During my childhood in Germany, we celebrated Thanksgiving, if at all, during a church service on a Sunday early in October, as an occasion to acknowledge and appreciate the abundance of Mother Nature. The cornucopia of the autumnal harvest typically was on display, similar to the one I came across during my recent visit there. … Continue reading Thanksgiving
Out-of-the-way places often lead to unexpected discoveries. During a camping trip in Colorado’s San Isabel National Forest a few weeks back, my husband and I enjoyed two calm nights under a full moon at Davenport Campground adjacent to Squirrel Creek, where large historic markers recount a fascinating chapter in local history, and what follows is … Continue reading Did They Dance the Charleston?
In celebration of the first day of autumn, my husband and I make our customary pilgrimage into the mountains. Spoiled by a wide array of choices, we nonetheless seem to gravitate to Pancake Rocks year after year. As we leave Colorado Springs and wind up Ute Pass, we detect first flecks of orange among the scrub oak, and … Continue reading Fall Equinox
While hiking the Paul Intemann Memorial Trail between Crystal Park Road and Ruxton Avenue not long ago, scenes of Manitou Springs gradually unfold, and with them reminders of how marketable the hamlet has been from the moment it was put on the map. Since George Ruxton, British explorer, travel writer, and namesake of a prominent … Continue reading A View of Manitou
Were it not for visionaries like General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, who realized early in the town's history that precious land needed to be set aside to preserve and protect forever, it is unlikely that his generous gifts, which included North Cheyenne and Bear Creek Canyons, as well as Monument Valley … Continue reading The Enchanted Garden
tanja britton 