Showing posts with label Mosaic Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mosaic Monday. Show all posts

Sunday, September 6, 2026

25th Anniversary of 9-11 in New York City


 This is how I'll always remember the Twin Towers in New York City. 

This photo hangs in the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

 When I saw this photo on a visit to this very emotionally touching museum, I had an immediate flashback to the last time I saw the towers in August of 2001, when I waited to meet my husband, who worked in 7 World Trade Center, located across the street from WTC Tower 1. I sat in the WTC promenade by the fountain, and I remember watching a window-washing crew at work up high on Tower 2. 

We had traveled all around Italy with our college-age children that past May, and I remember thinking how we traveled so far to see so much beauty in Italy, but then sometimes take for granted the marvels we see almost every day here at home in the USA.




The unidentified remains found in the rubble after the terrorist attack are located behind this wall inside the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The New York City Medical Examiner's Office is still identifying remains as tests become more sophisticated.



This photo is of our children when they were young, standing inside the glass tunnel entrance to 7 World Trade Center from the WTC Promenade. My husband worked in that building from 1987 to 2001. WTC 7 collapsed at 5:20:52 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, after enduring fires for almost seven hours, from the time of the collapse of the north WTC tower.

We were all fortunate that day, as my husband was home preparing to leave for a business golf outing. Our daughter was home as she was attending NYU and did not live in the dorm that year, but drove to the college from our home in Brooklyn. Our son, who had graduated from college in Washington, D.C. that spring, stayed to work there at the time and lived a few blocks north of the White House. He was preparing to go to work when he heard the news that the WTC towers and the Pentagon were hit.


Part of the memorial for the 343 firefighters killed on 9/11 at the Ten House Firehouse, located on Liberty Street. My older brother was an FDNY lieutenant for almost 30 years and had retired a few years before 9/11. He knew many of the firemen who perished that day. 

I have written many blog posts about 9/11, as you can see by the tab on my blog's sidebar under "Labels." Some of them show the many memorials to the memory of 9/11 that we have seen all around the country. The latest one we saw was as part of the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab we visited with friends last summer in Denver, Colorado. You can read about the purpose of this museum on their FAQ page.

They had a steel beam from the WTC on display as part of an exhibit.


When we moved from NYC to Colorado in 2013, we learned the pilot, Jason Dahl, from the third hijacked airplane on 9/11,  Flight 93, had lived in our neighborhood. 

His flight was the plane that the brave passengers brought down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to prevent further destruction in Washington DC.



This memorial was dedicated to his memory in the area where his home was located. 

In 2002, the Captain Jason Dahl Scholarship Fund was established to provide two deserving aviation students a scholarship grant in Jason’s name.

Our neighborhood all gathered on the 20th anniversary to remember and honor Captain Dahl, and we plan to do the same for this 25th Anniversary.

“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn
that life is short and there is no time for hate.”
~ Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl


The 9/11 Memorial and Museum has a special 25th Anniversary Remembrance and Service page.

Is there a 9-11 Memorial where you live? I'd love to learn about it in your comments below.

To all our friends, neighbors, and work associates that we lost on 9-11...

We will never forget!


It is up to all of us to make the world a better place.
 Let us spread kindness and defeat hate!

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Sunday, August 23, 2026

The "M Climb" Event at the Colorado School of Mines


We live close to the town of Golden, Colorado. It's a wonderful place to visit, full of attractions and things to do. Coors Brewery is located there, as well as the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Golden History Museum and Park, and many other attractions.

 I've visited and blogged about all these places in the past, and if you are interested to learn more about them you can find those posts by using the search feature on my blog's sidebar.


Golden lies along Clear Creek at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak gold rush on June 16, 1859, the mining camp was originally named Golden City in honor of Thomas L. Golden.




The entire state of Colorado has a long mining history. My husband and I have enjoyed learning more about this history and its associated traditions as we have traveled all around the state in the past 13 years that we have lived here.




Located to the west of Golden is Mount Zion with a large letter "M" near its summit.



The large white "M" is maintained by the Colorado School of Mines. There is a tradition over 100 years old in which incoming freshmen climb 3 miles up the mountain carrying a 10-pound rock from their hometown, which is then whitewashed and added to the "M" design. 

This traditional  M Event occurred this week! 

The freshmen students are given a hard hat to wear on their climb up, and many sophomores, juniors, and seniors, who are called by their nicknames the "Orediggers," line the route to cheer them on and teach them to sing the college's "fight" song, along with many who douse the climbers with water to cool them off!

The "M" has been permanently lighted at night since 1932 and is visible for many miles in the area.


Please click on both of these informational placards, which will enlarge the photos for easier reading about the "M Climb." 



Placards around the town tell stories about the tradition, and the letter "M" stands as a symbol for the prestigious engineering college, the Colorado School of Mines.



The Colorado School of Mines is a public research university that offers programs in engineering and applied science.
 
It is also home to the National Earthquake Information Center, and nearby is the National Laboratory of the Rockies, a federally funded science institution.




The Colorado School of Mines also has a very interesting, free-to-visit Mines Museum of Earth Science filled with over 7,400 square feet of rocks, minerals, fossils, and other fascinating Earth Science-related objects. It is definitely worth a visit!




This short YouTube video shows the fun M Climb Event!

Graduating students are invited to take a rock from the M as a souvenir of their time at the college.

One-room schoolhouse at the South Park City Museum in Fairplay, Colorado.

It was also "Back to School" time for our grandchildren this week!
We have two grandchildren who are in Middle School and two in High School, and they were all excited to begin a new school year and see their classmates again.

I loved this quote:
“School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside.”
 ~ Lon Watters


As summer winds down, I am really looking forward to the fall season and cooler temperatures ahead. Autumn has always been my favorite season!

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Sunday, August 16, 2026

"Snow" in August!


This summer, actually this year in Colorado, has been an unusual one. In winter, spring, and most of this summer, we have been experiencing warmer-than-usual temperatures and extreme drought and wildfires, many caused by dry lightning. Normal snowpack in the mountains was subpar, and rainfall was low to nil. 

Weather-wise, the West was in a "La Niña" weather system, and now we are told by meteorologists that we are headed into an "El Niño" weather system. These systems both have to do with the effects of Trade Winds and Pacific Ocean temperatures--you can read more about this weather phenomenon and how it affects different parts of the world at this link.



 Now, we have finally entered the monsoon season in Colorado.

The North American Monsoon season usually starts June 15 and runs through September each year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This year, as weather patterns change, it has come later, and we are beginning to see heavy cloud formations every afternoon, bringing thunderstorms and rain to many areas.


Yesterday, the monsoon brought a powerful hailstorm to our area! 

View the short video above.

One of our neighbors was hosting a baby shower at her home, so many of her guests' cars parked on our cul-de-sac. Happily, the hailstorm brought high winds, thunder and lightning, but the hailstones were not giant-sized, so they did not do as much damage as they could have. If you read a past post I wrote about weather in Colorado--this link--you can see photos of how large hailstones can become!


It looked like snow in August! I asked my husband to please push my pot of basil under our outdoor table to save it from losing its leaves. I have harvested the basil plants once to freeze for the winter, and this was my second growth. Fortunately, it survived!


The neighborhood deer enjoyed eating the bounty of leaves that fell on the ground from the hail, so they were happy!


Did I lose flowers from the hailstorm? 
Not really, as you can see that 
trying to grow much of anything here when deer frequently roam through our yards is a losing cause. 
They seem to think anything growing is good to eat.


But how could I be mad at these adorable faces?

The twin fawns born in my backyard in June are growing up fast, and they will soon lose their spots when they grow their winter coats.

Will winter bring us a lot of actual snow this year with El Niño weather? 

Time will tell!

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Monday, August 3, 2026

Happy 150th Birthday to Colorado!


Happy month of August to all!

August first was the sesquicentennial- 150th- anniversary of Colorado's statehood, and many Colorado Day celebrations were held throughout the state.
My husband and I decided to celebrate by taking a drive to nearby areas where we enjoy the scenery.
Our first stop was Golden Gate Canyon State Park, one of the 42 Colorado State Parks. Admission was free for all Colorado state parks for Colorado Day. 
 The park is located in Gilpin and Jefferson counties, around 30 miles west of Denver.  This 11,998-acre Front Range Park has 35 miles of hiking trails. It includes facilities such as a visitor center, 156 campsites, stocked fishing ponds, and over 125 picnic sites.

 (All photos and photo collages in this post will enlarge for easier viewing if clicked on)



Panorama Point Scenic Overlook in Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers spectacular views of more than 100 miles of Colorado’s Continental Divide year-round.


We enjoyed the views, the cooler temperatures at a higher elevation, and a walk along a trail. 


I was pleased to see some wildflowers along the trail despite Colorado's long drought.


Next, we drove on the Peak to Peak Scenic Highway towards Estes Park.

I blogged about this very scenic drive in this post when there was snow on the Rocky Mountains--quite a different view!


We entered Estes Park — a beautiful town just outside the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

I've blogged about both locations many times, as you can see from labels on my blog sidebar, as we have had many wonderful times in both locations in the thirteen years that we've lived in Colorado.



On this occasion, we went to one of our favorite places to dine in Estes Park--Smokin Dave's Barbecue! My husband and I ordered a double platter meal that comes with two sides and a corn muffin. Needless to say, there was so much delicious food that we both had leftovers to take home <smile>

From Estes Park, we drove a portion of US Route 36 toward our home. It travels through a beautiful portion of St. Vrain Canyon, alongside St Vrain Creek.

It was a wonderful day out and a fun way to celebrate Colorado turning 150 years old as the 38th state of the United States!

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Sunday, July 26, 2026

The Enjoyment of Hiking On Our Local Colorado Trails


 


Our neighborhood has many miles of local trails. Some were built and are maintained by our HOA Master Association and therefore are private for residents only, and some are our county's open space parks available to all.


This is a beautiful world, and all who go out under the open sky will feel the gentle, kindly influence of nature and hear her good tidings." ~ Enos Mills

Some of the trails are concrete, some are gravel, and others are dirt. Many are utilized by hikers, bicycle riders, and horseback riders. I am not the fastest hiker going uphill, but slowly and surely, I manage. Taking photos helps me get a bit of rest before I go on.


"For how many years did I wander slowly...what wonders and glory I could have missed had I ever been in a hurry! ~ Mary Oliver



" Keep close to Nature's heart...
and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean."
~ Johm Muir


The trails pass red rock formations and meadows, and some gain a thousand feet of elevation beyond our area's average 6,000 feet (1828 Meters) elevation.

Over the years, my husband and I have walked the trails alone, with each other, our children, and with friends.


"The battle for conservation will go on endlessly.  It is part of the universal battle between right and wrong." 
~John Muir


I have photographed hundreds of wildflowers along the trails...these were just a few!


"I hope you are blessed with a heart like a wildflower
Strong enough to rise again after being trampled upon. tough enough to weather the worst of summer storms, and able to grow and flourish, even in the most broken places."
~ Nikita Gill



We have walked in all kinds of weather and all the seasons...in spring and summer...


...in Autumn...

...and in winter.


"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again." 
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson




“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
~ John Muir



On days we can't walk, and sadly, that has been many days because of high summer heat and poor air quality due to wildfires in our state this summer, my husband and I go to our nearby community gym. 
It's small, but it is usually not crowded, and it has enough machines to choose from to do an hour workout. I like that the gym bicycles can be programmed to show rides through different national parks and scenic rides all around the world!



Even the twin fawns that were born in our backyard in June have been feeling this summer's excessive heat. They have been seeking out the shade of our trees for coolness. It has been fun watching them grow!

Where do you like to walk where you live? 
How has the weather been where you live this season? 


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