Colorado

Feedin' time for the ranch horses.

Oh, Colorado. How I love and miss you. Last year after another summer at the ranch in Creede, I had the opportunity to live at the ranch during the winter. My very first real winter experience!

8500 feet. Southwest Colorado. Town of 500 people. Daily high temps of 10-15 degrees. Lows starting from -34 degrees. That was a fun morning.

Despite the cold and the isolation from convenience and people, I loved every second of the winter. Yes, sometimes I did get lonely, especially being so far away from my family and friends. I got to learn so much about myself and my limitations. This was my first post-college living experience (I don't count the summer of 09' at the ranch as post-college life because that's more college than college, if that makes sense). It's not easy being a single girl fresh out of college in a town of 500!

Throughout my stay, I tried as many new things as possible, trying to focus especially on winter activities. I am now accomplished in ice fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, ICE HOCKEY, snowshoeing, babysitting, and bobcat stalking. Actually, I am not very accomplished in any of these things except for ice hockey, but at least I can now say that I have done these things at least once.

Ice fishin' at the ranch with one of the ranch toddlers.

Did I mention I LOOOOVEEEE ice hockey? I believe next weekend is the annual Ice Hockey tourney in Creede, and I am dying inside knowing that the all girls team, the Creede Hotel Hotties, will be playing without me. Hopefully, I can make a guest celebrity appearance in the next few years.

2010 Ice Hockey Tournament in Creede

I think about Colorado everyday. It doesn't help that my dearest friends, Carly and Kat, are out living the dream in Colorado as I type. Yet, as much as I miss it, I am glad that I am experiencing life outside of Colorado right now. It'll make me appreciate it that much more when I get back there someday. I think what I miss the most about Colorado are the people - friends and folks, some who I now consider my family.

I miss my adopted family who took me in under their wing last year after I had just broken up with my California boyfriend during my last month of work at the ranch. I swore to myself that I would stay in Colorado because that's where I'd rather be than anywhere else at the time. I was determined to stay in Colorado... even though I only had four days of work left at the ranch and had no job offers or housing figured out for myself. Oh, and my horse. Minor problem. Anyways, this family offered me and my pony housing until I found a job in Colorado, and I thank my lucky stars for them every day. Without them, I would never have gotten the chance to live in Colorado during the winter. I wouldn't have worked another summer at the ranch. I wouldn't have met my Texan. I'm sooo very grateful for the opportunities that came about, all because this family "adopted" me for a little while. Love and miss you guys!!



Lost Lakes trip outside of Creede with the adopted family and friends in 2010