Season of the Snow

ME ------------>>

The falling snow is quiet. It descends endless and soft on the ground, blanketing the earth like a goose feather quilt. This eerie silence however, will not last long. In the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, thousands of ski and snowboard junkies will rise early to get those first precious tracks in the newly arrived powder. I grew up in this world. My parents took me skiing for the first time when I was three years old. Along with my two older brothers and our group of friends, we excitedly anticipated every weekend of which we would spend riding the mountain.

When I was fourteen, I began to teach ski and snowboard lessons at our local mountain, Monarch. It was one of the best experiences of my young life. I couldn't have asked for a cooler first job. This was a time to learn about myself, as well as learn about working and communicating with other people. It was a time I got to spend with my family and best friends. Nothing could be more fun than riding down the mountain with my legs burning and my breath frosting only to reach the bottom and collapse in a pile of my favorite people.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS -------->>

I have been away from riding for going on three years now. When I graduated high school and left for college, I needed a change. I went to the beaches of Florida. I may be coming on a time however, when I am ready to hit up the mountains again. Perhaps, maybe not to the same extent though. Looking back on my experiences as a snow riding mountain junkie, I have so much appreciation for being able to grow up in such a wonderful place. While I am living in the south right now, I will never stop being a northern, mountain girl. I am sure I will never fully get used to having Christmas without white!

The season of the snow will always be a favorite of mine. There are endless memories in my mind of countless snow experiences and laughs. I can't imagine a future without adding more!


MONARCH MOUNTAIN, CO --------->>

Slide Show of Costa Rica

Wilderness Bank Account

We just knew we would be rich. Our collection of quarters had risen to a pile well worth noticing and they were sitting beautiful and shiny across our workspace. They were our future. They were the horse I so badly wanted and the pet tiger he had been dreaming about. Real ones...not toys.

We had a plan. We would bury our precious treasure in the mountainside. We would promise not to touch it until we were grown up. They would be worth so much more by then. We had a problem though. How were we to find these little pieces of our future again after we had buried them? Not to worry! He had come up with an ingenious idea. We would scotch tape each quarter to its own rock. These rocks would be spray painted silver and gold. Of course we would be able to find them after all that work to make them noticeable! Our plan was flawless. Nodding our heads in satisfaction, we got to work.

His little orange desk became speckled in beautiful golds and silvers as we carefully painted each rock. We didn't mind the smell. We didn't mind anything. Nothing mattered anymore because all was well! We wouldn't have to grow up and dull our minds over work. No, not us. Our future was filled with unimaginable wealth and riches! The hours went by and the empty scotch tape rolls went clattering to the floor as his mom came quietly in to replace them with full ones, a quiet smile on her face. Finally, we were ready. It was time to hike the mountain and bury them.

Our calves burned climbing up the steep hills and our breaths became labored as we breathed in the thin mountain air. Our eyes sparkled happily as we toted our hall up higher and higher. Occasionally, we would find the perfect nook or cranny in the mountainside and we would stop to take out a treasure piece and bury it. Our fingernails became blackened with the dirt and sweat of our hard work. At last, we were finished! Our wilderness bank account was overflowing and already gaining interest. We grinned at each other and headed down the mountainside and toward the warmth of the house.

That was fifteen years ago and today that little boy and I are engaged...and no...while we are not rich in gold and money, we have found our future of wealth and riches...together.