Life Snacks

            "The ghosts of the past speak to all who will listen." - Unknown             The aspen leaves, burnished with touches of gold, are a sign of autumn making its stealthy approach. The mine is the centerpiece of the town, framed by deep green pines, sitting atop a hill of slate gray streaked with rusty orange. The tailing pile cascades down the mountainside like a ghostly waterfall, coming to a rest in the depths of the valley. From the road, the quick departure that was made in 1984 becomes painstakingly clear. As perplexing and gruesome as it may seem, this place is my obsession.             My tour of the town starts in the narrow canyon where the lowest mines rest. Just walking onto the property gives me a feeling of unease. The mining buildings look as if they are out of a 1970's horror f...

__________________________________________________________________________________ "Solitude isn't loneliness. Solitude is when the entire serene universe seems to surround and hold you quietly". - Victoria Erickson __________________________________________________________________________________ A couple of weeks ago, I ventured into the Flat Tops Wilderness, here in Colorado, in search of the perfect place to do a little soul searching. As an introvert working in the food service industry, I consistently find myself exhausted by human interaction and in need of some alone time. Being verbally abused by strangers who are too lazy to cook takes its toll after a while. I had gone camping alone before, but usually just outside of town, so this was going to be quite an adventure. About an hour and a half up the road, I found the perfect spot to set up camp for a few days. The campground was somewhat sheltered by trees, but offered excellent views of ...