When people ask me...

What I do in retirement, my rote answer is "I visit pretty places, take pictures and write about it." If they aren't shaking their heads and retreating by then, I'll add "in the morning, I drink lots of coffee and in the evening a few IPAs. I read a lot too." 

I know pretty simple, but it seems to work for me.

Since April 4th, I've been in five National Parks, one National Monument and a smattering of State Parks. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. 

I was forced to make a detour when the Southern Utahan dirt roads got gloppy wet. I traded a cool and clammy Capital Reef NP for a warm and wet Death Valley NP. Retirement like life is all about flexibility and adjustments. 

With me its all about the weather too. Once in awhile the Weather Channel lies and I'll end up in a downfall of White Death. Like Wednesday at Great Sand Dunes NP. I'm now writing "nasty-grams" to the Honchos of the Weather Channel. Talk about disinformation. 

In case you missed a past National or State Treasure, here's a recap.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2016/04/death-valley-is-sort-of-dead.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2016/04/april-22nd-trifecta-of-dates.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2016/04/zion-finale.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2016/04/my-expanding-family.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2016/04/barley-van-wishes-to-thank.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2016/04/bryce-canyon.html

Stay tuned for the announcement of the "Great Wandering, Wondering Jew Sweepstakes." Who knows? You may already be a winner!

Here's a few snaps from Great Sand Dunes NP. The White Death melted.

Cheers,

Jeff

Home is where the best...

Breakfast Burritos are and other things.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2014/08/there-will-never-be.html

As I crossed over the Utah/Colorado border, I heaved out an audible sigh. It felt good to be back in the Centennial State. This is Home and it's more than just a mailing address.

BTW many thanks to nephew Keith for the use of his address. He's the CFO who watches over the "Wandering, Wondering Jew's" huge financial empire while I am on the go. I couldn't do this crazy lifestyle without his help. I owe him.

If there's ever a demand for "WWJ" T-Shirts, coffee mugs or beer holders, I'll get my marketing team (me) to start the production line moving. For my faithful readers, it'll be such a deal! 

Here's last year's thoughts of being back in Colorado.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-idea-of-home.html

I read the blog over, nothing has changed except now there will be one more family of Sambur's paying state taxes here. Nephew Justin scored a professorship at Colorado State University. Let me be one of the first to welcome J-Man, Deli and Little Max to Paradise. I hope they buy a house with a driveway. It's always nice to plug Barley the Van in for electricity. IPAs taste so much better when they're cold. Reading lights and fresh brewed coffee in the morning are pretty swell too.

So friends and family, I'm looking forward to seeing you. This talking to myself is starting to grow old. (At least I'm not saying "What?") As usual, I'll be looking for folks to play, eat and imbibe with. You know how to find me and right now, I'm not that BUSY!

Here's some photos on why Colorado is more than just the Rockies. 

Cheers and Come on Summer!

Jeff

"Hey Colorado

It was not so long ago

I left your mountains to try life on the road

But I'm tired of that race

It was much too fast a pace

And I think I've found my place

Colorado, I want to come home

Colorado

Is it too late to change my mind

I've done some thinking

And I'm trying hard to find

A way to come back home

Cause I've been so very long alone

Won't you take care of your own

Colorado

I think I'm coming home

I want to come home

Let me come home"

Lyrics by Linda Ronstadt

Belated Flowers for my Mom...

"Don't it always seem to go

You don't know what you got

Till it's gone"

Joni Mitchell

I regret I never gave Clara Sambur flowers on Mother's Day. 

My only excuses are I was too young, clueless and poor at the time. She passed when I was 17. Her final year was spent in and out of hospitals. Mostly in. She died at the age of 52. 

It was a crappy period of my life.

In retrospect, that tiny Viennese born woman (she was 4'11") made a huge impact on me.

Do you like my latch-onto-you-and-hold-on hugs? Thank Clara for that.

Do you like it when I break out into a smile when we make eye contact? Thank Clara for that. 

Do you like the occasional reassuring pats on your back? Thank Clara for that.

Do you like seeing me actually sit still and read a book? Thank Clara for that too.

I'm certain she passed along her gentle genes to me.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2015/05/i-still-miss_10.html

So Mom, I brought you some pretty flowers. I just wish I could have handed them to you in person. I still love and miss you.

Here's a little advice: Show your Mom you care while you still can. 

Happy Mom's Day!