Schenectady's Stockade Area |
I was born and raised in upstate New
York. Schenectady
is home to General Electric, Union College
and the Stockade Area along the Mohawk River, which is
the original settlement for Schenectady
and where my husband grew up. Throughout my childhood, I always had a love for
horses and John Wayne’s cowboy movies. The Hollywood icon introduced me to
ranches, cattle drives, saloons, women in long dresses and everything else
connected to the ‘old west’. It was my dream to live on a ranch and have a barn
filled with horses. Alas, I married my husband right out of high school and
accompanied him on his twenty year career with the Air Force. He’s now retired
from service, and while we don’t own horses and a ranch, we do live in the
west.
Cheyenne Mountain |
One of the hubby’s duty assignments was to Cheyenne
Mountain in Colorado
Springs. Before he had received his orders, I had been
working on my Weston Family Series, which takes place in fictional Coyote, Colorado,
and I couldn’t wait to see if my imagination surrounding Colorado
was true. It was, for which I am thankful. More importantly, the five years we
were here, we fell in love with the area. When it came time to decide on a
location for retirement, we chose Colorado Springs.
New York was a close second. Our
families are back in Schenectady,
but having a young son, Colorado
was a better choice when it came to schools, employment, staying close to a
military installation and overall environment. We’ve lived here for 11 years
and below are a few of things I love about Colorado.
Pikes Peak |
The Rocky Mountains. My first time driving to Colorado
Springs was September 1993. I still remember seeing Pikes
Peak from sixty miles out. Anxious, excited; the peak looked so
close I couldn’t believe I had another hour to drive before reaching it. Today,
I have a clear view of Pike’s Peak from my front porch.
It’s really something to watch a storm push off the peak and move across town
to my neck of the woods.
Antelope |
The Antelope. It might be silly, but I do enjoy seeing the
herds of antelope. About a mile from me is somewhat open land and the antelope
graze with the cows. It’s always a treat to see the male guarding his herd, or
to see twenty of them running. They are pretty, and if I could, I’d have one
for a pet.
Yucca |
Yucca and Sage plants. I’m not one to toil in a garden, but
I do like Yucca and Sage and they grow everywhere out here, including in my
yard. Just over the Continental Divide Sage is in abundance. The plant sprouts
like weeds, and when they flower in the fall, they are pretty. So is the Yucca when it
flowers in early summer.
Sagebrush |
The Climate. Spring is anywhere from 70 degrees and sunny to
snow, rain and wind, and sometimes all on the same day. Summers can be hot and
humid (though not as humid as New York)
and winters, for the most part, are mild. The mountains block many a snow storm
from pummeling Colorado Springs,
and 30 degrees, with the sun shinning in a cloudless sky makes for a beautiful
day. We do get a few cold snaps during winter, with temps falling below 0, but
we’re quick to rebound.
Buena Vista, Colorado |
The history. During my school years, American history was
the only genre I enjoyed in History class, specifically, America
history relating to the 1800’s. I liked learning about the people who forged
their way west and the inventions made to make life easier. Today, I enjoy
traveling the state and learning of Colorado’s
history. From the mines in Cripple Creek
to battles with the Native Americans to Buena Vista, formerly
known as Mahonville and the setting for my current work in progress, I’m eager
to see, explore and discover something new to add to my knowledge and my
work.
3 comments:
Julie, I had no idea Colorado Springs had such a great climate. I do love Colorado, but haven't been there in winter. I remember visiting Purgatory on July 4th and it was 32 degrees. Nice for summer, but I wouldn't want to winter there. Thanks for sharing.
What a great post. Hubs and I took a major driving trip through Colorado last fall and I can't imagine any place more beautiful. We hit the aspen turning and even got snow! Wow.
Have a friend who lives in Colorado Springs and he says he winters are a little tough, but he and his family love living there. I drove through he state with hubby when he was trucking, and it is indeed one of he most beautiful states...especially the highway through the mountains that host the ski resorts. It wasn't winter yet, but so serene and gorgeous.
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