The View From a Different Window: upon realizing how fast time flies....part 2

As 2013 comes quickly to an end, here's the months of July through December in the life of one transplanted Kansan in the mountains of Colorado. Having written a blog post for January-June a couple of nights back, thought I should finish up with this "part two" of how life has changed for me here along the Western Slopes.

July~

I spent my first holiday here (Independence Day) along the Western Slopes and the photos above were taken when it was about 90 degrees warmer than it is this morning. Mike and I went down town to watch the annual parade down Main Street and then headed to one of our local parks to visit the "Travelling Wall", the memorial to the fallen of the Vietnam War. I was able to locate the names of three soldiers I had known who had given their lives in the jungles of south east Asia, now over 40 years ago. It was a very moving moment to rub my fingers across the names of Henry Fisher, Sergio Albert and Tommy Lee Daniels. I had seen the "Wall" a few years back in McPherson, Kansas but it was a privilege and honour to see it once again.

It was the summer of wild fires in Colorado and I learned first hand about the how danger was forecast here. Smokey the Bear wasn't kidding....we all needed to be careful. Although those of us in the Montrose area were pretty much removed from the wild fire problem here, all around us we could see on the horizon huge clouds of smoke from blazes that were occurring elsewhere in the state as well as from neighbouring states of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. After having my first experience with wild fires, July brought another phenomenon to me, the "monsoon rain" season. Mike had told me we'd be seeing some sudden downpours that ended up being pretty predictable during the month of July. He was right and pretty much on schedule, each and every afternoon they would arrive. It became impossible to walk out to the clothesline until the ground dried out each day. Venturing out onto the yard here (100% clay) was like walking in wet cement~not a good plan.

I was still suffering with bouts of extreme homesickness and trying to find my own "niche" here along the Western Slopes. I didn't cry nearly as much as I did in June, but I will have to admit that I still shed my share of tears. Visits from folks we knew, especially the dear friends shown below, really helped to ease my loneliness for Kansas and the life that I had left behind. To the Willis Family, Anne and LeRoy, thanks for your visit. I was saved by a lot of people and a lot of things :)

And during the last weekend of July, how wonderful it was to make the journey from here along the western side of the Rocky Mountains and fly to a small island in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. At long last, I became a "mother-in-law" when my oldest son Ricky wed his beautiful wife, Angie. So glad that I was able to overcome my fear of flying back in March of this year because riding a bike the over 2,000 miles it would have taken to get there would have pretty much sucked big time.

August~

I learned how to "bowl" again but was never able to beat Mike's score. I had fun trying at least and never had to resort to using the bumper guards or THIS little helper.

It was enjoyable to watch the alfalfa be baled not once, but four times this season. August brought yet another cutting and we were entertained in the late evening hours as the baler made its round. It reminded me of my childhood years of growing up on a farm in south central Kansas.

And just when I needed them the most, I found the "18" just waiting for me to come and be their teacher at Olathe Elementary School, just up the road from our home in Montrose. All summer long I had been searching for them, never knowing where they might be. I thank God for the opportunity, the blessing, the privilege of being their teacher this year. They saved me~a lonely school teacher, a Kansas transplant into the mountains of Colorado. Finally I had found my niche here and believe me, not a moment too soon.

The end of our first day together, August of 2013. They do not know how happy they made me that day. I love each of them very much and for this school year, we belong to each other. Year #36 of being a teacher~I have failed "retirement" twice now. Is that a record somewhere?

September~

We saw a beautiful sunrise up on Cerro Summit......

And made a wonderful new friend and found a fellow Kansan at the same time when I met Claire, one of the teachers at our school.

I shelled out the sunflower heads that had grown tall in the summer

And laughed when I saw this poster on Facebook one morning.

October~

I embraced being an Olathe Pirate....

But I never forgot that I was a Haven Wildcat.

I found the beauty of John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High"

And had a "virtual" 58th birthday celebration through the camera lens of my dear young friend Michael back home in Kansas.

November~

We saw some beautiful sunsets to end the late November days and before we knew it,

The snow began to fall.

And fall,

AND FALL!

December~
One last month of 2013, with very few days left to experience. What will the New Year of 2014 bring? Only God knows the answer to that one. No matter what lies ahead of me, I am not afraid and I move forward in gladness for the blessings of this life of mine. Dear family and friends, I wish for you peace, joy and love in your lives. I count it a blessing to call you "friend" and hey, did you just feel that right now? It was a hug, from me to you.