It's the most beautiful time of the year here in the Rocky Mountains  when the stately aspen trees quake in their golden finery  and the marshy bushes snuggle under their bright orange blankets.  You never know what you will wake up to here at our cabin at 11,265 feet. The mountains may be dusted with snow one day  and bathed in golden sunlight the next. The mosquitos have moved on to warmer climes,  students are back in school  and families have wrapped up their summer vacations  so it's quiet here at the cabin. We hold our breath and listen for bug ..read more

Hi Everyone! I'm so excited to let you know my new novel is now available in PAPERBACK! For those of you who prefer to hold a book in your hands instead of reading it online,  I've added the paperback option for you. The Kindl version is also available. Just google Amazon.com and search "Secrets from the Past" or "Pat Shipley."  I've recently found out there is another book with the same title, so make sure you order mine. LOL.  As always, I appreciate your support so much.  I can't tell you how excited I get whenever I see another copy has been sold! Thank you ..read more

Hi Friends! Have I got some exciting news to share. I'm a published author!  Yes, that's what I've been up to and why you haven't seen too many posts on my blog for a while. My book is called "Secrets from the Past."  Below is a short preview giving you a little taste of what it's all about. "Twenty-eight-year-old Cassie Hart finds herself unemployed, broken-hearted and still feeling the emotional scars of early childhood abandonment. She channels those feelings into saving a one-hundred-thirty-year-old cottage that is slated for demolition in the old part of Denver, a city that is rapi ..read more

Greetings from the Deep Freeze! I awoke this morning to 10 degrees and 10 inches of snow.  I admit I stayed in my jammies until around noon  when I started noticing unusual shadows and highlights in the dining and living rooms. Winter light can pose challenges as well as creative photographic opportunities.  The sun is lower in the sky, casting unusual shadows and highlights  where you didn't notice them before.  Walking though your house you may notice potential shots  that were invisible in the harsh light of summer. This post is not about changing your white balance or stepp ..read more

It's not often you have the opportunity to climb to the top of the world. But that's what it seemed like when I bumped up a narrow dirt road  to the top of the Rocky Mountains across from our rustic cabin.  It started when I flagged down my cabin neighbor, Charlotte, (below) and asked her to give me a ride in her ATV.  She readily agreed and strapped me in, then snapped a net across the open doorway. It didn't look sturdy enough to keep me from becoming a projectile into the blue sky. I was expecting the ride to be less than an hour,  just bopping around the side roads near our c ..read more

Hi friends and Happy Fall.  I hope you're enjoying some beautiful autumn weather where you are.  Here in Colorado, the nights are cool enough for an extra blanket  and the aspen leaves are turning bright orange and gold  while there's snow dusting the mountain tops. I'm enjoying a few new blooms that brighten a fall landscape in my garden. Inside the house, fall inspires me to make a few simple changes and do a little cleaning.  I always seem to do "fall cleaning" rather than "spring cleaning." The foyer gets a new look for fall with some natural touches,  an old window, a vintage ..read more

Late August is a wonderful time to visit the cabin.  The air is fresh and cool, a nice change from the 90+ degrees in Denver.  The wildflowers are blooming and the daytrippers have left to get ready for back to school.  The cabin is surrounded by wildflowers and rock outcroppings. After a storm ... mist settles into the pines. When it storms at 11,000 feet, the lightning literally bounces off the mountain tops. We've whittled down our "to do" list. Our front deck had too much space in between the boards, making it very unsafe.  Here, Ron is putting 2x2s in between the boards to ..read more

Brace yourself for the sweetest faces you've ever seen!  Ready? Here they come! Alpacas! All fifty of them on a beautiful ranch in Colorado.  I'd met the lady rancher/weaver at a vintage market earlier this year  where she was selling Alpaca socks, scarves and other items.  As we talked about these adorable animals, she told me they open their ranch  once a year to the public. I made a note to follow up and find out when it was.  When the day finally came, I couldn't wait to see these unique animals close up.  What made this so fun was being allowed to walk among the alpacas,  quite ..read more

We've finally been able to reach our cabin in the mountains.  The last time we attempted it, there was still lots of snow blocking our road.  So, now that the snow has melted, we've visited the cabin a couple of times so far this summer. Everything is so green! I had purchased a super comfy chair from Habitat for Humanity back in March and now we could finally moved it from the middle of our guest room floor to the cabin.  Then I moved all the furniture around until it was cozy and not too crowded. I think this arrangement works! What do you think? Here's a "before" picture of thi ..read more

Are you a big fan of Downton Abbey like me?You wouldn't think the small steel town of Pueblo, Colorado would be the home of a magnificent mansion reminiscent of the PBS series.  But after driving about two hours south of Denver, we toured this gorgeous home called Rosemountand many of the features like the pantry, third-floor rooms, and grand entryreminded me of my favorite show.  The lady of the house loved roses and the house perched atop a hill, thus the name.  Referred to as Colorado's Crown Jewel, the house is fitted with a communication system similar to the one on Downton Abbey. But i ..read more