2015 Labor Day Lift Off Balloon Festival

Yesterday morning, Jim and I got up bright and early—while it was still dark, in fact—to nab a lakeside seat at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs.

Our super spot was ideal for nabbing some super shots of the annual Labor Day weekend balloon festival, renamed this year as the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off.

colorado springs balloon festival

I've placed forty of my favorites in a Labor Day Lift Off photo album in...

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Color me surprised, plus GRAND Social No. 144 link party for grandparents

Color me surprised

I hope your Valentine's weekend was pleasant—if not perfect—and included a hug from a grandkiddo or two.

If you follow Grandma's Briefs on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, you may have already seen this sight I shared Saturday morning. It's so so colorful and happy (and surprising!), though, I'm compelled to now share it here, too.

hot air balloon

THAT appeared on my street Saturday morning. Jim and I were just sitting around enjoying our...

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The view from here

deer grazing 

When Jim and I bought our current house — after more than 20 years in a house that afforded us a daily view of Pikes Peak... in the winter when there weren't leaves on the trees to obstruct our view — we lamented the loss of any fantastic views. With this house, we had opted for a magnificent interior over majestic mountain views.

That said, I do regularly wax unapologetically about wanting to raze the house next door. It was built many years after our house, and it completely...

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Picture this: Hot air here and there

Many of you know I'm a long-distance grandma. I live in the mountains, and my grandsons live more than 800 miles away in the desert.

Yesterday I shared some of the things unique to my home in the mountains, things likely to delight my grandsons because they're things Bubby and Mac will find only at my house.

Today, though, I share something we both have, something found here at my home in the mountains as well as there in the desert.

A recent view from my back yard:

And a recent view from their back yard:

Balloons in the morning sky are a common occurance at their place and a common occurance at mine — no balloon festivals required.

Seems there's just as much hot air in the mountains as there is in the desert.

At least when it comes to balloons. (Thankfully just balloons.)

Today's question:

Have you ever ridden in a hot-air balloon or would you ever want to?