Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.  

As I mentioned over the summer when I first moved here, the difference in latitude from Atlanta really has an impact. 

Today Aspen will have 9 hours and 24 minutes of sunlight.  That's 30 minutes shorter than Atlanta. Converse.y, Aspen had 30 minutes more of daylight in the summer than Atlanta.  

30 minutes. Doesn't sound like much, but it does really have an impact. Of course, the mountains obstruct some of the sunlight as well, making the shadows longer. Thankfully, Aspen isn't like some mountain towns that are shrouded in shadows all day long. We do get a lot of sun. It's another "happy accident" I'm enjoying by being here.  

This album is a classic.  Enjoy.

 

I love sitting in my warm apartment with this view every day. Today I'll let the photos (and the song below) speak the 1,000 words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I skied on my new skis (which look like those in this picture). Today I'm SO SORE! 

So what did I do? I went skiing again. As much as I could take, that is. 

It's instinct to say that I'm "out of shape," and that may be partially true. But we are ALL "out of shape" when we try a new activity where muscles we haven't used before (or in a long time).  So my conclusion is: I want muscles! All I'll need to do is get these muscles used to the new activity. 

One thing that's been a bit surprising to me is that there are a lot of "older" people here. Older than I am, that is, which is no spring chicken. Yet they hike and ski with the best of them. They can do it because their bodies are conditioned; their muscles are developed  to handle the activity and their blood is used to the lesser oxygen. They might not push their bodies beyond their limits or take the risks of kids one or two generations younger, but they can certainly get out there and move effortlessly (as well as gracefully) down the mountain. 

So the key is to go out there as often as I can and allow my body to adjust and strengthen. 

I'll get there. 

 

 

 

Last night I visited the legendary Starwood, made famous by John Denver, for the first time. 

It was dark out, so all I really noticed was the steep hills, the deep snow and the Christmas lights in the distance. 

It was still breathtakingly beautiful.  

If you want to get a peek into John Denver's Starwood home, check this out:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2715316/Sweet-Rocky-Mountain-paradise-John-Denvers-six-bedroom-Colorado-retreat-immortalised-hit-song-Starwood-Aspen-goes-sale-10-8m.html

 

After getting about a foot of snow last night, with more coming down by the minute, not to mention the 15 degree weather, I decided not to ski today. Instead, I offered to help shovel the driveway and sidewalk. While we do have professionals who are supposed to do this, I needed the exercise, so I volunteered. It was still cold, but the close proximity to home made it easy to tolerate. And the exercise definitely made me warm. 

The above is a picture of my back yard in the winter. The photo below is pretty much the same view six months ago…

Last night I went with a few friends to see the Blind Boys of Alabama at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. The evening was remarkable in a lot of ways. First, to walk to a concert only a few blocks away. If I was in Atlanta I most likely wouldn't have gone to the same concert; the logistics would be just too much trouble. To pick up a friend on the way, travel to the destination and park would have taken at least an hour, probably more like two. The Atlanta venue would have probably been much larger, meaning that the seats wouldn't have been as good. 

And even though the music and performance would have probably been the same, the enjoyment of the experience was infinitely better here.  

Here's are the Blind Boys of Alabama singing Amazing Grace. While I've never been a fan of this song, their arrangement is quite remarkable. 

 

I was disappointed they didn't perform my favorite song by them. And since the first time I heard it was on my favorite TV show, LOST, here's a nice tribute. Enjoy!

 

I took these photos from the airplane as I flew back to Colorado.  I was struck by the change in colors over time. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went back to Georgia on Wednesday for a doctor's appointment. It was a surrealy experience, to say the least. While I was flying there, I looked out the window seat of the plane and saw something truly spectactular. This picture, while beautiful in its own right, doesnt do it justice. The moon was perched halfway between the sky and the clouds. (Yes, that's the moon). 

This "halfway" moon offers symbolizm on a number of levels. My year in Aspen is nearly halfway complete, and I was traveling between the halfway point between my past/old life (in Atlanta) and my new life in Aspen.  

Time is an interesting marker. It moves forward at fluctuating rates, sometimes taking forever (as when you're flying on a plane and anxious to get your connection to another location) and sometimes moving by so rapidly you feel like you just blinked and months passed.  

If you're ever considering writing a blog (or perhaps just a daily journal), you'll see how it provides a chronicle of time. A way of reflecting on those "halfway points" to look forward and backward.  

 

This photo was taken while skiing the other day. If you look closely, you can see the faint line of blue on the horizon. The promise of a sunny day in the distance. 

In these days of frightening uncertainty, we need to look to find promise on the horizon. Something to hope for. 

Photos from the group skiing class over the weekend…

(And realizing that I need a new ski jacket – this one looks worse than the Michelin Man!)  

On the topic of group classes – I really recommend it! On all three days of classes we had between 3-4 students, which was great. Better than solo lessons, where there's too much pressure on you. Plus, you learn from each other. And it's more fun! And come on, who can complain about a 3 to 1 ratio?