Morning in the Canyon

This morning I ran in the canyon for the first time. It was a beautiful morning, the sun streaming down through the tall mountain pines. It was my first time running since we moved here, and I was excited to try it out. Our house is just 1/4 mile from the entrance to North Cheyenne Canyon Park, and the canyon walls reach to the sky all around the road.


It was beautiful. As I ran, I could hear the birds echoing, and woodpeckers pecking and the stream that runs down the mountain by the side of the road, that has begun to flow more intensely with a few warm days we've had recently. It was still very cold though. The air burned in my lungs, and it was a very challenging run, because the whole first 1/4 mile is at an incline. And the air is thin at this altitude, even more so than it was at my mom's house (we lived with my mom for 2 years) near downtown. And of course it is--we live in the foothills!


Last big run I had was with my sister Annie and her husband Kevin, in Ventura, CA, and although I could barely keep up with Annie (she is a fitness queen) I felt like a ran like a pro (for me) when I was there, forgetting that part of the reason for that was the lower altitude. Duh. Well this morning's run showed me up. I'm very excited though to have such a pristine, incredibly beautiful place to run. We feel so fortunate to be so close to such an amazing natural treasure. I can see though that I will be challenging myself to get further and further into the canyon without stopping to walk, and I will have develop my stamina for uphill running.


I'm thinking about buying trail running shoes for my next pair of runners. There are so many great trails here and throughout the area, and beautiful places to run. I returned from my run to a beautiful green and red-hued mango to indulge in. It was luscious, juicy, sweetness. Heaven on earth. Organic mangos were on sale the other day for 88 cents and my beloved Preston brought home 5 of them! Mmmmmm...





I've been working all week so far on getting our home organized and beautified. Very soon I will share pictures with you of our home now that we are moved in. I have been hand washing all of our dishes, and really enjoying the process, whenever I keep up with it well. While we didn't have our own home for a couple years, I really cultivated a sense for what a blessing and honor it is to be able to care for your own things...your own space. I value little things so much more now, and I have so much more of a sense for what I want my home to be, and to feel like. We LOVE it here. Its so quiet and precious. The sunshine streams through our windows at all times during the day, because there are windows all around.


Yesterday I hung up my windchime, which is truly one of my most cherished "things." It is a Corinthian Bells wind chime that I bought last summer with money gifted to me after completing a project very dear to my heart. It is perfectly tuned, and when a breeze floats by it creates the most centering and peaceful sound. It is LOVE.


Preston and I took a few moments to draw (literally, in the dirt out back) and plan for building our raised beds for our vegetable and herb gardens. I've gone through my seed catalogs and circled many flower and vegetable and herb seeds and everything we will order, and I'll be putting in my order soon! My heart dances at the promise of Spring! :)


One of my very favorite things about our home so far, is that on the hour and quarter and half hour every hour, up on the side of the mountain, bells ring and play music from the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. Preston says, and I agree, that it makes it seem like we are in the Sound of Music. I always feel like I live in a sweet little mountain village every time I hear it. There is a lot that is magical about this energy space and I am so grateful to be a part of it.