Colorado Rockies Archives

Mar 8th Spring and Family Collide

Shamrock4 small March is here! Yea! The wearing of the green, always brings me into a Spring mood. This year Easter is right on it’s heels, which makes decorating my house for Easter a short-lived experience. I love all those pastel eggs, bunnies, butterflies and happy things. No I don’t forget the reason for the season either.

It’s time to encourage the brown grass to bring up new green shoots. Daffodils, tulips, crocus all have their little green sprouts above ground checking for acceptable weather. Inevitably, they get snowed on at least once here in the Rocky Mountains, but they persevere anyway and put on a colorful show. I love Spring.

I’ve been planning our 2016 camping excursions since December, making those all important reservations at Steamboat Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Twin Lakes and many more. A trip to Lake Vallecito this year is exciting, especially to meet up with friends. However, last night I discovered that maybe, we’ll have to rearrange a few details this year.

A death in the family, and failure to keep in touch with cousins I was close with growing up gave me pause for thought. I received a letter and an obituary in the mail of a favorite uncle a few weeks after the fact. Why… because my cousin didn’t know how to contact me. She located my webpage, facebook page, but a death is something you don’t want to post on social media.

When I received the letter, I immediately looked her up online and located a phone number, made the call. After forty-five minutes of catching up, I was sad how much we’d missed after we grew up and life intervened. The reason for lack of communication is not always what you think. What a shame.

So… plans to return to my childhood stomping grounds may lessen the amount of time we spend in state and federal parks this year. Connecting with family and friends I haven’t seen in years, seems more important. To my credit, I always send a newsy Christmas Letter with pictures of where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing. That’s how my cousin knew my address. Life is unpredictable, what you assume will always be there when you are ready… can disappear in an instant.

I’m not one for genealogy, but connecting with family that helped make childhood memories so precious is something I wish I’d done sooner. But better late than never. I hope this acts as a reminder to pick up the phone, call someone you’ve put off too long connecting with, because… you never know. Sorry for the less than inspiring post this week.

Some good news. Copy edits are done on my next novel, A Witch’s Journey. A story about how meeting the right person can make all the difference in the world. No matter who or what your are. I await excitedly for a peek at the book’s cover, soon to come. I’ll share it of course.

Do you have people you wish you’d stayed in contact with? Look ‘em up, give ‘em a call. If only to say hi, how are you doing?

I love to hear from readers. Take a minute, write a comment. You’ll be glad you did, and so will I.

Next week I promise a happier topic as I discuss favorite camping haunts. Places to enjoy in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Also the challenge of gardening in a short growing season. Until then, make each day count!

Posted in Food for Thought, My Say What Blog and tagged A Witch's Journey, camping, Colorado Rockies, family, flowers, remember, Spring, writing by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.

Mar 24th Spring Equinox Arrived!

Sure enough, according to scientists, astronomers and people that know these things, Spring Equinox arrived at 12:57 p.m., on Thursday, March 20, 2014. You wouldn’t know it here in the Colorado Rockies as lots of big wet snowflakes blanketed the tulips and daffodil plants that should know better than to stick their tender green sprouts above ground this early.

Also known as the Vernal Equinox, it brings a plethora of traditions and rituals including more sunlight hours, which makes me happy. Easter for Christians falls the first Sunday after the full moon subsequent to the Spring Equinox. Others celebrate the Spring Maiden or Goddess who watches over the emerging flora and fauna, a reminder of earth’s fertility. Still others have traditional dances and hunts to celebrate the arrival of Spring.

As the snow melts, the thirsty ground sighs with relief soaking up the much needed moisture. Hope springs eternal for the promise of warm sunlit days that awaken the budding flowers and bring spectacular color to our world. Happy Spring everyone!

Posted in Food for Thought, My Say What Blog and tagged Colorado Rockies, Daffodil, Easter, rituals, Spring, Spring Equinox, Tulips by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.