Behind the Photo

This is my new facebook photo, taken yesterday up on the ridge behind my house.  When I posted it, I realized there was  much more to the story.  The story behind the photo.  Why was I up on the ridge in the first place? And why was I holding my hat?  Wait.  Why take a selfie whilst balancing on a rock on a ridge in my backyard holding my hat anyway?  

Purple mountain majesty and all that.

Really, I should hike up to the open space behind my house more often.  Because this is the view of Pike's Peak from up there.  Of course, my kids go up all the time.  

Please note: Rocks are larger than they appear in photo

They hike up to the very top to the formation they have nicknamed "mushroom rock".  And Ember, as the youngest, is forbidden to hike up to it alone.  Although she's been caught on more than one occasion disobeying this rule.  Ok, she does it all the time and I worry she's going to fall or get bit by a rattlesnake.  Or have some super freakish accident involving both simultaneously.

I hiked on top with purpose.  To get the best view of the Thunderbirds, putting on a show for the Air Force Academy graduation.  With my camera, hoping to get a good shot or two.  Instead I got about a hundred of just the sky and one decent photo.  In my defense, it was super bright out which meant I couldn't see the screen and the sky was a lovely shade of blue.  And I'm slow.  Very slow.

But, I digress, before all that, while I was up there waiting on top of mushroom rock with nothing but my camera.  Not even sunscreen.  Thus, the hat. And the wind, requiring I hold my hat.  It seemed like as good of time as any to take a selfie.  Which I later posted to facebook.   My friend was like, "Oh look it's my new house being built in the background!"  I hadn't even realized I'd captured it, even though I could hear them sawing from up there. Another friend noticed the ridge he was on to watch the Thunderbirds is in the photo too.  Meaning, he's gotta be in the photo somewhere.  

But what you can't see in the photo is my complete outfit.  So let me explain.  It was a hot day.  Eighty-eight degrees to be exact.  I didn't plan for it to be quite so hot when I showered.  So I didn't shave my legs.  Voila.  Maxi skirt to the rescue.  Covertly masking my sasquatchness while giving off an air of super comfy, cottony, put togetherness. Which I topped it off with some cute sandals.  Except cute sandals are never practical or functional for say walking two wily dogs or climbing up a ridge.  So I swapped out for my old standbys, a pair of converse.  So this is what my bottom half looks like.  The bottom half not captured in the photo.  

Now, I never dress like this.  Or wear my hair down.  But, my hat wouldn't fit on my head with my hair up.  And since I have no sunscreen on and it's Colorado where you can get skin cancer in all of about 10 minutes of exposure, I need a hat.

Of course, this is the day I see everyone I know. Including a new neighbor, who's actually an old neighbor, I met on my way back down the ridge.  Dressed like an out about town photo of Jessica Alba or Pink from an issue of US magazine.  Hiking a ridge with a maxi skirt on.

I got more compliments yesterday than I ever have, well, ever.  Which might be friends gently telling me, "Wow, this is so shocking because you normally look like crap."  So, maybe I'll pretend to be Jessica Alba a little more often.  Next time the Thunderbirds are in town and come over to my house for a nooner.