There’s a silent voice in the wilderness that we hear only when no one else is around. When you go far, far beyond, out across the netherlands of the Known, the din of human static slowly fades away, over and out. –
When I launched Wellness with Edie, I was working in tech. As the years went on, I realized I needed a reprieve from a) explaining our software to business professionals and b) using Silicon Valley slang to engage with engineers. In other words, tech dialogue wasn’t doing it for me. Plus, I’ve always enjoyed creative writing, especially the process of combining words in a conversational, approachable way. Oh, and photography has always been a hobby of mine. Enter: phase one of this blog. When I created this space, I was motivated and eager, documenting recipes on a fairly consistent basis. I was making a lot of cookies, doing random ‘What I Ate This Week’ posts, and working on my photography.
But here we are, a year and a half later. Enter: phase two. Much like my evolution on Instagram, I’m spending less time on social media. It’s better for my mental health. Long gone are my days of scrolling, tapping, liking, and commenting. I simply don’t find it as invigorating as I used to. Who knows if that’ll change in the future, though. In the meantime, I’m embracing minimal screen time. Consequently, it’s allowed for ample time to enjoy the present moment. Funny how that works. That said, when I do post on social, I’m focusing on topics like body acceptance, nutritious recipes, sustainability, and hypothyroidism. P.S. For any of you who struggle with hypothyroidism, you’ll know that perpetual exhaustion is REAL. It’s partially why I’ve neglected this blog for a few weeks. I’ve needed to prioritize my health by devoting more energy to healing and less energy to social media.
So, what’s in store for phase three? Only time will tell. However, I’ll likely stay in the vein of body acceptance, recipes, holistic health, and travel. Speaking of travel, at the end of September, my husband whisked me away for a serene weekend in Aspen, Colorado. He’s long known I’ve wanted to visit Maroon Bells, and our two-year wedding anniversary was the perfect excuse. We made the trek across Independence Pass, savoring the golden aspens and scarlet mountains along the way. It was all sorts of dreamy. I wish I had filmed more of our drive, but I suppose that’s what living in the moment is all about. If you ever make the trip from Denver to Aspen — by way of Independence Pass — be sure to take your time. Pull over, do a 360, and breathe it all in. It’s unworldly. Pack snacks and water, too.
We arrived in the early evening, unpacked (we stayed at the Westin Snowmass), then strolled through downtown Aspen before settling at Mi Chola for dinner. Mexican food totally hit the spot. Afterward, we grabbed a few snacks / dessert at a local grocery store, then drove back to the hotel for a cozy night in. The following morning, we awoke early and ate a light breakfast. A bit after 7, we drove to catch the bus to Maroon Bells; it escorts hikers to the base of the Bells and costs $8. We parked at 7:30, bought our tickets, and hopped on the bus shortly after. A beautiful 15 minutes later, the bus dropped us off at Maroon Bells.
Unsurprisingly, the views are heavenly. It’s the kind of place you want to bottle up and take home with you. For that matter, the only way to fully grasp Maroon Bells is to go there. The photos hardly do it justice. If it isn’t already on your bucket list, add it. In addition to viewing the Bells, you can also hike to Crater Lake. From the Bells to Crater Lake (and back) it’s about 3.5 miles. The lake was devastatingly empty, but it was beautiful none-the-less. Here’s to hoping for plenty of snowfall this year. The hike to Crater Lake isn’t terribly steep, and it weaves through clusters of gleaming Aspens. We took our time and snapped plenty of photos in the process. After returning to the base of Maroon Bells, we hopped back on the bus. By the time we returned to downtown Aspen, we were starving. We stopped for a nutritious lunch at Spring Cafe, then moseyed around the farmer’s market.
That afternoon, we lounged by the pool, did some work, and then got ready for dinner. We ate on the patio at Casa Tua, a romantic Italian / American eatery with a divine menu. The burrata was perfect (creamy and not too watery) and my seared salmon was accompanied with fresh, local veggies. For dessert, we walked across the street to Paradise Bakery. Ice cream for him, and a pillow-y pumpkin cookie with powdered sugar for me. Sunday morning, we packed up and headed home to Denver, stopping a couple of times for food and gas. I’m already eager to go back to Aspen. It is a true gem in the vast beauty of Colorado — especially in early autumn.
we really enjoyed aspen as well as visiting maroon bells with cameron back in ’13.
Let’s all go together. 🙂