Thehikingmermaid

04/11/2026

It’s amazing what kind of community you can build when you live in the same place for so many years!!!

One of my dad’s friends from when he was college age saw a post I made on Facebook and decided she had extra antlers that I could have for the art that I make with them!!!!!

LOOK AT WHAT SHE GAVE MEEEE!!!! THANK YOU PATTY WOMPLER!!!!!!

Is the antler in the photo a caribou or a young MOOSE 🫎 antler?!?!

04/04/2026

5 short words I’ve been dreading…
5 simple letters I’ve been pretending didn’t exist….

If I didn’t say them, maybe they wouldn’t steal one of the most important people in my life.

My dad’s cancer is back. 💔😭
The first time, I never posted the words “My Dad has cancer.”
Maybe because writing it down would make it stay, or maybe it was because I didn’t want the reminder popping up on my timeline every year. Im still not really sure….

There was hope it would be removed quick with surgery in 2023… but it was the complete opposite.💔😭😭😭😭 after surgery his memory was warped- they labeled it dementia. It all happened so fast, I couldn’t wrap my mind around losing my dad before getting to say goodbye.

Then a miracle happened. God stepped in, and last year He brought back the dad I knew before surgery. It felt like nothing had ever happened. Christmas 2025 with my family was unforgettable!!!

But all good things must come to an end. 💔😭
My dad’s cancer is back… and I’m not pretending anymore.

My husband gave me the gift of coming home for a month, so here I am — back with my incredibly kind and ever loving family.
We’re making new memories and reliving the old ones while we can.🩷🧡💛💚💙💜

Having this chance to say goodbye feels heavier than I imagined… but it’s wild how everything from last year prepared me for this year to come. THANK GOD FOR THERAPY!!!!!

💓Side note: ADVICE for what you would want to remember about your dad?

Im getting his fave music list.
I had him write a book via Storyworth and we are going to add photos!
Ive got 3 questions to ask each of his friends and fam to make a mini video. (Have to schedule visits asap)
We are gonna pick out a plant together for me to grow forever!
Im going to make tiedye, and antler jewelry with him!
I want to hear and record the book he wrote!

Anything im forgetting?!????

📸SUPER SIDE NOTE: While I’m here, I REALLY NEED to make some $$$😬. I brought my camera gear, tiedye and antler jewelry!
If you’d like a portrait session in the wildflowers, let’s gooooo! 🌸
Leave a comment if you’re interested!📸

Thank you for the love and prayers 💜🩷🧡💛💚💙they mean more than you know!!!!🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

03/17/2026

Calling all Colorado residents!!!!!
I am on the board of DarkSky Colorado, and I am leading this effort to issue a DarkSky Colorado license plate to help raise funds to support our mission of reducing light pollution. The application process requires us to collect 3,000 signatures from Colorado residents who are 18 years of age and older so we can submit a bill through the legislature!!!!
🚨THE LINK TO OUR PETITION IS IN THE COMMENTS 🚨
Please sign it and share it with anyone you think would be interested. Here are some preliminary designs.

03/15/2026

Guess who got a new toy to play with?!?!!!
Now i get to shoot AND be in the same videooooo!!!!!!! Shoot NOW reframe laterrr!!!!!!!!!

03/05/2026

I’M BACKKK!!!🩷🧡💛💚💙💜💝
I bet some of y’all thought I was going back to brown?!?!!!
NO WAY DUDE!!!🩷🧡💛💚💙💜

I finally did it!!
11th year for colors ….
First year for bleaching all by myself!!!! Now if anyone kills my hair…. It will be mee!🤪😎😂

I use the ion brand bleach and developer from Sally’s and added Brazilian B3 bond lift as well as argon oil to cover my already bleached ends!!!!

And as always….. and for the amazing COLORS!!!!!

Sooo completely in love with this new creation!!!!
Have a little touch up to do where the pink blended into the orange on my crown🙈
But boy does it feel good to have my rainbow hair back!!!





02/21/2026

Omg you guys have no idea what my eyeballs have seen change from 2010 to now…. Our night skies now have multiple satellites in every photo :(

Too many satellites? Is Earth’s orbit headed for catastrophe? 🤔 On January 30, SpaceX filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a of up to 1 million satellites to power data centers from space. If approved, the megaconstellations will join 10s of thousands of active satellites already orbiting Earth.

Read more at: https://earthsky.org/space/too-many-satellites-earths-orbit-headed-for-catastrophe/

📸 Rafael Schmall/ NOIRLab.

02/19/2026

Hot tip for next time- bring a SNOW BLOWER🥳🤣🤣🤣☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️
Hanging with and .hemphill fascinated by Alberta Falls!!!!!

02/04/2026

Sign me up for THIS FACE AGAIN TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!

Ready to tackle TIMBERLINE FALLS!!!!!

02/02/2026

Hike with us to the Loch Vale in RMNP for sunrise! Meeting this Thursday 2/5/2026 at the Glacier Gorge parking lot at 5:15am!
To hit the trail by 5:30am to hopefully make it to the Loch for SUNRISE!!!!!!
Message me or leave a comment if you are coming!

01/28/2026

Interested in the Winter Speaker Series, but unable to attend in person? Rocky Mountain National Park, in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, is excited to share that recordings from past presentations are available on the park's website at https://go.nps.gov/romo/speakerseries

On the Speaker Series webpage, check out a recording from our most recent presentation, "Cryptids of the Park: What Lurks in Our Wilderness," along with several presentations featured in winter 2025.

Mark your calendars - the next Winter Speaker Series program will be held at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center on Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m. Join park ranger Jessie Foster for the program "Architecture as Artifact: Exploring the Context and Design Principles of the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center."

These programs are free and open to the public. To learn more, visit https://rmconservancy.org/ and search under "Upcoming Events."

Image Credit: NPS Photo