I so get John Denver's Song. It is unbelievable gorgeous here in Colorado. These are some of the mountains I see out of my craftroom windows. It was these mountains to which I escaped for a little retreat last week.
We went & stayed a night at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. The same hotel I talked about in this post. It's one thing to tour it, another to stay in it. I can understand why it could be a little scary, the hotel is 100 years. What astounds me is that this was The Stanley's summer home.
We strolled around the town of Estes, walking in & out of stores like most tourists. The Candy Store was amazing & filled with so many treats. We felt like we were in Willy Wonka's. Of course Lexi found a furry creature to pet. She like the dog much better than the snake that slithered past her feet on his way to the creek.
We also went for a scenic drive & hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a beautiful day. There were some elk taking a stroll in the park. We didn't see many other creatures that day. We had told the girls, Lexi & her friend Paige, to bring hiking shoes. Of course they casually forgot and had on flip flops. The one hike we did the path was covered in snow in some places still. Not something easily crossed in flip-flops. Silly girls.
and in the end, I got some much needed downtime. I accidently left my cell phone at home....maybe that was accidently on purpose. We (Andy & I) sat out on the front porch of the Stanley and read, taking in the scenery. It was the perfect retreat I needed.