I’m back! What an awesome vacation. I did hop on my computer here and there to make sure everything was happening that was supposed to be happening, but a lot of places I visited didn’t have bathrooms or grocery stores for miles, much less internet or cell phone. That was sort of nice. Anyway, I know you don’t want to read post after post about my vacation, so I thought I would compress my vacation into one top ten post. I will be sharing some other snippets, but interwoven with the usual home decor stuff. So, here are my top ten moments…
10 – Watching storms roll in…
I’m a person who enjoys thunderstorms, anyway, but they are really magnificent in the mountains and so unlike those we have in PA. Each storm is so isolated and it blows in, hits with force and moves on. Each afternoon, you can spot one or two storms making their way around the peaks and flatlands. And hearing thunder echo through the canyons and valleys…amazing.
Number 9 – Finding Jeff’s grandmother’s ironstone…
Most of my “moments” are about being out in nature, but this is the exception. If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I love ironstone. It’s definitely my favorite thing to collect, buy and sell. When I first opened a kitchen cabinet at the cabin in Colorado, which belonged to Jeff’s grandparents, and I spotted white dishes, I didn’t think anything of it. A lot of people have white dishes. Well, I grabbed one and instantly knew it was ironstone. Sure enough…almost all of the white dishes were ironstone with a few buffalo china pieces mixed in.
I was so excited to discover that Jeff’s grandmother had ironstone. And I gasped when I opened this cabinet…
Jeff thought I had discovered a mouse or giant spider. It was more ironstone! She had pitchers, coffee pots, casseroles, serving platters…lots of ironstone. I only had the pleasure of meeting Dorothy one time, but it was when she was small and frail and only a shadow of the woman she had been in her prime. She was also confused, so I wasn’t able to have a conversation with her where we really made a connection. Finding her ironstone collection gave me that connection.
It’s a very different kind of moment from the other listed, but it was a special moment, so I wanted to include it.
Number 8 – Feeding the chipmunks at St. Elmo…
Tucked in a valley near Mt. Princeton in Colorado is a little town called St. Elmo. It’s a “ghost town”, but really isn’t one anymore. It was a town that popped up during a mining boom and was then abandoned with the mines weren’t producing. It’s now a spot for tourists, outdoorsy folk and chipmunks and people who want to feed them sunflower seeds.
There is a wood pile that is littered with sunflower seed shells and chipmunks, squirrels and birds scurry around looking for treats. They’ll climb all over you and eat right out of your hand.
Feeding chipmunks alone wasn’t enough to make it on my moments list, but it was so fun watching my boys excitement at the chipmunks. And it was neat seeing them enjoy something my husband, Jeff, enjoyed as a boy and always shared with me as a highlight of his trips to Colorado.
I enjoyed the architecture of the town and stole a few moments alone with my camera. I’ll share more of that in another post…
Number 7 – San Juan Skyway Drive…
The drive from Durango, Co to Buena Vista was really beautiful. The mountains there were lush and green and reminded me so much of Switzerland and Austria. I grew up in Germany, so this area felt like home. I actually started crying at one point, which surprised me. I couldn’t articulate it well, but a rush of memories and happiness and longing welled up and spilled out.
The beauty of the drive was tempered a bit by the windy road, lack of guard rails and shear drop-offs. Let’s just say my knuckles were white and Jeff was laughing at me.
Number 6 – Ouray, Co…
So, I’m getting all emotional about missing Germany and then we drive through the town of Ouray. It is so much like a Bavarian town that it made me all emotional again. I got out to buy a coffee for Jeff and it even smelled like Bavaria. Crisp mountain air mixed with fresh bread, coffee and chocolate lingering in the air.
It’s a beautiful town and I declared after being in it for about 10 minutes that I would be okay if we live there one day.
Number 5 – Going on a trail ride with my 6 year old…
We spent the bulk of our trip on Deer Valley Ranch in Buena Vista, Co in Jeff’s grandparent’s house (now owned by his dad and uncle.) It is a working guest ranch, so my oldest son and I were able to go on a trail ride. We took him to the barn first to make sure he was comfortable on a horse…
He loved it. The next day, we went on a trail ride where he got to “control the horse by himself.” Sort of. They gave him a gentle horse who just followed the tail in front of him, but that was perfect. He enjoyed ever minute and I enjoyed his enjoyment.
Number 5 – Seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time…
Our first big stop on our vacation was the Grand Canyon. My husband and I have been looking forward to the moment we step up to the rim for the first time, so we decided we would take turns. One would stay behind with the boys while the other walked up to experience it…free from worrying about our boys falling over the edge or bumping into someone’s expensive camera or wandering off. Jeff let me go first.
I walked down the wooded path towards one of the overlooks on the south rim. My heart was fluttering.
As the depths of the canyon came into view, I could feel my breath catch. I’ve seen pictures and film of it, but, as everyone says, they just can’t do it justice. They simply can’t. The vastness of the place can’t be seen from one vantage point. Our limited human eyes, which were created with such intricate detail, can’t capture all of it in one look. You have to turn your head to scan the full horizon…at least 180 degrees to take it all in. A wide angle lens is a joke at the Grand Canyon.
Once we each had our turn at our “first look”, we took the boys up to see it. My youngest was unimpressed. His favorite part of the day was a 4′ water slide at the Aquaplex in Flagstaff. My oldest thought it was amazing, but was still recovering from a virus, so the brightness was gone from his eyes and his energy was low. With two whiny kids in toe, we weren’t able to go on any hikes or explore at all, which is why this moment was placed at #5 . We did drive to another vantage point and, again, took turns letting the other look for a few kid-free minutes.
When it was my turn, I went up to the rim and just looked. It’s awesome in the greatest sense of the word and I just wanted to drink it in and remember it forever. There’s a soft whisper of the wind through the canyon. The enormity is overwhelming. Your eye follows a cliff to flat ground and a path winds along it for a while, then there’s another drop off followed by another. The cliffs are marked with caves and places where rocks slid. At first glance, everything is brown, but then your eye discerns layers of reds, pinks, oranges, rusts. I only had a few minutes, but those few minutes was satisfying. We didn’t get to hike or go on a trail ride or take the train or rafts or fly over it, but the minutes I had by myself at the rim were enough. For now. I already started dreaming about when I can come again.
The only wish that wasn’t granted, seeing the sunset there. I would love to have seen rays of sun climb up the canyon wall, painting it in vivid hues, bringing out the contours of the topography. That may have been too much for an already overwhelmed first-timer. And the timing just wasn’t right.
Number 4: Drive from Flagstaff, AZ to Durango, CO…
This moment makes it so high on the list because it was so unexpected. This drive was one amazing landscape after another. Large, flat plains with, what looked like piles created by a bulldozer, but they were natural. Rock spires and mesas…every turn brought some other strangely beautiful landscape. I was asking Jeff to pull over the car for photos about every 15 minutes.
Number 3 – Seeing Monument Valley…
When we started planning our summer vacation, seeing Monument Valley was on the top of my list. I told Jeff if we were anywhere close, we had to go. It didn’t disappoint. It was stunning. We kept looking for that iconic shot of the straight road leading into the monuments. When we spotted in the rearview mirror, I got out of the car, stood in the middle of the road and took a picture. Storms were sweeping through the valley, so I didn’t get the perfect shot, but it was a great moment.
Number 2 – Hike on Cottonwood Pass…
As we drove through Arizona and Colorado, I realized I wanted to hike! We used to hike as a family when we lived in Germany, but I’ve never been interested as an adult. But now, I would see small trails and switchbacks and wanted to get out and discover them. I finally got the chance when we drove up Cottonwood Pass and my family hiked up to one of the peaks, above the timberline, at around 13,000 ft.
It was about a 3 mile hike round trip and my boys were troopers. I thoroughly loved every minute of it.
When we reached the top, I placed my “Marian Parsons was here” rock on the top of the pile…
A fierce wind picked up and a dark sky loomed, so we didn’t get to enjoy the “summit” for very long. On the hike down, I made a decision that I was going to buy a pair of hiking boots and enjoy some of the hikes local to me in PA. Jeff was very excited at this decision, but I did warn him that I’m going to be a fair-weather outdoorsy sort. If it’s hot and buggy…no thank you.
Number 1 – Galloping through the mountains…
And now to number one. Something you probably don’t know about me is that I used to ride horses. I went to riding camp every summer and trained on jumpers…even got to risk my life on a few green horses back in the day. I loved riding, but I was always too busy with theatre to pursue it seriously. Still, anytime I have the chance to ride, it’s thrilling to me. So, I signed up for a trail ride and tried not to have high expectations. If you’ve ever been on a tourist trail ride, you know that they put you on old, slow horses that just follow the horse in front of them and munch on trees and shrubs. It’s boring and you don’t really have to do anything. I was prepared for that and I told myself to just enjoy being on a horse in the mountains.
I showed up at the assigned time and the ranch hand leading the ride came out with two halters over his shoulders. He leaned over the fence and said, “You’re the only one on the trail ride, so do you want to go on a trail ride or do you want more than a trail ride?”
“Ummm. It depends on what you mean…” I explained my riding experience and my desire to really ride a horse, not just sit on one. That’s exactly what he meant. He picked out a real horse for me – one that was a barrel racing horse, so she was fast and spirited and loved to run.
We rode out to an arena where I tested out my riding skills…it had been a while. With each stride, I felt more comfortable and it was all coming back to me. I always rode English, so Western was a change and I had to get used to the longer stirrups, neck reigning and not posting when the horse trotted, but I eased into it.
Once the ranch hand was confident in my skills, we rode along a trail to a straight, dirt, mountain road and let the horses run. I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a horse that was so fast. She galloped along and it was a total adrenaline rush. I did have visions of the horse coming to an abrupt stop and me flying over her head, but I talked myself out of that fear and enjoyed the speed and the wind in my hair.
At the end of the day, I was sore. (I’m still sore, truth be told. P90x doesn’t work the same muscles as horseback riding!)
I had to wash little rocks out of my hair that were kicked up by the ranch hand’s horse. I rinsed away the dust and smell of stable. But that was evidence of a summer vacation day well spent. One that made it to the top of my moment’s list.
What a fabulous post idea!!!
Thanks for sharing. I was as excited as you with the Ironstone discovery! AND the pic of your boys hiking (mine are grown and out of the house :-() We used to hike all the time.
I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time 2 years ago and I am still in awe.
Fondly-Lisa
I’m so sad you didn’t get to see a sunset or sunrise at the canyon. They are exceedingly beautiful! I went to high school at the Grand Canyon, but didn’t truly appreciate my surrounding until later! I haven’t been back in 20+ years, but I really want to go back. I do remember seeing many sunsets while there and even a few sunrises! I hope you can go back and see one!
Marian, it sounds like you had a magnificent, memorable vacation. It brought back great memories of a trip we took in 1998… the Grand Canyon, Ouray, Durango were definitely highlights for me, too. I’ve always regretted missing Monument Valley, but I too enjoyed a trail ride in Colorado. You should see The Lone Ranger movie… the scenery from Monument Valley where the filmed is spectacular.
Your post made me think that your new paint color should be named Grand Canyon Red… that rusty, coral “red’ would be a great reminder of your trip to our beautiful West.
Carol H.
Great idea on the color name! Or call it Sedona…did you drive through there? The color looks just like their red rock mountains!
Sounds like am utterly wonderful vacation.
I love that you found his grandmother’s ironstone! When I was 15, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Dementia (still going strong after all these years), and now as an adult, I find her McCoy, Ironstone, and furniture she has painted and feel a connection. The best part…she bought most of it at yard sales. How can I not feel a connection with that??
Also love that you got a one on one experience at the trail ride! It was nice of that ranch hand to not just “do his bare minimum job” that day. Could have been such a different experience, glad that you had such a great time!!
Awesome trip summary and photos. Did anyone else think of “Forrest Gump” running when looking at the Monument Valley road photo? 😉 Many years ago we drove the whole state of New Mexico north to Denver Co. and its so beautiful. i also hope to revisit the Grand Canyon some day. We were there in the winter and it was snowing. Which was cool, but the visibility was limited. Thanks for reminding me how beautiful that part of the country is.
Thank you for the trip down memory lane where I spent the first 20 years of my life in the mountains of Arizona. The beauty and grandeur of God’s creations wells up emotions of gratitude beyond our expectations. I’m so happy for you and your children to have this opportunity to experience the beautiful legacy left by Jeff’s family. In memory of this vacation I think you should name the color of your new paint Canyon. I love following your blog. You bring a freshness to each day. Thank you.
I’m glad you had a great time out West. Next time, you need to come to my backyard and PLAY!!! We live minutes away from Bryce Canyon National Park Utah, an hour away from Zion National Park and two hours from Capitol Reef National Park or the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. They are all awesome in their own ways. Put us on your list ~
So enjoyable to re-visit places from a memorable past vacation in your post–Ouray, the Canyon, Monument Valley. When your boys are old enough, a hike into the Grand Canyon is a must to experience the wildlife (like the condors). And if you liked Monument Valley then you have to see the beauty of eastern Utah, e.g., Arches. I love the West!
That’s great to be making memories with your kids. All that natural beauty just goes to show how much God loves us all.
This was a fantastic post. thank you so much for sharing.
Oh what a fabulous vacation! I adore Colorado and me and my family have vacationed there many times in several locations. So much to take in and so beautiful! And the horse ride would have been my #1 choice too! I rode a lot as a child and still do when given the slightest chance. Have always wanted my own horse but was just not feasible. I’m so happy for you and totally jealous at the same time. Lol! Man, did you go on the right day or what?!! Awesome!!
I’ve lived in Colorado for almost 20 years and never get over feeling awed by the beauty that surrounds us. I lived in Leadville for several years (somewhat close to St. Elmo and Buena Vista) and remember feeding the chipmunks in St. Elmo some years ago too! I remember lots of Hummingbirds there as well. I’ve only spent one weekend in Ouray, but it’s beauty has stayed with me also. I really enjoyed hearing about all your top moments!
Jeanette
Oh my goodness, what great moments you guys had on your trip! I’m right there with you on every single one of the experiences and emotions you had in Colorado – when I was growing up we spent our summer vacations in Creede, not too far from where you were. One of the main reasons we chose the home we live in now (in Sweden) was that the area brought out those same “Creede” feelings in me 🙂
Marian I loved reading about your vacation! You will never forget these moments for sure, funny, no matter what happens to us or what we do otherwise, it’s always those moments spent with loved ones and/or a vacation that we never forget. In 2010 I was lucky enough to go on a road trip with my husband and youngest son. We drove from Texas to (where my Dad is buried) to Washington State where my Mom and Sis lived. The Grand Canyon was one place I had wanted to see all of my life and it was definately a vacation highlight, and being able to show it to my son was just as amazing as seeing it myself.
I’m from Germany and know what you mean about missing it…when I lived in the USA I missed Germany and living in Germany I miss the USA very much too. That’s something we “brats” have to deal with, but I guess it also teaches us to love every moment of where we are at!
Thanks for sharing your special moments!
Greetings from Germany,
Siggie
Oh my goodness, you were here!! St. Elmo is such a cool place. I love peeking into the windows of the long abandoned houses and seeing a glimpse of the people that used to live in them. One had the most fabulous wallpaper peeling from the walls.
Heading out to Colo. in a week, meeting up with my daughter and her family in Estes Park. They live in “the Springs” now, while her hubby serves his stint at the A.F. Academy as a student mentor and advisor. We travelled to the west when our girls were young, to visit family in Ariz. The highlights were Sedona, White Sands, and the Grand Canyon. True that you have no idea of its awesomeness until you are there. We did get to see the amazing sunset, and the canyons look so different then. Pick a spot in daylight, then watch as the dropping light shows you something you didn’t see earlier…incredible. I look forward to Estes, haven’t been there since 1975 on our honeymoon. Beaches are great, but Mtns. are heaven for a honeymoon!
Our kids fed the chipmunks in St. Elmo back when they were small and they still talk about it – they are all in college now. Your post brought back great memories……Looks like you had an amazing vacation!
Looks like you had one fantastic time. Beautiful country. We vacationed in the area about 10 years ago starting from Phoenix then Sedons, Grand Canyon then onto Lake Powell and eventually Denver. We drove the same route. I remember the San Juan Skyway well – no guard rails -super scary, but breathtaking . Looking forward to seeing more of your photos.
Glad you had such an amazing vacation!
You were romping through my home, well that is where I grew up anyway. Oh how I miss it all. We go back every year and I so want to go back and say. Thanks for sharing.
Jan
What beauty! Now you have got me wanting to make that trip.
I think that was a great idea about taking turns viewing the Grand Canyon for the first time!! Hubby and I saw it briefly while staying in Sedona 13 years ago. It is so true–pictures do not do it justice. Please post a pic of you on the horse!
Now you know why I wouldn’t live anywhere but Colorado. Buena Vista is very close to where we live – I wake up everyday to the beauty that are the Colorado mountains. Glad you got to experience it. Sally
Reading your vacation post was like taking a trip down memory lane for me this morning. I spent many summers at Deer Valley Ranch as a young girl with my family. Remember thinking my dad was going to fall off the road as we drove the ouray pass! One of my favorite family vacations when I became a mom was driving across the country with our two boys then (three more to be added later) in the back of our station wagon with wood on the side. Monument Valley is forever etched in my mind as a favorite view! Our clothes stayed permanently orange from the dirt! So happy for your fun family vacation away…what a great time you had!
Well Marian, I come here to see pretty pictures of your DIY projects, your lovely home, and ironstone but I must say I believe this is one of my favorite posts ever by you!! 😀 Just goes to show that readers do want to get to know the blog writer personally. 😉 Don’t feel bad about sharing all your vacation memories. I’d love to hear more!! Soooo, did you get to keep any of the ironstone…just one piece? 😉
Marian-What a great vacation!!!! Terrific pictures for remembering a wonderful time with your family. I have a picture of my Mom & I (I was 3yrs old-it’s an antique now) with her feeding the chipmunk out of her hand-it is one of my favorite memories and my first memorable vacation in the West! Your family will treasure those pictures just as I do mine!
In many ways I grew up at Deer Valley Ranch, where my parents Jim and Dorothy Parsons built a “summer” cabin in 1956. We spent many wonderful summers there and I served on the Deer Valley Work Crew in 1959, 1960, and 1961. Mom and Dad, who lived at Deer Valley for the last twenty years of their lives, are both with the Lord now and my brother and I share ownership. Marian’s discovery of the Ironstone brought back memories for me. Actually, Mom purchased that at Sears, and, Mom never bought just one set, particularly if it was on sale. So, there may be more in one of the two storerooms at the rear of the house. I’ll check as Linda and I are going up for the month of September. One thing about Ironstone, wash by hand, not by dishwasher, as the glaze cracks very easily. LInda and I replaced our Ironstone with Corelle and expect to see those in Heaven as they last for an eternity.
I know most of these places well. We try now to make the trip out annually…our skiing days are probably over but we love to go in September for the Aspens and fly fishing. If you think the Ozarks or east coast are beautiful in the fall, go to CO the last week of September…it will take your breath away! Every time I go I wonder why I don’t just move there. But then I guess it wouldn’t be as special.
Oh you make me homesick! We just moved to Houston after 15 years in the Denver area which was our second time there. I consider Colorado home and miss those beautiful skies and mountains. Love Arizona and New Mexico (my real home) too. I am a western gal at heart but love your eastern beauty of this country as well.
What a wonderful vacation!! Thank you for sharing. If you are ever in Rochester, NY I will be happy to take you to a beautiful stable where I ride. It’s the largest farm in upstate NY with 250 acres and trails with breathtaking views. And most of the lesson horses are less “refined” so your ride would never be boring!! 🙂
It was – as everytime – a great pleasure to read your post! Love the way you´re writing as you were talking to a good friend while having a cup of tea! And that is why I also love to have a look in your book now and then, again and again. 🙂
Kind regards from Germany
Angela
Looks like a fabulous family vacation. Sounds like you should put all of those wonderful photos and vacation moments into a Shutterfly book. I’m not a rep for them but I can never say enough about their company. So many of my family moments are now books that I can pass to my son and his children some day.
You are back already?!!! You DESERVE a MUCH longer vacation that that!!!! You work SO hard.
Loved the pictures. I grew up in the Canadian Rockies so I feel those emotions around mountains too.
Since others are talking about your paint color here, I will too. 🙂 Did you notice that the striped shirt on one of the ranch hands is that same color? Ranch Hand or Cowboy would work as a color name.
Hope you get rested up from your vacation.
Marian, lovely vacation. I am interested in the ironstone, is it still produced these days…???
I am German myself born and educated there, and when I go to Colorado same happens to me, it always feels like I am somewhere in S. Germany, Austria…. Planning myself a trip to
Colorado sometime next year….
It really looks like you had a wonderful time, and yes I agree the pain from horseback riding when one is Not used to it is just simply something ELSE, MAY BE WE SHOULD CREATE SPECIAL UNDERGARMENTS FOR RIDING NOVICES…
Thanks for sharing photos and descriptions…. very nice of you I enjoyed it
Edith YourChicagoConnection
Wow, oh wow… What a vacation! and so many different experiences and moments. I am intrigued about your emotional connection to Germany, and the places that reminded of your native home. I love the way you even described the smells that seemed the same, and loved the look of the gorgeous hanging baskets photos you added. Sounds like a real vacation, that will leave you with many memories….
Cindy
Your vacation sounds like just what I would love doing. I have been to the Grand Canyon and had hoped to horse back ride it or boat but the weather wasn’t cooperative. They had to cancel the helicopter ride down into the canyon to windy. I have rode the trails of Utah and remember the switchbacks very well that has been over 20 years ago I can’t believe that time has passed so quickly. You will always have your great memories. Enjoy!
Sounds like you had a wonderful time, Marian!
I wouldn’t have done any horseback riding if I were there (afraid of horses), but I still envy you on your vacation adventures.
Love the chipmunk pictures, too! I have a soft spot for little furry critters.
As an Iowa transplant to the Flagstaff area I am soooo grateful we are only and hour away from the canyon. The canyon at sunset is amazing and now you know you want to return ;). When your sons are older it might be more fun to return. The north rim is some harder to get to but is amazing in its own right much wilder andI think its higher.
As far as hiking boots I have Vasque boots , when you try them on make sure to do the incline thing makes such a difference to get the right size! We were camping the weekend you were here but I would have loved to meet you . Sooo glad you made such good memories with your family . As my husband says; all you get to take with you are the memories 😉
Looks like you had a blast and thensome!!!!! What fabulous finds!
Oh,I forgot the chipmunks at St. Elmo’s. My kids just loved feeding them Cheetos. You are just going to have to go back.
Sounds like memories made – Wonderful!
Dear MMS, So glad you had such a lovely vacation. And the white ironstone to top it all off, wow! I’ve always loved the Grand Canyon so I’m so glad you love it too. Hugs, Anne Boykin
Thanks for sharing this with us! We live in a magnificent country with the freedom to enjoy its beauty. It would be fun to hear the top 10 from your boy’s point of view. They will have memories of this trip that will last a lifetime & bring them to tears too when they are all grown up.
What an awe-inspiring post. Thank you.
Miss Mustard Seed,
Thank you for sharing your vacation highlights. I live in Colorado and you have visited almost all of our favorite areas. We loved going with our children to these areas when they were small. Your boys will have wonderful memories and you will also. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like your vacation was great. Iused to live in Buena Vista Colorado and I agree it is Gods country…I live in Iowa now and I miss my mountains and the weather…Your vacation story made me feel like I was with you..Loved it
So, so happy you enjoyed CO and Ouray! We took our kids to Telluride about 6 years ago, and loved it! Everything is expensive there, so when we visited Ouray (and the awesome toy store) we decided it was more realistic to hope we could retire in Ouray. One of my favorite family trips – and we live in CO!
What a wonderful vacation — One that your boys will remember for the rest of their lives! Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’m so happy you enjoyed your trip! I adore the Grand Canyon – when you go back, definitely consider camping or staying in one of the hotels overnight. Nothing compares to sunset at the overlook, or a dawn walk, with the condors circling from high overhead down into the canyon. It’s one of those places that really puts a person into their place, KWIM? No matter when I go, or who I’m with, I just feel God’s presence all around. It’s a beautiful and humbling experience.
One of these days I’ll actually go TO Colorado, instead of just driving by or through. It’s definitely on my bucket list. But I just keep hitting up Joshua Tree, Bryce and Zion. Over and over and over again.
Thank you for this post. I enjoy reading “gratitude” posts of sorts. This was just a wonderful read! So much to be thankful for and loved the raw honesty in each memory. The number 7 pic made me chuckle! It seriously looks like that scene from “The Sound of Music” when Julie Andrews starts signing “The Hills are Alive with the sound of music” and then all the kids come running hand in hand with the outfits sewn by the Mary Poppins of “The Sounds of Music” …. the outfits were all matching of sorts – made from the proper curtains in the house!!! Just that picture alone – …. doesn’t it look like that to you?
Ahhh….. YOU WERE IN GOD’S COUNTRY !!!! Looks like you had fabulous time! Good for you all!.
Oh some of my most favorite places! We love going to the Durango area each summer! What a fun, well-deserved trip you had!!
Been to Flagstaff a few times, but not to the Grand Canyon! Can you believe that?!!!
Ouray brings back a lot of memories for me. In 1976, I married my high school sweetheart at the age of 17, 2 weeks out of high school. Even though the marriage only lasted 8 years and one son, I still have fond memories of our first night in Ouray. I still have a picture of me in the hot springs pool with the snow on the mountains in the background. What a great place that is! Loved seeing your top 10!
But, did you at least get to bring home any of that ironstone for a keepsake?
Glad you had such a great time Marian! The hike with your family must have been a lot of fun. I went to the Grand Canyon for the first time in May. Unbelievable and so beautiful. Sorry you didn’t get too much time there. I hope you get to go back and really have time to experience it. My husband and I drove from Las Vegas and back on the same day, so we only had about 5 hours there and did the west route. We did stay for sunset and it was absolutely beautiful. I wish I had a decent camera. The pics on my phone are not great, but I love to look at them to remember. I hope to go back someday and do the east route.
Looks like you had a great vacation. They are so fun but the best part for me always is coming home. I know weird. I am a bit jealous of you being able to ride horseback. I practically grew up on a horse until I was 14. I have a horrible allergy to them and it is life or death so I stay away, but I still remember fondly riding in the woods on my mothers quarter horse Cindy.
We camped in Durango last month! Just as the fires were ending…only one smokey day. Moved from Florida to Colorado 2 years ago. Love, love, love this place! I will never get tired of seeing these mountains. We’ll have to check out the guest ranch—got some horse lovers in my family.
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful family vacation!!!!! So glad ya’ll had a great trip. I especially love the ironstone you found in your Grandma’s cabinet!!!!
Hey! We were at the Grand Canyon about the same time! I too, had moments where I wondered if we were going back home with ALL of our kids as they scampered around the edges (many are teenagers and didn’t need hand holding…I probably needed it more than anyone!) I’m glad you had a great time!
Thank you for sharing your vacation! We have fond memories of working at Cross Bar X Youth Ranch in Durango for 4 years when our kids were young. My husband once won a poetry contest at our church Valentine’s Day dinner with the prize being a night in Ouray! I loved the way you described the Grand Canyon experience, and realized that one of the reasons pictures don’t do it justice is the lack of the sounds, like that soft breeze through the canyon that you mentioned. We did a hike down one Easter vacation, with one night at the bottom before we had children — an experience we will never forget! And you’re right about that drive between Flagstaff and Durango: full of surprising sights. I’ll always wish I had had my camera in hand when we came up over one rise and saw 50 or more wild horses racing across the landscape, with interesting hills and canyons and bright white clouds in the blue skies in the background. Your picture of your two little guys on the trail was priceless 🙂 You’ll never be sorry for the time you take to do those things. Cherish it while you can 🙂
If I moved from Ohio, it would probably be to Colorado. I grew up riding, so I know what you mean, though I was never as skilled as you, I grew up riding bareback and used to be able to cling well while galloping along and spent my summers riding for hours at a time. I would have picked that horse ride too!
What a wonderful time! I’m glad you had a (mostly) fun time. You probably know this, but the mountain storms can be deadly due to lightning, if you get stuck on a high hill and a storm comes, squat down so you are not a lightning target.
How fun…makes me want a vacation…
What a wonderful vacation! But discovering the ironstone and relating a connection to someone priceless!
I am so glad you were able to come back to Colorado! It was great to see you here on your first Colorado trip last December….and so glad you were really able to spend some time here.
Loved seeing your pictures and look forward to more coming!
Beth
Sounds like a wonderful family vacation that really provided you with a chance to relax and recharge your batteries. So happy for you – looking forward to hearing more about it.
And . . . welcome back to PA!
Sue
Marion, sounds like a wonderful vacation. When I saw the cupboards with Jeff’s grandmother’s ironstone, I did a little “oh wow look” myself. However, mine was for the little white bowls with the roosters painted on them. Those appear to be Portugese pottery…they use the rooster symbol all the time, well I know that was the case in the Azores where we were stationed with the Air Force. We lived in Bitburg Germany for 3 years as well. Wonderful times!
So glad you had a wonderful and safe trip!
Vanessa
I loved the story about the ironstone, too. Loved the fact that through it you “connected” with Jeff’s grandmother….what a gift!
Anyway, we’re leaving Friday for the Buena Vista area. We’ll be visiting my parents at their cabin in that area. (And my parents, Hans and Helga, are from Germany.) Guess I’m experiencing more connectedness to you than just paint, Marian….Germany and Buena Vista too! 🙂
Missouri Barb
Dear Marian,
You have a lovely family…your boys are gorgeous and so are you. That Px90 is doing wonders for you which is in turn encouraging me to get to it myself.
Glad to hear you had a good vacation. I mean, if anybody deserves it…
Sounds like a wonderful time! I’ve seen most of those sights so it brought back those memories. I’ve never seen ironstone with wheat relief! As a former Kansan, that’s totally cool!
Sounds like a fantastic trip!
It sounds like you had a great vacation. I loved #1 on your list. I also did quite a bit of riding “back in the day”. So fun to read we have that in common.
Reading your posts had me taking a trip down memory lane. I’ve driven across country twice. Never did open a cupboard with ironstone in it, but finding a cabin in the Moab desert with air condition gave me the same thrill! =:0
I’ve been fortunate enough to live in Colorado my entire life! I’ve been to all the places you wrote about, but I love hearing about them from someone who enjoyed them so much! I know I am truly blessed to live in God’s country!!
Loved your post! We didn’t have a vacation this summer so this was really nice. We lived in Germany for four years (actually got married there and had my first child there as well) so we can relate to your feelings of Bavaria and Volksmarches! We may even still have some of the keepsakes we got when we finished the marches….somewhere…Thanks for sharing.
Marion,
I live in Colorado and all the parts you saw are some of my favorite!!!! Ouray is such a fantastically beautiful area. So glad you got to get away and appreciate the real beauty in our world – Creation!!
Last but one photo is so cuute:) What about your children? I mean would you ever allow them to go galloping with you through mountains when they become older? You know, if I were you I would even make a video, not only pictures, of all destination points of your vacations.
Loved all the pics. My Hub’s parents lived in Colorado Frisco in the Summit county area. I have 2 brother in laws in Colorado Springs. If you ever get back take the Cog rail line up Pikes Peak it is great…My favorite was you chance to horse back ride again. Really ride. I rode growing up, my Dad was a great horseman. I was one of those girls that …when I grow up I will have a horse. Still dreaming so glad to see you had a chance to ride free.
I live in Canon City, CO and we get over to Ouray all the time. We love it there- the air is very special- but I have been jealous of you living in Gettysburg!! So glad you made it out here for vacay
As I can only call myself a Coloradoan for 23 years now, it gives me such pleasure to see others find the beauty that I too discovered here. So glad you enjoyed your stay.
This looks like such a beautiful trip! I hope you feel refreshed and renewed. Well, as refreshed and renewed as you can get on a trip with children. 🙂
That picture of your boys hiking is just precious.
Thanks for sharing, Marian.
Thank you sooo much for those pictures. You have made a transplanted Colorado gal very homesick. I grew up in the San Luis Valley in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. I have been to Ouray and Buena Vista several times (my high school sports teams would compete against Buena Vista) – the Rockies are certainly a beautiful wonder. Thanks again for a glimpse of home.