Garden of the Gods

We went through the Garden of the Gods http://www.gardenofgods.com/, which is a phenomenal display of red sandstone rocks in various formations.  It was donated to the City of Colorado Springs by the children of Charles Elliot Perkins.   These sandstone rocks are just amazingly beautiful.  What is more amazing is that the City of Colorado Springs continues to abide by the donor’s request that these geological formations are available to the world, at no cost.  The City of Colorado Springs has added additional features which can command fees, but the spirit of the donation is being maintained.

We were able to find an area in which we could have a late afternoon lunch picnic.  That was really special.  A great bonus to our trip to the Yellowstone!

Smoke

I love smoked meats and cheeses.  These are just wonderful to savor. I have become spoiled because I love smoked meats, fish and vegetables  in comparison to grilled, fried, sautéd, or otherwise cooked meats.

There was a time in my life when I lived where we could smoke our own meats.  Now, I no longer have a smoker: I do have a gas grill, but that is not quite the same.

I like mesquite and hickory smoke the best, but some other smokes are good, depending upon the food:  apple and cherry wood are okay, apple especially for pork.

I also love the smell of pine smoke or pinion.  Pine smoke and water recalls many, many summers at the local state park where we picnicked, swam and even camped.

So, for me, smoke has many memorable connotations...