Moab

On a whim, after our last house concert, we decided that we loved the band 3 Penny Acre so much that we wanted to follow them to the desert, to the Moab Folk Festival, to hear more of their beautiful music!  So, we packed up the Scamp for one last trip before winter, and left Castle Rock early on a Friday morning.  We knew it would be snowing, and despite the promises I had made my worrying mother that we wouldn't go if it snowed...we plowed on through.

Snowy roads do not bother me or scare me.  I drove on pure ice for 7 straight months at a time when I lived in Alaska.  BUT, I'd never driven the Scamp in the snow, so that was of course a different matter.  I was SO, so pleased to find that the Scamp had actually no bearing at all on my ability to safely navigate us over the continental divide in a snowstorm.  And look what was waiting for us on the other end.....

Pickin' in the Pines

 I can still remember it so vividly.....my favorite weekend of the summer.  How is it possible that this was my favorite?  With all the traveling, and family, and scenery, and music, and festivating....as I've said, the entire summer was so lovely.  I feel like we squeezed all the life and love and beauty and magic that we could out of this summer.  And yet...

This simple, unplanned, last-minute, rainy weekend was my very favorite.

And what made it so?

• beautiful, interesting, free-spirited children
• good friends
• like-minded parents
• unhurried, open ended conversations
• long, chilly mornings spent snuggled in the Scamp reading
• more mandolin playing in one weekend than I've quite possibly every partaken in
• more confidence and shedding-of-hang-ups about my mandolin playing than I've ever experienced
• a wide open meadow with plenty of space for our babies to run and play without our constant hovering
• late night campfires
• the best starry night of the summer
• hot tea and cold beers, at all the right times
• simple meals....just enough to keep us satisfied
• the feeling that I had all I needed or wanted right there in that peaceful meadow, that I didn't want it to end, and that I wanted to do it all over again the minute I got home.

 

Summering

Things are starting to wind down for us after a very busy summer.  The days and nights are getting a little cooler, it gets dark a little sooner, the garden is slowing down, and we're starting to think about house concerts and canning and football season.  But my what a summer it has been!  This has probably been my most favorite summer ever.  I feel like we've been going non-stop, and honestly, by this point I'm exhausted.  But all I have to do is think back on all the adventures we've had and I know that it's all been worth it.  In addition to the big trips and festivals that I've talked about....our summer has looked like this...

Plants coming home to the garden

Sadie's end-of-year preschool program

The boys playing music for Record Store Day at Bogey's West, our local record shop

A special birthday cake for my hubby..Guiness Cake with Bailey's Cream Cheese Frosting.  I LOVED this recipe and will definitely make it again.

A weekend of celebrating the fathers in our lives....first with my papa at Euclid Hall, a restaurant I've been wanting to try for a long time.  This Brat Burger on a pretzel bun was to die for. 

And then with the Peterson side of the family for a Sunday afternoon pizza date.

Sadie's had as musical of a summer as we have...and it appears to be rubbing off on her.  She's showing a LOT of interest in her fiddle and we couldn't be more thrilled with that development.

She loved watching friends play music at Park House, our new favorite bluegrass-friendly venue in Denver.

We had a great 4h of July celebration in downtown Denver with our friends the Friesens....saw three different fireworks shows and felt like we were right underneath the awesome display the Colorado Rockies put on every year.

Of course plenty of time hot tubbing at Nana and Poppie's...

Time with both the mothers and sisters in my life....

A special celebration to honor our friend Marjorie and the awesome advocacy work she does as part of this organization.

Hooping with our buddies the Jamiesons at the Institute for Spiritual Advancement

Date night to go see Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, with Edie Brickell at the Chatfield Botanic Gardens!

Goodness from the garden and a vodka tonic on a warm summer night. 

Early morning yoga with my girl

Celebrating the newest member of our neighborhood family, Dyer baby #2 is on her way soon!!!

The Avett Brothers and Old Crown Medicine Show threw it down at Red Rocks!

All this fun and adventure in addition to the five festivals we will have been to, the camping trips, trips to the east coast...oh and our jobs....whew.  No wonder we're so tired.  But I wouldn't trade any of it.  This summer has deepened my love for my family, my friends, this beautiful state we live in, and the music with which we fill our days.  Sure feeling thankful, lucky, and blessed as we turn into fall.