Advice

Alacazem 2009.10.15

October 15 to 22, 2009

Visible Planets: Morning: Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn   Evening: Jupiter

This morning I awoke to a delicate crescent Moon paired with brilliant, beautiful Venus. Less bright Saturn was shining above the Moon and the faint light of Mercury shimmered below them all, not far above the impending light of dawn.

I’m lucky to live in a place where I can see the rising sun break day. Our view to the east is unimpeded. Wrights Mesa stretches to the rim of San Miguel Canyon, and beyond are the mountains of Telluride, Ophir, Dunton and Dolores. The Dallas Divide stretches to the north, above Ridgway, and then the horizon flattens out in the shape of the Uncompahgre Plateau. There is a wide expanse of sky between east and west. The sunsets are awesome.

Alacazem 2009.10.08

October 8 to 15, 2009

Visible Planets: Morning: Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn   Evening: Jupiter

A little fat-cheeked, healthy baby came to visit me last weekend. My brother Jeff’s daughter, Devan, my older sister, Pam, and her husband, John, packed up the essentials and made the journey from the Front Range to our home here in the wild West End.

 Autumn is a great time to travel. Fall colors in Colorado are notoriously brilliant. Seasonal changes evoke inner transformation. The dancing leaves, the cooling breeze and the still warm Indian Summer sun excite the senses and ignite physical, mental and emotional fires. The conscious and subconscious delight in the visual and sensual - stimulating memory, creating thought and birthing inspiration.

Alacazem 2009.09.24

September 24 to October 1, 2009

Visible Planets: Morning: Venus, Mars and Mercury   Evening: Jupiter

Autumn and Telluride's Magical, Metaphysically Magnetic Mountains

The first full week of Autumn delivers the characteristic Colorado weather we know and love this time of year. Cool, cool evenings and brisk mornings awaken us to the season of changing colors, morphing landscapes and freezing temperatures. Frost is on the pumpkin and fruit is on the vine. Fires are kindled and quilts once again find their place on laps and couches.  Coats come out of closets and hats are put on to brave the chill. Water is on for tea.

Last week, the late summer Telluride Blues & Brews Festival delivered pouring rain, inches of mud and, eventually, crystalline blue, cerulean skies. It was Telluride in all its pain and glory. Suffering in an on and off deluge of rain, sleet and hail, my husband, Richard, and I stuck it out every single evening to see and hear Joe Cocker - the very best of show! - Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal. We saw a lot of other fantastic acts as well and plenty of good old friends and allies. Then on Sunday we were blessed with one of those blue ribbon Colorado days - the magnificence of autumn in the Telluride valley was stunning. I was once again - after over 30 years of living here - struck by the awesome beauty of these magical, metaphysically magnetic mountains and their undeniable power. Wow! I am humbled and blessed.

Happy Autumn blessings for All.

Alacazem 2009.09.17

September 17 to 24, 2009

Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Mars    Evening: Jupiter

The September 18th Virgo New Moon closes the door on our summer lunation cycle and opens the door to the Moons of Autumn.  Colder nights and crisp mornings awaken us to the glorious season of brilliant yellow cottonwood, golden aspen and crimson oak. Spring’s verdant green fields are tinted with blonde and streaks of platinum, ash and auburn dance in the swaying grass. Coyotes howl and bears prowl, it’s time to gather food and collect wood for winter.

I love this time of year. In Telluride, it’s Blues and Brews. In Delta, it’s the Ute PowWow. In Taos, it’s San Geronimo Day, and in Santa Fe, it’s Indian Market. On planet Earth, it’s the time of Autumn Equinox, when we reach a cosmic state of equilibrium, balance and harmony. Day and night are of equal length, the Sun is above the horizon in 12 hours of light and below the horiozon in12 hours of darkness. This year Autumn begins on September 22nd @ 3:19 pm MDT. May we experience the grace of peace and blessing of balance as we entrain with the cosmos and welcome this very special day and season of Harvest. God bless.

Dog’s Best Friend: Single retrieves with Mae

Telluride Inside...

Dog’s Best Friend: Mr. Bojangles and the close shave

Over this Labor Day weekend, Telluride celebrates the 36th annual Telluride Film Festival. This week's post from Telluride Inside and Out's dog expert Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel, concerns a dog whose breed has star power. From the hero of "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," Disney's "The Shaggy Dog" and Nurse Nana of "Peter Pan" Old English Sheepdogs have stolen the hearts of millions of young cinephiles, captivated by these huge Steiff toys come to life.

When the breed first crossed the pond, it went straight to the top, entering aristocratic families such as the Goulds, Guggenheims, Morgans, and Vanderbilts. The Old English held their place at the top of the food chain until the late 1950s, when a champion named Fezziwig Ceiling Zero became Top Dog in the show world and everyone wanted Nana. The breed's popularity peaked in the 1970s, when an average of 15,000 Old English Sheepdogs were  registered each year with the AKC. However, as besotted owners soon realized: Old English are high maintenance.