Springtime, at least for Today!

I was out on my fat bike with Shyla before it got warm this morning. The snow was frozen (great for riding), the sky was blue, and the sun was warm on my face. It was a day when I knew that I live exactly where I belong.

Living in the shadow of the Divide isn't always easy with the long winters and harsh weather. However, the bounty - bluebird days, brilliant wildflowers, lots of wilderness to wander - makes it worth it.

Those mountains behind Shyla make me smile every single day. And Shyla, "Daughter of the Mountains", has come to love them like I do. We'll climb up high in those mountains when the snow finally melts in July or so!

We did a longish ride today because I couldn't bear to go indoors. We meandered through meadows, over peaks, and through forests. Everywhere, little signs of spring caught my attention. I heard hummingbirds buzz over me. When we reached one meadow, I heard new bird calls that I haven't heard all winter. It turned out that the Tree Swallows are back!!!

I think that they arrived as a larger flock and then split off into pairs because I saw multiple pairs around the meadow. This pair was laying claim to an aspen tree with several good nesting holes in it.

As this swallow looked at me, I noticed the two holes, one by her tail and the obvious one in the lower left of the photo.

It will doubtless snow again, and these insect eaters will have to retreat to lower elevation. I wonder whether this pair will be able to keep their claim on this perfect nesting tree? I'll keep watching as spring evolves.

With it feeling so much like spring, I was itching to go check my trail cameras at the bear den. I restrained myself because I know that mother bears with new cubs stay at their dens for seemingly forever in the spring, waiting for the cubs to be ready to navigate the forest with all its dangers. However, I am so excited for the day when I can finally check those cameras!

And I can't wait to watch the mother raise her cubs. I believe that the sow in the den is the same one as had one cub a few years ago - and she loved to bring her cub to a local watering hole to play. It's going to be a great summer watching the bears and cubs!

It's a happy day in Colorado!