One Book One Broomfield Selection Aims to Connect Community to Colorado – “Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country

One Book One Broomfield Selection Aims to Connect Community to Colorado “Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country” By Missy Ruzicka

In this year of everything being up in the air, it’s nice to have the comfort of something normal even if it’s handled a little differently than in years past. It can be hard to feel like we are part of a community when we have been in our homes since March, but once again our library comes to the rescue announcing One Book One Broomfield for 2020, and giving us the sense of the community we’ve been missing through the wonder of literature. This year the selected book is “Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country” written by award-winning author, Pam Houston, best known for her book “Cowboys Are My Weakness.” Deep Creek is a memoir filled with the love of mother earth, her animals, and humanity. The Colorado-based book is the winner of 2020 Reading the West Advocacy Award and the 2020 Colorado Book Award for Creative Nonfiction. Between the beautiful imagery of her 120-acre ranch located by Creed, Colorado, and her love of nature, the author brings a message of hope even in uncertain times. In this nonfiction tale, a city girl puts all her money down on a

ranch that she fell in love with on first sight. Through twenty years of caring for the land and all its critters, she discovers that the land has taken care of her and helped her begin to heal from her childhood traumas. Those of us from Colorado know exactly how the fresh mountain air has the ability to calm and help us focus on things that really matter. I found a strong connection to Colorado and the calmness and hope that comes with it while reading Deep Creek on my back deck in the middle of a pandemic.

One Book One Broomfield is a unique program that brings the community together by encouraging us to read the same book and share our love of reading through discussions and events celebrating the title of the year. The beloved community project started back in 2006 with “The Meadow” by James Gavin and has had many wonderful books over the years. Some of the favorites of years past are include: “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” by Jamie Ford, “Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch, and last year’s selection “Beautiful Boy” by David Sheff.

In 2019 the program was extended with One Book One Broomfield Junior. Being an elementary school librarian, this has me very excited because children bond quickly over beloved books. The inaugural author was Mac Barnett, author of many wonderful children’s books like Extra Yarn and Sam and Dave Dig a whole. This year’s event was postponed due to the pandemic that must not be named, but we are very excited to have the amazing two-time Newberry award winner Kate DiCamillo as the selected author in April 2021. DiCamillo has written many favorites like Because of Winn Dixie and Tale of Despereaux. These titles and extra copies of “Deep Creek” can be found at the library for easy check out.

Choosing a book for the entire community to bond over is not an easy assignment but a committee of community members is up to the task every year. They chose Houston’s wonderful book for many reasons; but it being based in our Colorado mountains was just an added bonus to the already great tale of her journey as a writer, a woman, a survivor of childhood abuse, and a rancher. Houston’s descriptions of our Colorado landscapes along with its beauty, challenges, grief, and the rewards of life in the Colorado high country are truly the heart of this book that touched the committee members.

The library programming staff has some pretty remarkable virtual events coming up before the author event in November. Programs currently in the planning stages include a creative writing workshop, a presentation of hiking through the front range, and a CSU extension lecture. All events will build up discussions leading to the virtual author talk with Pam Houston on November 5 at 7:00 p.m. which will be livestreamed and distributed widely through Broomfield Library and Cultural Affairs social media channels. Keep up to date on all the exciting programs and registration info at www.broomfield.org/onebook. I’m looking forward to ‘seeing’ you all there.

Thank you to Esther Knox-Stutsman, Operations Manager of Broomfield Library for taking time to answer questions for this article.

Pam Houston Author of the memoir, Deep Creek: Finding Hope In The High Country

A VISIT TO

YIELDS SPECTACULAR VIEWS

By Bette Erickson

If you’re seeking unobstructed views of Boulder’s Front Range, look no further than Broomfield’s Lac Amora subdivision. Situated on a slight hill, the area is home to Josh’s Pond, named in memory of a neighborhood youngster who liked to play in the area and died too soon, at just 10-years-old.

Aerial Photo: Courtesy of The City and County of Broomfield

Brief, rugged, and unique, the nearby Lake Link Trail in the Lac Amora Open Space is administered by the Broomfield Parks Department and connects with McKay Lake to the east and Josh’s Pond to the west. It also connects to Boulder County trails and routes via the Rock Creek Trail system.

The outing is about 2.25-miles, or approximately 4,500 steps for those who make use of a pedometer.

To begin the short walk, go west and briefly down from the street where it is recommended you park. Turn left, southward along the broad crusher-fine footpath.

The trail winds its way north to south, giving hikers spacious views of untouched open prairie lands. You can see the Omni Interlocken Resort and all along the Front Range in the distance. The route parallels the Burlington Northern Railroad for a brief stretch. Eventually you’ll see a gate on your right — that trail segment connects to the Rock Creek Trail, a part of Boulder County Open Space property. Stay left and in about a half-mile continue trending left where the trail branches, walking up a slight incline.

Here you’ll connect to the short route circling tiny Josh’s Pond. There are several picnic tables and a dock bordering the lake. As you loop around

Photo by: Pat Eichner

the water, look for the fish-themed, whimsical art bench designed by artist Gary Hauschulz near the lake shore. The pond is stocked with fish and edged with cattails and is home to a variety of urban critters such as eagles, ducks, geese, prairie dogs, rabbits, and coyotes.

The footpath etched through these sloping grassy meadows was constructed in 1997. This neighborhood jewel attracts local anglers, runners, and families with children, and those of us who like to hike in solitude with our dogs.

Enjoy the meander before returning the way you came.

To get there:Drive west .4-miles from US Hwy 287 on Miramonte Blvd., parking alongside the street at the blue Lac Amora Broomfield Open Space sign on your right.

Distance:About 2.25-miles with negligible elevation gain