Spring is in the air

Greetings from the forest

Spring has sprung and the weeds are growing!  In the last few weeks we had sloppy wet snow and some rain so the forest is very happy.  The weeds are flourishing.  The animals now have lots of grass and vegetation to munch on.  It's a happy place, the forest in the spring, but we could use more moisture, of course.

Max on May 1st - yes it was snowing

I've been told by several people that the bears are out.  My neighbor said he had a big ol bear on his deck the other night.  A little to adventurous for my liking but honestly they're hungry and looking for food anywhere!  I'm am sure my time is coming and I'll see a bear very soon.  I hope to heck I have my phone handy so I can take a picture to share.  It was recently turkey mating season.  Lots of gobbling and the male turkey strutting their stuff.

Isn't she just cute!

Tom strutting his stuff

A couple of weeks ago I went to Arizona for my 6 month doc/chemo visit and to empty my Arizona office.  It was sad, I've had an office for 26 years and now I don't.  Its ok though because I still do work from Colorado, which is a good thing because the real estate business is not going to make me rich!  Its very slow.  I'm hoping as we get further into May and June we'll have more people wanting to come here and make this gorgeous place their home!


While in Arizona I stayed with my dear friend Diane who is always so hospitable!  I got to see others like Art and Lynne Powell, Lindy and Zuez who will soon be moving to Cottonwood! Adam and Nancy who I hadn't seen in ages and I got to catch up with Julie.  I then popped up to Prescott Valley to my sister Linda and her husband's house.  It was a whirlwind of a trip, whats new?  I was glad to get home to see the pups and sister Deb was ready to go to her own home!

Sometimes you must bask in the sun!

I've been told the last frost of the season will be Mother's Day and not to plant before that.  I've checked the forecast and it looks like its clear sailing so on Mother's Day weekend I will plant my garden!!  I cleaned it out the other day and its ready to go.  Here is a picture of all the plants ready to go.  Thanks to my sweet friend Lanette for giving me a ton of seeds I will have a gorgeous garden!  Next blog I'll tell you all that is planted and share a photo of the garden in its glory.

So life if the forest has been great!  I am grateful for the peace, the clean air, the great friends.  I hope you are all well.  Thanks again for letting my share - another day in the forest.

Love and May flowers!
Lanae

It's almost spring

Greetings from the Forest

As the title says, it's almost spring but not quite yet.  While the days have gotten warm and sunny, it is said that April is a very snowy month in these parts.  It's hard to believe when its 69 degrees outside but I have to trust the weather gurus. Our forest is so very dry, as many places are, so if it does snow I won't complain.  That said, I must say I want to plant my garden so very bad.  I've started seeds and have more to plant to get going but the packages say to sow 4-6 weeks before planting.  Is that long enough that there will be no threat of snow?  No freezing?  I wish I knew for sure but I'm so excited that I think I'll plant the seeds and hope that May is warm and has no more freezes.

Life has been busy, as always.  Let it be said that real estate is not easy and you must work hard.  I always thought it would be cool because you could make your own hours.  Well let me tell you, if  you want to eat (sell houses or land) you have to bust your butt.  So far this year I've listed several properties, which I'm very proud of, but sold nothing.  I am trying to cut myself some slack as its been winter and not very busy.  I'm hoping now that spring has sprung, in some parts of the country, the traffic will increase.  One can only hope.

Over the last month I've had some mitigation done on my property.  There is a matching grant and so I took advantage of it.  I have to say it makes a big difference and the forest seems very happy now.

The east side before mitigation

The east side after mitigation

The weather, as I said, has been warm and windy of late.  A few weeks ago we had a great wet snow and I thought for sure I would be able to use my new plow.  But sadly by noon the snow was melting so fast that I never got to use it.  Maybe in April -

It's turkey mating season.  The male turkey get all fancy with their feathers trying to impress the ladies.  This is a bit of a blurry picture but you can see this guy's tail feathers all fanned out and he was strutting.  Hope he got lucky!

This little deer was just watching me as I drove slowly by as if to say "what are you looking at?"

And of course, in closing, it would not be a blog from my forest with the boys -

See the blurry tail, its wagging!

Love and spring time breezes,

Lanae

Before the end of February

Greetings from the Forest

I said I was going to try to write two blogs a month and this one is just squeaking in before the end of February.  Perhaps that tells you I've been, well, busy?  Life is good, weather is too warm and not enough moisture!!

So what is new in the forest.  Well, I have a new plow on my 4 wheeler.  I'm just waiting for enough snow to plow.  Not sure that's going to happen this winter and that makes me sad.  But, my plow is very pretty thank you Mr. Rick Kinder for installing it!  We did get an inch or two a couple of weeks ago but we need more!

I went last Saturday and picked up my Bountiful Baskets order.  This time I tried Colorado City and it was much easier.  Although the truck was late because of high winds on the interstate, the process went smooth and the volunteers were really friendly.  I got lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, tangelos, leeks, spinach, apples, pineapple, bananas, carrots and red potatoes all for $15.  Even with the gas it is worth the drive considering our produce in town is pretty bad.

Oh the beauty of fresh produce!!

I got some lovely flowers for Valentines Day from a client/friend.  Made my day!

I volunteered to take breakfast goodies to the group doing forest mitigation work.  Friday morning I took sausage in crescent rolls, apples, muffins and string cheese.  This morning I took cheese, sausage, egg mini burritos that were a huge hit, apples and banana bread.  It is nice to do something to help out when these folks are working so hard to make our forest safe and healthy.  Just as I was leaving the work area I drove past a meadow that was the site of the previous weekend mitigation and saw these deer.  Seems they were very happy with the mitigation work!!

So all is well in my little corner of the world.  We are happy and healthy and I hope you are too!

In serious need of a bath!

Goofy little guy!

Love and happy days to you-
Lanae

Heading Home

Greetings from Kansas City, Missouri

Its been a few weeks since I've written and I think that's a barometer of how busy life has been.  It's all good, just busy.

I have been in KC since last weekend at a United Country Real Estate class.  It was, without a doubt, incredible!  So much to learn, so many new things being offered to the agents and franchise owners. We were in class for 5 days from 8 am to sometimes 8 pm.  I'd get back to my room and felt I needed to remove the sponge (my brain), wring it out of all that it absorbed during the day and then pop it back in ready for the next day.  I am ready to get home and get started using some of the tools I've been taught to help list and sell real estate!!

View from my hotel window this morning

I had the fabulous opportunity to see my dear friend Stacia.  She drove up from the Springfield area to see me after my class ended Friday.  We drank wine, laughed and caught up on 7 years of happenings.  Yes we stayed up way too late and just had such a great time.  Isn't it interesting that you go through life and you don't talk to someone for years, because life got in the way, and when you see them it is like you were together just yesterday.  That is, to me, a great friend.  Thank you Stacia for showing me just why you have been such a special part of my life.

I board the train back to Trinidad tonight.  Will ride all night to get home to my sister, the pups and my forest.  It will be good to get home, back to my own bed, back to my routine, cook my own food (!), and get to work.

I think I've missed them as much as they've missed me

I will do my best not to wait a month to catch you up on the happenings in the forest.

Love and toot toot of the train,
Lanae

Reflection

Greetings

It is hard for me to believe that 2013 is coming to an end.  It has been a year of change, hard work, laughter and contentment.  If I'd have won the lottery it would have been perfect.  I'm just kidding - you can't win if you don't play.

A friend said to me "remember a year ago how you were so out of sorts?  Now look at you!"  She was so right.  I was out of sorts.  Moving is a big deal.  Much bigger than I ever wanted to admit.  Since I'd not really done it on my own I didn't know what to expect.  It was, in my opinion, a leap of faith.

Morley Church

Truly moving has turned out much better than I expected. There are many people that I miss terribly - you know who you are (yes Art that includes you) but I have to admit, that aside, I am content, happy, relaxed and healthy.  What more could a girl ask for, except maybe the Marlboro Man, but that's a whole different post.

My job is still helping the Arizona group with keeping money straight but I have added to that the task of helping people find their dream homes in southern Colorado.  And most recently taken on the task of renovating a home here in my community so that someone will have their dream home in the forest.

The new year will be a busy one but if you know me you know that's when I'm at my best and happy.  I look forward to continuing to nurture new friendships, loving the old friendships, working to make client's dreams come true, keeping the Arizona group on track, loving my family both near and far, keeping the humor with the pups and continuing to be healthy- physically, mentally and emotionally.  And I so appreciate the opportunity to share Another Day in the Forest with you.  Thank you and happy new year!!

Love and Cheers to the New Year-
Lanae

Knocking on Christmas' Door

Greetings from the forest

Well here we are just days away from Christmas.  Plans are made, food in the fridge and presents under the tree.  To top it off we got a dusting of snow last night.  Made it feel very festive.  One of this weeks highlights was Galianos Italian Market and Deli.  Established in 1921 it was this old, tiny authentic market and I was in heaven.  It was in Pueblo and certainly was a great experience and I brought home lots of yummy food for Christmas dinner.  Thank Carolynn for telling me about it.  

Here are a few pictures for this week -

Why yes those are Max's keys

Sometimes you're just too tired to smile

Traffic jam

Christmas wreath with actual snow

Sunrise this morning

Yup there is snow outside

The forecast is clear until after Christmas which will make it much easier for company to get to the house on the holiday.  

So, I will end this blog by saying I wish each and every one of you a Christmas filled with blessings, love and laughter.  I hope you are surrounded by those you love and that those who are far from me know that I miss and love you terribly, especially during the holidays.

Love and Christmas wishes -

Lanae

First Snow

Greetings from a snowy forest

Our first snow arrived the end of last week and lasted until Monday of this week.  We got about 15" of snow but with the wind the drifts were some 18-24".  Did you know shoveling snow for 30 minutes I burned some 350+ calories.  My fabulous neighbor, Rick, plowed my driveway twice!  Not once, but twice.  Very nice of him and if he hadn't plowed I would not have been able to get out on Tuesday to get to the office.

I love the snow.  Yes its cold, yes its messy, yes the dogs get all wet and snowy but it is so beautiful and so peaceful.  Maybe someday in years to come I'll get tired of it but for now I look forward to the next time it snows!

Here are a bunch of pictures I wanted to share with you -

Max watching it snow

Rick plowing.  He is just the best!

Happy hour on the deck?  You get the chaise.

Heading to the office and hoping I can get down the driveway.  

Watching something?

Oliver is not the happiest.

When it grows up it can be a Christmas Tree

Trinidad Lake

Max loves the snow!

So I was gathering my thoughts as tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I wanted to share what I am thankful for-

I am thankful for my family, my friends (both old and new), for my good health, my home in the forest, my puppy dogs and for the laughter and love that is so plentiful in my life.

Love and Happy Thanksgiving!
Lanae