Hi my friends! After an unexpected absence from the blogosphere I am thrilled to be here again. February has proved to be a jam-jelly-packed month from celebrations, visiting friends, to simply keeping up with day-to-day life. Last weekend we attended the 41st Annual Red Lady Salvation Ball and honored the beloved mountain that rises over our town as well as the people who protect it. Red Lady also known as Mt. Emmons has been under threat of a molybdenum mine for many years but because of the dedicated individuals and long-standing efforts of  High Country Conservation Advocates  Red Lady has remained mine-free for 40 years. Not only does HCCA preserve, protect, educate, and advocate to keep Red Lady mine-free, the organization protects the health of our public land, water, wildlife, and community that spreads over 3,500 acres of Gunnison County. What better reasons to celebrate, support, and paint the town red?!

Each year a Red Lady is selected to represent the mountain herself as well as work on current preservation efforts and community outreach while donning the color red at town events, parades, balls, you name it! Lydia of Mountain Magic Media (pictured with me above) was last years 40th Red Lady. Lydia has a magnetic spirit that makes her approachable, and with the energy of a natural leader she influences those around her in subtle yet powerful ways and always with genuine intent. She was a pillar of red light for our community, mountains, and precious resources during her time as thee lady. Though she may have passed on her crown she will undoubtedly continue to uphold the good fight. In her own words “If you love something enough, it’s always worth fighting for”.

We had a ball celebrating the land we love after all nothing has healed or impacted me like the landscape and natural abundance of where I live, a sentiment many of us locals share.

Also, last week my husband and I celebrated 9 years together as well as our rescue dog, Styx’s 3rd birthday but he didn’t get invited to the ball unfortunately, haha. It’s pretty special to share life so intimately with someone larger than life so I wrote him a little diddy from my heart and in case you missed it on instagram I’ll share it below.

“I cherish this love more each day. With age our love hasn’t grown old, not wilted or expired. It’s alive, ignited, abundant, consistently revealing its infinite depth. One day our faces will reflect the beauty of our lives and the line will tell of our wildly epic stories that made up our days and our years and the faint markings from the trails we travelled and the sun rays we soaked in and smiled under. Today marks 9 years since we decided life was better together. 3,285 days of navigating this adventure, of weathering storms, conquering challenges, and more. Many people struck gold in these rich hills but I struck the most valuable piece when I met you. To the yester-years, today, the years ahead, and what lies beyond…..”

All Photos and Photo Booth set up by Lydia & T (pictured in top photo) of Mountain Magic Media. You can visit Lydia’s website here and if interested in learning more about environmental preservation efforts in the Gunnison valley visit High Country Conservations Advocates here. 

How do you advocate and protect where you play? Share with me below! 

Thank you all for joining me here and until next time..

Happy Trails ♥