Last year, the annual summer  Shakespeare-in-the-Park was cancelled due to COVID-19. This year, with uncertainty about the possibility of an in-person event, the UCCS Theatreworks tried something new. And yet as old as entertainment from ages past.

Theater in-the-round, and outdoors. A Midsummer Night's Dream has been performed in multiple venues. There are still a few shows left! We caught the performance in the park behind our local library.

Quite a crowd showed up, some with umbrellas for shade. The actors tolerated the heat well, and gave a lively performance. We were all grateful when clouds provided some relief from the afternoon sun. 

Although Theatreworks may move back into the large tent and folding chairs next summer, I think I might prefer this casual arrangement. Kudos to the troupe for bringing entertainment to the masses. It was a wonderful experience.

The days are now getting shorter, but the weather is warmer. I'm not sure how that works. I'm enjoying being outside at night without being dressed for an arctic expedition.

For over a decade and a half, we have been fixing up our outdoor living space. That included replacing our deck after I put a foot through a rotted step. 

This summer, we've reached a moment in time where our deck, flower beds, and the patio under the deck, have achieved a pinnacle of beauty and utility. 

I'm trying to make the most of it, because Colorado's summer season is short.

This weekend, we're going to a free play in a local park. Theatreworks is presenting A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's an afternoon performance, but I expect to spend evening time on our deck afterwards, discussing the highlights of the play.

I hope wherever you live, you are able to enjoy free, or inexpensive, local entertainment this summer.

Working a full-time day job and writing fiction in my off hours presents challenges. The main one is getting stuck on a hamster wheel of activity. My attitude was going sour earlier this month as summer began, and I felt trapped in routine.

My husband came to the rescue with his suggestion we attend a local concert. I was not interested. Too tired. Not in the mood to be around a crowd. He persisted.

We went to Hillside Gardens to see the B. J. Estares and Route 61 blues band. 

First, the garden setting meant you could find elbow room in the audience. Second, the roses were in bloom. Third, the band was great.

If you're feeling stuck, check out your community's summer activities. Arts & crafts fairs, concerts in parks, open air plays, and other events may be on the calendar.

​Hillside Gardens summer concert schedule. 

​

While I don't condone defacing public property, this was pretty clever.

You just don't know what you'll run across on the trails.

PPLD hosted their annual Mountain of Authors event this weekend. I was fishing, and missed the mostly virtual happening, but hope to catch up with the recorded talks on the library website.

By the way, the fish were not biting. Not for us, and apparently not for anyone else. It was a beautiful summer-like day in the mountains. We enjoyed the scenery, the pelicans, and the black diving ducks.

My granddaughter created a clever book trailer for the Pikes Peak Library District YouTube channel. Our trailer is the second of four you can view here.

The Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs hosted its annual Motorless Morning, closing the park to motorized vehicles from 5am to noon. My husband and I stopped to chat with a park ranger during our four mile walk. She told us when the cars go away, the wildlife comes out.

The previous Saturday, we walked in the GOTG in weather that shifted from chilly but mild, to freezing snow. The Motorless Morning weather could not have been better.

​Below are a few photos from our walk.

May 1st, Pikes Peak Library District hosts the virtual Mountain of Authors event. My book trailer, created by my talented granddaughter, will be featured.
Book Buzz
Pike Peak Library District's annual Mountain of Authors program, including the Local Author Showcase, has gone virtual! For our virtual event, local authors have created fun and exciting Book Buzzes (short videos) to share their new books with you. Join us to discover new authors and great books for the fall. View all the videos here and see what the buzz is all about!
Videos premiere Sat., May 1 on PPLDTV YouTube.

During a trip to the library, I saw one of my books on a shelf. Stone Cold Case is the second novel in my Rock Shop Mystery series. 

My books Stone Cold Dead, Stone Cold Blooded, and the stand alone Survive Or Die are also available. 

I have been sidetracked by other projects. A fourth Rock Shop book is waiting to be finished. I'm hoping to get in gear, and finish Stone Cold Pressed this year.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is open. The COVID-19 protocols are firmly in place. The best part of social distancing rules is that the museum is limiting the number of people who can visit. Special exhibits require reservations. Employees stand in the doorway, making sure the room does not exceed designated capacity. For a person who does not enjoy crowds, this is the best time to visit the museum. 

We spent a long time in the SUE: The T. rex Experience  exhibit. Although the T. rex was the star, I gravitated toward my favorite dinosaur, the Triceratops. After admiring the best dinosaur, I enjoyed the film and displays imagining life in the time of Sue, and exploring what the fossils of this huge dinosaur tell us about his or her life.