Category Archives: Mountain Stuff

I Don’t Mind the Rain

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darcybakerphotography

I awoke Saturday morning to the soft pitter-patter of rain drops gently falling on the trees in the woods and on my roof. I don’t mind the rain. The clouds have rolled in, the skies have become a landscape of grey and white billowing whispers and it makes feel calm…quiet.  No, I don’t mind the rain at all.

It rained all day on Saturday and all the way into my Sunday in which I once again awoke to that familiar sound of gentle pitter-patter.  A sound that without much effort quickly per-swayed me back into a restful state.

No, I don’t mind the rain, in fact I don’t mind the quite grey clouds that sneak in to mingle with the bright white happy ones.  The sound of the drops falling from the sky especially when they tag the leaves in the trees on their way down and dance on the puddles their predecessors created are gentle reminders for me to stop and breathe.

I listen for their rhythm, I listen to hear the wind that has carried them my way and I wonder how far they’ve had to fall in order to reach me. I appreciate their journey.  I listen to stop, iI stop to breathe and I connect.

No, I don’t mind the rain.  The rain reminds me there is comfort right where I am in the moment.  It reminds me that it’s okay to stop, rest and allow myself to rejuvenate quietly.  It reminds me that I’m not always in control and that’s okay too.

*I am rejuvenated*

I am,
The Urban Mountaineer

“I am” therefore….

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The John Denver Memorial Park

I’ve found lately that if I just enjoy the moments as they come and not worry so much about which moment will come next, which decision I think I’ll need to make soon or which path I should be on in order to get to where I want to go …later, I find myself effortlessly in a beautiful and peaceful place. Continue reading →

A road leads to a random yet precise convergence

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Image of Bear Tooth Pass, Montana

From the moment I arrived in Red Lodge I started meeting the most endearing people.  I spent a good deal of time chit-chatting with many locals. both in their businesses and at their homes while they watered their lawns as I passed by with cameras in tow. Continue reading →

A scenic route unfolds into quite a discovery…

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image of Smith Mine in Bear Creek, MT

There wasn’t a sound save for a piece of metal on the roof of one of the buildings.  It swayed and squeaked reluctantly and ever so slowly in retaliation to the blowing wind.

I arrive in Red Lodge tired but somewhat amped after a long day of driving (the box of Milk Duds I ate had nothing to do with it at all). My first thought after checking in was to get the camera out and start taking pics.  I didn’t want to drive around aimlessly though because after an already full day of driving it was going to be a quick shoot (and seriously how much driving can a girl do in a day?). Continue reading →

Milk Duds, a map and the Montana state line

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image of a map and a box of milk duds

It was as if Wyoming had said “a tout a l’heure” (with a stately giggle) and sent me on my way into a vast land of “nothing”.

My journey to Red Lodge began two days prior with a few phone calls and some pretty swift packing. According to my map the quickest route was I 25 north through Wyoming with a quick left once into Montana.  Easy enough.  Route planned, cameras and computer packed along with a suit case and my cappuccino machine…yes, my cappuccino machine.

A departure time of 3:00am was set. Continue reading →

Back to my roots via Red Lodge, Montana

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Grandma Lu

“My mother was so mad. The first thing she said to me when she got off the train was…

I’ve always wanted to go to Red Lodge, Montana.  Okay maybe not always but I’ve wanted to go ever since Grandma Lou (her name was Lucile but we called her Grandma Lou) told me that’s where she grew up. Continue reading →

Finding the real gem buried in a sea of treasures

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picture of antique chair at the Silver Plume Tea House, CO

I’ve lived in Colorado for over 15 years now and not once have I pondered the idea of exiting I-70 at Silver Plume for a visit.  Quite honestly Silver Plume never meant anything more than just the exit before George Town, which was the half-way mark to Frisco or Breckenridge (where I am typically heading to).  But the thought of pulling off at that exit never occurred to me.

That was until about three years ago… Continue reading →

Don’t forget to look up!

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Beautiful Chandelier of Estes Parkark_IMG_6959_wm

A long time ago I used to work with a theatrical lighting company (a job I truly loved!).  And it didn’t take long after I started to get in the habit of looking up at the ceiling as soon as I walked into an establishment that housed any type of special effect lighting (or audio for that matter).  After a while I just started looking up whenever I walked into any building; I’ve learned that there are lots of surprises to be found when you look up.  A tin ceiling with ornate design…or in some cases a tin ceiling with ornate design that some brilliant person has tried to cover with paint, really good speakers, a dollar pinned to a rafter (and other similar objects), a well-engineered track of wire that serves a purpose you’ll never know, a balloon that has popped and never found its way back to the ground for proper final resting…a beautiful chandelier that obviously did not originate with the building it found itself hanging around in…art.

For anyone familiar with my photography, it’s obvious I do a lot of looking up.  On this particular day while loitering around a little mountain town just outside of Estes Park, I walked into a little café, but before I did (you know I had to look up) I found this spectacular chandelier hanging above the entrance.  I notice it has lights, I can only imagine how beautiful it must look at night.

I hope you enjoy the whimsical spirit and cheerful colors of this wonderful find…

-The Urban Mountaineer

 

 

Good Morning!

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morning flower

Sometimes it takes a little longer to see the sun rise per se when you are perched in a field alongside a mountain but it’s certainly worth the wait nonetheless.  On this particular morning I was happy just to get away from the noise of the city and quietly blend into a little valley between two mountain peaks.  When I say city noise I don’t necessarily mean the typical noises we hear with our ears…sometimes it’s the noise from the energy of all the hussle-bussle-stressful-business the daily grind imparts on our soul.  On this morning I wasn’t concerned with capturing technically perfect pictures rather images I could keep on the ready to remind me of the most simple pleasures spending time in the mountains provides and how getting away from the noise is so valuable to me.

morning flowers basking in the sun

morning flowers basking in the sun

Enjoy a moment of quiet peace…

The Urban Mountaineer