• landscape,  natural areas,  sunrises

    Dang It Was Cold

    Cottonwood Tree Along East Horsetooth Road
    Cottonwood Tree Along East Horsetooth Road

    I got up early yesterday. Well, actually I awoke around 3:30 am and just was not able to get back to sleep. So, I got up around 5:00 and found myself driving out east along Horsetooth Road. I find some frustration when I go out to this area because of all the development. I do not have the open views of the past years. I have to keep going east to find those open spaces. This tree is and exception so here is another image of it.

    Anyway it was cold and mainly due to the 80% humidity. But, not as cold as those in North Carolina. Have a great Tuesday!

  • Black and White,  Cityscapes/Urban,  clouds,  Documentary/Street,  flowers,  lake,  landscape,  leaves,  mountains,  natural areas,  Plants,  prairie,  sunsets,  trees

    Happy New Year

    [ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”61″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_slideshow” gallery_width=”680″ gallery_height=”420″ cycle_effect=”fade” cycle_interval=”4″ show_thumbnail_link=”1″ thumbnail_link_text=”[Show thumbnails]” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]Here are a dozen images from 2017 that I liked. Happy New Year and hope the coming year is full of good things for you. 

  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunsets

    It Was a Good End to a Beautiful Weekend

    Sunset at Arapaho Bend Nature Area
    Sunset at Arapaho Bend Nature Area

    Yesterday was too gorgeous a day not to be outside. So, I  took an early afternoon walk through the Red Fox Meadows near my condo. Found a little knoll with sunshine to sit and journal, which I really needed. Love the music made by the leaves and wind. Drowns out the automobiles in the distance and excess chatter of my mind.

    After returning to my condo the time in the meadow was not enough of a nature fix for me. I listened to nature’s call and drove to the Arapahoe Bend Nature Area. I made the mile and a half walk around the ponds. Parking lot was full and saw several photographers shooting family portraits against the fall colors.  It was a good end to a beautiful weekend. 

  • clouds,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunrises

    Sunday Morning Sunrise

    Sunrise at Prospect Ponds
    Sunrise at Prospect Ponds

    Prospect Ponds are one of the nature areas co-managed by Fort Collins Utilities and the Natural Areas Department for flood control, water quality improvement and wildlife habitat. For those with a fishing license you will find large-mouth bass, crappie, and channel catfish to add to your stringer. The Poudre Nature Trails follow along the western  edge of the ponds and in fact that is where I am standing. It’s located on east Prospect Road and Sharp Point Drive along side of the business park. I dragged my butt out of bed at 4:30 am, made a french press then drove the three miles out there and setup my tripod. There were 4 pelicans floating on the south end of the ponds which I left alone. I watched a heron fly in on the far side of the pond, land in one of a trees then a few minutes later move into the waters edge for breakfast.