Bed & Breakfast in Estes Park, Colorado

Parade, color and laughs, are the first three words that come to mind when I think about the Scottish Irish Festival parade and activities Coming on September 10,11, 12, and 13th.

It was fun hearing about our guests time at the tattoo celebration. Gilded Pine Meadows B&B books up each year with fun festive minded people, dressed for a good time. GREAT period clothes.

Bagpipe music takes my breath away every time. The Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival is September 10, 11, 12th and 13th this year.

Dog friendly parade

Celts and festive dress are beautiful. This man is my idea of an authentic display of the times.

Great costumes, fun people lots to do and see!

It started Thursday night...snowed all day Friday and by this morning the snow reached upwards of 3 feeton our hill. It's still snowing...I was planning to drive to Denver today--but that's off the books now.

Eric and Maggie clearing off the steps.

Maggie has always gotten a kick out of Eric shoveling snow.

For the last two years I've been growing pansies indoors for the month of April and May, planting them outdoors in early June. They are clean and easy to keep up.

Eric in front of house and my favorite aspen trees

This is Lucy bringing Mike and his friend Mike up the driveway on cross country skies.

Lucy brought her two people Mike and Mike to eat snow and sniff around. When Lucys not walking Mike #2, she's got Mike working at he YMCA of The Rockies. The other Mike works for the C.I.A. They came by to cut through the yard during their snow treck.

Introductions are in order... this is Lacy and Casie our resident mountain cotton tail rabbits. Their rabbit hole is next to the driveway AT THIS CURVE. Yikes, for them! They sometimes nap, lounge, and graze here in the MIDDLE of the driveway.

I told you...her's lacy a few minutes later bathing in the sun. She really can't help herself.

Lacy and Casie grazing in their driveway garden. Please drive in with care--especially on Easter day--it just seems like the right thing to do.

Cow elk and their calf feeding on the grass and trees. They are beautiful creatures about the size of a pony--the bull are much larger.

The following photos are shots of our property in the winter. Your first views will be entering our drive way.  Here it is early January.

If Maggie is on her toes she will try and greet you at your car door. She is gentile and sweet--loves treats and petting on the head. As you may have heard she was sick last summer and this past fall, however she has improved every day. Vestibular disease (old dog disease) can be mistaken for strokes or leg injuries. Exercise, love and watching them at feeding time is vital. We sprinkled her food with cheese or bacon every so often to keep her eating. She also lost most of her eye sight, however she recovered most of it over several months. Hold your dog up as they try to walk until they regain balance. They will need to visit the potty field a little more too, but don't we all. Soon Maggie was NEARLY back to her old self, but even more loving and gentle. Maggie's life is active after a year which brought her 3 or 4 episodes of vestibular disease. NO drugs needed.

Yes, I wondered around the yard one quit afternoon capturing YOUR experience in my lens. This is the view out your car window once you have parked. This is also the rock you see out the Sterling room window.

Stepping out your car door you will turn to see this side of the house, the window to the far right is the sterling room window, next is breakfast window, living room and lastly to the left is the front porch window. The car you see is my blue Toyota. We live in the bottom of the house, here you see the windows framed in rock work. Please don't knock at our down stairs door--we wont here you.

I stood outside, and under the Sterling Room window for this shot. People ask often about our views and I do a pitiful job with my description.

This is a portion of the view from the Boyd Suite. You also see the Key Hole cottage. The hot tub is to the far right. I'll try and update this photo with something more broader.

The deck for our hot tub, as viewed out the Boyd Suite window. The walking path comes from our back yard kitchen door.

This is the view when standing at the Key Hole Cottage door. The cottage is open from June to end of September. This photo was taken in the winter otherwise the bushes would be covered in fresh green leaves.

Photo I took and enhanced as a gift to Ron and Judy.

Ron and Judy renewed their 45 year marriage vows at the base of Lumpy Ridge and Twin Owls rock out-cropping. Eric officiated the ceremony while I took photos.

Hiking to the ceremony location was fun, but tense for me. I knew as a photographer what I believed would turn out the best, but I din not want to the responsibility of creating the wrong environment for Ron and Judy. If I had it my way I would march people into place. Eric tells me to take charge, than over rides my charge. There is something to be said for not making a hobby into a profession. It became a profession for me a few years ago--and miss the love having it as a hobby.

Sam Ernst writes and records music along with his best girl Kat. In their hands they hold the latest creation introducing their band Vee Devic. The CD is a rock opera named . Record label: Vee Dee. Sam credits the well known band, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (not to DROP names but the for-mentioned band's MOTHER was a guest of ours) as his inspiration to join the independent band industry.

Act I: Love Will Tear Us To Shreds, And Quit Flows The Dawn (dressed in red) Act II: Love Will Tear Us To Shreds, The Genre of Silence (dressed in yellow). Click here to view bands website.

Sam uncovered. Rarly seen in public Sam agrees to a private interview with Gilded Pine Meadows B&B hosts.

Sam is an navel engineer with a passion for creating song and music. He wrote and composed a rock opera about William Babel, a journalist for the Red Cavalry. The story unfolds on the fields of battle as Babel gathers observations for his crowing literary achievement. This album is a master piece of intelligent sound, intense lyrics and heart stopping rhythm. The unique style is impressive and fun to take in with friends.

Kat autographs the CD along with Sam. Thank you Sam and Kat. Our time with you both was an honor we'll remember with fondness. Click to view list of upcoming engagments.

Car picnic at Lake Estes is one of our favorite ways to spend time together by the lake...with food. If you haven't heard Estes Park enjoys mountian inspired winds this time of year. A car picnic has been our way of enjoying the views, eating home cooked delights in the sun safe from the gentle gusts of winter.

Eric getting ready to snow shoe with friends. Snow shoeing is a blast! Our friends Ron and Judy shared the experiece with us. Graciously sharing their equipment with us and making sure our time was pleasant and fun.

January and February are wonderful times to snow shoe. We found that in late March we had wonderful sunny days to enjoy the magical views of snow covered mountains. Here we sit at Ron and Judy's vacation rental after a filling Gilded Pine Meadows B&B breakfast.

We sits...here is Eric sitting after clearing the breakfast dishes.

Here is I sitting having tea.

Each day Eric practices his singing and guitar strumming, so this is part of our daily routine. Come summer he'll do a few open mics 'round town.

Hitting the gym each week is mucho importante. Keeps us healthy and energetic...is my elbow sagging?

Eric has been working out his whole life, so pulling and pushing weights is his idea of normal. The i-pod is a new addition to his work out, it keeps chatty people at bay, says he.

Eric pulling weights.

Gym friend, Ricardo, is respectful and always smiling.

"Smile" By the way we provide discounted health club passes to our guests.

Rocky Mountain Health Club has a hot tub and a steam sauna, along with tanning beds, racquetball court, yoga classes...and more. Click this photo to get taken to website.

Back to work we go... Eric shown here cleaning the front porch.

Eric attends to details, while I follow him around with a camera.

We rest and listen to more tunes, while Maggie keeps an eye out for guests. This is a typical private time in our home. I must say, as I write this I send out a word of thanks for such a beautiful life and happy family.

Does this look posed? Well, I felt goofy taking this shot, however, I wanted you to see us in a photo together.

I change out the wreath every so often by adding and removing dry flowers. Today I added a few miniature roses for Valentines. After seeing it in this photo I'll take out the lavender thistles.

Maggie's day is packed full with security procedures such as going from window to...

door...watching...

...and keeping an eye out for new arrivals and passer-byes