Todd & Linda's Wedding Reception @ Wild Basin Lodge Allenspark, CO

 After the ceremony in the 'Meadow' all the guests strolled back to the Lodge for Cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. 

Each table was identified with a local creature or bird and the place cards were coordinated with each table. The centerpieces were vintage Indiana glass hob nail clear glass compotes (stemmed candy dishes)..

Yummy appetizers

1st Dance!

Irish jig

Linda singing to Todd.  It was so touching.

Dessert table

 

 

THE cake with edible Gold.

Linda & Todd's Wedding Wild Basin Lodge, Allenspark, CO 7/3/11

Linda & Todd live in Chicago and Todd's family have visited the Allenspark area and Rocky Mountain National Park since his Mom was 10 years old. Linda and Todd have visited, camped and hiked this area too, in recent years. Wild Basin Lodge is at the entrance to the park and is a beautiful log building. 

All the guests gathered at the lodge and followed a path to the "Meadow" crossing the N. St. Vrain creek. As they were seating themselves a friend was softly playing the guitar.

We were really happy to see so many friends there.  One couple flew 10,000 miles with their infant from China.  There were others from VA, NM, AZ, NY, CA, OR, CO and probably other states plus the 60 or so from the Chicago area including several families with their children.

After the wedding party walked in Linda and Todd were preceded by all the kids carrying a 'Pom" and ribbons on a stick.  These decorations were also part of the reception decor.

Nephew - Sebastian as Ring Bearer & Niece - Piper as Flower Girl

Congratualtions to Todd and Linda for a beautiful ceremony and thanks all their friends that were there to be part of it and helped celebrate their marriage.

Los Alamos, NM - The Pond & Church family

Just this last Thursday 7/14/11,  I had the pleasure of meeting the grandson of Ashley Pond, Jr.


Here is how it all happened.  Gene has been part of a study by DOE/Johns Hopkins where they follow past employees of LANL and Sandia Labs.  He had a physical with them 5 years ago and this time we had to go to Albuquerque to the UNM School of Medicine.


While he was being tested one of the ladies in the room mentioned that the man sitting at the table was the grandson of the man who started the Boy Scout camp in the Jemez mountains which later became Los Alamos. 


I got into the conversation when he said he was born in Santa Fe.  I laughed and said - yep in a Post Office box.  (Back then Los Alamos was so secret, nobody knew what was going on and all mail or reference to an address was the PO Box in Santa Fe).


I mentioned reading the book 'The House at Owati Bridge" and he had recollections of Edith Warner and how his mother would give talks about it and the correct pronunciation. (Owati - I said Ah-ta-wee and he said no out-ah-wee!)


Then I asked was his last name Pond? He said no it was Church and I said Peggy Pond Church.  He ginned and said "she was my mother".  Holy cow!!!  We had lived there for 7 years and anyone who knew anything about the history knew these names.  It was like talking to Christopher Columbus' grandson about America but on a lot smaller scale, but huge for me! 

He told us that his mother has written a book called "Shoes for the Santo Nino" and this winter the UNM Children's theater will be performing it as a Children's opera. (The Santo Nino is a statue in the chapel at Santuario de Chimayo and the legend says the little child leaves at night to help children and because of all the walking his shoes get worn out and need to be replaced) 


At that point a woman who works for UNM and was not part of the study came into the room.  She heard Peggy Pond Church's name mentioned and about came out of her skin.  Turns out she spent 42 years in NH and moved to NM to get away from the winters.  

She is a H U G E student of Los Alamos history and was naming names, told a story about Edward Teller, knew all about Ashley Pond, Jr and on and on.  She even got Mr. Hugh Church's autograph with a note that he was the 3rd son of Peggy Pond Church.  To say she was beside herself is an understatement.


I write this so I will remember it all and as a reminder to go back and read that book again.  And also for my son who was born in Los Alamos and my other 2 children who spent their first 4 - 5 years of schooling there. 


This experience also goes to prove that everybody has a story and we can all connect on one level or another.  Mr. Church was so humble in telling us these stories and not the least bit haughty, as so many could or would be.  It was 10 minutes in my life that really meant something because it came out of the clear, blue sky. 

German Cold Cuts Lunch

 
When we moved to Colorado Springs 6 years ago, we had no idea how many retired military lived here.  Being raised in a German household and family I was also pleasantly surprised how many German folks live here. too.  

The benefit of that is there and several German restaurants and delis.

One of the newest is Schnitzel Fritz.  Not only do they serve hot meals, but have a small selection of German products and also have a large selection of German meats and cheese. 

We had out of town guests for lunch and wanted to serve something out of the ordinary, so we did a platter of assorted cold cuts and cheese, along with real German rye bread & pumpernickel  Yummy!!!

Have I Told You Lately How Much I Love VENDIO

Well I do.  I have been a subscriber for over 10 years when back in the day, listings and photo uploads were difficult for this eBay seller.

Vendio is an eBay 3rd party provider for listing and post sale chores.  Plus lots of other tools, including image hosting, watermarking, customer follow up, inventory tracking and oh so much more.  

A few of my most favorites are:-

Listing Form & Template - Once the template is created, new listings only require info specific to that item. 


Scrolling Gallery - Has individual listings scrolling across the top of my listings to show all the varied items we sell.

Image Hosting - After I edit photos in Picassa, I upload to Vendio in just a few clicks.  No fuss, no muss!!

Watermarking - Each photo has my info placed where I choose.

Customer List - Can be sorted in many ways.  I like sorting by category so I can target certain customers for sales and notices.

Vendio Store - Free with subscription.  With just a few clicks new listings can be added to the Vendio store too.

Submits listings to the Search Engines


Customer Support - Several ways to contact them and they reply immediately or will call back shortly.  They are fantastic.


and for those who need it Product Sourcing where you can search by country. 

Vendio Home Page 

 

Black Hawk, CO

This last weekend we drove up to Allenspark, which is just south of Estes Park. My daughters wedding is coming up at Wild Basin Lodge on 7/3. Since they live in Chicago we went to check out a few things for them. 

There is still a lot of snow in the high country.  This is Meeker Peak and we were over 8000 feet above sea level along this road. 

On the way home we stayed overnight at the new Ameristar Hotel in Black Hawk, one of 3 gambling towns in Colorado.  

All 3 towns were mining towns back in the day and still have the old west feel. 




We played the penny slots at the Ameristar, Isle of Capri and Fortune Valley in Central City which is just a mile from Black Hawk. The only real new machine we found at all of them was a community Wizard of Oz.  Most of the others are not anything very new or different.  The penny machines minimum bet is 30 cents or more.  

 The hotel room was one of the nicest we have ever stayed in.  Especially nice when we had a coupon for a drastically reduced room rate.  ;-))


We walked away with enough to pay for our trip, hotel, food and had left over too!! So we will be looking for more of those machines next time we go up there or to Cripple Creek which is only an hour from our house. 

We put in a huge garden for the 1st time. 5/22/11

When we moved into the house the yard was all grass except around the borders.  After we put the shed in we had a big pile of dirt, so we thought the area in front of the shed would make a perfect garden.  Last summer Gene started removing all the sod and spreading the dirt.  He covered it all with a large tarp to prevent any weeds from growing.  

Actually I was taking photo of the deer but the garden area and dirt pile is in the photo  yippee!  That day there were 9 deer in the yard - see that buck on the far left?!

Way in back next to the lilacs are 3 hills of pumpkin from seed, in front of them is 6 corn we started inside and in front of them is a row of corn seed.  Then staggered is 8 tomatoes - including 3 heirlooms!  And in front of them is 1 medium hot chile pepper and 3 mild Anaheims. Next are 1/2 rows of carrots and scallions then a row of radishes and mesclun, a row of onion starts, 4 leaf lettuce plants and finally a row of marigolds along the edge. 

 In back is 3 cukes we started inside, then an acorn squash.  Along side fence is a row of zucchini (a whole packet of seeds, and as prolific as they are we may be sorry - so I am thinking we will be stuffing a lot of blossoms).  hee hee. 

We also have 3 sections of green beans, 6 peas in little peat pots and a row from seed, 2 fennel, 4 Brussel sprouts started inside and 1 soy bean plant. 

I also have an herb garden - bottom left going clockwise is Rosemary, row of oregano seeds & basil seeds, oregano plants, dill seed row, large yarrow, basil plants, thyme plants, & cilantro.  Scattered are 2 dill plants and pots of dill and basil, we started in March. That is St. Francis in the middle. 

 

 This plot is at the bottom of our back steps.  Bottom section is curly leaf parsely and chives (in bloom).  Plus some scattered garlic.  Top sections is 3 different kids of strawberries. 

  

Along both sides of the driveway are these planters.  This one has 2 rhubarb, 1 red current bush & 2 red raspberries.  We have also planted 2 blackberries and 1 gooseberry bush in one the the border areas in the back yard - after we removed all the red landscaping stone.  yikes! 

There are also 40 onion sets scattered all over plus 20+ garlic cloves. 

As I write this on 6/3 - less than 2 weeks  since we planted - we have 10 corn seeds sprouted, 1 zucchini, 3 green beans, a lot of peas + the radishes, mescalin, carrots, oregano, dill and basil.  Plus lots of garlic and most of the onions are standing up big and tall.

Gene will not allow me to go to the garden center anymore this year (lol), so I have started a list of plants for next year. We are removing all the red rock along all the fence lines so we will have tons more places to plant.  Oh what to plant - what to plant! 

Now our big obsticle right now is protecting the plants from the deer and later this summer hail. Hoping having stretched some 6' wire fencing around the 2 sides of the garden to help keep the deer out.

So with everything hopefully we will have lots of herbs & veggies to give as gifts and to make crafts with.

Wow we made position # 1 on EntreCard/Travel 5/29/11

EntreCard is a way to promote a blog and eBay listings.  If you look on the right side of this page, you see a box with a photo and it says 'drop'.  For members of EntreCard you visit others sites, drop and hopefully they will drop back on you.  The more you drop the better.  We are averaging 220 -225 drops a day.


Gene has only wanted to play CLUB POGO on the computer and a little while ago he offered to help me drop,  So every night he does 100 or so and I finish the next day.  What a sweetheart he is to help me like that!!


There are over 1200 blogs in the travel category and I am so over exited we made it to #1 for however long. Just knowing it is possible is so rewarding.


The advantage of all the drops is that it tells Google we are a viable blog and that a lot  of people visit it and thereby moving it up in the rankings. 


We learned how do to EntreCard from Danna Crawford in a webinar for members at Virtual Online Learning.


If you join EntreCard (it is free) let me know and we will drop on you too!!

Icebergs off Newfoundland, Canada

A friend sent me these photos on May 18, 2008.  I just came across them and was awe struck again, just like I was the 1st time I saw them.  Imagine seeing those huge blocks of ice, just gently floating by in the wild North Atlantic Ocean? 

Notice a 2nd one way out in the distance! And so close to the shore.

 Thanks to my friend Marjorie for sending me these photos.  I have yet to see a glacier or iceberg.  Note to self - add to bucket list!!!

What is this used for?

We want to list this on eBay but am wondering if it a tea pot shaped sugar bowl or ? It is a souvenir from Dibgy NS (Nova Scotia) - Canada.  There is a design of a Clipper Ship (Tall Sails) on the side. Bottom says England!

My grandmother always kept a little pot with mustard that she mixed from dry mustard. But since this is in the shape of a tea pot I am thinking it is from back in the day when artificial sweetener was served at the table without the little paper packets. 

 

This has a small plastic liner and spoon. 

Only 2" tall & 3 1/4" from spout to handle

 

With the help of Lynn Dralle and the members of her Queen's Court, we are calling it a sugar bowl.  Here is the listing 

Our 70 Foot Colorado Spruce Tree Got a Make Over

 

Our house guarded by 2 70' Colorado Spruce trees.  They are about 50 years old and have been trimmed every 5 years or so when they were younger.  According to the aborist (who we consulted with a few weeks ago) - they are the prettiest trees in all of Colorado Springs. 

The last few years we have noticed the top of the south tree was starting to separate. 

  

 When we looked close we could see that there were 2 trunks - called co dominant trunks.

 I called Tall Timbers Tree Co. here in Colorado Springs for a consult.  He said that the best thing to do is to cable the two trunks, pull the cable tight which will bring them together.  He also said that with the winds we had this winter, we were lucky one half didn't blow/fall off. (That is Pikes Peak in the background!)

They brought the bucket truck and he got out of the bucket and climbed around the branches to get the cable around the two trunks, pretty close to the top of the tree.

And now our beautiful tree after it's make over. The top is all closed and looking grand again!!