We took the train to Denver last month, and I woke up around midnight (in our sleeping car bedroom) to the sound of the train's whistle as we passed the Great Salt Lake. It was very dark, but a sliver of moon shone on the lake and illuminated the white salt deposits around its edges. A little while later, I heard the whistle again as we slowed to a stop in Salt Lake City--a fairly busy place for the middle of the night. But the train soon rocked us back to sleep.
After breakfast in the dining car, we spent the morning and early afternoon in the observation car, absorbed in and photographing eastern Utah and western Colorado scenery that is sometimes only visible from the train and the river--no roads in the area--
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| Bookcliff Mountains |
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| Ruby Canyon |
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| Ruby Canyon |
Almost the first place we went in Denver was to Boulder! I seem to recall something about a prediction (or curse) by Chief Niwot of the Southern Arapahoes proclaiming that if you move away from Boulder, you are destined to return. And so I do--every time we visit Denver. From the front seat, driving down the Boulder Expressway, the Flatirons look like a painting.....
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| Flatirons |
Two weeks after this photo was taken, the forest west of Boulder erupted in flames and over 150 homes and thousands of acres were burned.
Once in Boulder, we went to my favorite LYS (local yarn store) of all time--Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins http://www.shuttlesspindlesandskeins.com/. Shuttles is where I learned to spin--Maggie taught me. Maggie was not there that day, but I did get to say hi to Judy, and left a note for Maggie.
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| Shuttles.... |
Another favorite place we visited while in Denver was the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster http://www.butterflies.org/ . It's a huge arboretum housing a tropical rain forest and thousands of butterflies. I took my latest Jane Thornley Feather and Fan Organic Wrap (more about that another time) for a photo shoot--
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| Butterflies are Open Daily.... |
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| Do not touch the butterfly.... |
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| Resting.... |
The train ride home was just as beautiful as the trip out. Rosie was so happy to see us when we returned to Lincoln a few days later, and asked that we kindly not stray again.....
.....but the story will continue.....
