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| Red River Gorge, Rock Climbing |
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Rock Climbing
Rock climbing was my motivation to move to Colorado eight years ago. The attraction comes not only with the physical challenge, but the remote places you discover and the variety of people you meet. Climbing in New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, France, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, and the United States has given me an appreciation for the simple calming beauty of varied landscapes.
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| Garden Bleeding Hearts |
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Gardening
Gardening to create color and wonderful smells in the house keep me digging more holes in the yard. Fresh herbs in the summer time can't be beat. A swath of pinks, purples and oranges at my front doorstep or out my bedroom window makes me smile. Spying a new bird nest under the eaves brings back youthful awe. Smells in springtime of wet earth and the excitement of seeing buds grow and flower remind me to be present.
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| Berthoud Pass, Morning ski |
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Back Country Skiing
Back country skiing in California's Sierra Nevada was always a family affair. Still the high Sierra lakes, deserted trails, and carved granite draw me. While hut tripping is a favorite activity in Colorado, I'll always go back to the Pear Lake hut where Dad first taught me to traverse an icy slope and make a telemark turn.
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| A Kodiak Island Chickadee, Alaska |
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| Birding with Dad
While I'm not a huge fan of early morning rising, I don't mind being awakened by birds singing happily of a new day. Sunrise birding is a family passion, and frankly any other activity that allows for close-up sightings including canoeing, hiking, and beach visits. My favorite birding site is still Cochise Stronghold, Tucson, Arizona where tropical brilliantly colored migrants and all varieties of busy hummingbirds flit through on their way north and south.
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| Baking with chocolate |
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| Baking with Mom
Baking with mom is still a daily affair via phone and email sharing of recipes. While I've since learned to cook healthy dinners, I still crave a chocolate cake at least once a month. There are worse vices.
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| Denali's summit ridge |
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| Mountaineering
A mountaineering itch began while studying volcanoes as a geology student in New Zealand. At University of Otago, I had the opportunity to learn from many accomplished mountaineers in the Southern Alps. Other adventures include climbing Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere and Denali, the highest peak in North America. While I'm not particularly fond of freezing temperatures, the morning sunrises on glistening glaciers make all the suffering worth it.
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| The Menagerie |
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| The Animals
Being an only child and sitting practicing harp alone for hours let me to believe animals could be substituted for siblings. Currently Miss Shiloh dog has a very good ear for Bach and Addipus and Grizabelle keep me company while studying Anatomy while I complete prerequisite classes for Physical Therapy School.
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