Well, it’s not Sunday – but it’s always a good day for a little bit of appreciation.  This past week was a rough one in many respects, but it’s amazing how much pretty can still be found if you keep your eyes open during those rough patches instead of clamping them shut.

1. Last Sunday we stumbled upon an Oktoberfest celebration in Breckenridge.  Win of the week, I think.

2. Near Hoosier pass, taking a few detours to soak up the fabulous fall colors.  This time of year is my very favorite.

3. And another shot on Rt 67 near Cripple Creek. Fall leaf drives – there will be some posts on this goodness to come for sure.

4. Sunday = family cuddle day.  We have the most comfy couch. And my cat looks like an alien.

5. Took a little (8 mile) bike ride and it took me past this sherbert sky.  If I was God, I’d paint the sky sherbert too.

6. All I’ve wanted to do ALL SUMMER is mini-golf.  And we FINALLY made it!

7. Also – I am a little rusty at mini-golf.

8.  One of my favorite spots.  Love this sculpture, and running by this campus on a weekly basis.

Sigh – fall, you are a soothing companion.

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  • Meghan JohnsonSeptember 26, 2012 - 3:52 pm

    Fall IS a soothing companion, isn’t she?

    Love, love, love the kitty! And your outfit in the mini golf shot.ReplyCancel

This is one of my favorite perks of summertime (and it extends some stretch into autumn) – the weekly farmer’s markets.  And this year I was able to get my hands on several huge bunches of basil (swoon) so my freezer is now stocked with a good portion of pesto.  Glory.

When appreciating the beauty of simple things, there are few that are simpler and lovelier than a fruit or veggie fresh from the market.  The colors and patterns and textures and tastes and smells are definitely an inspiration to the senses.  We ate our fill of peaches this summer, that’s for sure (and never altered a single one – I had all these recipes flagged, but when the peaches are SO good, why sacrifice even one to a recipe?).  And what is simpler than just a peach?

My Monday is feeling particularly out of sorts today, so I’ve found myself lingering mentally on some of the simplicities of summer (the unfussiest season) and wishing life to forever be uncomplicated.  But nonetheless, fall is creeping out from behind the warm weather.

Are those apples and pears I spy? Already?!

I know you must by now think I am crazy for heralding the splendor of fall and desiring its arrival most readily, while now wanting to linger a little bit longer in the spell of a lazy summer afternoon.  I suppose all that’s to be said is that staying in the moment is one of the hardest exercises of all.

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We finally had a few days that felt like fall this week, so husband and I are running up to the mountains to soak up as much aspen yellow as possible!

1. Some gorgeous anniversary flowers (and oreos – what can I say, the guy knows me)

2. Fall is peeking out through the trees.  Hooray!

3. Getting distracted by pretty things while I’m out on a run is pretty much par for the course around here.

4. My last piece of Trader Joe’s chocolate bar.  Until Thanksgiving, which seems a lifetime away.

5. Last weekend, Cory was gone camping/hiking 14ers all weekend, so he brought me home the first bits of fall.  Swoon.

6. A chilly, rainy day that allowed me the use of my boots AND the ordering of a hot drink.  Landmark occasions.

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Happy fall – enjoy the fabulous weather.  So thankful for having the mountains in perfect escape distance – off we go!

(Find me on instagram : @bellatheball)

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  • Bespoke TravelerSeptember 16, 2012 - 9:34 pm

    Happy Autumn to you as well. Enjoy the great outdoors and the colors of the season. Cheers.ReplyCancel

{photo by the awesome Kenny Kim}

Hard to believe that two years have gone by since this guy picked me forever.

Cory, you show me every day what sacrificial love is all about.  You deal with my hatred of dirty dishes and my love of absurd clothing items (hello, leopard jeans and striped blazers, I’m talking about you).  You make me breakfast and always with extra peanut butter.  You make me laugh all the time because you are just as ridiculously awkward (but without the leopard jeans, thankfully) and you are always down for another crazy adventure.  Thanks for keeping me grounded and letting me fly.  Thanks for being the best company.  You are my above and beyond.

Happy us, babe.  Here’s to a million more.

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A few weekends ago, some of Cory’s family was in town and we all spent a few days exploring Colorado.  One of the adventures we found ourselves on was a biking trip around the historic town of Leadville.

There used to be a great deal of mining around Leadville, and the effects of it remain marked very clearly on the landscape.  The trail we biked was an eleven mile paved loop called the Mineral Belt Trail which provided panoramic views of the city along with some interesting old mining structures and signposts with historical information.

We rode through some aspen groves that would be lovely in the fall, and I’m always amazed at how plants will grow under the most adverse conditions – all these piles of refuse from the mines that poisoned water supplies and caused problems for the environment had flowers growing out of them!  A sweet reminder that beauty in the midst of mess is not necessarily impossible, although invariably more work.  But perhaps more valuable?

I’m generally not much of a biker – I will run or walk for miles without much complaint but for some reason, bikes give me much more trouble.  We took the loop counter-clockwise which provided a steeper climb for the first half of the trip but a longer more gradual downhill.  In any case, the downhill part was quite lovely!  Ha.

I think it’s fun to learn the history behind the places you live and the places you visit – that’s part of the mystery of a new place and I always enjoy a place more when I can see my story intertwining with the stories of people who walked around here before me.  I can only imagine what people went through living and working in these Western mining towns so long ago!  Or before them, the first person to figure out there was something valuable way deep in the rock somewhere.  Or before them, the first people to see these mountains and think, that would be a nice place to settle down.

Humans make history interesting, don’t they?

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