Honesty in 10

I was tagged a while back (ok... a looong while), but despite my lateness, here are my 10 honest facts that maybe you didn't know.

1. I'm usually later than I want to be... (as proven here)
2. I am left handed.
3. My hair is the longest it has ever been in my life. I started growing it out to eventually cut and donate, but now I just love it too much to cut (but I will... eventually).
4. I am really bad about getting things mailed out on time. I have multiple packages that need to go out right now.
5. Street musicians are some of my favorite people to listen and watch.
6. I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters between my two families and with Seth's I can add on 3 more sisters and 5 more brothers.
7. I usually don't wear makeup.
8. I am turning into a New Yorker. I am really noticing this week with guests from Kansas just how much of a New Yorker I'm becoming! (and it's not a bad thing as long as I don't forget the qualities I love of of the Midwest.)
9. I prefer to have music playing.
10. I recently realized how much I love the game Hearts.

Thanks KekeLynn for the tag...

Photo snapped by Seth after I hurt my hand on the scooter on Brooklyn Bridge.

The High Line

I've been quite excited for the opening of New York's newest park, the High Line. Last week, after returning from vacation, I took it in with Alissa.

2 girls, 2 pairs of Toms. Remember when I got the red ones... well I loved them so much and talked about them non-stop for days, and now we have more! Mine are the burlap ones and hers are the gray canvas ones. You may find me relaxing on these wooden lounge seats many times this summer...

Just a few views from the park that runs on a former elevated train track. Going to be heading back this week to visit again with S and our guests... So I'm sure I'll have more photos to share again soon.

Nature's Beauty in Yellow

A little out of focus, accidentally by mistake, but I took the mistake and I kept it. Posting with inspiration from here and this challenge. I don't know if I'll participate all week (a little busy exploring the city with house guests!), but here's my yellow for Monday.

Ponies

Sweet lighter colored pony didn't love my camera clicking in her face, but she was too pretty not to get a few photos.

and then it got interesting...

Last week, I posted about the roadside sale we found while in Estes on the first day of our trip... Like I said, I was looking for interesting-ness... and we created a little of our own.

The New Apartment

Wanted to share a quick walk through of our new home. It's not the best video (because of the light coming in the windows), but it'll suffice for now. I didn't show the washer and dryer in the hall closet, but if you look close enough as I come down the hall, you can see the door to it and maybe even hear it running. Also, the last room I showed was the bedroom and it's a bit of a wreck! We still have major work to do on it... need a box spring so we can get the mattress off the floor and into the new bed frame, have 6 boxes of school stuff and files that will return to the classroom in the fall, but for now are taking up a corner of the room, in desperate need of a dresser or something to help store the clothing (because we now are closet-less). But the bedroom is for sleeping and it has a great view of the living room and windows to the outside through the french doors, so I'm okay with it as it is for now.

Here is a list of the things I love about our new home... (because, as my husband says, I have too many favorites and I can't choose only one!):

• my kitchen table and the view of green outside it
• my desk location, again with a view to the green backside of the building
• the fire escape of plants (some are just visiting for the month of July)
• the vast amount of space in the living room (we are no longer all sitting on top of each other in here)
• the closet that holds a piece of Heaven (a.k.a. washer and dryer)
• the birds are hanging again (you can kind of see them in the kitchen window)
• the shelves are also hanging once again (my amazing husband put them up... despite how nervous I was about them being as perfect as my father-in-law made them in our old apartment... Seth has a bit more practicing before he gets his father's talents, but I think he's on his way!)
  

And here are a few questions, scavenger hunt style!
1. What side of the hall is the washer and dryer closet on?
2. What chore do I have to do in the kitchen (only gave a quick glimpse)?
3. Can anyone make out what is sitting on the kitchen table (part of my birthday present from my husband... something I've been asking for for over a year because my grandmother has these too)?
4. What do you notice about the books on the shelf?
5. Can anyone name the singer of the lovely music playing from my computer?

Happy Friday! Seth and I are off to pick up some good friends of ours from the airport this evening!

Side of the Road

Found this one at a road side sale. The gentleman who was running the gig had a crazy assortment of items for sale. He asked why I was taking photos, and I explained that I was documenting interesting-ness. Lucky for me, it wasn't too hard to find here!

He had bicycles galore. On the days after our stop, we'd see different bikes put out for sale. Wish I could have managed to transport a vintage bike back to New York with me.

Oh and the interesting pictures aren't over. I have one more set that I want to run together. So Watch for it!!

Golfing

I've gone along on golf outings many times, but it's been just recently that I actually played a game of golf myself. On our first day in Estes, we joined April and Nick for a game of golf near Lake Estes.

This golf course is absolutely beautiful with the mountains surrounding the course.

"Practice swing."

The gals cheering us on.

Love them!

We got to hole six and had to hit our balls across this...

After getting them across (maybe not all of us got our across), we headed down this path towards the bridge to cross over to the other side. And this would be the moment that I lost interest in playing anymore...

We had created names for each other on our score card (which we didn't really use...) Seth was Darius Whitefeather. I was 2 Running Rabbits. April was Candy Cane or Candy Necklace... And I can't remember Nick's made-up name...

The elk were all over the course. I was curious if they ever got hit with balls and what would happen if they were.

My ball made it through to the end! Of course I did stop at hole 6...

Denver

Our first morning in Colorado was spent with one of my favorite friends in Denver. She was so sweet, always has been, making sure that everyone around her is happy, comfortable, welcome. When we woke up, we took her sweet puppy for a walk in search of coffee for ourselves. And then she let me take a ride on her charming vintage bike (TO DIE FOR! It even had a basket!! A birthday gift from her boyfriend... I think he's a keeper!)

Good morning blue sky!

Painted bird seen while searching for coffee.

Mural on the side of a building.

Penny wishing she were outside...

April's vintage blue bike... with a basket and vintage seat.

The morning dew still hanging onto the blades of glass.

Park up the street from April's. I rode there on her bicycle.

Leaving Denver (I think this is almost to Boulder... At the end of our trip we stopped near the residents halls to the right to meet up with another old friend...) It was weird being in a car. Seth drove most of the time, but the one time I did drive, I almost honked at someone to tell them to get out of my way (Ooops, those taxi drivers almost rubbed off on me! Imagine how offended someone would be by me honking at them compared to people in NY who should just expect it, even if they are offended!)

Bikers were all along the road to Estes.

The town where we saw this bus was quaint and cute. I wished I could have stopped and spent some time walking the streets and snapping photos.

Simple Things

I spent last week taking in the simple things, shedding all the weight that had been on my shoulders... I began to get myself back to center, back to the calmness I have desperately needed the last few months. Here are a few of the simple things I enjoyed while away... I hope I can keep these things with me until I get back... Next round, I'll share the simple things I have in my everyday life.

Wild flowers growing free and beautiful.

If I were a tree, I'd wish to be that tree, standing beside/connected to my tree love, together, taking in our view, surviving the elements of life.

Sit. Breathe. Take in the view.

Big skies. I couldn't get enough.

A cup of coffee on the porch, enjoying the morning moments.

Power lines.

Four of my favorite people.

The smell of fresh air. The smell of a rain just passed. The sun shining. Breathing it all into my soul.

Thanks Christina for the inspiration! For her simple things and other amazing lists of simple things, click over to her blog Soul Aperture.