We are still so in awe of our surroundings here in the mountains. There is a magnetic pull to the rocks and trees...and to the highest heights. If I even utter the word "outside"...the girls have their coats and boots on faster than you can say "fairy house"!

We were inspired by our dear friends at EcoWomb (the family who is traveling in our Live Lightly Tour bus) who have been participating in Mandala Monday on Instagram (#mandalamonday). I was first drawn to nature mandalas by following @faithevanssills and her beautiful creations. I suggested that we try our own hand at it and the girls got busy collecting little bits of goodness.

While the origins of mandalas stem from Hinduism, we can find and apply truth and beauty in our spiritual walk with Jesus as well. We talked about the circular beauty of creation and the order of nature. Mandalas (nature or otherwise) are commonly used in meditation. I love the idea of using our mandalas as a path for prayer.

The moss we find on the rocks and trees here is so green and lush! I cannot help but to stop and touch it every time I pass by! I've even taken some inside and added them to my succulents.

While the big girls are busy racing up the highest rocks, Emma has her own agenda. Wandering and weaving through the trees, laying on her back looking up at the sky, and playing with the doggies.

While we were exploring, we heard the rumble rumble of Daddy's diesel truck. "He's HOME!" ...they screamed. We walked the property together...planning Airstream parking and gardens. I've been collecting a few mountain gardening tidbits on this Pinterest board, but would love any wisdom YOU can share. I'm thinking raised beds and lots of greens and hardy stuff. I have recently been informed that there is a seed shop in Nederland that ships in awesome alpine/cold weather seeds. I'm sure I can find them online as well...but it's a great excuse to eat at Kathmandu! We have lots of late morning and afternoon sun on the south side of our property (right where Matt is sitting in the photo above) and on the 900 sq ft deck. There are even built-in planters on the deck already! Can you tell I'm getting spring fever?

It seems like we find new nooks and crannies to explore every time we go out...and I'm so excited to start trimming and cleaning and clearing. There are several tent spots tucked away in the rocks, as well as 3 look out spots, which we have affectionately named "Moss Rock", "Inspiration Point", and "The Nest".

As we walk and climb, we discover that we want to know everything!

What kind of tree is this?! What bird is that? Why is there moss there? How does lichen form? Why is it more windy in the mountains? What kind of animal pooped here? How are pine cones formed? What is the life cycle of a pine tree? How does granite form and how does it change over time?

The mountains are rich with possibility!

This was the view from Moss Rock yesterday...we can see Denver, Matt's shop in Boulder, our old farm, and even Mt. Evans. Pretty much everything. Lucy said she could even see Paris! We are learning new things daily...just by walking out the door.