• landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  Plants,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  seasons,  snow,  trees,  winter scenes

    Merry Christmas from Colorado

    Four Pelicans searching for breakfast at Pineridge Natural Area

    We have at least 3 inches of snow here in town while, the mountains got much more. Heavy, wet, slushy, with icy and slick roads this morning.

    Snow covered trees along Overland Trail

    It seems this savings times thingy really works. The saying goes: spring forward and fall back. Well we seem to have jumped all the way to Christmas of 2021. Sheesh!😁

    Sun trying to break through the clouds at Reservoir Ridge

    Even though I don’t like the cold anymore, it’s 28 degrees, the beauty of fresh snowfall is breathtaking. Have a great day and stay warm!

  • clouds,  landscape,  mountains,  natural areas

    I’m good with that…

    This past weekend we set record high temperatures for both Saturday and Sunday. I wore sandals both days and short sleeve shirts. 😁 People were outdoors and some even got sunburned. I spent time Sunday afternoon at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. I took this image to show you we still have snow in the foothills from the almost two foot snow storm we had three and a half weeks ago. Sunny this morning but expecting it to cool off this afternoon and enjoy refreshing rain showers. And, you can see the grass greening up. I’m good with that.

  • clouds,  haiku,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunrises,  writing/reading

    Predawn Mystery

    in stillness and silence
    colors begin to appear
    predawn mystery

    ms

    I sit in the upper parking lot at Pineridge Natural Area for this morning’s sunrise. Below me the city slowly stirs awake. Here, in this natural area, nature has already begun stirring as chattering magpies sit atop cottonwood tree branches. The geese and ducks make small waves across the reservoir. The wind is still. In the cold I listen to the silence and experience a calming that I will carry into my day. This is becoming an integral part of my morning prayer and meditation. A few years ago I couldn’t imagine spending mornings like this. Now, living in the present is how I choose to begin my day. For each new dawn offers the mystery of this day’s events that only we can live and experience in the present moment.

  • Avian,  Canada Goose,  fog

    Sleeping-in

    Found these two Canada Goose sleeping-in late on the pond. A half dozen more are off to my right curled in the same position. Four days ago the pond was all open water. Two nights below freezing changed that. Fog is unusual for us along the foothills. We will find more of it as we move east onto the plains, especially along rivers and open water. So, the fog was a treat for me this morning. It is also cold, in the high teens, frost covers everything and only expecting to be in the mid 30’s today and a bit of sunshine.

  • Avian,  Canada Goose,  landscape,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes

    Make Popcorn

    I need you to realize this goose is standing on about 16 inches of snow. I watched them sink into the snow up to their chest on each step they took as they walked across the yard. Some of those branches in the background are broken. There will be lots of tree cleanup over the next few weeks. And, yes this is my second post for the day. I’m breaking the rules.

    My parking lot is a mess as they have not had a snowplow go through yet. So, I also watched people with low clearance cars work hard to clean off their cars then backup a couple feet and get high-centered, wheels off the ground. I shook my head and asked the question, “Why don’t they just go back inside and make popcorn, like I do?”