An Instant in Time

A friend gave me this garden flag with colorful blooms and a pale purple butterfly. But, do you see the hummingbird that also seems to be a part of the flag's image? He's actually fluttering to drink nectar from the purple sage in my garden. That was last week - by now he may be thousands of miles from the mountains of Colorado, winging his way to a warmer climate. The scene continually changes. A photo is just an instant frozen in time. 

Take Heart

no matter your age

allow the song in your heart

to beat its own rhythm 

Visitor

Overnight rain, like castanets beating a rhythm, lulls me to sleep. By morning, when the mist lifts briefly, the high peaks are frosted white. The aspens, still green a few days ago, rapidly turn golden. Cold paints the understory of the forest in shades of russet, sienna and umber. At midday, three young bucks stroll into the garden to munch on the delphiniums. Each fall, when hunting season approaches, deer seem to know to come closer to the house. Do their mothers somehow transmit this knowledge before they head out on their own? I walk onto the back deck with my camera. Two of my visitors amble away, but the third stands his ground. I intend to snap a photo and then clap my hands to shoo him from the remaining blooms. But, his soft gaze and slowly twitching ears mesmerize. For a moment - two - we both stand in wonder. Finally, with a flick of his tail, he moves slowly away. I've enjoyed my gardens through the too-short summer. Now, I'll share the flowers with the forest creatures during the brief fall. The encroaching snow reminds us all of lengthy winter's steady approach. 

Survivors

Aster and Paintbrush surviving the arid climate at CO National Monument, Sept. 12, 2011

dry grasses and dusty sagebrush lend a calming contrast to the dazzling remains of summer

Magic Mushrooms

Amanita Muscaria is the only hallucinogenic mushroom found in CO. During our wet August, they grew in profusion in the forests at high altitude. They're nicknamed "Fly Agaric" because they were once used as fly poison. Colorful and whimsical-looking, they're actually dangerous if ingested and can cause fatality. A friend's dog nearly died after eating them. Their beauty attracts, but, in this case, red sends a warning.

fairy dust gnome abode

hallucinogenic magic mushroom

intoxicating beauty fatal attraction

I can't identify this mushroom, but I hope it's harmless. 

It reminds me of a Yogi twisted into an intricate pose. 

It sat all alone on the forest floor.

I didn't see any others like it.

Can you see its look of surprise - its mouth shaped like an O?

It's my favorite mushroom this season.