Colorado Kimmie

This time last year I experienced by first adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park.  It was definitely one of the places I wanted to check off the list while on my two week trip in the Rockies.  With over 350 miles of trails, Rocky Mountain National Park is like an adult playground for the outdoors enthusiast!  It offers trails of every level, plus backpacking, climbing and cabin camping.  Although I was only there for one day, I plan to go back as soon as the park opens with fewer COVID restrictions.   Upon arriving, the ranger handed me a map of the park and asked if I had any questions.  The map was pretty overwhelming with just me and my Toyota Yaris rental.  By the way, so fun!  I felt like I was Mario Karting through the Rockies.  As I started driving through the park with absolutely no plans and not a worry in the world, I just told myself that when I saw a trail name that spoke to my soul, I would pull over and hike it.  I...

" The heat of autumn is different from the heat of summer One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider. " Jane Hirshfield Nothing inspires me more to create than cool, crisp Autumn.  I find beauty in the changing colors of leaves and the beautiful stark white trunks of the Aspens, and thus, my personal rebirth is really just inspired through death....annnnnnd, apples.  Mmmmm.  I remember trips to the apple orchards of North Carolina this time of year.  Apple slushies, apple cider donuts fresh off the line, and hot apple cider to warm my soul (FYI: don't even try to bring those preservative free donuts home, because that deliciousness is meant to be double fisted and for immediate consumption).  My favorite orchard was "Sky Top Orchard."  A friend here in Colorado just visited an adorable orchard nearby in Lyons, called YaYa's Orchard.  It's definitely on the list for an upcoming day trip with my Canon and a possible upcoming blog post!   ...

  A culture fixated on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty, [it is] an obsession about female obedience.  Dieting is the most potent political sedative in women's history...a quietly mad population is a tractable one.  - Naomi Wolf I received a letter recently from a reader who told me she wished all female teens could read my post.  Honestly, when I write, I never really have a particular audience in mind.  That's the first thing we learn in "Composition and Writing 101," KNOW your audience.  Well, to that I say: SCREW YOUR CONVENTIONAL RULES (just like in my photography).  So, although I do not practice a routine of writing to any particular audience and remain completely authentic to who I am, the encouragement brought me so much joy in learning that my words could reach and inspire younger women.  And, to that reader, I say thank you so much for that.  My heart nearly exploded. Now, in response to the aforementioned em...

I was sitting in a salon chair when it hit me.  I was being socially conditioned to online date and stay in relationships that no longer served me as a way to "fit in."  Why was the fact I was inching up on my 40th birthday, never married and no family anywhere in my near future somewhat terrifying to me?  It's because that was my environment!  That's what seemingly EVERYONE was doing.  And, I was being constantly questioned about my life decisions.  And, women, c'mon, we know the ol' tick tock, tick tock, tick tock...which is nothing but fear of time.  Time should never be feared. Also, there's nothing worse than "fitting in," is there?  My opinion, take it or leave it.  To me, fitting in suggests that you shed some, if not most, of the precious semblance of yourself in order to be accepted.  "Fitting in" might be the worst thing ever, really.  I'll hang on to my "weirdo" card, thank you very much! You know, a lot of peop...

Hello!  And, a very happy Mid-week to you! I've been meaning to share this experience with you guys, and I just now got into the right head space to relive it in order to share it.  So, I hope you enjoy... PRELUDE Thinking back on it, I've carried many titles in life at the tender age of 41: "Friend," "Sister," "Daughter," "Comrade," "Survivor," "Counselor," "Traveler," " Creator," "Bitch," "Sweetheart," "Aunt," "Mother"...and now, I'm proud to add "Survivalist" to that list... THE JUICY STORY Recently I went on a road trip to Crested Butte, CO.   I took a side kick for a quick day trip to walk around Downtown Crested Butte and find a nice nature hike to take some sunset pictures.  Colorado has been experiencing some nasty wildfires, so we were hoping for some decent visibility in the mountains.  The trip from the front range to Crested Butte is ...