Observations in Late Summer at High Altitude

  

 

Each a marvel of renewal, clouds of seed pillows rest on the bushes. 

Like soft filaments of down, they ride on air currents to their destiny.

Dry, gravelly ground yields vivid cornflowers, a contrast of simplicity and symmetry.

  Berries like eyeballs stare placidly into the future - all-knowing, all-seeing.

In the the pale light of late summer, all dusty trails lead home.

Sam I Am

brand-new to the world

and already dreaming....

my grandson:

Samuel William

born Sept 6, 2012

ONE GOOD THING!

Time for Dreaming

crystal mountain lake

speckled trout jumping

time drifts slowly by

My son fly fishes at dawn on Lower Crystal Lake, Summit County, CO.

Thinking about Confidence

somewhere within us

a child's confidence:

willingness to let go

trusting the landing

If I believe I can, I am closer to accomplishing it.

How does this belief in oneself get squelched?

As children start a new school term, may their confidence be nurtured and grow strong.

I give thanks for teachers who find the best in a child,
encouraging self-expression and emotional growth.

Morning Meditation

stillness
gold touches treetops
 a young buck watches.

light leaks to sky
haze veils peaks
faint trail beckons

only this moment
morning meditation

Still gardening, hiking, and enjoying the summer here at high altitude in Colorado. 

Bloom!

I'm celebrating summer at high altitude!

Purple Lupine, Orange Paintbrush, Yellow Senecio

Fireweed

Creamy Buckwheat, Purple Harebell

Arnica

Wild Geranium

While Nature is busy putting on a show, I'll spend less time on the computer and more time outdoors.

I'll peek at your blogs, but I'll take a break from posting.
Keep blooming!

Wet in Breckenridge

dripping from trees

shower caps shield blooms

bugs take shelter under umbrellas

drop by drop by drop

a cadence of cleansing

(much needed rain is falling in Breckenridge, Colorado)

Parallel Space

fox shows no fear

perceives no threat 

our small worlds

exist for a time

in parallel space

Mariposa Lily

hearing thunder

watching and waiting

smiling as rain falls

dripping through evergreens

quenching a parched earth

Mariposa Lily after rain

This morning, I checked if the Mariposa Lilies were blooming near West Ice Arena in Breckenridge. The ground was still damp from last night's rain. Wildflowers looked fresh in the filtered light of the forest. I'm still practicing with my magnifier lens. These photos are handheld - I'm finding it difficult to stay still enough when I press the shutter. But, the Lilies were creamy and lovely to behold! These delicate lilies grow for a brief time in early summer. Even though they've been stressed by the unusual dryness, they managed to bloom. 

This morning they glistened and glowed in the sunlight.

Fires in Colorado

We are in a dangerous situation in Colorado. At least 9 wildfires rage throughout the state. Many of our beautiful wilderness areas are burning. Fires have destroyed homes and businesses and have caused the evacuation of thousands of residents from one of the major cities, Colorado Springs. 

Insufficient moisture started this past winter with low snowpack. Spring was very dry with little rain. Forests already have a great deal of dead-wood from beetle-killed lodgepole pines. The understory is like tinder ready to ignite. Some of our fires started from lightning strikes and others were set by humans either purposely or by carelessness. 

Here in Summit County where I live, we have no fires burning at present. However, we are surrounded by wilderness which seems ready to ignite. We watch the skies for storm clouds which might bring needed rain but also dreaded lightning. We hear the news and see the video coverage of devastation in other areas.  

My husband and I go about our days normally. We are ready if we must evacuate, but meanwhile there is nothing we can do but live our lives. We realize others are not so lucky and are suffering. I cannot imagine the destruction of the wilderness I love, but I see that it is happening all over our state.

As the sun sets on another day, I'm grateful for the beauty all around me. I give thanks for the men and women who are working hard on the front lines of the fires, trying to save habitat and homes. I hope for rain to wet the mountains and the forests and the grasslands. Meanwhile, we watch and wait. 

Front Yard Wildflowers

In late fall, when there is a foot of snow on the ground at my high attitude house, I mix sand and wildflower seeds.

I fling the mix upon the snow and wait.

When the snow melts, I begin watching my front yard.

Senecio and Purple Lupine

Icelandic Poppy

Paintbrush and Lupine

Columbine

By the first day of summer, there is a riot of color.

Patience pays.

Advise to Myself

Remember:

Old Man of the Mountain Alpine Sunflower facing east toward the sun

If conditions become harsh, turn toward a sustaining warmth.

When the path is steep and rough, increase resolve.

tiny Pygmy Bitterroot - high alpine tundra  

Fragility doesn't equal defeat.

Balsamroot growing in talus

In inhospitable conditions, hang on and thrive.

Red Fox

Show confidence - walk on the wild side.

Taking in views of South Park from Black Powder Pass (approx. 12,000' altitude)

Life has both peaks and valleys. Understand and appreciate both.

Fox photo taken in my back yard, Breckenridge, CO.

All other photos taken June 11, 2012, on high alpine tundra of Black Powder Pass, Summit County, CO. 

Finding Our Way

My friend, Mary, gave me a series of quotes on cards for my birthday. 

I flip to a new one each day. 

Here is today's:

do not follow where the path may lead

go instead where there is no path

and leave a trail

The quote reminded me of our recent hike in Bryce Canyon, UT.

We came upon a rock slide just at the point where we had to ascend to get out of the canyon.

What to do?

The way was narrow and blocked by huge boulders and scree.

We squeezed through a narrow opening in the rock and started up.

You might say we made our own trail.

It was an adventure within an adventure!

Mary and I on my 68th birthday on May 9.
Her 64th birthday was May 10.
We're wearing our Birthday Girl shirts!
(Photo by Mary's husband, Bob.)

Breathing Space

At dawn, with the moon hanging low in the sky, the Earth seems to pause. I stop in the silence and breathe. Anything seems possible.

Here's what I tell myself:

Be aware. Life is what's happening now.

Photo taken at sunrise, Bryce Canyon, UT.

Musings on Imagination

Light and shadow form a bear on the rock.

Sometimes, imagination opens just a sliver.

What is hidden is revealed.

Possibilities emerge.

Creativity expands and makes connections.

The mind awakens.

Light playing on rock inside Antelope Canyon near Page, AZ.

Nightfall near Antelope Canyon

In western United States, there are vast tracts of land apart from human settlements.

Without man-made light sources, eyes adjust to more natural illumination as the Earth revolves on its axis.

Day turns to night.

Burnished light pours like elixir from Heaven.

We raise our faces to the Moon.

Photos of the night sky taken near Antelope Canyon, just outside Page, AZ.

Look Closely

focus

beyond the obvious

wonder lives

Photos taken at Phoenix Botanic Garden