Date: Nov & Dec, 2014

Location: Niwot, CO, near Boulder, in a beautiful home overlooking a golf course

Favorite Sites, Sights, and Happenings:

It’s hard to scrape even the top layer of possibilities for entertainment, activity, and exploration in and around Boulder when there for only a few weeks. But that’s what time I had, house- and dog-sitting for old friends who trusted me to care for their blind dog, Scooter, when they went to the Big Apple for Thanksgiving. I do want to go back and spend much more time there. Someday. Both the plains and mountains have great appeal—and Boulder sits at the border between them.

Here are a few scenes that caught my eye:

*The open dry-grass expanses backing up to the front range of the Rockies

*Niwot—a quaint little town that celebrates its early-settler history

*Horse country

*Oreo cows—Not sure how I feel about breeding cattle to amuse tourists

*Finally, I must recommend the Holiday Festival by the University of Colorado Performing Arts department. The concert included the college orchestra, brass band, chorus, jazz ensemble, men’s and women’s ensembles, and a West African Highlife Ensemble. I loved that they printed the words to Deck the Halls, Joy to the World, Angels We Have Heard on High, A La Nanita Nana (Spanish carol), AND the words to Hallelujah Chorus in their program—so the audience could sing along! If you’re ever in Boulder in early December, don’t miss this lively annual event.