Cripple Creek Ice Festival 2018~ pt.3

The second weekend of the Ice Festival saw record crowds fill the streets of Cripple Creek. And the additional sculptures added to the magic. 

The sculptures stay up for an additional week for visitors and residents to enjoy. Can't wait to see what's in store for next year!

Cripple Creek Ice Festival 2018 ~ pt.2

While the first day of the event brought a snowstorm to the area, the second day was gorgeous! The beautiful sunshine allowed people to fully enjoy the frosty creations.

In Cripple Creek, no event is complete unless there are DONKEYS!

The City had another shipment of ice brought in before the second weekend because in the past, the ice has melted in the warm temperatures, causing the sculptures to look a bit sad. But this year was different. The cold stuck around all week and the new ice allowed the sculpting teams to create more beautiful-ness. 

Next time we'll take a look at the second batch of sculptures and some night-time views.

Cripple Creek Ice Festival 2018 ~ pt. 1

The Cripple Creek Ice Festival takes place every February for two weekends. What a great way to break up the winter doldrums. Only thing is, it really hasn't been much like winter around here. We have had such extreme temperature swings! Almost Spring-like for a few days, then a storm blows in and brings us a small amount of snow and some frigid temperatures. The last couple years has seen warm temperatures for the Ice Fest and the ice begins melting not long after the first day. But this year was a little different. We had snow arrive on the first day and moderately chilly temperatures continued throughout the first weekend.

The Ice Festival is an interactive ice sculpture event with a different theme every year. The public is encouraged to touch, sit, and enjoy the sculptures carved by the sculpting teams. This year's theme was Renaissance in Ice with five professional ice sculpting teams who turned the downtown area into a medieval wonderland complete with an ice castle, dragon ice slide, carnival games in ice and for the adults a martini ice luge.

The ice was brought in on two semi-trailers over the course of two days- about 180,000 pounds of ice from the Great Lake region of Ohio. That would be 600 blocks of ice each weighing 300 pounds. It was fun watching the process. 

The ice is shrink wrapped for its protection

All manner of items were used to sculpt the ice - axes, chainsaws, blow dryers, kitchen utensils. Whatever gave the carvers the ability to shape the ice.

Next time, we'll take a walk down the street as another storm moves in and we'll view the finished sculptures. 

Holiday Shopping

Need a unique, one of a kind gift for someone on your holiday list? 

Check out this Etsy shop, BashandStorm.

The shop owner sews a variety of bags - handbags, tote bags, etc. She uses unique fabric and all her bags are very well made and of a high quality plus the prices are very reasonable. Her work is amazing. How can someone sew a straight line like that???

The shop is named after her son, Bash, and their kitty, Storm. She is a military wife, and hubby and I have 'adopted' her and her family. Give the shop a look-see. You never know what you'll find....

In Memorium.......

Elvira

2007- 2017

A mommy dog you were

Teaching kids to walk by holding onto your fur.

You raised a batch of puppies with patience and with love

You may now rest, the coos you hear are doves.

May your food bowl always be full

May you run and play and cavort.
Elvira we miss you.

But you will always be in our heart.

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

Cat Tales ~ SQUATTERS!

There's Squatters in Mes Castle!

This happens every time those noisy, sticky Little People come to visit!

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

A Sign of Spring

For Hubby and I it isn't Spring until we attend our first car show. And what a coincidence that our son's car club hosts one of the first car shows of the year. 

A variety of years, makes, models were on display.

To be admired by Young and Old alike.

Living Deliberately ~ Realization

We didn't wake up one day and say, Let's Live Deliberately. For us the transition came slowly. Which is really a good way to transform one's lifestyle. A slow transformation gives a person time to develop new habits and a new way of thinking.

When Hubby & I had lived in Colorado back at the end of the last century (that sure makes us sound old!), we lived in a small house in the mountains, didn't have a lot of extra fluff & enjoyed the small pleasures that Life presented to us. We then moved to the South and slowly we were sucked into the mindset that bigger (and more) was better. We moved into a bigger house which we then filled with lots of stuff. Life was good but we had no one to share all of the goodness with, there was an empty space that we couldn't quite seem to fill. Our family was a long, long way away. And our time, energy and money was being sunk into the house and the stuff that was in the house so vacations were very few and far between. 

Life then gave us the opportunity to change that. We moved back close to family and into a house smaller than we had had for many years. Kids and Grandkids and the pleasures of life became the focus of our time and energy. Our house was soon filled with Love and Laughter instead of  'stuff'.  And believe me, Love and Laughter do a lot more to nourish a soul than material objects.

When Life presented us with an extreme challenge, we learned what truly mattered. And made adjustments accordingly. But not everyone needs to experience such life changing events as we did in order to change their way of thinking. And living a deliberate life does take a certain frame of mind - a "want" to have a life full of experiences and to make the world a better place.

Tomorrow I'll share my experiences with de-cluttering.

Dinovember

Just had to share this with all of you! I love what these parents have come up with to keep the magic and enchantment alive for their kids! {{Thanx Tracy!}} Click Here to read more!

In Memoriam...

The cold November wind buffeted the truck as the couple drove toward their mountain get-away.  All they had been concerned with since buying the property was where to build the cabin, no thoughts had been given to where they were going to place the cemetery.  That task would have to be accomplished this trip. With extremely heavy hearts.

The woman had fretted over burying him there - at their week-end get-away place - she was afraid he'd be lonely.  He had never been a real chummy Feline but he did like the occasional lap when it was cold.  And winter was coming on. 

But the woman's concerns would soon be laid to rest.  As they turned the corner to drive down their road, there was a Stag standing there looking at them.  And in the split second it took the woman to realize that this was a sign from Cerunnos (the Celtic God of the Woods - the God of Life, Animals, Wealth, and the Underworld), the Stag bounded off into the Woods.

The couple parked at the end of the driveway, fearful the snow and slush might cause problems later.  As they began the walk down the drive, another sign awaited their discovery.  A sign letting the woman know that their much loved Kitty would not be alone. Bobcat tracks could clearly be seen in the snow.  The woman knew for certain then that they had made the right decision.  He would have someone to 'pal around with'.   Someone to keep him company. 

May your days be filled with Sun Puddles, Endless Tuna and Saucers of Milk.

Purz and Catnip Dreams...........

Valentino ~ The Great White Hunter