Wildlife, landscape and weather photography
A beautiful, fall morning two weekends ago. Temperatures were mild, conditions were calm and the view awesome. The waning gibbous moon was slowly working its way down to the horizon and to the west, the Colorado Front Range foothills, the Boulder Flatirons and, of course, the Rocky Mountains were looking nice. I can’t get enough of views like this.
A very pretty scene from our recent visit to this area near Taylor Park, Colorado. It was a rough ride in our side-by-side but a beautiful one and well worth it. As you emerge above timberline, you are greeted with this stunning view. Our ride was far from over but this required a stop and made for a nice break before heading even higher.
From the late 1800s up until the 1970s, the area was very active with mining. There was some gold found but more plentiful was silver and lead. The Star Mine, not far from the spot this picture was taken, operated from 1890 to 1971 and was one of the leading mines in the area and in fact was the longest-lived mine in Colorado.
A pretty scene taken on the way up Mount Evans over the 4th of July weekend. The sun was just getting high enough to illuminate the landscape on a chilly, blustery morning. The amount of snow still present was quite notable. While the mountains did receive a very healthy dose of snow over the winter (thankfully), the relatively cool and wet spring and early summer has slowed the melt.
One of my favorite places to make a photo stop, Chicago Creek on the road up to Mount Evans. This year the water was running quite fast as the lingering snowpack continues to melt. The forest itself was bright green as all of the winter snow and spring rains have made things grow like crazy. A slow shutter speed on my camera allowed the blurring of the rushing waters, making for a cool scene.
The “great horn” at 9,554 feet high was an imposing figure as we crossed this national park in central Italy. We were immediately drawn to it as it was just one of those mountains that you could not ignore.
It stood far taller than the surrounding terrain and indeed is the tallest peak on the Italian peninsula and is home to Europe’s southernmost glacier, the Calderone glacier. We spent a great deal of time just watching the mountain and the interaction with the clouds that surrounded it, constantly providing a different scene from minute to minute.
With some open time on our itinerary, we decided to add another country to our trip and ventured into Switzerland for a couple of days. Heading north out of Italy into the mountains we were greeted with stunning scenes, reminiscent of our beloved home state of Colorado. The forests were lush and green and the lingering snow on the mountain peaks really made for some beautiful scenes.
One for Throwback Thursday going to July of last year. After taking in a stunning sunrise, my friend and I lingered, soaking in the view to the east from 14,000 feet. While the brilliant oranges that led up to sunrise had faded, the scene still looked pretty cool. Smoke from wildfires out of state had settled in creating a cool haze showcasing the smaller mountains below us. Off in the distance and to the far left just beyond the mountains you can actually make out downtown Denver and its skyscrapers. While those buildings are tall, they are dwarfed by Mother Nature’s work not far to the west. You can guess which location I prefer!
With fresh snow covering the plains and mountains a couple of weeks ago and a setting full wolf moon, the scene was a pleasant one. Yeah, it was cold, but so worth it.
From the Great Plains and the Badlands to the height of the Rocky Mountains, my photo excursions have allowed me to view some stunning scenes. I hope you enjoy this peaceful look back at the natural beauty around us.
A beautiful scene appropriately captured yesterday on Christmas Eve. The sun was lighting up the plains and farm beautifully. In the background, the snow covered Rocky Mountains with Mount Meeker dominating. Above that, clouds shrouded some of the mountaintops while a wave cloud was above. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. May you and yours enjoy all of the blessings that our Lord was given unto us for on this day.
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
~ Luke 2:11
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