Sunday, January 30, 2022

Orchid Beauty




"A gentle word, a kind look, and a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles."

~ William Hazlitt


Please click on to enlarge

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. ”

~Desmond Tutu


"An orchid in a deep forest sends out its fragrance even if no one is around to appreciate it.

~ Confucious 


Please click on to enlarge

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine for the soul.”

~ Luther Burbank




With so much snow occurring in many areas of the US this time of year I thought some views of beautiful orchids would be a nice change. These are my photos of orchids I've seen growing in the Denver Botanic Garden within the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory. The conservatory was dedicated in 1966 and awarded Denver, Colorado, Landmark Status in 1973. The Tropical Conservatory is one of the world’s most unique displays of exotic plants from tropical and subtropical regions.  




"Even though the world is filled with confusion, when I gaze at one orchid I forget all my problems." 

 ~ Song Su-Name


As of this writing, there are only 49 days until spring.
Hang in There!


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Monday, January 24, 2022

Winter Days


This is life around here these days...slushy and icy roads, tree branches white with snow, and my husband and I working hard to clear our driveway. Nonetheless, I love winter! To me, this is the cozy season where life slows down a bit.


When I open my window shades in the morning I often see a herd of deer passing through my backyard, foraging for food.



On some days the deer fill my window views all day long! 

They are inquisitive and have excellent hearing, so they look up at me when I take their photos.



They are such beautiful and graceful creatures.



For the most part, my husband and I have been hibernating at home this month as Omicron coronavirus numbers were high in our area. We had an errand to run in Boulder last week and we drove there by US Highway 36, which we have not driven on in a long time.  We stopped at the "Scenic Overlook" or Davidson Mesa Overlook. It was nostalgic for us because the first time we visited Colorado nineteen years ago we stopped there to take photos. Our son was attending the University of Colorado at Boulder for his Master's Degree and we drove cross country to give him our car, as we had purchased a new one. Back then US 36 was a two-lane highway, and now with population growth in the area, it is a six-lane highway in some sections!



Double-click on the photo to enlarge it to its largest viewing size

The overlook has also been modernized as it has benches, an information placard, and a small booth with tourist information brochures.





The views from the overlook of the Boulder area foothills and Rockies are beautiful!



More views.



The Flatirons--the iconic mountains of Boulder, Colorado.



Sadly, although we were not close to the epicenter of the Boulder County Marshall Fire, a wildfire that burned 6,000 acres, destroyed over 1,000 homes and businesses, and killed two people, we still could see burned-out grass, trees, structures, and smell the horrible smell of burned debris.  It was unbelievable how hurricane-force winds the day of the fire made the fire pass right over a six-lane highway made of concrete and asphalt!  Flying embers in the wind carried it far and lighted objects arbitrarily.  There is an investigation going on now that a burning underground abandoned coal mine that dates back to 1863 may have possibly caused the fire--click here-- to read that story. 

One thing we have been doing is preparing ourselves for the possibility of a wildfire in our area, as the weather seems to be getting hotter and dryer every summer.  Following up on the blog post I wrote about the lessons learned, we have made videos of our house and possessions and uploaded them to the cloud, and we are in the process of scanning all our older family photos and uploading them to the cloud. We practiced opening our electric garage door with the stand-by pully system it has as a backup in case we lose power and we have localized all that we would want to evacuate with us to make it easier to pack.  Once before, years ago,  our community had a practice evacuation drill and, hopefully, they will do another one soon, as I'm sure this time more residents will take it seriously.  It is good to know all the routes of evacuation and how long it takes one to get ready, no matter where you live.





On a happier note, I won this wonderful cookbook Treasures of the Mexican Table, full of classic recipes and local secrets from all the states of Mexico, in a giveaway sponsored by The Book Club CookbookThe Author, Pati Jinich, is on the PBS three-time James Beard Award and Emmy-nominated cooking show called Pati's Mexican Table. Her cookbook is full of delicious recipes from soup to desserts that I can't wait to try. Expect to see some in upcoming blog posts!


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Monday, January 17, 2022

Meow Wolf Denver


Meow Wolf is an arts and entertainment company that is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Las Vegas, Nevada and now in Denver, Colorado!  Each state's Meow Wolf is permanent and unique and consists of ultra-creative immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The Denver installation opened in the fall of 2021 and is called Convergence Station.

We visited this past fall as a last-minute surprise, as people we knew had tickets yet could not attend and gave them to us. We brought our oldest granddaughter and her friend.  The Denver Meow Wolf was three years in the making and consists of four levels of "converged worlds" created by 300 artists.  It really is nothing like we've seen before!


Please click on all the photo collages  to enlarge them for a better view

As visitors wander through dozens of rooms covered with floor-to-ceiling art, they unearth secrets and discover each world's many secret doors and passages. There are different themes and nooks and interactive exhibits to explore. Our visit lasted two hours and we know we did not see or do all that was available.



There is a cacophony of sounds in some of the areas. Click on this link on my Mille Fiori Favoriti Facebook page to listen to the sounds this exhibit made. (Please make sure your computer or phone's sound is on and you unmute the microphone icon on the video to hear it)



There were many unusual rooms and passages and portals...



...and many interactive games, clues to discover, places to hide, things to look at and listen to!


As a bibliophile, this was one of my favorite rooms!



There were also costumed "guides"--both real people and sculptures.


We all had a wonderful time! 

The girls told me that the experience made them feel "so creative" and as soon as we returned home they took out paper and magic markers and crayons and began making their own art. 

Meow Wolf is definitely a place one would want to visit over and over to discover new features each time. We look forward to visiting it again!

Meow Wold Denver is located at 1338 1st St, Denver, CO 80204

Hours of Operation:

Sun - Thurs: 10:00AM – 10:00PM
Fri & Sat: 10:00AM – 12:00AM
 
Tickets can be purchased through the website.

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Sunday, January 9, 2022

A Surprise Visit!



Views from our Colorado neighborhood.


It is hard to believe that 2022 is already a week old! We have been thankful for some snowfall this month after a long period of warmer than normal days and severe drought in our area. I do not think I will ever take snow for granted ever again!  

Thanks to all who read and commented on my last post about the devastating wildfire that occurred on December 30th, 2021, in Boulder County, Colorado.  Report damage from the Marshall Fire is estimated to be at $513 million with 1,084 residential structures destroyed. Two people were reported missing and sadly, one so far, a 69-year-old man's remains were identifiedwhile a 91-year-old woman who lived in the area is still missing and also feared dead. President Biden and his wife toured areas of the fire destruction last week and said the federal government would give much assistance to the area. Please keep all the victims of this destructive wildfire in your prayers!


A herd of deer in my yard


On a happier note, we have enjoyed many visits lately to our backyard by the local wildlife.



So many mule deer!


It is fun to observe the deer that are right outside our windows.




Early one morning last week we were surprised to see two young bobcats prowling in our yard!




A neighbor told us that she saw them once before in our yard and we've read posts on our neighborhood Facebook page of many others seeing them, but this was the first time getting such a good view of them ourselves! They were very fast and were definitely hunting for a small mammal to eat as they were sniffing for a scent all around. The bobcat, also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. Their major meals are squirrels, rabbits, rodents, and birds.  We have many "resident" wild rabbits and squirrels that we see almost daily, so I was sure that there were scents of both in my yard.




Happily, when I opened my shades the next morning I saw that this bunny survived the bobcat's visit and it was content eating the dried flowers remaining in a flower pot on my patio.

Many people saw these photos of my personal Facebook page and asked me if I was afraid of the bobcats?   I have a feeling they would be more frightened of me if I had opened my door and made noise. Since I was safely inside I was not worried. If I ever adopt another cat it would be an "indoor only" cat, as all my other past cats were. A very small dog might be in danger, but I think the bobcat would prefer to hunt a smaller animal and run away from a dog unless it was cornered. 




Besides enjoying the wildlife visits we have spent most of the first week of January putting away Christmas decorations, doing snow removal, enjoying some cozy time near our fireplace enjoying a movie on TV, or reading a good book, along with enjoying a cup of herbal tea and the last Christmas cookies. The little joys of life seem all the dearer these days.  I hope your New Year has also begun on a good note! Please stay safe and healthy.

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I'm linking this post to some of the following blog events:

 Mosaic MondayBlue Monday, Through My Lens MondayHearth, and Soul Link PartyYou Are the Star Blog Hop, Inspire Me MondayHome Matters Linky Party,  Good Random FunNature NotesGrand SocialTravel Photos, Travel TuesdayHappiness Is Homemade, Our World TuesdayRuby TuesdayTuesday's TreasuresTuesdays With A Twist, Wordless Wednesday on a Tuesday,  Party in Your PJ'sWordless WednesdayOh My Heartsie Girl's Wonderful Wednesday, Wednesday My Corner of the WorldWonderful WednesdaySigns2 Little Things ThursdayThankful Thursday,  Thursday Encouraging Hearts and Home,  Thursday Thinking Out Loud, Thursday Favorite ThingsFriendship FridaysA Morning Cup of JoeFriday Features Linky Party, Skywatch FridayWeekend Roundup,  Pink SaturdaySaturday SparksSaturday CrittersSunday on Silverado


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Sunday, January 2, 2022

Colorado Wildfire: Lessons Learned


Photos source: photos taken from TV scenes of burning buildings in NW Colorado during the Marshall Fire

I'm sure many in the US, and even around the world, have heard about the devastating Colorado wildfire that swept through suburbs NW of Denver on Thursday, December 30, 2021. On a day we had Chinook force winds that were measured at 105 miles per hour in some areas, a fire developed in Marshall, Colorado (the cause is still under investigation at this writing) and quickly spread as a wildfire, incinerating everything in its path. A total of 991 homes were fully destroyed, 127 homes were damaged, businesses and hotels burned, countless family pets and livestock were killed or lost, and most sadly, as of this writing, 2 people are reported missing and feared dead. This devastating fire is being called the Marshall Fire but mainly affected the suburban towns of Superior and Louisville, and Rock Creek Village near Brookfield, Colorado.



The photos above are from the area of Colorado I live in--in a SW suburb of Denver.  There was a wildfire in the hogback outside our neighborhood on Monday, December 28th, 2021.  It was called the Oak Fire as the area it burned was mainly consisting of scrub oak and prairie grass.  This fire was determined to have been arson, but not many other details have been given about it as yet. It was not as windy that day, although there was a "Red Flag Warning" in effect.  A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidity, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.  Something as small as a burning cigarette butt or sparks from a motor or a firecracker explosion can cause a major fire.   We received a pre-evacuation phone call through CodeRED, and soon after an "evacuate now" call. Our hearts were racing, and even though we thought we were prepared, we found we were not.  Although there have been minor fires in our area in the past, a special Fire Wise Committee was set up in our community to help get the word out about fire safety and wildfire preparedness, there is nothing that can really prepare a person for the actual event.

Here is a video link to see the way the wind was blowing and the smoke and fire from our fire department's Twitter feed click here: Oak Fire by West Metro Fire

Our area was very fortunate as aerial firefighting support was able to fly in after the winds disappeared towards sunset. Here is the Twitter notice our fire department sent out with a video link to see one of the water drops:

 "SEAT- single-engine air tanker- making a drop on hogback above the #OakFire. The wind has died down and fire behavior has lessened. All evacuations have been lifted. pic.twitter.com/s33l1AcETh


The photo was taken from a TV news video

Our Oak Fire was a mere 160 acres while the Marshall Fire up north burned over 6,000 acres. We were fortunate that no structures burned.  We were evacuated from our home but got the "all clear" call not long afterward, and we had a home to return to. We could never imagine that such tragic destruction was destined for our neighbors in the county above ours and our hearts break for them. 

Ways to help the Marshall Fire Victims:



Other information can be found on the Rocky Moutain PBS blog at this link.





What we've learned from this experience:

1) Never take a Red Flag Warning for granted and think "It can't happen here." 

It can and it probably will. The entire front range of Colorado from Wyoming to New Mexico is considered a "Wildland Urban Interface" (WUI) and wildfire is always a danger. Every state has WUI areas--many have much more chance of this danger than Colorado does! You can see more information about this on this website.

The changing climate is causing longer droughts, higher temperatures, and more frequent wind storms. Urbanization is making people build in places where once only grass grew. The increase in our state's population and tourism is creating more danger from fire starters such as cigarettes, barbecues, fire pits, fireworks, combustion engines, campfires, etc.  
All of Colorado’s biggest fires broke out in the past two decades and each of those spanned more than 31,000 acres, according to the Colorado Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire Prevention & Control. The state’s largest reported blaze was the Cameron Peak Fire, which burned more than 208,913 acres in 2020. The second-largest wildfire — East Troublesome — was also last year and burned nearly 194,000 acres.  The Marshall Fire is not the most extensive in acre size but it is the most destructive property-wise.
Hopefully, more will be done now to increase awareness of fire danger and mitigate the possible causes of fires as much as possible.  

It is hard to believe that when our neighborhood was built in the 1990s the houses had wood shake singles installed!! Obviously, most houses have replaced their roofs since then, but more fire-resistant building materials should always be used in a UWI area. Families also have to reduce fire danger around their homes as much as possible by clearing debris and keeping gutters clear and roof vents should have metal mesh screens on them to prevent embers from falling in. 
Here is a helpful FEMA checklist for homeowners to use to prepare their homes and surroundings for the possibility of a wildfire.  

The Government Ready website also has wildfire preparedness info.

2) Evacuate immediately when the order comes in. 

We are registered with CodeRED, which is an electronic emergency notification system that enables local public safety personnel to notify residents and businesses of emergencies that may require action. Alerts come via telephone, text message, and email. You should check with your local authorities as to what system your area uses to notify residents in case of an emergency and register with it.

Fire moves quickly and the most important thing to save is one's life. When we received the pre-evacuation CodeRED call for our area we should have packed up right away and have been prepared to leave. It is too late to gather things when the evacuation order comes in. At that point leave immediately--no hesitation.  Traffic quickly occurs, and increasing smoke makes visibility perilous. It is important to know all exits from your neighborhood and community in case one is blocked, and plan ahead where to meet with family members who may not be home. We found Twitter to be the most up-to-date way to communicate and get information on social media, so make an account and follow your local fire department and police department.

3) Make a list and be prepared. 

We learned the "P's" for preparation for a "Go Bag" in case of an emergency evacuation from our Fire Wise Committee:

People and Pets--have pet leashes and carriers readily available and pack food and water bowls

Papers, cell phones, chargers, and important documents

Prescription meds and Eyeglasses

Pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia and jewelry

Personal computer, hard drive, backs ups

"Plastic" -- credit cards ATM cards and cash

My husband and I have a large empty plastic bin in our garage that has this list on a paper on top of it that we set up to see in case of evacuation, but even so, we estimate it took us 20 minutes of running up and down the stairs from our first floor to our second floor to gather what we needed.  We could see our local neighbors have the same dilemma as they were packing up their cars. We prided ourselves that we left first, but in retrospect, it took too long. If fire danger was imminent we should have left immediately.  Material things are not important and we have decided to prepare better for the future. This evacuation was a practice and from now on we are not storing anything important on our upper floor and we are filling that bin ahead of time as much as possible. Next time we will gather what we can when there is a pre-evacuation call and leave immediately when the evacuate call comes in.

This website and this one also have lists of  "Go Bag" necessities with the recommendation to have a flashlight, a portable fire extinguisher, sturdy shoes in case you have to run, N95 face masks to filter smoke, hand sanitizer, a small first aid kit, a whistle, sleeping bag or blanket, and to have a Family Communication Plan that designates an out-of-area friend or relative as a point of contact to act as a single source of communication among family members in case of separation. It is easier to call or message one person and let them contact others than to try and call everyone when a phone, cell, and internet system can be overloaded or limited during a disaster.

4)  Document and Insure your Property. 

Review your homeowners' insurance plan yearly and make sure you have adequate coverage to rebuild.  The price of labor and materials have risen over the years and your insurance may be inadequate. 

Use your smartphone to video your belongings. Keep your inventory & photos outside the home or in the cloud. Make a video recording of your home. Video or photograph each room of your home. and document drawers and closets. Describe your home’s contents in your video. Mention the price you paid, and where and when you bought the item. Remember to note important or expensive items.
Video your electronics, appliances, sports equipment, TVs, computers, and tablets. Save receipts for major purchases. Store key documents in the cloud or fireproof case. Keep home inventory offsite or in the cloud. Video the inside of your garage  

Many documents and forms of identification are valuable to have access to immediately in case of an emergency--this government page has a list for Financial Preparedness. If you can make copies and keep them in a secure password-protected digital space.

We have lived through many emergencies in the past.  We lived in NYC during the 9-11 terrorist attacks, through many NYC electrical blackouts, blizzards, Hurricane Sandy flooding, and now we realize that wildfire will always be a risk we have to be prepared for.  Many of the websites I gave links to also have ways to prepare for other emergencies that can happen wherever you live.  No place is totally safe and being prepared for an emergency is a gift you can give yourself and your family.



A belated Happy New Year to all my readers!  I hope that 2022 will treat us kindly! 

We felt fortunate that we finally received a significant snowfall on New Year's Eve--7 to 8 inches of snow in our area, so now our fire danger is finally reduced. Our fire department actually declared the Oak Fire 100% contained today. It can take that long for a wildfire to be fully contained and no below-ground hot spots are burning which can cause flare-ups.  My older brother was an FDNY firefighter for many years and I've always had respect for firefighters, but after seeing how hard our county's firefighters worked on our local fire and then went north to assist in the Marshall Fire I have even more respect for all their hard work and dedication--they are true heroes and I thank them all!

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