2011 Aspen Leaves
October 5, 2011 by 2 Comments
This year’s venture to the mountains to find the changing aspen leaves took us back to the traditional promised land of Kenosha Pass. It’s our default location to visit, and although we have found great success in other spots, this one is a sure thing….and sure things are important with kids. We have been going to Kenosha to find the trees on and off for a bunch of years, and this time around the timing of our schedules worked out to full advantage. The other thing that apparently works to our full advantage is having a kid that rises early – and therefore allows us to hit the road early, and therefore arrive at our destination before the masses get moving. Kenosha is a popular spot because of the amount of aspen trees, and it’s accessibility – right off of 285 about an hour from Denver, so it fills quickly on weekends.
Our trip up into the mountains was actually just before the ‘peak’ time for the leaf changing, but that’s our current favorite time to see them. The leaves change from green, to yellow, to orange, and to red before finally falling off – all within about a three week time frame. So when we started into the mountains and got our first glimpse of the changing leaves, we knew that we were in for a good showing. We arrived at the parking lot, and took off on our hike into the woods. Every single time that we have gone up to see the trees at Kenosha Pass, we have left the parking lot and gone right to the hike. We even found a ‘secret’ trail that leads out the back of one of the campgrounds and down into a valley where no other trail ends. For the longest time, we thought that we had the perfect viewing spots for the trees….until a random request from Ezra to hike to the left this time around. We embarked down the road, then found a trail that took us through a stunning meadow framed by aspen trees, and finally ended at a running stream with amazing views. The wisdom of a three year old is serendipitous sometimes. We enjoyed a nice long hike – even though it was a touch on the warm side – before heading back to the car. On the way home, we found a nice spot on the side of the road, and backed up to a river, for a tailgate lunch.
Photo Dump
October 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment
A few pictures from the past couple of weeks:
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- exactly 1 mile high
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- hike in Castle Rock
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- hike in Castle Rock
The Bills Stop Rolling In
September 28, 2011 by 2 Comments
Seven months after Liam received his last medical treatment from the hospital, we have finally gotten the money monkey off of our backs. Countless hours on the phone, on e-mail, bringing paperwork different places, waiting, redirecting, frustration, angst, apathy, and work on our behalf by others have at last gotten us to this point. I verified the final bills show a zero balance this morning…and I don’t know how it’s possible that we still have two cars and a house without health insurance and Medicaid.
As with each small step of finality – even ones that we hope for – there is that furthering of space and touch that comes with them. It’s an interesting paradoxical relationship sometimes. This freedom does allow us to proceed with two very important items still on the ‘to-do’ list….a gravestone, and a donation to the hospital on Liam’s behalf. Two very difficult things that we have postponed until we knew for certain that we were clear of the bills. One hard door closes, and a new one opens.
Nighttime Balloon Festival
September 24, 2011 by 1 Comment
Each Labor Day weekend, Colorado Springs hosts the Colorado Balloon Festival, which is an amazing event to bring your kids to – and it provides something cool for you to look at as well. This year we again met up with some good friends and went down, except instead of going in the morning for a launch (click here for the photos and story of the first time – wow, it’s crazy to look at pictures of Ezra at that age), we went in the evening for a nighttime display. While they don’t actually launch the balloons, they put on quite a display as they fill them for everyone to see. One of the things that makes this such a huge draw (tens of thousands of people have been there each time we have gone) is that you can walk up to and all around the balloons as they are getting unrolled, set-up, and filled. You also have the opportunity to talk with the balloonists and find out more about the process or their balloon in particular. If you are ever out here during that time, make it a point to go there – it won’t let you down.
Sunflowers
September 23, 2011 by 3 Comments
As this new school year started, things were going to be different for all of us. Ahna moved to third grade, Ezra started going to school for the first time, and I found myself with a few hours twice a week with an opportunity to do what I wanted. I thought that the time was going to provide me with ample chance to do anything I wanted….movies, sleep, work out, music, photography, stand in the hallway and not move….you know, anything I wanted.
Well, as things tend to do, those mornings are getting filled up with all of the stuff that I previously drug Ezra along to – it’s just a rearrangement of the previous schedule. Sure, we are more than a month into it, and I have had a chance to run a little, to watch a little mindless TV, and to play on the computer; but mostly it’s been meetings or errands that Ezra doesn’t have to deal with.
Anyhow, all of this ramble is actually going somewhere: there was this one morning recently that I took the opportunity to head out into the great wilderness that is the north side of the Denver metro area and find some sunflowers to photo. I hadn’t scouted any places previously, and my friend that knows the area had to back out at the last minute (something about some big fires in Oklahoma)….so point the car to a good last-known-location, hope to get there before sunrise, and ignore the No Trespassing signs on the fields. Actually, I only ignored a sign like that once, and for about 10 feet before going to a different field with no such obvious signs.
As luck would have it, there was about two minutes of awesome sunrise light before the sun ducked behind clouds for the rest of the morning, creating a very flat light, which is at the same time annoying and a good thing. Annoying because I couldn’t get the shot that I had in my head, and good because it forced me to look at things in a different way to get something worth keeping.
Blah, blah, blah; right?! Enough writing, here are the photos:
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- Yes, it’s a silly HDR photo.
Denver 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb [UPDATED]
September 21, 2011 by 3 Comments
Well, the climb is done. 10 days have gone by with no planning or daily mention of things to get done for an upcoming climb, and a chance has been given to reflect on what I have been part of. First, the Denver climb….then a little more than that.
Each year – seven of them now – there seems to be this massive workload of event planning and organizing that takes place in the immediate run-up to the climb. A pile of logistics, information, and organization all culminate in the hours prior to the climb actually happening. There are times in those days that it gets to the point that I actually look forward to the time period that comes just after the climb is done where there is nothing to do but wait to start it all over again. But then the morning of the 11th comes around, and the firefighters filter into the loading dock, and the tribute begins….and it’s all immediately worth while. I have the unique opportunity to help organize the climb with a few other folks, including Dave, Scott, Sean, and Mark; and it has to be one of the most rewarding things that happen each year.
For those new to the blog this past year, the climb is the first of it’s kind in the country, and we gather 343 firefighters – in full gear – and climb 110 floors each September 11 in honor of the 343 FDNY members that died (the 110 stories is the same height as the World Trade Center stood). We do it in a 55 story building located in downtown Denver, and we climb it twice. Each climber is randomly given a photo of one of the 343 firefighters, and they climb in that firefighter’s memory. We ask that they in turn reach out to the family of that firefighter and let them know that we haven’t forgotten. You can hear a little more about it from a Colorado Public Radio news story, my wrap on 2010 and 2009. This year’s event filled up in 66 minutes.
Since I am involved in the planning and execution of the event, several of us that help out actually climb early that morning. We get down there long before sunrise, and start our rigorous 110 story climb just after 6am. There are lots of moments void from talking, but hardly silent. It takes more than an hour to do, and is one of the hardest physical challenges that I face each year…..and we don’t have a burning building above us or people being shuffled down the stairwell past us. By the time that we finish our climb, the 343 participants are starting to arrive and the rest of the day’s events swing into high gear. During the event, I serve in the position of Lobby Control – an accountability spot – and have a great chance to be able to speak to each climber several times.
The most rewarding part of the entire experience is the stories that we hear from families of FDNY members, or from participants who have reached out to families and made connections. To know that the families know that people don’t forget, and to know that firefighters from all over (this year 9 different states were at the climb) are constantly remembering, is what it is all about.
To the part that was referred to as ‘a little more than that’ at the beginning of the post. A long story short, last year we partnered up with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to develop a program that would allow individual cities across the country host a climb similar to the one that we have going on here. The money that is raised from that effort goes towards the Foundation and their efforts to support the FDNY members and families that are now dealing with the 9/11 related sicknesses, diseases, and cancers. I am able to work with a few amazing people from around the country – Victor, Billy, Jenni, Josh, Shawn, Scott, and Brian – and I feel like this is going to be a long-term tradition. And this year? More than 55 different climbs, happening in 4 different countries, with about 15,000 firefighters climbing with the same purpose. In the coming weeks, we should know the full impact of the event, and I know that it’s huge…..It’s awesome to have that many firefighters (and in a few climbs, civilians) training, getting in better shape, honoring, remembering, and supporting.
[UPDATE] For some reason, I forgot to include this – even the best forget things sometimes. A great friend, fellow organizer, and District Chief up in Denver not only climbed for his late FDNY friend, but also with Liam. He asked for a photo, put it in his helmet, and carried Liam the full 110 stories. I actually got choked up at the thought, and again (this seems to be happening on a extremely frequent basis) was humbled by friendship and love. Photo is below.
Here are some photos from this year’s climb….
9/11
September 10, 2011 by 2 Comments
We don’t forget. We will never forget. Tears.
Tomorrow, we climb because you climbed. You are a daily inspiration for us all.
Each year, I post this photo…a stunning capture in history (read story here). This is a photo of FDNY’s Ladder 118 responding to the WTC. None of them would survive the day. These guys knew what they were getting into, yet they didn’t hesitate.
The list of the 343 FDNY brothers that died:
Joseph Agnello, Lad.118 Lt. Brian Ahearn, Bat.13 Eric Allen, Sqd.18 (D) Richard Allen, Lad.15 Cpt. James Amato, Sqd.1 Calixto Anaya Jr., Eng.4 Joseph Agnello, Lad.118 Lt. Brian Ahearn, Bat.13 Eric Allen, Sqd.18 (D) Richard Allen, Lad.15 Cpt. James Amato, Sqd.1 Calixto Anaya Jr., Eng.4 Joseph Angelini, Res.1 (D) Joseph Angelini Jr., Lad.4 Faustino Apostol Jr., Bat.2 David Arce, Eng.33 Louis Arena, Lad.5 (D) Carl Asaro, Bat.9 Lt. Gregg Atlas, Eng.10 Gerald Atwood, Lad.21 Gerald Baptiste, Lad.9 A.C. Gerard Barbara, Cmd. Ctr. Matthew Barnes, Lad.25 Arthur Barry, Lad.15 Lt.Steven Bates, Eng.235 Carl Bedigian, Eng.214 Stephen Belson, Bat.7 John Bergin, Res.5 Paul Beyer, Eng.6 Peter Bielfeld, Lad.42 Brian Bilcher, Sqd.1 Carl Bini, Res.5 Christopher Blackwell, Res.3 Michael Bocchino, Bat.48 Frank Bonomo, Eng.230 Gary Box, Sqd.1 Michael Boyle, Eng.33 Kevin Bracken, Eng.40 Michael Brennan, Lad.4 Peter Brennan, Res.4 Cpt. Daniel Brethel, Lad.24 (D) Cpt. Patrick Brown, Lad.3 Andrew Brunn, Lad.5 (D) Cpt. Vincent Brunton, Lad.105 F.M. Ronald Bucca Greg Buck, Eng.201 Cpt. William Burke Jr., Eng.21 A.C. Donald Burns, Cmd. Ctr. John Burnside, Lad.20 Thomas Butler, Sqd.1 Patrick Byrne, Lad.101 George Cain, Lad.7 Salvatore Calabro, Lad.101 Cpt. Frank Callahan, Lad.35 Michael Cammarata, Lad.11 Brian Cannizzaro, Lad.101 Dennis Carey, Hmc.1 Michael Carlo, Eng.230 Michael Carroll, Lad.3 Peter Carroll, Sqd.1 (D) Thomas Casoria, Eng.22 Michael Cawley, Lad.136 Vernon Cherry, Lad.118 Nicholas Chiofalo, Eng.235 John Chipura, Eng.219 Michael Clarke, Lad.2 Steven Coakley, Eng.217 Tarel Coleman, Sqd.252 John Collins, Lad.25 Robert Cordice, Sqd.1 Ruben Correa, Eng.74 James Coyle, Lad.3 Robert Crawford, Safety Lt. John Crisci, H.M. B.C. Dennis Cross, Bat.57 (D) Thomas Cullen III, Sqd. 41 Robert Curatolo, Lad.16 (D) Lt. Edward D’Atri, Sqd.1 Michael D’Auria, Eng.40 Scott Davidson, Lad.118 Edward Day, Lad.11 B.C. Thomas DeAngelis, Bat. 8 Manuel Delvalle, Eng.5 Martin DeMeo, H.M. 1 David DeRubbio, Eng.226 Lt. Andrew Desperito, Eng.1 (D) B.C. Dennis Devlin, Bat.9 Gerard Dewan, Lad.3 George DiPasquale, Lad.2 Lt. Kevin Donnelly, Lad.3 Lt. Kevin Dowdell, Res.4 B.C. Raymond Downey, Soc. Gerard Duffy, Lad.21 Cpt. Martin Egan, Jr., Div.15 (D) Michael Elferis, Eng.22 Francis Esposito, Eng.235 Lt. Michael Esposito, Sqd.1 Robert Evans, Eng.33B.C. John Fanning, H.O. Cpt. Thomas Farino, Eng.26 Terrence Farrell, Res.4 Cpt. Joseph Farrelly, Div.1 Dep. Comm. William Feehan, (D) Lee Fehling, Eng.235 Alan Feinberg, Bat.9 Michael Fiore, Res.5 Lt. John Fischer, Lad.20 Andre Fletcher, Res.5 John Florio, Eng.214 Lt. Michael Fodor, Lad.21 Thomas Foley, Res.3 David Fontana, Sqd.1 Robert Foti, Lad.7 Andrew Fredericks, Sqd.18 Lt. Peter Freund, Eng.55 Thomas Gambino Jr., Res.3 Chief of Dept. Peter Ganci, Jr. (D) Lt. Charles Garbarini, Bat.9 Thomas Gardner, Hmc.1 Matthew Garvey, Sqd.1 Bruce Gary, Eng.40 Gary Geidel, Res.1 B.C. Edward Geraghty, Bat.9 Dennis Germain, Lad.2 Lt. Vincent Giammona, Lad.5 James Giberson, Lad.35 Ronnie Gies, Sqd.288 Paul Gill, Eng.54 Lt. John Ginley, Eng.40 Jeffrey Giordano, Lad.3 John Giordano, Hmc.1 Keith Glascoe, Lad.21 James Gray, Lad.20 B.C. Joseph Grzelak, Bat.48 Jose Guadalupe, Eng.54 Lt. Geoffrey Guja, Bat.43 Lt. Joseph Gullickson, Lad.101 David Halderman, Sqd.18 Lt. Vincent Halloran, Lad.8 Robert Hamilton, Sqd.41 Sean Hanley, Lad.20 (D) Thomas Hannafin, Lad.5 Dana Hannon, Eng.26 Daniel Harlin, Lad.2 Lt. Harvey Harrell, Res.5 Lt. Stephen Harrell, Bat.7 Cpt. Thomas Haskell, Jr., Div.15 Timothy Haskell, Sqd.18 (D) Cpt. Terence Hatton, Res.1 Michael Haub, Lad.4 Lt. Michael Healey, Sqd.41 John Hefferman, Lad.11 Ronnie Henderson, Eng.279 Joseph Henry, Lad.21 William Henry, Res.1 (D) Thomas Hetzel, Lad.13 Cpt. Brian Hickey, Res.4 Lt. Timothy Higgins, S.O.C. Jonathan Hohmann, Hmc.1 Thomas Holohan, Eng.6 Joseph Hunter, Sqd.288 Cpt. Walter Hynes, Lad.13 (D)Jonathan Ielpi, Sqd.288 Cpt. Frederick Ill Jr., Lad.2 William Johnston, Eng.6 Andrew Jordan, Lad.132 Karl Joseph, Eng.207 Lt. Anthony Jovic, Bat.47 Angel Juarbe Jr., Lad.12 Mychal Judge, Chaplain (D) Vincent Kane, Eng.22 B.C. Charles Kasper, S.O.C. Paul Keating, Lad.5 Richard Kelly Jr., Lad.11 Thomas R. Kelly, Lad.15 Thomas W. Kelly, Lad.105 Thomas Kennedy, Lad.101 Lt. Ronald Kerwin, Sqd.288 Michael Kiefer, Lad.132 Robert King Jr., Eng.33 Scott Kopytko, Lad.15 William Krukowski, Lad.21 Kenneth Kumpel, Lad.25 Thomas Kuveikis, Sqd.252 David LaForge, Lad.20 William Lake, Res.2 Robert Lane, Eng.55 Peter Langone, Sqd.252 Scott Larsen, Lad.15 Lt. Joseph Leavey, Lad.15 Neil Leavy, Eng.217 Daniel Libretti, Res.2 Carlos Lillo, Paramedic Robert Linnane, Lad.20 Michael Lynch, Eng.40 Michael Lynch, Lad.4 Michael Lyons, Sqd.41 Patrick Lyons, Sqd.252 Joseph Maffeo, Lad.101 William Mahoney, Res 4 Joseph Maloney, Lad.3 (D) B.C. Joseph Marchbanks Jr, Bat.12 Lt. Charles Margiotta, Bat.22 Kenneth Marino, Res.1 John Marshall, Eng.23 Lt. Peter Martin, Res.2 Lt. Paul Martini, Eng.23 Joseph Mascali, T.S.U. 2 Keithroy Maynard, Eng.33 Brian McAleese, Eng.226 John McAvoy, Lad.3 Thomas McCann, Bat.8 Lt. William McGinn, Sqd.18 B.C. William McGovern, Bat.2 (D) Dennis McHugh, Lad.13 Robert McMahon, Lad.20 Robert McPadden, Eng.23 Terence McShane, Lad.101 Timothy McSweeney, Lad.3 Martin McWilliams, Eng.22 (D) Raymond Meisenheimer, Res.3 Charles Mendez, Lad.7 Steve Mercado, Eng.40 Douglas Miller, Res.5 Henry Miller Jr, Lad.105 Robert Minara, Lad.25 Thomas Mingione, Lad.132 Lt. Paul Mitchell, Bat.1 Capt. Louis Modafferi, Res.5 Lt. Dennis Mojica, Res.1 (D) Manuel Mojica, Sqd.18 (D) Carl Molinaro, Lad.2 Michael Montesi, Res.1 Capt. Thomas Moody, Div.1 B.C. John Moran, Bat.49 Vincent Morello, Lad.35 Christopher Mozzillo, Eng.55 Richard Muldowney Jr, Lad.07 Michael Mullan, Lad.12 Dennis Mulligan, Lad.2 Lt. Raymond Murphy, Lad.16 Lt. Robert Nagel, Eng.58 John Napolitano, Res.2 Peter Nelson, Res.4 Gerard Nevins, Res.1 Dennis O’Berg, Lad.105 Lt. Daniel O’Callaghan, Lad.4 Douglas Oelschlager, Lad.15 Joseph Ogren, Lad.3 Lt. Thomas O’Hagan, Bat.4 Samuel Oitice, Lad.4 Patrick O’Keefe, Res.1 Capt. William O’Keefe, Div.15 (D) Eric Olsen, Lad.15 Jeffery Olsen, Eng.10 Steven Olson, Lad.3 Kevin O’Rourke, Res.2 Michael Otten, Lad.35 Jeffery Palazzo, Res.5 B.C. Orio Palmer, Bat.7 Frank Palombo, Lad.105 Paul Pansini, Eng.10 B.C. John Paolillo, Bat.11 James Pappageorge, Eng.23 Robert Parro, Eng.8 Durrell Pearsall, Res.4 Lt. Glenn Perry, Bat.12 Lt. Philip Petti, Bat.7 Lt. Kevin Pfeifer, Eng. 33 Lt. Kenneth Phelan, Bat.32 Christopher Pickford, Eng.201 Shawn Powell, Eng.207 Vincent Princiotta, Lad.7 Kevin Prior, Sqd.252 B.C. Richard Prunty, Bat.2 (D) Lincoln Quappe, Res.2 Lt. Michael Quilty, Lad.11 Ricardo Quinn, Paramedic Leonard Ragaglia, Eng.54 Michael Ragusa, Eng.279 Edward Rall, Res.2 Adam Rand, Sqd.288 Donald Regan, Res.3 Lt. Robert Regan, Lad.118 Christian Regenhard, Lad.131 Kevin Reilly, Eng.207 Lt. Vernon Richard, Lad.7 James Riches, Eng.4 Joseph Rivelli, Lad.25 Michael Roberts, Eng.214 Michael E. Roberts, Lad.35 Anthony Rodriguez, Eng.279 Matthew Rogan, Lad.11 Nicholas Rossomando, Res.5 Paul Ruback, Lad.25 Stephen Russell, Eng.55 Lt. Michael Russo, S.O.C. B.C. Matthew Ryan, Bat.1 Thomas Sabella, Lad.13 Christopher Santora, Eng.54 John Santore, Lad.5 (D) Gregory Saucedo, Lad.5 Dennis Scauso, H.M. 1 John Schardt, Eng.201 B.C. Fred Scheffold, Bat.12 Thomas Schoales, Eng.4 Gerard Schrang, Res.3 (D) Gregory Sikorsky, Sqd.41 Stephen Siller, Sqd.1 Stanley Smagala Jr, Eng.226 Kevin Smith, H.M. 1 Leon Smith Jr, Lad 118 Robert Spear Jr, Eng.26 Joseph Spor, Res.3 B.C. Lawrence Stack, Bat.50 Cpt. Timothy Stackpole, Div.11 (D) Gregory Stajk, Lad.13 Jeffery Stark, Eng.230 Benjamin Suarez, Lad.21 Daniel Suhr, Eng.216 (D) Lt. Christopher Sullivan, Lad.111 Brian Sweeney, Res.1 Sean Tallon, Lad.10 Allan Tarasiewicz, Res.5 Paul Tegtmeier, Eng.4 John Tierney, Lad.9 John Tipping II, Lad.4 Hector Tirado Jr, Eng.23 Richard Vanhine, Sqd.41 Peter Vega, Lad.118 Lawrence Veling, Eng.235 John Vigiano II, Lad.132 Sergio Villanueva, Lad.132 Lawrence Virgilio, Sqd.18 (D) Lt. Robert Wallace, Eng.205 Jeffery Walz, Lad. 9 Lt. Michael Warchola, Lad.5 (D) Capt. Patrick Waters, S.O.C. Kenneth Watson, Eng.214 Michael Weinberg, Eng.1 (D) David Weiss, Res.1 Timothy Welty, Sqd.288 Eugene Whelan, Eng.230 Edward White, Eng.230 Mark Whitford, Eng.23 Lt. Glenn Wilkinson, Eng.238 (D) B.C. John Williamson, Bat.6 (D) Capt. David Wooley, Lad.4 Raymond York, Eng.285 (D)
39 Months!
September 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
A new angle this month…..laying down. Don’t forget that you can go back to June 5th-ish of this year to see the last three years.
Time Travel, But Not Touch Travel
August 30, 2011 by 4 Comments
You can mention a word, even one that seemingly would have nothing to do with Liam’s life, and I can be instantly transported back to a specific moment, a specific place, a specific interaction, a specific feeling. You wanna talk pulse oximetry? Bam, right back to room 55. You wanna talk humidity? Bam, right back to the shared showers. You wanna talk photography? Bam, right back to looking at Liam through the camera’s lens.
The emotion that comes with that trip back in time is still so raw and unyielding, that it becomes all-consuming at times. If I were to close my eyes, it would be just like we were sitting in the room. And despite the vividness of those experiences, the one thing that doesn’t happen? Remembering what it was like to hold Liam. It’s depressing, confusing, and saddening to think that as each day goes by, it becomes harder and harder to feel that feeling. I wish that there was a way to understand why that was, but I don’t think that we can know that kind of answer.
While sitting in the hospital room, I remember reading something that was given to us. It was about a similar situation to the one that we were in, and the parent wrote: ‘It doesn’t matter how much you hold him, it will never be enough.’ What I failed to understand about that statement was that no matter how much I held him, that would be the hardest thing to feel again.
The Life of a Little Hippie 