Colorado Sky

Colorado has beautiful skies! The entire state, even the flat plains, are at a high elevation. The average elevation is 6,800 feet above sea level, so it seems the skies are bluer to me because of that fact.  Even the skies full of impending weather change seem more intense.  The photo above is the view my son and daughter-in-law see from their new home's front window. The storm clouds that brought us snow a couple days ago were beginning to accumulate that day.

This is the brilliant blue sky that Colorado usually sees over 300 days of the year!

Did you know that we get more sunny days than Miami, Florida or San Diego, California?

Even the clouds look whiter against such a deep blue sky!

I couldn't resist showing the angel-shaped cloud I saw one afternoon, one more time.

Towards dusk, the clouds begin to take on a beautiful glow from the setting sun.

They take my breath away!

Flaming clouds light up the sky at night.

Even stormy days are beautiful here when they are framed by such scenery!

The foothills seem made for snow.

The blue and white combination looks so clean and refreshing.

A snowy day here is so silent and peaceful.

One last photo I am proud of. It is a view of Denver from the highway. Look at all the puffy and swirly clouds in the sky that day! I took this photo from a moving car (no, I wasn't driving!). It may not be the familiar New York City skyline that I saw so often and loved,  but it's my new home. I love it for the love of family it holds and the future it represents for them. It's a big sky for big dreams! I'm glad to be a part of them!

How Green Is My Valley

The Colorado front range valley area where I live has suddenly turned many shades of green, due to the lovely spring weather we had all week.

My husband and I took a few long walks through our neighborhood to check out the community pools, tennis courts, and community garden area. We explored some new trails ....some of which were paved.......

....and some on the wild open land that surrounds our valley and leads up into the foothills. I am determined to hike up to the top of those hills one day, but I know I will have to work up my strength and stamina first.

We also have to buy some good walking sticks and hiking boots, and arm ourselves with pepper spray, as there are truly wild animals up there! You can enlarge this photo to read the interesting information about these animals that were posted along the beginning of a trail.  This and all other photos in this post will enlarge by clicking on them once, and then again when they open on a new page.

These are part of the high plains and the prairie grass is so thick and spongy beneath our feet.  I could imagine how the herds of Bison, that once roamed this area, would thrive eating this grass. Can you see the red sandstone soil peeking out of the grass in this ravine?  Colorado was named by the first Spanish explorers who traveled through this land, as Colorado translates "colored red." The name was chosen for Colorado as a Territory by Congress in 1861. Colorado is also called "Colorful Colorado" because of the magnificent scenery of mountains, rivers, and plains.

I love walking on these natural trails! I was used to noisy and crowded city sidewalks and the quiet peacefulness of these walks, where all I hear are birds chirping, feel magnificent to me!

Here is a common Western bird that I saw on one walk.

It is a Black-billed Magpie. He's pretty large and has beautiful iridescent blue wings.

Another Spring awakening, besides the grass and trees, is the wild cactus on the open land. They looked grey and dead in appearance a few weeks ago, but now are beginning to turn green and get plump.

 All this hiking has been wonderful. Like trees growing from rocks, living in Colorado is sure to make us hardy.  I am beginning to feel stronger every day!

Of course, spring is an unusual season here in Colorado and this green grass will most likely be covered with snow again on Tuesday. This state needs the moisture so it will be welcomed -- as long as Spring returns again quickly!