If I won the lottery, I would do all the normal things that I know I should do. I would help family and friends and set aside money to help those down on their luck. But the one thing I know I would do in a heartbeat would be to find a mountain cabin among pine trees and aspens in the Colorado mountains.

For me, there is just something magical when spending time in nature. I love the smell of mountain pines on a crisp morning. I enjoy setting on a porch, drinking my coffee, and watching hummingbirds flit about their feeders and chipmunks scurry about looking for food to store. I love hearing breaking twigs and crunching leaves, knowing that when I look up, I will view mule deer walking slowly in the distance, ever alert of their surroundings.

Relaxing in the mountains offers a quiet peace and restores the soul. So until I win the lottery, I will be content taking my mountain getaways and dreaming of a time when I can call a piece of the Rocky Mountains home.