Summer Surprises!

A few blog posts ago--click here-- I showed some of the wildlife we are fortunate to see in our community in Colorado. Twin fawns were born in my next door neighbor's backyard and we watched them grow from their newborn wobbly legs stage until they were able to follow their mother around two weeks later.  Recently, I looked out my front window and saw their mother had left them in my front garden for the day! 

 I kept peeking out my window all day to take these photos, trying not to disturb them. Aren't they the cutest things? I am happy to see they are thriving!

Later that day mother doe came back and lead them through our backyard to open wild space near us for the night. It's a busy summer for her!

Another creature that has been busy this summer is this cinnamon-colored black bear! He has been spotted in our community quite a few times. He is coming down from the surrounding foothills very early in the morning and at night, to not only indulge in wild berries but also birdfeeders and garbage in garbage cans!  Our trails have bear-safe trash cans but most residents do not. We have been asked by our HOA to take down birdfeeders and to not put our garbage cans out until the morning of trash pick up, after 7AM.  There is a saying here that "A fed bear is a dead bear," as it is dangerous for a bear to associate humans with food sources. We are told to leave no food sources outside during the summer, and especially in the fall, when bears must consume 22,0000 calories a day in order to bulk up for winter hibernation. We are told if we see a bear to not run, and to make lots of loud noise to haze them away.  If a bear continues to search in an area where people are Colorado Parks and Wildlife rangers trap them, sedates them, tags their ear and then relocates them back to the wild. If they continue to come back to where civilization lives they are sadly euthanized. We obviously hope that does not have to happen! 

As you can see our community is snuggled up against the foothills. All around us is open space...

... lots of open space where wildlife lives.

We are also surrounded by many, many miles of wonderful trails, that are private only for use by residents. They are accessible to hiking, bicycle and horseback riders.

My husband and I love hiking our community trails year round, but in the summer we are always pleasantly surprised by...

...all the wonderful wildflowers we see!

I've taken many wildflower photos over the six summers that I've lived in Colorado--I never tire of seeing them and their variety.

I also try to grow my own flowers in my gardens in summer--not an easy task as the wildlife likes to eat them! In fact, those pretty pink lilies in the collage above were eaten by the twin fawns not long after they bloomed. I try to spray my flowers with a deer and rabbit repellant, but it doesn't always work so I enjoy them while I can. 
The very best flowers of all in my garden are my grandchildren! The photo of them in the collage above was taken during our July 4th celebration. They are all getting so big and I cherish all the time I am able to spend with them. It will be "back to school" time for them towards the end of August.

Summer passes quickly--
please make sure to take the time to enjoy it!

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