May Newsletter Bonus...
Enjoy a lovely spa lunch with your Mom at TallGrass in May. It's our Mother's Day gift to the two of you.

Message from Gail Ridings, TallGrass Owner

I'm thrilled to report that the mini-remodel and spruce-up at TallGrass was completed successfully during the three days we were closed at the beginning of April. Casey, our contractor, and Renee, our designer -working in a very tight turnaround -- used their fantastic talents and energy to make our spa even more luxurious and cozy. We are especially proud of our updated Sage Room (pictured here) where couples can enjoy TallGrass Tango massages. That makes this a great time to treat yourself and a loved one (maybe your mother?) to a side-by side-massage!

May is one of my favorite months. My husband's birthday, our anniversary (10 years!), Mother's Day and a Soldier Box shipment to armed forces in Afghanistan are all events worthy of celebration but having them packed into one month makes it extra special. And, to underscore the pleasure of these times, the landscape is brimming with fresh buds on the trees, peeks of spring flowers and warmer, sunny days. I so appreciate being able to feed our horses at 5:30 a.m. with a glimpse of the rising sun and, at the end of the day, sitting outside to watch the sunset later and later. Everything holds such promise this time of year - growth and light!

We wish a Happy Mother's Day to our everyday heroes, our Moms. They truly make the world go 'round. At TallGrass, we love to celebrate Mothers during the entire month of May with a special gift just for them. We plan to shower as many Moms as possible with the tender loving care they so deserve and, hopefully, you'll be one of them!

Ashley Deckard
Spa Babe

Our new Spa Babe is Ashely Deckard, selected for the warm and caring way she connects with guests and teammates alike. Relatively new to TallGrass, it didn't take long to discover her positive, helpful spirit and commitment to awe and inspiring service that make her so deserving of TallGrass' highest honor.

Ashley made skin care her life's work back when she was in college and wanted to learn a trade to help pay for school. She loved working as an esthetician so much that she went into it full tilt and never looked back. During her training at the Aveda Institute, Ashley toured TallGrass and our mountain meadow location reminded her of Alaska, where she grew up. It seemed like a perfect fit. "I love it here,' she says. "The Colorado sunshine is amazing and the environment at TallGrass is beautiful."

Ashley is pictured here with TallGrass owner Gail Ridings.

Soldier Box Project

For everyone here at TallGrass and for all of you who have been supporting our Soldier Box Project for the past six years, the greatest joy is knowing how much our efforts are appreciated. We want to share a few excerpts from some of the letters and phone calls we receive.

"Your generosity will make an immediate difference in the lives of the warriors here."

"The quality and thought put into the donations are amazing. You are making a difference."

"It's amazing how a little giving can cause so much joy."

"We are defenders of the American people and it gives us great joy to receive gifts from our people."

During the next couple of weeks, we are continuing to collect personal care items and donations to cover postage costs for the Mother's Day/Father's Day Soldier Box shipment on May 14. Please join us in this effort to let our troops in Afghanistan know how much we all care.

Available for Adoption

Cubby
Poodle Mix
male, 22lbs
Very gentle and kind, does well with other dogs, loves cats, kids and everyone.

Available for adoption at Evergreen Animal Protective League
www.EAPL.com