Features from the Latest issue
Winter escape over the mountains
By Ann Ulrich Miller
Presidents Day weekend was the perfect time to jump in the SUV and drive over
Lizard Head Pass to enjoy a small family get-together on Colorado's Western Slope. I visited with all three of my sons and their families, although it didn't work out that we could all visit at the same time.
Ryan, (my oldest) and his wife Trish had to work, but 7-year-old grandson Vorian had a four-day weekend, lucky kid! I drove to Gunnison Friday afternoon and was astounded to discover below-zero weather in that infamous college town after driving through balmy 55-degree Ridgway and Montroise. Gunnison is one frigid town, that's for sure.
Vorian and I traveled to Cedaredge on Saturday, though first we had to stop for a Mexican lunch at Qdabo's in Montrose, since the little guy had a "hankering" for some of their nachos. I was quite amazed how he navigated me right to the restaurant and then got in line and ordered exactly what he wanted.
We drove through Delta, then on up to Cedaredge, a charming community beneath the huge Grand Mesa (the US's largest flat-top mountain). At Marty's (my middle son's) farm on Cedar Mesa, Scott and wife Woohye were waiting to greet us. They came all the way from Warsaw, Poland!
Marty and his wife Mandy and her daughter Gigi were also there. Vorian and his Aunt Woohye had a fun time on the trampoline, but poor "Granny Annie" stood there, terrified after watching "America's Funniest Videos" at the Gunnison home the night before, and seeing a dizen or so "bad falls" off trampolines. Fortunately, everyone survived.
Marty drove us over to meet baby Zayden, Mandy's daughter's new baby. Natalya wasn't home, but the house was filled with adoring aunts and cousins, and Grandpa Marty was quite proud of that little guy. Afterwards, our family went out to eat at another Mexican restaurant. (This is the Southwest, you know ...)
The next morning (Valentines Day) we decided to all go for a walk around Confluence Lake in Delta, where the ice was still thick and the thousands of geese and hundreds of coots were gathered, waiting for warmer weather to melt their habitat. After lunch at Subway, we bid Marty and his family goodbye and drove in two cars back to Gunnison.
My kids cooked a vegan supper of veggie-burgers, fried potatoes and asparagus spears. Vorian wasn't the only one who was wiped out after trampolines, lake hikes and all that eating, so we called it an early night and decided to meet for breakfast in the morning. Ryan and Trish took us to their favorite Gunnison restaurant, The Gunni Sac, which was excellent. By Monday it had warmed up into the teens!
The "European" Ulrichs left for Denver, soon to disembark back to Poland. Ryan had the day off to spend with his son, and Trish went to work at the floral department of City Market. As for me, I headed on back to Delta and Cedaredge and made my acquaintance with Sheila, now my real estate agent, who is going to assist us in finding a place to live.
Paonia was next on the itinerary. I was happy to see my old hometown again. I spent two nights in my friend Rita's farmhouse and we enjoyed chatting about old times. Then I looked at some property in Paonia and had dinner Tuesday evening with my old best friend, Ildi and her husband. They had just moved back to Colorado after eleven years in New Hampshire. They, too, are looking for a home to purchase this spring.
Looks like winter is retreating fast! Soon it will be time for Spring Rejuvenation. I'm ready!
Ann Ulrich Miller is the editor and publisher of WISP and The Star Beacon. Her latest novel is In the Shadow of the Tower (written under the name Ann Carol Ulrich, available from Earth Star Publications.) Visit her Author page at AnnUlrichMiller.com
A Thank You Story by T Stokes
On going to the market each day for my fresh vegetables, I cut through the park and always see a bunch of rough sleeprers by the two benches. I make a point of saying "good morning, lads," as to most people, they feel invisible, so I like to acknowledge them.
The leader is a man called Nij, who is highly intelligent, but when he lost his job, then his home, his wife left him and he then fell into sleeping rough outdoors.
On the way back from the shops, I sometimes pass over some crispy rolls to the greedy hands that reach out desperately from these lads, and I noticed that Nij’s eyes looked different, hollow, and he looked vacantly through me to some far away place, while the other lad’s eyes gleamed happily at some food to share.
I knew then that Nij needed specialist spiritual help. I later saw him on his own and told him a bit about his past and that I knew all about him. I asked if he heard voices telling him to do bad things, and if he was tempted to self harm. I got him to tell me about his deep depressive spells and his never being able to think straight.
His eyes filled with tears and he said, “It’s all been such a torment.” So, making the sign of the cross over him and reciting part of the 23rd Psalm, I put my hand into his aura and pulled out something very unpleasant. Then I told this creature from the symphile category (a dead human being with anger issues, who made Nij crave alcohol, so he could bask in its second-hand essences) that by the power of Jesus Christ it must leave him now and not return. It must go to a place of punishment before returning to the source of everlasting love and wisdom.
Then, sealing his aura and saying a short closing prayer, I said goodbye and walked away.Three days later, I saw a very different and very grateful man, who wanted a chance to say “thank you.”
The word exorcism is rarely used today. Spirit clearance is the new buzz word, but it all amounts to the same thing, clearing old spiritual residues, emotional baggage, outworn memory patterns,hearing odd voices with anger and confusion issues.
Just five minutes on a park bench may have saved a life.
And I now have a very good gardener one day a week.
T Stokes was Britain’s first lecturer in paraspiritual and eschatological studies, and has taught psychology and philosophy, and combines divinatory practice with much scholarship. He reads palms and much more by post or e-mail. Contact him at www.tstokes.co.uk. He is the author of 50 Case Studies in Modern Palmistry, published by Earth Star Publications.
