Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Colorado Wildflowers Early July 2011

Colorado State flower - Columbine
I took these photos when we were near Estes Park and Allenspark, CO and at the Wild Basin entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park .  
Sandbagged creek running through Estes Park
We had a real wet winter so the creeks were running high and the flowers were all starting to bloom.  Very colorful. 
Looks like Wild Honeysuckle



Purple Fringe
Wild Geranium

Wild Rose
 

Columbine

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

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.




Sunday, July 17, 2011

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.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

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.