Flying Across the Colors ...a Bluebird Appeared Out of Nowhere... Colorado hikes are never routine because the scenery changes. What I remember from the last time I visited looks different now. In fall, Colorado aspens have an explosive color change. It happens first on the highest peaks and slowly invades lower altitudes. The [...]
The Song Session —A Chorus of Chirping— It’s a regular part of summer for us to hike in the woods and not just for the exercise. The inspiration, spiritual peace, experience of solitude, joyful conversations, and especially the visuals that surround us, call us back again and again. Hiking drives the creative process [...]
First Light on Marmot Trail You’ve got to be kidding! Ever since I embraced Staunton State Park as my favorite place to hike the trails, I’ve made it a point to challenge myself. With its beautiful scenery, it’s easy to get carried away and venture further and further out before heading back. I [...]
Rams Horn Lodge I knew this photo would make a good subject for a painting. The Flat Tops Wilderness Area is home to many places rich with beauty, dotted with scenic mountain lakes. One lake in particular has drawn us to visit it whenever we head to Yampa, a tiny mountain town roughly [...]
Seeking Shelter in the Pines Talk about a blast of color! I have lived in Colorado over fifty years and still have not been able to see some bird species that are native to our state. The common ones, sure. But when I come across one that I have always wanted to see [...]
A Tough Nut to Crack How am I ever going to paint this guy? That is what I was thinking when I saw this tufted, or tassel-eared, squirrel watching me just off my hiking path. In nature he stands out because of his dark body against all the pine needles that surround him. [...]
From the Timber to the Lake As I left, the quiet prayer that is carried inside me became audible that day. Being in nature helps me to sort things out about my life. It provides the calmness I need to cope with all the busyness that goes on during the winter months. Being [...]
Pristine Moment We have what we call “leaf-peeping” season when the aspen trees explode into vibrant color. Colorado is noted for its beautiful scenic parks, scattered all across the state. Every one of them has something unique going for it that draws people from all over the country to visit. We have what [...]
When the Storm Clouds Clear Sometimes the elements of nature provide a voice to us—in wind, in water, in sunshine. The voice may be reminding us of the dark moments of life we experience or our longing for peace and tranquility. Sometimes during the storms it may seem that God is looking the [...]
Down the River I learned a long time ago how the river as a force of nature can easily be taken for granted. There has to be respect for what the river can do, especially in areas with white water. There have been a lot of people who have lost their life because [...]
