YEAR OF THE HORSE - BELLAGIO CONSERVATORY, LAS VEGAS, NV ON "TRAVEL TUESDAY"

For those back home in CO, and all my fellow Broncos fans, this might just be a harbinger of things to come! Friday is the start of Chinese New Year 2014 - THE YEAR OF THE HORSE!  After a quick detour through the airport this morning, I ran myself over to the ever beautiful Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens to wander through the new display.

Mums, oranges, the biggest incense sticks you'd ever hope to see (which for some reason, also reminded me of CO and their newly passed "Recreational Pot Smoking Initiative"), and eight enormously lucky horses.

Reminiscent of the large white horse above the old Mile High, and new Invesco Stadiums - home of the Broncos...far more pleasant to look at than the glowing red-eyed, blue horse at the new Denver International Airport (though I do find that one wildly delightful).  Could this be the year?

Pagodas, orchids, velvety elephant leaves, koi, and a MONEY TREE - best place in Vegas, right now, for a little extra luck!

7:00 in the morning was the perfect time to take this in - pretty much just me and the Worker Bees, changing out the "spent" blooms before the crowds arrive for the day.  What a fun job these people must have. Everything growing in here is tended to on a daily basis.

Super Bowl Sunday's match up features Denver and Seattle - I will have my orange on that day, and hope that it's not only just the Year of the Horse but, in more exacting terms, the Year of the Bronco(s)!

In any event, the Bellagio's Atrium is never to be missed for those traveling through town - always free - ALWAYS stunning - hopefully lucky!

GROW YOUR BLOG, 2014 - It's a PARTY!

AND a GIVEAWAY...all rolled into one!

The perfect start to a new year, thanks once again to our fearless leader, Vicki, at  2 BAGS FULL. Those who know me already, know I've been missing this past month due to travel home - since coming back I've been sidelined with a bad cold.  On the mend and ready to partake in the festivities...

Those who haven't happened through here before, I'm glad you dropped by.  This blog tends to serve as a place for an occasional creative tutorial or tested recipe; a way for me to keep family informed of what's going on in my life; a travelogue - both places in and around Las Vegas (concerts and shows are a biggie for us here, and those reviews are always fun), and further reaching (one reader, from afar, has contacted me and told me she is planning on a trip to Hawaii this summer, and was excited to read about a few sights she wanted to take in - sometimes I can be pretty helpful); and mainly, just because it feeds my soul.

A Colorado girl, born and raised - the west is where my heart is.  With that in mind, and in keeping with the party theme - a GIVEAWAY for someone special...it could be you!  Everything crafted by me - my hands are ALWAYS busy with one thing or the other, when home.  This includes a double-sided, silver-soldered 3"x1" pendant/necklace featuring Annie Oakley; and a custom quilted western themed cosmetic bag (10" at widest x 7" tall) with a detachable silk ribbon rose brooch (3").  I dabble in a little bit of everything, "back at the ranch".

To enter, all that's required is a comment below (be you near or far), making sure I have a way to get back in touch with you on February 15th, when the winner will be drawn.  There is nothing more dreaded than a "No Reply Blogger" or an anonymous comment with no name or email link (if you're unable to leave a comment, you are MORE than welcome to write to my own posted email address (up by the envelope) and I will make sure you're entered).  I hope you have a chance to look around a bit - "Travel Tuesday" starts again in a few days, now that I'm "up to snuff".  I hope you drop by Vicki's list of participants at 2 BAGS FULL - WELCOME TO GROW YOUR BLOG 2014...we had a great roundup of blogs last year, and am sure 2014 will prove the same ~ 

Happy Trails, and happy reading...Tanya