The Beauty of Sloans Lake

A portion of Sloans Lake facing the mountains. The skyline of downtown Denver can also be seen from the lake. The lake is in the heart of Denver so there are many who have homes across the street from the lake or within walking distance. If you look at this picture you can see the ski boat and someone water skiing across the lake. There's a boat dock over there.

Every Saturday morning I drive to Sloans Lake near downtown Denver and walk, it's part of my routine; you can see the skyline of Downtown Denver from the lake. It's a great place to walk, people are out with their dogs walking, jogging, roller blading; people are out on the lake boating and water skiing - it's a wonderful place. The lake is a water supply for the city of Denver. Myself, I like to take pictures while I am walking.

It's large enough that it takes about an hour and a half to walk around the entire lake. (good exercise!). The different parts of the lake seem to take on a different personality. In some places are the boat docks and other places, tennis courts etc. - even a hospital near by. It's very park like as well. There are about six parking lots around the lake that you can choose as a starting point to walk. It's a good place to people watch as well.


Canada Geese on Sloans Lake

Mama Mallard Duck and youngster

There are beautiful gardens around the lake. I love to garden & always enjoy admiring others gardens as well. I like to both inspire and be inspired. Gardening is a blessing, both for the gardener and the viewer.

In Loving Memory of My Mom

For the most beautiful woman on the planet earth and in the heavenly realms of light.

In tribute, love, peace, honor and celebration

of my mom Lois's beautiful spirit.

The most beautiful woman on the planet earth!

Now the most beautiful woman in the heaven realms of light!

May 18, 1926 to June 8, 2006

Mom and I at a Christmas party in December of 2000.

Mom loved the color yellow - this rose is for you mom!

Mountain Beauty

 

Rocky Mountain National Park in the distance as viewed driving into Estes Park.

 

I recently took a drive from Denver up to Estes Park. I love it up there, it is like a combination of the energy of Conifer, Evergreen and Boulder Colorado all rolled into one. It has a little bit of the feeling of Breckenridge as well, a quaint mountain town and ski resort. Estes Park has a little bit of the energy of all these places.

 

Estes Park is at one end of the Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake is at the other end. During the winter snow plows usually begin at each end of the park and by Memorial Day have met in the middle, having cleared all of the snow off of the roads so that tourists can drive through and enjoy the park.

 

The above meadow is outside of the town of Estes Park Colorado. Coming out of the mountains (a long climb up in elevation) you come around a corner to behold a sweeping valley below where the town is located. As you come down into the valley you drive by sweeping meadows with views of the Rocky Mountain National Park in the distance. Coming into Estes Park you pass Lake Estes, a good sized beautiful lake which is the town's water supply and then on into town. On the 4th of July they have fireworks displays at the lake.

 

Estes Park is similar to Aspen Park/Conifer CO where I used to live (about 8300' up) in that you drive up into the mountains from Denver and suddenly come around a curve to behold the town of Aspen Park down below tucked into a valley.

 

Estes Park is round about 75oo' elevation.

 

Both areas have a large Elk population.

 

I noticed that it is also similar in that as you drive into Aspen Park or Estes Park there are massive granitic rock formations on the way in, as well as sweeping meadows and pine trees filling the hills.

I saw this sign outside of Estes Park and thought it interesting. What a neat name for someone's property: "Distant Thunder"!

Animal Teachers

Part of the Elk herd that I came upon in Evergreen Colorado.

Last 4th of July weekend I took a drive up into the mountains near Denver, specifically Conifer and over to Evergreen. I lived in the Conifer area for 11 years and the mountains (and all they encompass) are always near and dear to my heart. I have always felt that the city touches the mind but nature touches the soul and the spirit.

I wanted to share a picture of an Elk that I came across. She was a part of a Herd of about 20. This cow was quite content to sun herself. Elk usually, left alone can be mellow. An adult can easily near 1000 lbs, especially the Bulls.

The Elk in Evergreen are so used to people ... they hang out in front yards all the time. When I lived in Conifer this was the case as well. I love to watch them. I stopped and watched the herd for awhile; I love Elk - they are one of my totem animals; they have always had lessons for me with their attributes.

She might be thinking
"Maybe if I disappear in the tall grasses they might not see me?"

There were about 20 of them, some of them crossing back and forth over the highway while people slowed or stopped to let them go their way or a few cows that were sunning themselves in a meadow near the road. Elk are so numerous around Evergreen and Conifer that I think that they get as used to people as people get to them. The important thing is that folks always remember when they live in the mountains that "the wild animals were there first" and to find a center balance in living with them in harmony.

This very pretty girl graciously allowed me to take her picture. I think that here she thought that so many 4th of July weekend tourists were stopping to look that maybe in the tall grasses she might appear invisible.

She might be thinking, "You called? I'm trying to take a nap here!"

One must always respect animals and their body language. Later down the highway in an area called Elk Meadows open space park I found another herd of Elk at a distance from the road - some of the cows had calves with them. Baby Elk are always as cute as can be, as are all baby animals.

Putting her ears back (body language): "Okay enough picture taking already!" Tourists were stopping in numbers more than the elk were used to.

Hmmm? What was that?? This beautiful elk was gracious letting me take pictures of her and never moved from her spot.

Everyday Simplicity

Often times in life it's the ordinary; the simple that is the profound and the extra ordinary: those "real moments" that stay with us along life's path.

This is an old photo of myself from my teenage years with a best buddy and friend - one of our horses with whom I shared many good days. She is in spirit at this time. Sometimes during meditation, in my inner vision, she will appear - playfully lifting her upper lip at me.

We spent many days after school riding through the hills. It was during that time that much spiritual growth occured from the inside out with my reflections and thoughts. Mom would take me to the barn after school and pick me up later.

Her name before we had her was "Spud" but I called her Babe. She was a 14.3 hands tall Quarter-Thoroughbred mare who did not know that she wasn't tall; her spirit made up for it. She had four white stocking feet and a blaze face. She shared my life up to the age of about 21.

My Dad grew up with horses as a child and thought his kids should experience them as well. Thanks Dad! :)

Everyday Creativity

Having a blog is new to me but I am having fun with the process!
Life IS a process - always evolving, growing and changing.

When one surrenders to the process of life, the soul will lead one through growth to what is HOME within. That is what I call "Going Home".

I have always liked to sketch; since I was a young child. Growing up with horses, they naturally became one of my favorite subjects. I can remember back in the 1st and 2nd grade being referred to as the "horse girl" because I sketched so many of them.

It was a blessing to be able to share every day with the horses up to the age
of about 21; my dad grew up with horses as well - and wanted his kids to experience the same thing. Thank you Dad! My grandfather on my Dad's side rode show jumpers. To compare a photo of my grandfather Morris and my Dad today - it's hard to tell the two apart, they look so much alike. ((smile)).

This is a pencil sketch that I did back in the early 80's that I recently came across.

I like to be creative, intuitive, artistic. Beauty is something to be created both on the inner and the outer realms as an expression of the soul that can bless others and self alike. As they say as well, beauty is uniquely and individually in the eyes of the beholder.

I've always felt that it's the inner spirit that is most important; anything else in the outer experience is an expression/reflection of that inner spirit. Inside to out, rather than outside to in. Look not at the outer appearance of those around you, but the spirit within.

My first post on my first Blog 7-6-06.

I'm Lori Flory, aka mountainflow. This is my very first posting on my very first Blog. This is a picture that I took of myself in April 2006 with my digital Camera.

In the past 13 months I've been through a divorce that was final December 2005, completed one half of a settlement (my ex husband and I are still working on the other half through our attorneys) and experienced my mom passing into spirit and finding her freedom and joy in her spiritual body of light.

If I look back, I'm a new and better person in so many ways now than I was a year ago.

God has many ways to bless each of us. In the process of this new start I've experienced change, learned much, grown, loved, honored and celebrated myself - as I continue to do.