“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
You may find yourself on the same path as many others however, that doesn’t mean you’re heading for the same destination. What matters most is that you determine what your own destination will be and never forget to enjoy the ride!
I overheard someone talking the other day about how disappointed they were in the progress of their career in comparison to others. They couldn’t understand why after several years on the same path they didn’t have the same job title or status as those with similar education and experience. I thought that was rather odd. The conversation then triggered my memory of my childhood road trips. Continue reading
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
I went on a quick photo shoot this afternoon downtown Chicago. Against my better judgment I wore my favorite pair of earrings, dangly earrings that have fallen out before. I looked in the mirror with gear in hand and said to myself “you know you are going to lose these earrings today don’t wear them”. But I did. And guess what? I lost one. I didn’t notice right away but as I was getting ready to go out for the evening and I was pulling my hair up I noticed there was only one earring left standing….ugggggghhh. LOST was one of my favorite earrings! Continue reading
I want a ride on a tractor…
Not just any Ol’ tractor but a very special tractor; one that might have been secretly a John Deer but painted to look like a Ford. I want to sit in an old wooden folding chair in a make-shift trailer attached to that tractor, riding with all my cousins on a loop around the world…in Gaylord, MI.
I promise to wait patiently… Continue reading
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
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
Enjoy a moment of quiet peace…
The Urban Mountaineer
Have you ever had one of those moments when you’re watching your child and realize they are about to fall into danger and you’re physically too far away to catch and swoop them up into safety? I have, but luckily all ended well by the grace of the universe…well and my daughter’s ability to embrace the situation with determination instead of fear.
My daughter was six at the time and it was just another ordinary day of riding lessons at the barn for her. She was such a tiny thing; the horse so large compared to her little being. It made me a tad nervous however, she was a natural and always exhibited control with the horse she trained on (Jaguar was his name) so I heeded her trainer’s advice, suppressed my doting-mom fears and just let my baby ride.
Every week she rode and I watched in awe as my little girl gained strength, skill and confidence to ride that big ol’ horse. Rising up to the challenges her trainer threw her way, my daughter never failed to smile and muscle through her lessons.
On this particular day I decided to bring my camera so I could capture some images of my little darlin’ in all her horse riding glory (alphabet/crayon decor helmet and all). I remember how particularly well she rode that day. She was beaming with pride as she and her trainer decided to push it up a notch and turn a routine trot into a full-on gallop.
And then in a blink of an eye, a fraction of a second and barely a push of the shutter button things took a turn for the worse. A fox had run out in front of Jaguar and spooked him. I didn’t see the fox through the viewfinder of my camera however I saw the mood of that horse change faster than I could throw the camera down to the ground (you’ll notice that particular picture is slightly blurry and the last one in the series). In utter horror I watched a spooked Jaguar buck like a freak show with my little baby hanging on for dear life on his back. The camera hit the gravel as both the trainer and I scrambled after Jaguar to save my daughter. And all I could think about was my daughter getting tossed and broken into a million pieces.
And this is when Jaguar got spooked…
At the same time while on a very bumpy and unpredictable ride (to say the least) my daughter surprisingly stayed remarkably calm and focused. She was determined NOT to get tossed. And through it all not a scream, cry or even a faint peep was heard from her.
By the time we finally got Jaguar under control my daughter was literally halfway off the horse, sideways!!!! Seriously it was like something you’d see on a “Three Stooges” skit. She had been hanging on like that throughout the entire incident. Jaguar’s bucking was so strong and sudden that his first buck had knocked her off the saddle …it was quite a scene.
I know she had to have been frightened but her courage, strength and determination is what got her through safely. I don’t know if words could ever explain the horror I felt as I watched my daughter manage such a dangerous situation without being able to help her…there was nothing I could do about her fate until I was able to get Jaguar under control.
But the horror I felt was overshadowed by my daughter’s courage. You see, after we got her off Jaguar (doing my best to hide the fact I was on the verge of puking) I asked my daughter if she was okay and she bravely said “yes mom, I’m fine” and then I asked her “do you want to get back on that horse?” without hesitation her reply was “yep!” “Okay girl, get back on that horse and finish your lesson”. Not really what I wanted but if she was brave enough to get back on I surely had to be brave enough to let her.
I learned a valuable lesson that day and so did she. From time-to-time you may find in life that you’re caught on a bucking horse…a freak-show bucking horse (metaphorically speaking). And when that happens you have the choice of giving in out of fear (and falling off of course), or you can hang on for dear life with determination and focus to make it through in one piece. You have the choice to embrace the situation as an opportunity to exercise your strength and courage…and if you do you might just end up surprising yourself in what you are truly capable of doing!
