I love my cozy home, cuddly human, other cats and catnip. We recall the many kindnesses given to Julia through the years. Suzanne and Bill, Tina, Deb, Laura. Jason and Carole have all helped me celebrate life with laughter, good food and great hope. Without going on with more name dropping, let us say that there are many local folks whose presence in Sarasota make our lives so much more pleasant. You know who you are.

On a compLETEly different subject, I have HBO again. Yeah, I know TV is bad for you. But my favorite TV show -True Blood- is in reruns before the 3rd season starts in June. IF you have HBO and you have not seen it yet - I will warn you it is addicting. The dialogues and story are superb. It does NOT dwell on the vulgar/bloody aspect of vampires. Rather, it is about community values, devotion, trust and love/sex. Oh yes, and there are the occasional laughs. But these come more easily once you get into the story. IF you have time on Monday night - check it out. HBO is running back to back episodes of season one. (The same directors did Six Feet Under.)

http://www.hbo.com/trueblood/season1/]

Peace Prize

One of my lifetime heroes is Jimmy Carter. His work with the Carter Center was honored well in 2002 when he accepted his peace prize. Lots of folks are saying that Barack Obama does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize......HOWever, in Carter's lecture and acceptance speech for this award he had this to say:

It has become obvious that the Nobel prizes are awarded for two basic purposes: to recognize past accomplishments of the laureates and to inspire future progress for peace and human rights.

No doubt, this award will inspire President Obama and other world leaders to do more, together to achieve successes in the striving for peace and human rights.

Peace on Earth ~ Peace inside your hearts.

With Love and Blessings

Julia Hanlon Seyffert

Mountains around Lenado

Pine woods above Lenado, CO.

Fall colors starting to show on the ground foliage.

On the road back to Lenado from the peaks we explored on Saturday.

Colorful waters of Maroon Lake

Icy cold water grows

the brightest green algae

I have ever seen.

Much of the surrounding

sand and rocks are actually

maroon colored, like the

Maroon Bells.

Something to do with

iron oxide...

None of these photos

have been retouched

or edited.

These are the real colors of Color-ado.

Maroon Bells, CO

Hiking around the Maroon Bells, outside of Aspen, CO.

Nurturing

Young pigeon Lawrence is recuperating here from a magpie row. Cris Ledwell, my kind host here, rescued the fledgling this week. The rewards of caring for a helpless animal are manyfold. We started feeding him from our fingers, and now he(?) has graduated to spoon feeding.

Aspen Discoveries

I am discovering the softer aspects of this magical place.

Laying on the soft grass next to a cold stream

My stainless water jug resting in the flow

Not a single bug in sight - now I know:

The ants have all retired to Florida!

Hiking in the Grottos was brilliant

Sparkling water through rock formations and driftwood

Then we watched folks jump into the Punchbowl.

A chilling experience to witness

But the rocks were so warm and comforting

AspenAugust09

Day one of my mountain vacation:

I am once again in awe of the feeling of being nestled in

By Earth, Rock, Trees and Water.

Babbling brooks, dancing Aspen leaves

Squirrel scampering up a tall pine

with a fat mushroom in his mouth

Cool breeze on my sun-warmed arms

Surrounded by so much vertical beauty

Did I just leave a flat-land?

Did it feel like 101 a few days and a few thousand miles ago?

Oops, there goes a little yellow butterfly

Must go now ~ Mother nature beckons again