118 Year Old Case of Mistaken Identity

A while back, I posted a photo I took of a statue in Manitou Springs. I named her "Lady of Light". That's not really her name, and although she has been known as Hygeia, Goddess of Health, in Manitou Springs for the past 118 years, that's not really her name either! It was recently discovered by Manitou Springs historian, Deborah Harrison, that the statue, given to the town in 1890 by mineral water bottling magnate, Jerome Wheeler, was misnamed by him, and everyone else over the years.

Marble Statue in Copenhagen

Harrison, visiting a museum in Copenhagen, discovered the truth when she spotted a marble statue of Hebe, Goddess of Eternal Youth, the spitting image of Manitou's Hygeia. With one exception. The Hebe in Copenhagen had an exposed breast.

The zinc statue was mass produced by a New York company, (the fully covered version), and other such statues can be seen in Baton Rouge, New York, and Wisconsin.

Zinc statue in Manitou Springs

Hebe is the goddess of youth, and is daughter of Zeus and Hera. Her special tasks are pouring the nectar of the gods, preparing Ares' bath, and helping Hera to her chariot. Her symbol is a cup. She was the wife of Hercules.

"And mighty Heracles, the valiant son of neat-ankled Alemena, when he had finished his grievous toils, made Hebe the child of great Zeus and gold-shod Hera his shy wife in snowy Olympus. Happy he! For he has finished his great works and lives amongst the dying gods, untroubled and unaging all his days."

The City of Manitou Springs will soon have lots of Hebe's scattered about town, as in celebration, 15 small statues have been ordered for local artists to decorate. They will later be sold at auction.

Photos taken by Debi Boucher, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced without express written permission. Memories DVDs Photo Slideshow DVD and Web Presentations, "Real Estate Showcase", to assist with marketing and advertising endeavors. More affordable, more interesting, and more captivating than a virtual tour!

Drought, the Pine Beetle, Wildfires, and Reduced Snow Pack

Researchers have released the findings of a 50 year old study that claims trees throughout Western North America, from Canada down, are dying at a rate of two times the rate of 30 years ago. The reason? A ONE DEGREE rise of the average temerature in the West. ONE DEGREE! I've heard lots of talk about global warming over the past several years, and the talk is sometimes something like this: (in the midst of a sub zero Colorado day) "Global warming? You can't tell it by me!" Who feels the difference of one degree? Not me, and probably not you. But according to these reports, the forest does.

But now, we're hearing that a mere one degree increase in overall temperature is what is causing the ice melt in the artic, reduced snow pack overall, longer drought seasons, increased wildfires, less habitat for fish and wildlife, and less moisture in the trees that make them more susceptible to Pine Beetle kill. (For photos and more information about the Pine Beetle, see "What's Bugging You?" ) The researchers say that trees of many varieties, ages, sizes and at all elevations are dying at an alarming rate.

These dead trees have become a massive wildfire threat. Such a fire has the potential to threaten not only homes and popular vacation destinations, but also the power grid. One source states that three major transmission lines feed into the Western grid, passing through beetle kill forests. Transmission towers could be destroyed, cutting power to millions of people.

This past fall season, I took a trip up to the Rocky Mountain National Park. We drove through Estes Park, and over the Continental Divide, dropping down into Grand County.

What I saw there, was shocking and devastating. It appeared to me that a good 80%, (by my estimation only), of the forest in Grand County was destroyed by beetle kill.

So what of solutions?

It is estimated that 200 million dollars is needed to clear dead trees from critical locations. The federal government has proposed 26 million, and Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado is asking the state for 5 million to put towards Pine Beetle mitigation. This money would be used to thin overcrowded forests, create fire breaks, and remove beetle infested trees. Nowhere near the 200 million needed, and not likely to get there any time soon in this down economy. New regulations are being considered, including reducing residential development near forested areas, where fire risk is so high.

I feel badly for the folks living in beetle infested areas. One has to wonder what this is doing to property values, (economy aside). I looked out over the mountain sides, and shot photos of what I was seeing with a heavy heart, knowing this could be what my area looks like in a few years. Our green forests are turning to rust and gray at an alarming rate.

Photos taken by Debi Boucher, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced without express written permission. Memories DVDs Photo Slideshow DVD and Web Presentations, "Real Estate Showcase", to assist with marketing and advertising endeavors. More affordable, more interesting, and more captivating than a virtual tour! Memories DVDS "Bringing Your Memories To Life"

Rainbow World!

While riding in a friend's car the other day, I noticed that when I looked out the passenger side window, everything I saw was covered in rainbow colors. I realized my polarized sunglasses had something to do with it, but it didn't happen in my car. So the type of tinting on her car windows must also have had something to do with it. Then I wondered if I could capture the colors with my camera. So, I attached a circular polarizing filter, and shot through the car window. I found if I turned the filter, I could change the colors. These two photos are the result! They were taken from the ridge on Rampart Range, outside of Woodland Park. The first photo is of Pikes Peak.

Photos taken by Debi Boucher, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced without express written permission. Memories DVDs Photo Slideshow DVD and Web Presentations, "Real Estate Showcase", to assist with marketing and advertising endeavors. More affordable, more interesting, and more captivating than a virtual tour! Memories DVDS "Bringing Your Memories To Life"

  A few days ago, I sadly posted a "goodbye" to my friends at Active Rain as I announced my decision to leave the Real Estate profession.  The outpouring of friendship and support was wonderful and overwhelming. Out of this came a suggestion from one of my special friends here, and this is the result of the seed she planted. Thank you, Mary Douglas! I owe you one!

I have been creating slideshows for special occasions such as weddings, etc. since 2006. It is my creative outlet, and something I very much enjoy doing. I utilize a variety of software programs, including Photoshop, to create special effects, have the ability to 'fix' most photo problems, and use a top of line slideshow production program that allows me to render a show in a variety of formats, such as .avi, .flv, .mov, and more. I invite you to view the demo below, and hope you find that my "Real Estate Showcase" is something both you, and your clients, can benefit from.  (If you are not a REALTOR, but in need of a boost to your website, we can do that too!) I look forward to hearing from you!

                                                  Memories DVDs

                                           "Real Estate Showcase"

                                      New Real Estate Listing and Advertising Tool

Memories DVDs will create a personalized "Real Estate Showcase" listing slideshow presentation for you to upload on your website or blog. More affordable, interesting, and captivating than a virtual tour, this presentation is custom designed for each property, and includes prominent placement of your name, logo, and contact information. You provide the photos, (up to 25), Memories DVDs does the rest. Your Sellers will be impressed with your professionalism, and Buyers will be drawn into the home of their dreams!

Each presentation is created with special effects, captioning, transitions, music, and creative keyframing to provide you with an attention getting and sophisticated presentation. For more details, visit the "About Memories DVDs" section on my profile page or visit my website at MemoriesDVDs.com.

                   Show Your Clients You Mean Business!

              "Real Estate Showcase"  Presentation Demo