Someone once said that the human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man. It's true. Colorado, where millions of years of plate tectonics and the National Park Service have done some of their best work, is a great place to have such an experience. Where a hike through giant pines opens up into a wildflower-adorned meadow and the fresh air gets slightly fresher as you set eyes on an unexpected mountain vista...where pristine lakes and stoic wildlife at the lower elevations are countered with cloud-covered snow-capped mountain tops exceeding 14,000 feet; its vast open tundra towering above the wealth of mid-summer flora below. Rocky Mountain National Park, as it is formally called, is literally where our fruited plains have been so perfectly uplifted into our majestic purple mountains.

A mountain is so steadfast, so unapologetic about the lines upon its face. The striations represent a billion years of time passing, yet with each spring blossom, each fleeting fall, the ephemerality of its beauty creates different paragraphs and distinct pages of a story it's longing to tell us. "Look at me. I was made for you." And even if that seems a bit narcissistic, at least it is true on some level. The hands of man have arranged that we should have this place of nature for perpetuity to adore and to explore, to breathe its air and reflect upon its strength and beauty. Should we have unanswered questions about our own lives, we may follow its lead for inspiration.

Rosemary Apple Pie:

Piney, earthy essence supporting the fruit of a slow and steady growth. Encased, almost protected by, a rich, buttery crust. Topped with a cap of cold whipped cream. Graced with a drizzle of golden wildflower honey, sweet rays of sunshine on its peaks.

Musical inspiration from Brandi Carlile, who admittedly can't get the country out of her voice, despite where her journeys take her.

More Brandi here.