These are the people in my neighbourhood.
Ahhhh, the Artists and Adobes of the South West.
Conditions not ideal - it was dark as I walked up the path and no, I was not in Nepal or India. However, got that same buzz from being in the presence of the Buddha. Chanting Om Mani Padme Om 108 times I left Shambala Mountain Centre with a smile on my face and in my heart. Amazing Northern Colorado Scenery on the way to Red Feather Lakes, and even some deer, buffalo & antelope. What access! Grab those opportunites!! Om Shanti!
In an endeavour to explore all Halloween has to offer I joined a community group to do Pumpkin carving a few weeks ago. It was really quite easy but very messy. I helped collect the seeds as they get roasted for a yummy treat evidently. I stuck to a traditional pattern while the women around me created very creative and clever patterns to capture the shadow art best. What great images!
Meanwhile the neighbourhoods of America decked out their frontyards and houses with creepy creatures! Lit up sculls, cobwebs, stuffed crows, swinging witches, gravestones and loads of PUMPKINS.
With great preparation (masks, blood and crossdressing is banned) Summit (my host school) hosted a dress up day. My students embraced the opportunity and I had Raggedy Anns, Vampires, Plumbers, Cowboys, Hippies, Fairies, Clowns and much more, going about the business of learning in real style. Well Done Summit! Of course the teachers demonstrated their sense of adventure to the great delight of their students and we had Doctors, Witches and Starbuck employees delivering education as exciting as their costumes. The boss for the day was Bob and Betty bones (Principal Lisa and the Science skeleton). My nearest neighbour and I were Wicked Witch Art teachers in shades of purple and green. Luckily no student need to be turned into a frog (well not that day anyway!).
And finally my first trick or treating with the Penrose's. I was very excited and so were the kids. I watched the nieghbours unload with their four little kids chanting twick or tweating, twick or tweating. There was great anticipation in the air......Little Madeline was a bug, Mallory a fairy, Morgan a witch (in glittering orange and black) and Jake was David Beckham. The Bootie - pounds of candy! I thought you would get one piece at each house but handfuls of it loaded down the kids bags in minutes. David and Melissa checked all of it before the kids were allowed a few pieces. Happy Halloween!
From the Wicked Witch in the Mid West of the U S A.
Seeking Third Generation Aussie Owner
Hi there incoming Aussies and wonderful CITEL (Colorado Int Tchrs Exchange League) hosts,
For those who haven't met me my name is Niccy Pallant and I am on exchange in Denver, Colorado at present. I am writing this at work as I have some time before my car pool leaves to go home.
Of course, I have had the most amazing time and I am very excited to hear of the large group of Aussies for 2008. Get ready for the magic of being an Australian in America!
Anyway.... I'm actually here to advertise my car. I bought it from CITEL people when I arrived and they even taught me how to deal with ice and snow on the other side of the car and road!
It's a 1991 Subaru (apparently a good year - like wine a better year for Soobies)
It's done over 150 000 miles (10 000 of those mine!)
It's brown/beige.
It's a station wagon with HEAPS of space (I was responsible for all the food & camping gear for 4 to Yellowstone). See photo above!
I was surprised by its reliability and strength.
It's economical (but most are compared to the price of petrol in Oz!).
I can also recommend a great Subaru mechanic that gave her (Super Suzy is her name) a full service for $45!!!!.
I am interested in offer's from everyone but will give an Aussie the price I paid $1900. Everyone else $2000.
Both Elan (Adel in 06) elansutton@yahoo.com and Rob (Melb 06) robert.chambliss@comcast.net have driven her and are willing to give references.
Best, best, best of luck with the final preparations for leaving your home, job and country - nothing will be hard after that!
Warms Regards, Niccy
Peonia & People
Ange, Rob and Kokodo Chambliss.
These guys were in Melbourne last year. They have been an invaluable resource. We have been camping to Golden Gate Park, Yellowstone and now in a Yert in Peonia. Ange has also introduced me to mad Colorado sports events like 'Running of the Green' - a 7k run through Denver on St Pat's Day, the 'Muddy Buddy' - Do I need to explain? etc. Wonderful, generous, adventerous people. THAT's WHAT AN EXCHANGE IS ALL ABOUT!!
Fall & my first fourteener.
Sunrise from Guanella Pass - the Trail head for Mt Bierstadt at 11,669 feet.
Rob and I before we summited - elevation gain: 2,850 feet, 7 miles Round trip.
The cloud shelf.
Ute Tribe POW WOW.
He removes his hat and from his gold capped wooden case he takes the feather attachment from its beaded leather bag attaching it to the wooden rattle. Next, tieing the ornamented beaded sash around his waist and placing another one with pins and badges carefully over his head, he tests the tiny flute from a neaklace around his neck previously hidden beneath his shirt... I could see the rhythm from the drumming start within him before he started moving with the beat. He carries the wing of a eagle with its striped feathers.
Doin' DC
Washington settles in your bones like a damn good city should. Its really a beautifully planned city with regulations about skyscraper height to ensure it maintains its similar-to-Paris look with circles of byways radiating out from the center. The metro subway system is one of the best I have experienced! Cherokee and Navaho guided tour of the new Museum of the American Indian. Wow! Museums are not how I remember them.
International Spy Museum with the stories of intrigue and misadventure. My favourite articles were the doggy-do-do surveillance camera and the chance to take on a new persona.
Colombia heights became my home with its great cultural mix of Hispanic, African American etc. Last night I took mum on a tour of the nations monuments at night (on the phone!). What a wonderful way to learn about America.
Loved the history of Georgetown with its terrace homes and a canal straight outa Venice. I was surprised at how beautiful such a large place both in population and power. The French designer still rings in the emanation of European style and ornamentation.
The holocaust museum was a good as everyone had told me and of course very moving. Almost to the point I feel the need to be silent on it. I found the information about Sedan's Darfur current Genocide a place for me to act. You can access info about the emergency, and your role here: www.ushmm.org/conscience.
Oh the Capitol, that gorgeous domed building with the lady of freedom on the top. Early start to get in the line for tickets and stashing empty water bottles in the manicured gardens I shuffled around with the hundreds of Americans on the carved marble to see where congress sits and the most powerful nation in the world makes the big decisions. everything seemed in order. LOTS of statues.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
