Flower and Reason I don't have more photos

Another beautiful flower that I wouldn't have expected to see this time of year. Not that it isn't normally blooming, I just didn't know that it did.

Ah...the reason I do not have more photos to display. I was hiking around, walking on pointy rocks, when I lost my balance and slammed my knee into another rock. It HURT! I don't get hurt very often, so the sight of my blood was a bit disconcerting. Miles, my cousin, had the idea of making this image a focal black and white. He was so right! Gross, but a good photo none-the-less.

More flowers and fall color

This picture reminds me of winter. The snowy white blossoms with the deep green and red undergrowth. I guess the colors remind me of Christmas.

A view down the valley and at some distant peaks looking east. The mine below is not Caribou Mine. I don't remember the name of it.

Added some Sepia tone to this photo to give it an old-tyme feel.

Another photo that reminds me of Christmas. I love the way the longer grass contrasts with the colored leaves of whatever ground growth this is.

Fall Foliage and Flowers

I love this photo with the soft focused edges. I feel like I'm peering through a hole in the forest and looking out over the evergreen slopes at Aspen gold.

A stand of Aspen along the 4WD route.

A beautiful flower being explored by ants. I seriously need to buy a wildflower book, because I love photographing them. I would also like to be able to identify my finds.

Another unknown flower. I didn't realize that flowers continued to blossom through late September in this area. I thought the wildflower season would be over.

Fall Colors

I took a 4WD ride with one of my friends up to Caribou Mine Site, which is kind of west of Nederland. We saw some amazing fall foliage. These Aspen were turning some amazing colors. I've never seen them turn orange before. Only yellow.

In the distance is a stand of Aspen in the full gold glory. They are easy to spy on the evergreen slopes.

Aspen leaves just beginning to show a blush of autumn color.

Meyer Ranch Park

Mulligan and I went for a hike up at Meyer Park Ranch. I managed to not find the trail head for the second time in 2 weeks. Ended up stopping at a gas station and asking the attendant. In my defense, I don't think the map was very clear. Here are some Aspen along the trail.

We hiked through Lodge Pole and Ponderosa Pine forests. In fact, one of the loops we hiked was called "Lodge Pole Loop". Aspen dotted the forest too. The Aspen were just starting to turn autumn colors at this altitude.

My good friend Mike enthusiastically points out the Bird Census Plot sign. We saw some birds down in the wetlands area at the trail head. In fact, I took Mike's bird identification book by mistake. I'll get it back to you Mike, I promise, before Trinity eats it. She ate "Our Daily Bread" a devotional given to me by the church I visited last week. I must say her choices in paper manuals and books are on point. Two weeks ago she ate a hand-out I'd been given called "Sanity". I think her gesture was symbolic in some ways:)

I think this is a Lodge Pole Pine. Not sure what the mountain is called, but highway 285 runs at its base.