Bon Voyage to Family

Kirsten returned to Wisconsin in late July, and I bid farewell to Karen yesterday to venture back to Sconnie.  My friends and family have been great to me, sending me text messages and photos, the Amery Free Press, new devotion books, emails, notes and phone calls.  If anyone feels inspired to help me survive through the last month and a half by sending correspondences, my address is the following:
Amy Hansen
945 Moraine Ave.
Estes Park, CO  80517

School has begun in Colorado already, so weekday tourists have decreased, but Midwesterners and Southerners continue to greet us midweek and the Coloradoans increase on the weekends.  I thought fall was in the air, but the temps have risen lately.  I've enjoyed reading/hearing stories of my education colleagues getting ready for the new year. Kirsten, my daughter, began her new year at my hometown school district, Baldwin-Woodville.  Best of success to her and all educational staff everywhere!!

Here's the latest news from Colorado, Amy-style:

• worked ten out of eleven days so I could have time off with Karen,
• spent time relaxing with books about the park, Hey Ranger (funny stories from NPS rangers of events that occurred at national parks), Images of Rocky Mountain National Park, Death, Despair and Second Chances in RMNP, and Castles of Wood (stories about the early lodges of RMNP), 
• missed Rachel's wedding back home, but friends and the girls sent me some photos,
  
  
  
  
• relaxed with mochas at various coffee shops with Karen,
  
  
• spent time with Karen's great friend, Sarah, from her college experience, "Semester at Sea," and her family and friends at a picnic at Chintocqua Park in Boulder at the base of the Flatirons, and was introduced to a new lawn game, "Kan-Jam,"
  
  
  
  
  
  
• experienced Boulder and the Pearl Street Mall,

Kirsten, are our coleuses anything like these?

urban gardens

fabulous flowers everywhere!

couldn't resist!

• sampled @ Avery Brewing and Redstone Meadery,
  
  
  
  
• met another one of Karen's friends from Boulder, Megan - a Karen look-alike, and the best street entertainer, a RAG DOG
  
  
  
• saw Jenny, a girl from Minneapolis, with a WAPO sweatshirt on @ Trail Ridge Store (I asked to take her photo after she shared someof her experiences at camp,
  
• visited Steamboat Springs where we strolled along the Yampa River, hiked (although Karen has torn her ACL again) to Fish Creek Falls, relaxed at the remote Strawberry Park Hot Springs, and admired the ski slopes from afar,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• witnessed a rainbow that reached to the ground,
  
• appreciated Byers Canyon before catching vistas of the immense Lake Grandby and Shadow Mountain Lake,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• enjoy elk any time I can,
  
• raced against the clock to get to a gorgeous sunset at the top of Trail Ridge Road in RMNP, and
  
• discussed our future plans as we strolled around the beautiful Sprague Lake in RMNP,
  
• drove Karen to the airport for her journey back to Madison, and visited my Aunt Evie.
  

The calendar is flipping to September!  Aspen leaves turning and the elk returning are major events that await me in this last month or so.  Enjoy fall where you are, and hug the good friends and family you have around you!!  See you soon!

Amy