• haiku,  Plants,  writing/reading

    Still Ablaze

    September 29, 2020
    Milkweed seeds ready to be released into the wind from 4 days ago

    orange veiled moon
    above eastern horizon 
    forest fire ablaze

    ms

    Yes, I know the title does not match the image but it’s my blog.

    While on a walk yesterday evening I notice the eerie color of the moon and the above haiku popped into my mind. Wrote it down as soon as I got back and then tried to take a photo of the moon. I was not happy with how the images turned out so all you get is the haiku and a milkweed image. 😊 The smoke does act as a decent filter to alter the color of the moon but I was not able to satisfactorily capture that.

    This morning the smell of smoke was the first thing I noticed as I stepped out the door. You could look down the street or across the pond and see the smoke from the Cameron Peak Fire as it casts its haze everywhere. The fire is now over 125,000 acres but has tapered down some due to a good freeze last night. Their update this morning is positive news. We see and smell it constantly, a reminder the fire is still ablaze.

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  • Fujifilm X-T3,  Fujifilm XF35mm f2.0,  Plants

    Sunday Morning

    September 20, 2020

    Mushrooms are alive and well

    Happy Sunday morning to you. Will have a busy day starting with laundry, lunch with my friend Dan and then meet up with Tom and Kathy Dills. Could be one of those days I eat too much. No hot dates scheduled, yet. 😊 

    Very pleased to see a lot of blue sky this morning. The Cameron Peak fire is still burning but winds are sending the smoke north of us. Yesterday, a storm system brought gusty wind conditions from 15-30 mph which promoted fire activity. Today, firefighters will add depth and expand fire lines around the 237 mile perimeter. Windy conditions and possible thunderstorms today will serve as a test of existing firelines. That’s from the Inciweb report this morning.

    Found these mushrooms outside Mugs at the Oval this morning. Knelt down for a couple shots, then felt my age as I stood back up. I sure ain’t as limber as I was last week. But, I’m confident there are enough young college kids around who would help an old man up. 

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  • clouds,  Fujifilm X-T3,  Fujifilm XF16-80mm f4.0,  landscape,  mountains,  natural areas,  Plants,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  sunsets,  trees

    …have a good night.

    September 17, 2020
    Helicopter landing and setting sun

    They are using the open field north of the CSU Research Center as a helicopter staging area, which is next to the Reservoir Ridge Natural Area. The above image was taken last night as one of the helicopters was ending their day. I think there were six or seven helicopters on the ground, fuel trucks and mechanics waiting for them. As you can see the smoke sits atop of us, no blue sky. Very little wind. Even after receiving 14 inches of snow the fire smolders. As the fuel drys the fire burns a bit more each day and is unfortunately making its way towards Red Feathers Lake and Crystal Lakes where there are several homes and cabins. They are unincorporated communities and census-designated places and of course a post office. They have been under a voluntary evacuation for a couple weeks now. The smoke is visible this morning and makes the throat tender.

    Sunset at Reservoir Ridge during Cameron Peak Fire

    I had my first encounter with a rattlesnake at the nature area between taking these two images. It was nice having several people warn me about the snake and where it was located. Once I approached the snake it made sure to shake it’s rattlers and let me know it’s physical distancing boundaries. I admit it was difficult to see it but easy to hear it. It was coiled about six inches off the trail and ready to strike if anyone dared to cross it’s boundaries. I wasn’t in a daring mood so I respected those boundaries. I even began a dialogue with it hoping to help it relax a bit, it seemed rather tense. Told it I was only passing by and to have a good night.

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  • Black and White,  coffee life,  lifestyles

    Light Snow Falling

    September 8, 2020

    French Press brewing and waiting for Irish Oats to finish cooking

    It’s a cool 33 degrees with light snow falling. I most likely will not be sitting on my porch this morning to journal and read. Sitting in the recliner wrapped in a blanket sounds more enticing. The latest report shows the high winds yesterday helped the Cameron Peak fire to grow to over 100k acres with more mandatory evacuations. Made a French Press and ate a bowl of Irish Oats, now off to the recliner. 😊 

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  • clouds,  Fujifilm X-T3,  Fujifilm XF16-80mm f4.0,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes

    Stepping into silence

    September 7, 2020

    This image was taken about 7:15 pm last night at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    “Stepping into silence feels like I’m getting back to myself. Because from it I can find answers to life’s problems, creative ideas, and deep understanding.” Chelsey Brooks, The Pathfinder

    Feeling restless yesterday evening, I drove out to one of the natural areas for a short 2.5 mile walk. I was greeted with a silence and a peacefulness I was not aware I so deeply needed. The sky had a different look and feel all afternoon because of the smoke from the Cameron Peak fire. It was eerie. I don’t expect today to be any different as this morning the eastern sun glows red, the smell of smoke fills my nostrils and I can watch the soot and ashes falling like snow.

    Was not alone on my walk yesterday, I saw a few birds but they were not singing, silently darting in the smoke filled air. A lone mallard with reedy quacks called out from the pond. Everything was still, no wind, not a blade of grass moved. At that moment I realized I go to these sanctuaries because I can step into a place of silence. A silence that’s connected to nature, freeing me from the restlessness I felt earlier and getting back to myself. Unaware,  I was listening to the voice whispering from within.

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  • lifestyles

    Bring it on!

    September 6, 2020
    The soot and ash on the hood of my car yesterday evening at 7:00 pm.

    The Cameron Peak fire grew more than 10,000 acres in the past 24 hours. Today is going to be another hot day, adding to the fires growth. They expanded mandatory evacuations yesterday and voluntary evacuations.  I did not ride the bicycle this morning as I do not need to inhale the soot and ash, my throat already is sore. We are now placing our hope in the coming cold front and snow expected on Monday evening and into Tuesday. They are talking 3-6 inches and it will be a wet snow. It’s what we need! Bring it on!

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  • Avian,  horizons,  landscape,  natural areas,  sunrises

    Saturday morning update

    September 5, 2020

    Smoky sunrise at Pineridge Reservoir Natural Area this morning

    Smoke sits over the city, a haze that settles on everything. Not sure I will ever get used to the smell or the feel it leaves in my throat. A jogger this morning mentioned it was hard on their throat to run in this smoke. I read this mornings fire report and they do not expect to have containment of the Cameron Peak fire until October 31st. That’s a long time for us to deal with the smoke. I must admit the smoke has presented some nicely colored sunrises and sunsets. However, we are done with it already. I think the squawking magpies are done with it,  also.

    Seeing a lot of fire trucks from out of town as there are over 800 firefighters battling the fire. This past week I saw a school bus full of tired firefighters taking them to a hotel for a refreshing shower and comfortable bed before heading back to the front lines. Most of their tactics are to create barriers to limit the expansion of the fire and working to protect any structures. Sadly, part of the burn area has been a great location for aspen fall colors for many years.

    A magpie letting me know they were tired of the smoke also

    Almost no wind this morning so the water on Dixon Reservoir was glassy smooth. The sun was bright orange through the smoky haze. Very quiet and still when I first arrived. After about 20 minutes a gentle breeze began to sway tree branches, leaves began to rustle while the grasses and sagebrush begin to dance along. The day begins to awaken. It’s going to be 90 degrees today and for the next two days then drop 65 degrees by Tuesday and possibly give us our first snowfall of this season, for sure our first frost. That will help with the fire. Hope you have a great weekend!

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