Thursday, May 31, 2012

Happy Trails

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Three great things about this morning's walk:

Hawks on the wing
Thistles in bud
Cloud-kissed mountain

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Just after 6 am, the air is cool and pure, with temps in the 40s. The sidewalk curves away from the hotel, down a street lined with more hotels and small businesses. I don't know where I'm going, but I know I won't get lost - the mountains and the busy highway nearby provide fixed points of reference.

A few blocks out, the road crosses a gravel trail. (One of the chief pleasures of Colorado - at least the parts I've visited: there's always a trail somewhere near.) This one meanders along a creek lined with birch, oak, maple, and cottonwood, among other trees. Wildflowers and grasses of all kinds are thick on either side. Good thing I brought my camera! : )

The sun, still low in the sky, shines charmingly through these birch leaves:


A rather gorgeous hawk, the first of two I see this morning, flies from treetop to treetop ahead of me.


Shadow shot!


I like this sign by the trail: "Keep It Clean ... 'Cause We're All Downstream".


 A wildflower new to me...


...very exotic-looking.


More unknown flowers about to burst into bloom:


Just one of the many thistles-in-waiting along the trail:


This mystery wildflower reminds me a bit of the wild phlox we have back home in Wisconsin:


In all the beautiful clear morning, a single cloud kisses the tip of one Rocky Mountain.


I'd love to keep going for miles, but I promised Mr. M I wouldn't be gone long. Time to turn back and hunt down some breakfast.

A very good Colorado walk.

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8 comments:

  1. Love the unusual flowers and the shot of the sun through the trees! The hawk is something else! I'm glad as well that you took your camera along! Joan

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  2. Showy Milkweed (deserves a more exotic name than that, doesn't it?!?!), salsify (which makes a huge dandelion ball of seeds you can blow into the wind after the yellow flower finishes its display), what looks like might be burdock, and four o'clocks... I'm so glad I got to help this time!!! I wish I could have been out there with you for your walk. I never tire of walking in the outdoors. Well, as long as it's not the concrete jungle...

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  3. Hello Sue. I'm finally catching up with everyone after being without a computer for a few days.

    That first mystery wild flower is so elegant, not like so many of the wild flowers here which straggle everywhere.

    Happy holidays x

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  4. Looks beautiful, we use to live in Colorado Springs and always enjoyed going up in the mountains.

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  5. I'm so glad you brought your camera, too! And were so energized to get up early. The mountain picture is twice as good for having your imaginative caption.

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  6. The cloud over the mountain looks like a big hand pointing 'this way'. :) Great shots. (Did expect any less?) I am certainly glad you included the required shadow shot, as I would have been sad not to see it. :)

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  7. Wonderful, Sue. Relish every moment. This season simply begs us to go wandering in new pastures. That exotic looking flower looks a LITTLE like a wild orchid although it isn't, of course.

    Stephanie

    ps It's Mother's Day today and I received a NEW BICYCLE! I've been thinking about you!

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  8. What a beautiful countryside. I am so glad that you are sharing these photos with us. Thanks, it is wonderful.

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