two chipmunks run across the path in front of me and a couple of rabbits were along the path.  I counted 8 deer in the woods and all the geese seem to be back around the lake again.  
I walked 6.2 miles.
With the sun not coming up till after 7, my walk starts in the dark again.
Sunrise 7:05
Sunset 6:47
***********************************************
For a week and a half of my blogging break we drove out to Denver, Colorado to see my daughter Debbi and two of our grandkids, Antonio and Taryn.  It took us three days and we drove pretty steadily and directly there on the way out.
Drove through lots of rain and clouds and only saw the sun a few times until we got out to Denver.  It's just clearing up here as we get closer to Denver.
Had a great two days catching up, met Jimmy, Debbi's boyfriend, and just enjoyed spending some time with them.  They moved out there about a year and a half ago so it had been a while.  Denver sure does agree with them.  All are happy and enjoying living there.  I can now picture them there and i'm happy because they are, though i do miss them.  Picture came out a little blurry but here we are.
Me, granddaughter Taryn, grandson Antonio, and daughter Debbi
After we left them we drove back home much slower and stopped at sights along the way.  No plan, we just stopped when we came across something we wanted to see.
We spent a day in Colorado first driving up to Pike's Peak.  Wow that is some road getting up there.
 We stopped here on the way to the top and took a picture of the two of us.  Yes, there is snow and that is a snowball.  It was only 34 degrees up there while a nice warm 70 degrees down below.
Reaching the summit we felt quite light headed being 14,110 feet up.  I felt like i drank a few beers and Ken kept a hold of me so I didn't fall down!  : )  I mentioned how i felt to one of the workers up there and that no one else seemed to be feeling like i did and she told me everyone feels like that they just aren't as vocal about it as you. : ) 

Also that day we stopped to look at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, Pueblo-stye houses where the Anasazi lived fro 1100 A.D to 1300 A.D.
 We had lunch in the town of Manitou Springs at an outside cafe and walked the streets of the bustling little town.
Then we drove through the Garden of the Gods
On the way home we also stopped at the Pioneer Village in Nebraska, toured the Ford Rouge Factory and watched Ford trucks being built and the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, and stopped in Ohio to see where Longaberger Baskets are made to name a few.
We really enjoyed our trip and had a great relaxing non rushed non planned vacation.
We took lots of pictures and i'll be posting some on my other blog as the days go by.
As nice as vacations are i'm always glad to get back home once again.  What a varied and beautiful country this is and each part has it's own special beauty but i'm an east coast girl at heart and i'm happy right here in Maryland. : )
**********************************************
So i'll be at home today doing some cleaning and this and that around the house.  I've gained a couple of unwanted pounds on that vacation of ours and will be working to get them off again.  I think just getting back to my walking and exercising should do the trick.  

It's just about time for my lunch now so off i go.
It feels good to be back blogging again. : )

A smile from me to you and have a happy day.
Happyone : )
He is happiest, 
be he king or peasant, 
who finds peace in his home.
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

13 comments:

George said...

It sounds as if you had a wonderful trip. We didn't get to Pike's Peak when we were in Colorado, so we didn't get quite as high as you did, but we did reach snow.
It's nice to have you back.

o2bhiking said...

Yay! Welcome back. It sounds like a good break for you. Last weekend (9/23-9/25) I actually walked quite a bit in Maryland as part of the Susan G. KOmen 3-Day For the Cure, but it was in Montgomery County and not up your way. Art

Christina said...

welcome home and welcome back to blogging. You have a beautiful family, loved seeing your photos. Im going to Denver soon myself. Hope to enjoy it as much as you did.

:)

Happy@Home said...

Welcome home! You have been missed here in blogland.
Your vacation looks like a wonderful time. Glad to hear that your daughter and family are happy in Colorado. Great picture of all of you.
I was in Colorado once many years ago and remember it as being a beautiful place. So nice that you could stop and visit different places on your way home. Your stops in Michigan were near where I grew up. My dad worked for Ford for 30 years. I last went to the museum with my son on a field trip in elementary school.
I have no doubts that your extra weight will be gone in no time.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi there, Sounds like you all had a wonderful trip... Glad your daughter is doing so well.. Great photo of you/them.

We haven't been to Pikes Peak yet--but want to go... I know what you mean about the feelings you have at 14,000 feet up... Wow!!!!

Glad you are back. Have missed you.
Hugs,
Betsy

Barb said...

I wish I had known you were here - so close to me! You visited some scenic areas. We're due for snow here at altitude in a couple days. Glad your family likes Denver - I think it's a great city. Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

I've missed reading your blog everyday! Glad you are back!!

Wanda

Kerri Farley said...

What a great trip! Happy to have you back safe and sound!

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, have missed you! Glad you had a nice vacation.

Paulette

Noofy said...

Welcome back! Your trip looks so exciting, wow, Pike's Peak! Your daughter looks like you, you could be sisters. I'm like you, can't leave the east coast, this is home. Look forward to your pictures and postings.

Vee said...

So good to see you back. Blogdom isn't the same without you. Now I'm patting myself on the back for figuring out that you may have gone to Colorado to visit your daughter and grands. It must set your heart and mind at ease to see them happy and well there. I'd feel that way, Karen, up that high; I just wouldn't know that's how I'd feel if I drank too many beers. ;> LOL! Cracked me up.

Post away. I'll enjoy the cross-country trip via your wonderful photos.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Welcome back *Honey-Bun*! Glad you had such a wonderful trip and blogging break!

Now your blogging can commence again, with you being rested and re-invigorated. :-)

Gentle hugs,
"Auntie"
"Pix Muse" blog
"Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, a torch flung to the trees." ~~Faith Baldwin

Cheryl said...

Welcome back! I really enjoyed your pictures and can't wait to see more.