As I was walking into town the other day I was looking for the elk. They are usually around and always so much fun to see. As I rounded the tall rocks on West Elkhorn Ave. I looked down and saw something that looked pinkish. I stopped and looked again.
Nestled in the rocks was my first wildflower of the season. It was so pretty and such a treat to see a wildflower in the end of March.
I came home and looked in my plant book to try to identify it. It wasn’t quite totally bloomed but it looks like a Wild Geranium to me. Maybe when it gets little bigger, I’ll be able to see exactly what kind of flower it is. So, instead of always looking up, it’s time to start looking down when you take a walk or hike. You never know what you’ll find!
As we were driving down Route 34 after a light dusting of snow the night before, I kept telling Phil to stop the car so I could take a picture. The views were just magnificent.
When we came to this bend, the lighting was just perfect and I clicked away. I really like this photograph and all of its depth. What a beautiful scene, as the Big Thompson River heads into the canyon.
While we got about 3-4″ of snow the other day in Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park got hammered with snow. Phil and I were driving along Wonderview Ave. and Longs Peak was just gorgeous in the distance. I don’t remember ever seeing those high peaks with so much snow. What a beautiful view of Longs Peak and the snow-covered mountains!
I thought I’d go for a walk around Lake Estes one morning last week. The weather was a bit cloudy but pretty warm and the forecast was for very windy. I brought my camera…just in case there was any wildlife.
I kept looking for the wind but it was a calm as can be. As I got to the other side of the lake, the reflection of the Lumpy Ridge and Mummy Range (in the distance) in Rocky Mountain National Park was just spectacular! You can also see the Stanley Hotel in the reflection. I clicked away, knowing that in a few minutes there might be whitecaps on the lake.
I know the marmots usually come out of hibernation sometime in March and I’ve been waiting patiently to hear their little chirp or to actually see one peeking out from the rocks.
A few days ago I was walking home from town on my usual loop and there, tucked in the rocks where they usually live was my first marmot of the year! He stood up as I walked by, just as curious about me as I was about him. I was so excited!
I got my camera out and quickly sent a picture to Phil at home and to a friend of mine who’s been looking for them too. Then I went in my pocket to get my camera out and…it was not there. I had forgotten it! How many times had I bragged that I “Never leave home without my camera in my pocket!” Oh well.
I learned my lesson…so here’s the picture from my camera. The marmots are one of my favorite animals who live around here. They are just adorable and they can come to my house and eat any of the flowers that they want! I just love them!
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