mountains, clouds and trees

Just got back from the mountains again. It is sad to the the red tide riding over the hills. Take pictures while you can. The forests are dying in Colorado. The beatle kill is more evident this year than last and it is even coming towards the hill that the cabin is on.

baby fox

We were on our way over Gore Pass when the car in front of us stopped, when we got up behind him they were watching a family of fox emerge from a culvert near the road. Above is one of the babies looking at us with as much curiosity as we were watching him. I'm glad we still have wild critters!

frost on the dandelion

Don't know if you can see it but the edges of the leaves show a little frost. It was still cold in the evenings in the mountains last week, enough to frost the plants. This is a dandelion, there are lots and lots of them in the roadways and other disturbed land. This one was in the road.

new leaves

It has been a cold spring in the high country, with flowers and berries slow to come out. Last week the leaves on the aspen were just coming out and the willows at the center just look kind of fuzzy, with their new growth just starting. It has been such a slow spring that bears waking up from hibernation found nothing to eat and have had run ins with people in their search for food. It was 90 last weekend and will be 90 again this weekend here in the Denver area and warm in the high country. So maybe we'll see some more plant growth in the mountains in the next couple of weeks.

leaves

Don't forget the leaves they have interesting paterns and shapes. It has finally become summer with the heat that goes with it.

columbine

The architectural quality of the columbine spurs intertwining was a neat happening in this square mandala. Also, the yellow stamens were an explosion of color. A magazine in the doctor's office had an article on 'Miksang' which means 'good eye' in Tibetan. I believe this is how I see and take pictures. I take pictures of what draws my attention. They may not be perfectly composed and the ultimate capture of the subject, but they do indeed reflect what has drawn my attention. There is a web site www.miksang.com which give more information about what they call contemplative photography.

one more gerainum picture

Thought I'd try a tile format this time. I love the yellow of the stamens. I had a columbine open yesterday, it has glorious stamens too. I'm headed to Steamboat Springs this rainy day. We need the moisture but I miss the sun. I have a picture in the Steamboat Artists member Show, with an opening this Friday. If you are in Steamboat stop by the Depot Gallery.

bleeding hearts

The flower of the bleeding heart plant has always fascinated me. The heart shaped flower with the petal drop that represents a drop of blood. I purchased several shade tollerant plants this year since my trees are all pretty mature, casting lots of shade in the back and front yards. There were two branches of bleeding hearts on the plant which created the two layered look of the mandala above.