Summer... already

The first of May we see wildlife return in large numbers. All winter our birdfeeder has brought sightings of deer, occasionally elk, and birds. Now they don’t seem to be just passing through, but hanging out.

We’ve had a red fox limping through our yard for several weeks. I started putting out extra birdseed since it couldn’t run.

On May 3rd our red fox appears with two pups in the boys’ rock fort. Justin had named the fox Jessica a couple of days ago and now we know the name fits. We watch the pups chase each other, attack plants and generally have fun. When they see elk they hide behind the rocks, but their heads pop in and out; they are unable to contain their curiosity. The elk sniff the air in what may be recognition, but they don’t seem to care one way or another.

Walking to the mailbox new flowers appear every few days. White, yellow, purple, blue and pink appear most often. Yellow ones contrast against the bright green lichen. Blue bells grow small and delicate at angles. And the pink wild roses hold on effortlessly to the slopes on our cul-de-sac.

Driving by Evergreen Lake the cormorants have returned, sitting on top of the spillway. Behind the spillway is a local bar that now has a full parking lot of motorcycles…. this is truly the sign spring has arrived. They come every weekend throughout the warm weather. Bikers ranging in age from 40 to 80 ride large Harleys. Some have long white beards.

Our world looks different within weeks. The bare dirt and rock left behind by the snow had bright green spots of lichen to start. Then the ground came alive with flowers emerging from the granite. Now animals and people have joined in the celebration.

Will spring continue?

The air is wet with rain and heavy with the scent of vanilla from the pine trees. For two days we've had rain and temperatures in the 40s and 50s.

Last year we had lots of wet snow that left behind an abundance of wildflowers. This spring has been the typical dry you'd expect in a high desert region, but if the snow continues for a few more days perhaps the flowers will have another good year.

Here flowers are beautiful; looking as if they grow out of the rocks, from behind downed logs, and coming up through course pine needles. Flowers surprise us with a palette against all the greens and browns; mingling with lichen.

Elk and deer eat the new green of shrubs and grass but they avoid many of the flowers that protect themselves by tasting bad, and sometimes being poison.

Walking the boys to the bus the Pasqueflower, named for the Paschal season, is the first flower I see. The outside of the plant is covered in long gray hairs that give it an alien quality until it opens each day to reveal a bright white interior and yellow center.


Prairie Bluebells appear next. Less than a foot tall they are delicate and often peeking out of the debris left under the pines by winter. The leaves are light blue/gray and the stems often lean drawing me down to their level for a better view.


This month white flowers with 5 petals and bright yellow centers appeared on small plants dotting our slopes. Bringing my attention to the serrated leaves their identity, Wild Strawberry, was now obvious.


In the shade of trees, Heart-leaf Arrica, a large bright yellow aster spread around and through branches and logs on horizontal rhizomes. Unlike the long slender leaves of many asters this variety have large heart shaped leaves. Indians used the palnt as a love charm and to heal cuts and bruises.

Hopefully the rain will be enough to keep the flowers around longer. And when summer replaces spring a drive to 13,000 feet plus on Mount Evans is in order. There spring flowers can still be in view in July.

Enjoying spring

Our house sets within a rectangle of level ground from the front yard through the backyard to the shed. Above the house are rock outcroppings and a slope up to Mr. Jim’s house. Below the house a slope leads down to a dirt road and open meadow.

The backyard is high desert. Rocks poke out at angles in every direction. The boys built a rock fort in the rock outcroppings to the left of the deck. From their vantage point they can survey the entire yard. Or maybe their thoughts are more about how many more chutes we can clear for sledding when the snow returns.

Last year Tad and I cleaned out the freestanding shed that housed the previous owner’s 400-pound hog. We tore out paneling and insulation that chipmunks had filled with birdseed and assorted trash. Anyone standing outside the shed while we worked would have thought it was on fire as clouds of dust poured out the door and window.

In the winter powdery snow comes often, but leaves just as fast. At nearly 8000 feet the bright sun greedily eats all moisture. Then we’re left with the heavy brown tree trunks of the pine trees in more brown dirt and rock.

In April the snows are heavy and wet. Each time they melt you see another new green revealed. The lichen on the rocks by the shed is St Patrick’s Day green. They are swollen and soft with melted snow; visible surprises among patches of snow.

Some snowflakes are unbelievable like super-sized fast food meals. Seeing 10% of the flakes are giants among the regular flakes plays tricks with your eyes. You can’t focus, it’s like a 3-D movie.

This year at the end of April we go downtown to eat at Beau Jo’s Pizza before Mr. Jim leaves to spend his summer in Wisconsin. Snow from the latest snow covers the parking lot and grass leading to the creek. After pizza we walk next door, buy ice cream and eat it as we watch the snow begin again. Driving home the flakes were small and plentiful; our car cocooned in white.

Easter Snakes

This week when the snow melted small green flower shoots poked out of the ground and the snakes reappeared.

Walking out the front door a small deck leads into a driveway of gray gravel. In the gravel gray snakes sun against the house. Sometimes one will stretch out by itself or with another lying beside it. At other times several will make a pile that resembles large spaghetti. You have to look closely to see which end is the head. Once you’ve focused in on the eyes you can count heads. Then you see the red tongues with black tips flick in and out.

If they get scared several will race each other to make it back under the deck. As it gets warmer they will become lazy in the sun and won’t disappear.

I’ve been researching snakes and think these are Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes.

Snow Storm

I baked chocolate chips cookies, ironed the boys’ uniforms and checked them for inspection at the Scout Pack meeting. Then the snow started falling. The flakes were big and the wind whirled them into a white fog. In one hour the snow was a foot deep and it didn’t appear to be slowing down.

Instead of scouts Tad shovels the deck before dinner….and again after dinner.

How strange, one day the ground is 90% visible, the next day a foot of snow covers everything, and then the third day the ground reappears. The dry air and sun vaporizes the snow. The snow doesn’t melt; it just disappears.

Long-eared squirrel

We saw the Abert's squirrel for the first time since fall. It’s very possible he’s been here without us knowing it since he spends a lot of time high in the ponderosa pines eating their seeds and buds. No longer black, now his body is a smoky gray and his tail is interspersed with long white hairs.

This year the Abert has become use to us. He no longer runs off as he did last year, or like the brown squirrels still do when I go out on the deck. Continuing to be upset at the sight of our small white dog still hangs upside down on the bark of a tree and chatters.

Snow and Ice

The frozen Bridal Veil Falls with its large wooden waterwheel in Idaho Springs sits against the mountains on the south side of I-70 across from Idaho Springs. It’s a beautiful sight in the morning driving west to ski, and even prettier in the late afternoon with the sunset behind the waterfall. The mountain leans into the highway towering over the cars that pass beneath.

Another favorite part of the drive to ski is at Eisenhower Tunnel near Loveland Pass. The traffic in the afternoon is heavy and slow, but with the Continental Divide framing the tunnel the wait is easy and relaxing.