Running December 2 until January 1, is one of Denver’s most anticipated events, which is a great opportunity for folks of all ages to enjoy the holidays or kick off the New Year with family, friends and colleagues. Zoo Lights will span through 70 acres of Denver Zoo’s campus, with nightly entertainment, animal encounters, Santa meet-and-greets and, of course, illuminated animal sculptures that swing through trees, jump across lawns hide in bushes and appear in places where they’re least expected.
Special Friday nite preview, day after Thanksgiving – timing couldn’t be better, 4 tickets please 🙂 20 minute drive to Westminster; piled into Ash & Tom’s SUV for my first-ever evening trek to the Denver Zoo. Christmas tunes, festive lights & hot chocolate. Notta lotta animals visible in the dark, however the Zoo’s indoors enclosures & aquarium were crowd-packed. Ice sculptures, elephants, giraffes, river otters, bats, crocodiles, birds, exotic fish & reptiles. Much to see & do.
Nite concluded with cards & board games (M/cards, Ash/Clue champ…yet again), tomorrow a.m. road trip.
Been 3 years since Tom ‘popped the question’ to Ash on Pikes Peak. May 2017, it finally becomes official – the kids have scheduled their Colorado wedding in Silverthorne, a mountain community just outside of Breckinridge (west of the Divide). M & I tagged along, as Ash & Tom reconnected with their event planner Saturday morning. Food, check. Bar, DJ, Lighting – check, check, check. Centerpieces, glassware, tables/chairs, discussion ‘bout the dance floor. Whole lotta details.
Only surprise centered around the couple’s outdoor ceremony – appears a large building will soon obstruct their natural Colorado 14er backdrop. ARGH! Plan B: wedding photos before the ceremony (mountain meadow per the bride’s request), vows exchanged river side. In the event of snow, an impromptu set-up will happen at the Pavilion.
MUCH appreciated the opportunity to see/hear/watch Ash & Tom finalize wedding details. Excellent way to end the long holiday weekend – yet another thing to be thankful for 🙂 my gift? the couple’s honeymoon. Stay tuned.
Denver Zoo Lights
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- holiday lights, animals too!
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- Colorado Christmas season
Silverthorne Pavilion
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- a family fave, the Happy Hooker
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- early a.m. kahlua & coffee
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- hearty breakfast – LOVE LOVE this place!
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- beautiful mountain location, just outside of Breckinridge
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- bride with a vision
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- details, details, details
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- view from above (2-story venue)
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- river to your left, mountains on your right
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- Memorial Day weekend, mark your Calendar! (no marathons allowed)
July 5 2013 (Pikes Pikes proposal)
Holiday feasting over, woke Friday to sunshine.
After transporting Miss M to/from her facial appointment (who doesn’t need a day of beauty?), grabbed some toast at Moxie Bread Company on Main & walked over to Mudslingers Pottery.
Asked Michaela what she wanted to do while in Colorado. Ceramics. I blame this entirely on my sister. Sis’ 4th of July reunion activities were a BIG hit with MY fam.
Hmm…ceramics. I could certainly one-up that, right? How ‘bout instead of just painting a piece, we actually sculpt & create something on a pottery wheel – bang out the whole process, from clay to final product. How hard could it be?
Telling ya upfront – LOOKS are DECEIVING, whole lot easier in the movies 🙁
At Mudslingers Pottery School in old town Louisville, Colorado, people of all ages and ability levels come together in a relaxed but vibrant atmosphere to explore ceramic arts. We offer tools, support and instruction to help stimulate the artist in us all.
6 weeks of lessons, jam-packed into a 4-hour session. Whole lotta chatter…learned the history of clay/various types of clays, wedging & eventually molding that clay on a potter’s wheel.
Girls RULE this sport. re-worded for clarity: Girls DOMINATE pottery.
Multiple attempts at keeping my clay ON the wheel – zing, zing, zing…and off it’d go. Even with an apron, would leave today wearing my creation. Mud up the arms, pant legs, couple swipes on the brow..a sloppy mud mess.
Fast forward another hour – created something bowl-like. Success, done.
Oh we’re not done yet…heck no. Instructor John says we still have 45 minutes to create a 2nd piece – are you KIDDING me? And now that we know how to use the wheel, we’re attempting beer steins (at least that’s what I’m calling my taller bowl/pot).
Like parachuting from a plane, great to try once in life. Yep, just like that. LOL>
Back in December to paint my ‘art’, then it’s history. One & done folks, one & done.
UPDATE (Feb 2017): 3 months later – baked, glazed & kiln’d again. Our FINAL product ROCKS, huh? LOVE LOVE it! Thanks Ash & Tom for following up with Instructor John & finishing our pieces. Whatta surprise! Couldn’t face Herr Potter again – just couldn’t do it.
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- START with 2 types of clay
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- add water — then zing, zing zing…
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- girls DOMINATE this sport
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- one & done folks — so much harder than it looks, who knew?
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- baked, glazed & kiln’d again
Mudslingers Pottery, Louisville
Direct flight from Hartford, shared my Boulder office for 2 days while she managed business remotely from Colorado. Michaela – that’s who came to Thanksgiving dinner this year. Kicked off festivities Tuesday night at La Rev with Tom’s relatives. Whole lotta laughs.
T-Day – early morning run, sweet potatoes in the oven. M signed up for [sweet potato] casserole, while Ash tackled the bird again this year. No drama, A rocked it out last year. Moist, juicy, delish – on turkey duty permanently now. Why ruin a good thing, right?
Asked Ash & Tom to tape the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Kept eyes peeled for niece Maddie – dancing in silver & corral under overcast skies in the Big Apple, N-Y-C. AND in between football & card games, caught some traditional post-holiday zzz’s 🙂
So much to be thankful for. Cards/video greetings from friends, feasting with family…plus this year, Ash’s 10-year-old foster pup found his forever home – nothing better! To my Blog Family: God Bless & Happy Thanksgiving 2016!
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- direct flight from Hartford, M joins us this year for Turkey Day
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- Tuesday nite laughs at La Rev
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- T-Day start: early morning run, sweet potatoes in the oven
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- moist, juicy, delish – on turkey duty permanently now
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- sweet potato casserole
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- FAAANNNTASTIC!
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- post-holiday zzz’s
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- it’s tradition — yep, even Ro
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- Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
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- live parade pic from my bro (niece danced behind the purple hippo)
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- Ash’s foster on 9NEWS
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- GRATEFUL!
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade
holiday greetings from running pal Stacy & hubby Dan
