Glen Of Scotland

Gunnison Canyon 3

The trip and views just kept getting better and better

Merry Christmas!

I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. I hope your day is filled with love, laughter and miracles.

If you need to get in the mood for miracles and feel good stories, well I have a few for you here.

The first story is about the gift that saved four lives, a very moving story, you can read it here

The next story is about a boy who made his mother promise to do something, sadly it became necessary and the mother has come through honoring his wish, you can read it here.

This next story is a miracle, a good reminder not to give up, anything can happen, you can read it here

Next story is about a horse called Hope, and a vet who cared a lot, another miracle, read it here

The final story is about overcoming adversity as well as a reminder not to give up hope whatever the circumstances are, they can change and a reminder not to write people off who are less fortunate, it doesn't mean it will be that way forever. You can read the story here.

Quite a collection of stories, I hope you agree. We are faced with challenges in life, some are very traumatic, there is nothing worse than the loss of a child for example. There is always light there and I encourage you to look for the light, the hope when things take a turn in your life, hopefully the examples above will encourage you to do so.

More Snow

Snow

For those in the warmer climates and would like a taste of snow for the holidays, the next few days I have some snow pictures for you. These were taken in Aspen in early October after the first snowfall of the winter, that road is now closed until the spring.

Gunnison Canyon 2

It was a great feeling out in the water, sunshine and surrounded by rock that is billions of years old.

Your best Christmas and New Year

Christmas is just a week away, I hope you are getting everything ready for a great time.

I was talking recently with someone and we were talking about our best Christmases, we broke it out between childhood and adult and we had a good time talking about the memories of family, friends, great food and drink and of course gifts.

Even now, just writing this has memories coming back of the good times, some years as a child we didn't have much, but my mother went out of her way to make it a special day, so much as a child I only had great Christmases and the pattern continued as an adult.

One of my favorite Christmas memories as an adult, was going home to Scotland one year while I lived in Boston. I hadn't been home for a few years for Christmas and I wanted it to be a surprise visit. Seeing as how no one in my family could be trusted to keep a secret of that nature, it was a covert trip, flying in a couple of days before and staying at a hotel out of town to make sure I wasn't spotted.

When I rang the door bell on Christmas morning, my mother answered and just stood there at a loss for words from the shock of seeing me, that didn't last for long though, as we went on to have a memorable time.

It was well worth the time and effort to create  the surprise, I couldn't tell you anything about the gifts that were exchanged, but the laughs were many and we didn't stop talking about it for quite a time.

A Christmas like that was just priceless. What are your favorite memories of Christmas? If you have time this week, make a list of your favorite Christmas memories, I promise you it will be worth it.

I already know this Christmas will be memorable, I have been busy creating a few special touches that will add to the festivities this year, I know they will bring love, fun and laughter to the day.

A great recipe don't you think?

Gunnison Canyon

The next part of my trip was a National Park Service boat trip along the Gunnison Canyon, which at one time had a railroad running along side it. The starting point for the trip was Morrow Point, a brief pleasant walk to the boat.

View of the river from the boat, this is the only way to access this area.

What are your dreams for next year?

The end of the year is fast approaching, no need to dwell on what didn't happen for yourself this year. The question is, what are your dreams for next year? I know it's a big question, so break it down into different categories, what are your dreams for the next year as far as your finances are concerned? Be realistic, winning the lottery and hundreds of millions of dollars would be nice, the odds of that happening are pretty remote. Doubling your income could be possible in some cases, but for most, unlikely, how about something more realistic, the same when it comes to your spending and saving.

You can make adjustments as you go throughout the year, so don't worry about getting it right, the main thing is to create some kind of vision of where you are headed. Not just in finances, every category in your life.

When you have a dream or vision clearly in your mind, interesting things begin to happen, aside from a little bit more focus, you start to notice and see what you are looking for pop up every where. Just recently a friend said they wanted to get a new car, a Passat, now they are everywhere they go, I have started to notice them too.

Once you start to notice them, another interesting thing happens, you begin to notice special deals and offers for what you are looking for in the case of something you want to acquire. For other things you start to notice things that show you what is possible, perhaps your dream is not crazy after all.

If you don't have a dream or a vision, you tend to be at the mercy of what is going on around you, it can influence you and not in a good way. You might find yourself getting caught up in someone else's drama, or a drama going on in the country.

Has that happened to you this past year? Has that taken away from your own dreams or have your own dreams be suppressed from fear?

Be strong, get clear about your dreams or vision for your life. Next year can be different if you allow it to be.

Heading to the National Park

I was heading to the Gunnison National Park, I was not expecting to see what I saw on my way. Driving alongside Blue Mesa Lake, a very large reservoir, the views were just stunning. It was the beginning of a fantastic day, it was also my birthday, so of course it would be great.

Quote

This is an excerpt of an article written by Peter King, you can read the article here. Many people complain about their circumstances, if humans could complain a little less (still leaves room for a little complaining) circumstances will change quickly. Aaron Rodgers won the super bowl last year and is by far the best quarterback in the league this year, undefeated so far.

"Paraphrasing, this was the kind of counsel Young gave Rodgers over the years: Never, even to your mother, say something that makes you a victim. Human nature being what it is, you'll want people to know your side of the story, and you'll want them to know how hard it all is for you. But if you complain publicly even one time, you'll be a crybaby. That's how people will see you. And they'll remember.

Instead, if you just hold it in, and you just focus on football, it may take a few years, but respect will come back to you a hundred-fold. And when you begin to have success, people will look at you with tremendous respect because you didn't fall into the trap of complaining about your circumstances."

Wild Flower Capital 3

There are a number of mountain passes, dirt roads that are only open from late spring until the first snow falls, they offer good access to some nice spots.