2016 holiday design
‘Tis the season with a reason.
Took a weekend off from marathoning/hiking/life adventuring – to send out my annual Christmas cards (& some fancy chocolates too). Whatta a crazy FULL year! Hard to pick just 3 photos to capture 2016; settled on: my 50 State marathon finish, Russia’s Red Square & Ro’s late-season 14er hike up Grays Peak. One time a year it’s still a-ok to ‘go postal’ & USPS greetings to friends & family.
(visiting family so…) Missed PS Audio’s annual Christmas activity (last year gingerbread houses, this year decorated live trees) – thankfully, Ash shared pics from the office’s BEST EVER Christmas prank. Proud dad moment 🙂
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- Ash’s fur family, Marty & JoJo
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- Belgian — YUM!
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- waiting for Santa 🙂
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- office Christmas prank
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- proud dad moment
All I Want for Christmas Is You
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
