Hiking + Walking

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It is said that if you want wildlife to visit a garden, just add water, as it attracts more critters than food. I’m not sure about our numbers, but I will say that we get a lot of activity, with this adorable female Lesser Goldfinch enjoying our hospitality on the regular. We are happy to oblige.

Early last Saturday morning, driving for a waterside hike.

I cannot be certain, but I do believe this butterfly flitted in our wake for the whole of the hike.

Mr. Silly helps me find just the right angle. This cast too much shade on his handsome face.

Happiness!

white evening primrose

These currants were beautiful and delicious!

Post hike cinnamon roll at The Pantry. It did not disappoint!

What a treat to rise early, hike for a couple hours, eat a hearty breakfast AND a cinnamon roll, and be home by NOON. The height, peeps, the height!

porch life…

mountain shadows

Saving the best for last. Do you like shrimp and grits but despair at having an even distribution of flavor? I am known to cut shrimp into itty bits so every bite is just so. A hassle, to be sure, but, like most things, worth it in the end. That is until I encountered Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock’s Shrimp Grits. The shrimp is cooked in heaps of butter then whirled into oblivion in a food processor before being mixed into already cooked grits. They “get to know each other” for five minutes or so before everyone at the table does their best to contain ecstatic outbursts at each and every bite. Yes ma’am, exactly. Just try it!

Juniper’s first outing with her socks was a partial success. She walks funny in them, and they don’t stay on terribly well, but they did keep the ice from her toes. You will not be surprised to learn that we are buying her shoes to remedy this. They are not pink, thank goodness. Photos forthwith!!

Happy Halloween!

sunset

Our crooked campsite at Joyful Journey. It didn’t look so bad when we were setting up, but the wedged backpack next to the hubster’s sleeping bag to keep him from rolling down hill confirmed otherwise.

Moving, keeping still, exposing what I can’t see.

This was Juniper’s first camping trip, and our first together in more than twenty years. We heard the hoo-hoo of a neighborhood owl under the cloak of darkness and the primal yip and howl of coyotes welcoming the dawn. I cannot imagine a better or more fitting welcome.

sunrise

looking up

looking down

A beautiful hike just outside Crestone, it was a steep climb, up and up and up, earning Juniper and the hubster a looooong nap while I soaked and soaked and soaked.

I ate handfuls of these. Thimbleberry, maybe?

The San Luis Valley from on high. Good grief it is gorgeous!

rainbow smudge

storm

last bits of daylight

nighthawk

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May flowers and my favorite smiling faces. The gorgeous rocks and formations of Palmer Park. The peachy indian paintbrush was the first I saw this year, followed by the usual red just around the bend on the trail. I never grow tired of spying wildflowers, giving happy little shouts (not unlike a Bob Ross happy tree) to the hubster, the dog, to no one at all – there’s a white loco, a flea bane, an aster; the skunk bush is budding, the currants and gooseberries, too! And how about the green mertensia, whose blossoms are blue and pink? They move in a whisper of a breeze and turn to watercolor. I love it.

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A Friday look at Sunday’s long walk downtown, a most excellent 8.5 miles round trip, which actually tuckered out Ms. Juni B. It is possible! We stumbled upon the jackpot of coins shortly after leaving home, with me gasping at our good luck. I never did count it, but would wager a guess of just over a dollar.

It also got me thinking about this town and how we really hit the jackpot moving to Colorado Springs. We can walk downtown and to Palmer Park, ride our bikes everywhere, and get to see Pike’s Peak, America’s Mountain, almost every day. The city is diverse in people and in thought and has some pretty snazzy architecture, too. On one city block there’s cool modern and mid century buildings a hop, skip, and a jump from century old mansions with gorgeous cast iron fences and lovely light fixtures. As well as sun, sun, and more sun, snow, and some of the cleanest air in the country. The people are friendly, though kinda loony once they get behind the wheel, truth be told – I wouldn’t mind seeing a Portland Standoff from time to time. Indeed. There’s wonderful coffee (the Wild Goose being our favorite, maybe partly cuz the bathrooms have Star Trek posters!) and food from everywhere – our latest favorite a deeelicious bhan mi joint. Finally, just enough Colleen style quirk to make me smile – that cat’s eye marble? It’s embedded and catching the light of the morning sun in a neighborhood fence. Sweet.

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