Blue Bells hanging from a Blue Sky

Photographs can preview a future experience or remind us of a past event.


When I found these bluebells, I was hiking with my husband a few miles from our home along a lush woodland stream. Just minutes after taking this picture, it began to rain.


A few days later, while hiking along a different trail, we found the first of the Shooting Stars.

An Unwelcomed and Very Rude House Guest

Okay, I like to keep the screen door propped open so the cats can come and go...

And yesterday the smell of eggs frying in butter probably enticed him a little bit...

After all, he IS just a young bear and I bet he doesn't understand human nature yet.

So... I will continue to pelt rocks at him when he comes around.

But, he is cute.

It is strange that the sound of my voice caused him to start walking TOWARDS ME.



The cats are paralyzed with fear, and refuse to leave the house at the moment.

Which is fine by me!

Rocky Mountain Springtime

We've gotten a lot of rain lately. Last week, almost every day it rained (and it's sprinkling a little right now, actually). As a result, the ground is becoming greener by the day.

This picture was taken while on a hike up yonder hill. My camera takes really good closeups. These tiny plants are growing out of a cut tree stump by a creek.



Another image from the same hike. The meadows are filling out nicely.


My husband looks so handsome getting ready for work.


The waterfalls are the most humid places around here. This one is the same waterfall pictured here just 2 months ago.



I'm working on building a garden bed in the front of our house.


I've planted Columbines,


And Cat Nip.


This is what it looks like today:


I've scattered wildflower seeds and lined the border with treasures found on our hikes. We have a very short growing season up here, so I'm experimenting this year.

The Top of the World

It is necessary to do a lot of exploring, since we have national forestland surrounding our neighborhood.



There is a place the locals call Gog & Magog, although I'm not sure how it gets its name. Gog and Magog are found in several ancient folk traditions, referenced as being giants or supernatural beings or the respected lands of these creatures.



Our Gog & Magog is located north-west of Manitou Springs, at the base of Cameron's Cone.



We plan on hiking up Cameron Cone when we have the same days off again.

Critter Spottings

Rocky the Squirrel


Hungry the Deer


The Hungry Family


Chick-a-Dee-Dee the Chick-a-Dee


Pygmy the Nuthatcher


Junky the Rocky Mountain Junco


Rocky the Squirrel and Hairy the Woodpecker

The Ice Falls

Not too far from where we live is a waterfall.



By this time of year, the water has frozen in mid-suspension.



Dusty has carefully walked across the ice to pose in this amazing formation of nature.



I'm sure this waterfall is beautiful all year, but there is something pristine about the frozen cascade.



Near the waterfall, colonies of moss and lichens sprawl across giant granite boulders.



The aspen trees sleep peacefully, awaiting the warmth of spring.



Milky quartz rocks are abundant in this area.



Blue Spruce and other breeds dot the landscape as the most prominent vegetation, making our mountain community green all year round.

Magnificent Views

There's something a bit wild about living up here. Taking this curvy mountain road home in the mornings makes us feel so ... free.

On the way up, you will see these historical place markers:







Can you see Kansas way out there?



On most days we swear it's so clear that we can see Kansas! By staring out there for a long time we can pick out the water tower in Security, landmarks downtown, and the bran new monolithic hospital on the far northeast side of "The Springs" (what we locals call Colorado Springs).

It rarely ever happens here, but one particularly foggy morning we left work as the sun was rising and looked down from our curvy mountain road to see this:











Quite a sight!! The clouds covering The Springs looked like they were boiling the people down there alive! Judging by their grumpy foggy-morning attitudes, I knew that not many of them realized there was a blue sky just a thousand feet above them.

Just one of the benefits of working nights and living on a mountain, I suppose. ;)

Now, driving down Crystal Park Road at night on our way to work is "like driving through space" to borrow my husband's description. Indeed, the view at night will be tricky to catch with my camera but it's something I plan to attempt.

It's Finally Happened!

We closed on our home, finally! We are currently living in a sea of boxes, but slowly getting everything unpacked. It's hard to believe we live in such a paradise. We've been taking lots of nature hikes, meeting the neighbors, and sleeping peacefully. All of those years we spent in that little basement apartment are but a memory...

I like to tell people: "...yea, we got so tired of being flooded out in that basement that we moved 2000 feet up!!"

We are forever grateful to our families for helping with that move. We couldn't have done it without you!

Distractions

Our closing date was PUSHED BACK AGAIN! But... I can find the good in it, so I remind myself that because of this delay, we will have an extra week to pack and clean.

In the meantime, I have a math class to keep me busy (which is VERY important because it's the last class I need to graduate from PPCC). And, in addition to schoolwork, I have been creating a resume and searching for new job opportunities. I am tired of my current job, it's boring and low-paying, and I've gained 40 lbs from sitting at this desk all night long. I'm not joking, I'm crying.

I've been stressing. I need a distraction.

As a big white snow cloud was descending over Colorado Springs this morning, I forced my husband and little sister on a hike in the newest and largest city park, the Red Rock Canyon Open Space. We took an hour and hiked a little over a mile. By the end of the hour, my companions were no longer grumbling. Cracking the whip seemed to help.