For ten years I lived in Colorado Springs or in nearby Woodland Park. I was married at the time and some of those years were when the marriage was the best. I have many treasured memories of my children spending some of their young childhood years growing up in that area.

Now it breaks my heart to see news reports of fires in that area. Flying W Ranch, a restaurant/entertainment facility of sorts which we visited a couple of times, has been destroyed. The main fire is centered around Waldo Canyon, which I've hiked in. Also under threat are Garden of the Gods which I visited many times, the Barr Trail, Gold Camp Road. Not to mention the towns of Manitou Springs, Cascade, Chipita Park, Green Mountain Falls, and several of the neighborhood on the west side of Colorado Springs along the Rampart Range. We had friends who lived in these places (I have no idea if they still do or not). Woodland Park, where we lived for a year, isn't under immediate threat but isn't far away. To all who read this, send your thoughts and wishes to those in that area, and to the firefighters doing their best to keep the flames at bay. And if any who read this are in that area, my prayers are with you.