Monday, March 13, 2023

Winter Recollections


 While I spent the last few weeks blogging about the wonderful Disney Cruise--click here to read those posts--that we took to warmer Mexico at the end of January into early February, our part of Colorado looked like the photos I took above of snow-covered hills and frosty temperatures.  

We had a few "arctic blasts" during that time where our temperatures went well below freezing and a few days below zero.  It has been an unusually cold winter this year, but one good result was that the snowpack in Colorado was above 100% in most areas.



A mother doe and her fawn visited my backyard a few times to eat the tips from a pine tree. It is one of their favorite food sources in winter when the ground is covered with snow.  The little fawn would eventually fall asleep under the tree and the doe would stay outside as a guard.  It was a very endearing scene to witness.





Snow-covered deer!




Now that March arrived the snow is quickly melting as our Colorado Front Range temperatures are rising and Spring is on the horizon.





As the snow recedes the wildlife has more sources of food. I saw this Disney-style "Bambi and Thumper" moment through my window when a rabbit and fawn were searching for food together.



In fact, I've been seeing many bunnies lately! Sometimes they are chasing each other, which makes me realize that soon there will be baby bunnies hiding in the grass. Spring certainly is a season of sweet renewal.  I wonder if we will see fawns being born in our yard in a few months like we did last year? Click here-- to see that post.



My husband and I attended the Eric Korngold Opera "Die Tote Stadt" at Opera Colorado in Denver, Colorado in February.  It is a beautiful, mysterious opera, yet rarely performed as the arias are demanding. Composed in Vienna in 1920 and based on a novel written by Belgian author Georges Rodenbachin 1892, Die Tote Stadt tells the story of a man who, still grieving the death of his wife several years earlier, compulsively becomes infatuated with a woman who resembles, in his mind, his dead wife—with predictably disastrous results.  

What made the opera stand out in this series of scheduled performances, however, was the fact that the soprano playing both roles of Marie and Marietta, Sara Gartland, unfortunately, became afflicted with Laryngeal (vocal cord) paralysis from a prior Covid -19 infection, just two weeks before the opening night!  
Fortunately, Opera Colorado was able to find a last-minute opera soprano who knew the role, Kara Shay ThomsonSince costumes were already made and staging had been practiced with Gartland, it was decided that Thomson would sing offstage while Gartland played a silent role in costume. Gartland couldn’t even mouth the words while Thomson sang; her voice therapist said it would further strain her condition. 
Hopefully, Sara Gartland will recover with rest and her career will go on. You can read more about this unusual story here and here.
We felt the opera was outstanding, made even more so by the brave sopranos--one who acted while the other sang from a pedestal in the orchestra pit. Bravi Tutti to both!  It was another very memorable opera moment for my husband and me.


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32 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Pretty views of the snowy landscapes and the cute deer. The bunnies are adorable! I am glad you enjoyed the opera, it is great they found a last minute soprano. Take care, have a wonderful week!

Linda Kilsdonk said...

When you commented on my Deer in a Clearing card on my blog, mentioning that you had deer in the snow photos on your blog, I just had to check them out! Your photos are exquisite! Smiles, Linda at Paper Seedlings

Jeanie said...

Those snow-covered deer... exquisite. Just fantastic. I am in awe. And the bunny in the snow with the white background, the bunny and the deer. Wow. Just wow.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

I love your deer and hare photos. Wildlife images always make me happy no matter the weather.

ellen b. said...

Winter was pretty in your neck of the woods. Those animals enjoy your yard. We have rain now and the snow is melting. Time will tell if we get another dump or just continue into the season of mud. Hope you have a lovely week!

Cloudia said...

Thank you 😊

NCSue said...

So pretty! I think I would prefer visiting in spring - I bet it's beautiful then as well.
Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2023/03/i-wish-i-was-there.html

A Bit of the Blarney said...

Wonderful photos! Bambi and Thumper are just so cute! All of your photos are beautiful! Thank you! Cathy

Angie said...

Pat - on Friday night, we received over 6 inches of fresh snow. So beautiful and I am so grateful for the precipitation that will help us get through the dry summer months! We are a long way from seeing any "grass" here and the deer are still eating the pines as the main source of sustenance. Down the road from us, there was quite a bit of logging, and the deer have gathered there to eat the tender tops of the pines that are in the slash piles. If I was a mountain lion ... That was a fascinating story about the opera and the two sopranos!

William Kendall said...

The deer and rabbits are quite a sight.

Tom said...

...fabulous winter recollections, we haven't had much of a winter until now. As spring approaches, we are getting snow. You captured some beautiful deer. Take care and stay well.

Sharon Wagner said...

It's a winter wonderland out there. You don't have any tasty food shots this week!

Sally in St Paul said...

Gorgeous photos! I loved seeing the cute bunnies who are visiting you.

betty-NZ said...

Wow, snow covered deer! That made me smile.

Thanks for sharing your link at My Corner of the World this week!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

You got some great wintertime photos. I love photos of does and their fawns. The fawn and the bunny is a great photo.

There seems to be a huge tradition of the show must go on in Opera. I saw Rigoletto in Houston eons together. I forget who the lead female singer was but she was making a big comeback. Very sad, they announced that she couldn't sing the opera, and then they said she was going to try. I wish she hadn't her voice was horribe.

Penelope Notes said...

What a wonderful event to come to town. It sounds like the symbiotic relationship between actor and singer worked like a charm!

Joanne said...

I love all your nature photos! What a great capture of the wildlife.

Jim said...

Beautiful scenery

Jocelyn said...

Amazing pictures. Winter wonderland.

NKH said...

Being tropical resident, I am not big fan of cold weather. Yet, every season has its own significance. We had forest fires, record high temperatures this year.

Beautiful pictures. I love the look of deers

Spare Parts and Pics said...

I like the snow-covered deer. And of course Bambi and Thumper!

Buttercup said...

Your winter photographs are, as always, fabulous. Thanks!

Nancy L Barber said...

Visiting again from Pink Saturday. Lovely read. So happy you are documenting for children and grandchildren.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Pat,
I really enjoyed seeing all the deer and the bunnies in your post. So many beautiful photos. The snowy landscapes are lovely too. The Opera event sounds like a wonderful evening. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend.

Lowcarb team member said...

Such beautiful wintry scenes and a delight to see the deer and rabbits.
Pleased you enjoyed the opera.

It's Saturday as I type this, so I wish you a happy weekend.

All the best Jan

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Ahhhh...Bambi and Thumper! It doesn't get any cuter than that! And snow frosted deer are beautiful. I love all the snowy photos but I'm happy to see your photos and not be taking them! heehee! Happy weekend!

Bill said...

Such a beautiful sight seeing the bunnies and the deer.

diane b said...

Lovely post. The winter photos and the springtime ones ar great. The opers sounds interesting, sad for the original soprano.

carol l mckenna said...

Wonderful wintry photos ~ favorites are the ones of the sweet deer ~ and the bunnies too!

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Veronica Lee said...

Your snowy photos and collages are a sight to behold!

I especially love the deer and bunnies.

Hugs and blessings, Pat.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

What an amazing story about the opera! That must have been so hard for both of the sopranos. The snowy scenes are so beautiful and I smiled just thinking about the fawn sleeping under your tree (in that cold snow!) while mother kept watch! So sweet.

Rambling Woods said...

We’ve had deer all winter including a Mom with three……Michelle