Day 12- Only From the Heart

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky."  -Rumi

Today was tattoo day!  I got this one for several reasons:  

(1) To mark my flight in the sky in a hot air balloon

(2) To remind me to never let anyone clip my wings

(3) A snowbird always sings the song that is in her heart

(4) I must never stop singing or flying

I had this one placed over my heart to remind me of all the healing of heart wounds that have happened on this trip.  Rumi also said, "The wound is the place where the Light enters you."  I think about the direction that my life has taken over the past six months and I continue to find myself grateful for the pain and for the change because, with them, I have been given the gift of light and love and self-discovery.  I have reignited the spark that I had lost.  I have learned how to laugh and love again.  I know how strong I am.  I know how weak I am.  I sing every day.

So enough of the deep stuff :)  I also went to downtown Boulder and walked around and then headed up to Fort Collins to visit my friend Meg.

Found this card in a "European" shop in Boulder.  Hilarious!  

Bikes bikes everywhere!

Children playing in a sprinkler art thing on Pearl Street in Boulder.  It was 92 degrees today.

Pearl Street in Boulder reminded me so much of Church Street in Burlington, VT.  Turns out that the same guy designed both!

I treated myself to a haircut today.  Wanted to look snazzy when I returned home.  Plus the dry desert had done a number on my hair and skin!  Lotion and chapstick are your best friends out here.

A piano busker!  That's dedication!  I would not be down for moving an upright piano around all day long!

One of my favorite shows when I was little!  Tin Tin!  His dog's name was "Snowy".... hmmm... 

So after bumming around Boulder, I took a trip up to Fort Collins to visit my friend Meg (whom I haven't seen in 4 years!).  We went to SUNY Plattsburgh together.  

Sunset through the smoke from the High Park wildfire outside of Fort Collins.

Okay!  Crazy story!  My friend Tom from high school (Tully, NY) lived in this house... with Meg from Plattsburgh, NY... what?!?!?  It's such a small world!  How two of my friends could meet up in a big place like Colorado... 

Meg's girlfriend, Jo.  One mojito is like 3 mojitos up here!  So fun!  We had matching t-shirts too!  

Playing pool... I promise that I was aiming at a ball... this picture was taken post-shot... and I only hit one ball in the whole game.  Conclusion= I suck at pool.  This is not a new revelation.  Now, if you give me a dart and a board, I could kick some serious butt.

 

Meg introduced me to some local beer.  I loved this one!

There are pianos everywhere in Old Town Fort Collins!  I played this one (poorly) and then Meg snapped a picture.  I'm in love.  Cool art too!

I had one of the best days/nights of the trip!  So much fun!  It was great to see old friends and to make new ones too.  A very big thanks to Meg and Jo and the folks in Fort Collins.  I beautiful city with beautiful people!  I will be back some day!

Day 11- Fire on the Mountain

"Long distance runner, what you holdin out for?
Caught in slow motion in a dash for the door.
The flame from your stage has now spread to the floor
You gave all you had. why you wanna give more?
The more that you give, the more it will take
To the thin line beyond which you really can't fake.

Fire! Fire on the mountain!"

-The Grateful Dead



So I arrived in Boulder, CO this morning.  Smoke-filled skies greeted me.  The High Parks fire is blazing north of here, about 15 miles west of Ft. Collins.  Needless to say, most everyone was spending their day inside.  It smells like a giant campfire!  I took a little drive up to Estes Park (nearer to the fire) and snapped some pictures.  Due to construction on the road, needing to take a shuttle, and the fire, I didn't venture into the park today.

This is the first time that I've seen clouds on this whole trip!  No rain though.  Colorado is in a state of serious drought (which is not helping the fire).  I think it's the 2nd biggest wildfire on record in Colorado at this point.  

Smokey skies!  This is the closest that I've ever been to a wildfire.  I'm covering all of my bases on this trip!  Unexpected surprises around every corner.

Making friends with a chipmunk.  They are super friendly around these parts.  And so are the folk in Boulder.  Hipsters are everywhere in this town!  Reminds me of being back home in Noho.  I miss all of my Valley loves!  I'll be coming home soon!  

I've been collecting rocks from my journeys... Sedona, Flagstaff, Shiprock, 4 Corners, the Arches, Canyonlands, Rockies... 

So, boring blog post day.  I did some laundry (woo hoo?).  After a week and a half of wandering around in the sand and mountains, my clothes needed some TLC.

I'm doing something special tomorrow to mark the wrapping-up of my Soul Journey... I'll upload pictures at the end of the day :)

I miss  you all back home (Tully, Plattsburgh, and Hadley)!  4 more days to live it up!