Photo Essay: A Stroll Among Santa Fe Flowers

Most of the time, I know what this bloom is. But my brain said, “Not today, bobo”.

Amaranth, or as I prefer to call it, Love-Lies-Bleeding. I used to grow this from seed in the Circle Bed in the Cozy House gardens.

Some form of …Daisy?

Crème de la Roses.

You can try, but you can’t tame a wild rose.

The bushiest Lantana that I’ve ever seen.

MKL is amazed that I know the names of so many plants. Fair enough, since I’m impressed that he knows the names and functions of every BMW part, no matter how tiny or insignificant-looking.

Daily gratitudes:

• MKL
• The Jackalope Lady
• The gentleman with the cowboy hat and gold lame fanny pack
• How pretty I felt last night
• Nick, my GPS navigator

Photo Essay: I-25 to Santa Fe, New Mexico

Mostly taken through the windshield, so no one get their hopes up about quality.

Just ride though the notch by the butte to find me.

Storm before Trinidad.

Storm after Raton.

From the Best Little Rest Stop in the West..

Blue and Green.

You belong among the wildflowers.

Peaking.

In we go! And it was a doozy!

The road ahead.

Next stop — Santa Fe Opera. Gussying up for Falstaff tonight.

Daily gratitudes:

• MKL
• A hotel that’s a smidge swanky
• That my COVID test was negative (even though I feel like crap)
• A good cat sitter
• Clouds. Always clouds.

Blue Mesa Reservoir

Blue Mesa Reservoir.

Daily gratitudes: (I’m struggling today)

• Salmon
• Rain
• A new cat tree that the cat likes

Sorry I Vanished

Not all who wander are lost applies particularly to me.

Outside of Gunnison, Colorado.

Daily gratitudes:

• MKL
• Adventure Days
• Setting up house
• Rain
• Planting

Columbines for Remembrance

The Uvalde Massacre has broken my heart. It’s been 20 years since the Columbine Massacre and nothing has changed. Not in protecting our children, not in sensible gun control, not in police practices in these unthinkable scenarios, not in politicians’ responses. I thought that somehow Sandy Hook would have been a catalyst. Then I thought that Parkland would have been a catalyst. What’s the saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me? I won’t waste my spirit thinking that Uvalde will be a catalyst. Our society is so broken, so irrational, so angry, and so polarized that we are sunk in an impenetrable fog and cannot see our way out. At least I can’t. I still have faith. I’m just not sure what I have faith in right now.

Photo Essay: Lathrop State Park

Lake with the Spanish Peaks as a backdrop.

Peak Peeking.

A Tempting Trail.

Anytime. But nary a horse to be found.

My best friend ready to head on.

Today’s gratitudes:

• Goats
• Grazing alpacas
• MKL
• Tulips blooming today

Spring, Maybe?

At least it’s pretending to be so.

I am hopeful.

Quite hopeful.

Today’s gratitudes:

• Lovely neighbors
• Horses
• Counting down the days
• A plane ticket in hand (even if it’s just to Dallas)

Photo Essay: Colorado Hwy 12 – Cuchara to Segundo

Took a detour down a little Forest Service road, hoping to reach a random lake, but was stopped by too-deep snow. There were, however, lovely tree roots.

Atop Cuchara Pass.

Choices.

North Lake.

Abandoned Church.

The former Weston General Store.

The former Weston Elementary School.

Bird on a limb.

Looking back with love.

Today’s gratitudes:

• That K does not have COVID-19
• Sleep
• Lemon ginger tea
• A repaired stair

Photo Essay: Colorado County Road 351

I’m really not traveling the county roads in numerical order – though that might be fun.

But this one was irresistible.

Down the tracks.

And always look both ways.

Sketchy bridge ahead.

The Sangre de Cristos in one direction…

And the Spanish Peaks in the other. I have a particular fondness for the Spanish Peaks.

They all came running up to the fence to say hello. I think they liked my music. I blew them a kiss as I left.

This is the kind of mountain I used to draw as a child, basically a triangle. I love the way the rooftop echoes the peak’s contours.

Today’s gratitudes:

• Dirt roads
• An annual State parks pass
• Meadowlarks
• Getting gas for under $4.00/gallon

Photo Essay: CR 560 to Home

Via a rather circuitous route that included Hwy 69, Hwy 96, and Hwy 165.

The Sangre de Cristo range.

Abandoned.

But still watchful.

The Three Trees.

Contrasts.

My Best Friend.

Grazing.

Aspens on the verge of Spring.

Higher and higher.

I found some bison!

Along the road home.

Today’s gratitudes:

• Trying to figure out the cat
• The first tree in bloom
• That K is back safely from her trip