In yesterday's post, I showed video of the bear den being visited by a fox in the wee hours of 3/20/16. It was 12°F, and a deep layer of snow covered the ground.
At exactly the same time, we were in the desert, in much warmer air and with no snow on the ground! In fact, as we slept at that time, my camera was recording a time lapse series of photos of the stars rotating around the North Star. The fox's visit to the bear den happened about when the stars were halfway through their paths in the photo.
March is truly still winter near our mountain home in Colorado. The cubs in the den in our neck of the woods were almost 2 months old but weren't yet mobile. Snow was deep and copious. Under the snow, the wildflowers were getting ready for their time - which is now.
In the desert, springtime was getting started in March. By May, it was in full swing. A photo that I took in the Utah desert shows how such incredibly different worlds can be so close together. On the horizon, snowy mountains reach for the clouds - like near our home in Colorado. Where I was standing, slickrock, sand, and flowers dominated the desert floor.
From snow on the ground at home to Claret Cacti blooming throughout the desert - wow!
Gorgeous Collared Lizards sunned themselves on the trails and then let me take their photos. This was a female or juvenile. The adult males are even flashier with turquoise colors on their bodies.
Primrose pointed their large faces toward the sun each day.
Gorgeous sunflowers bloomed beneath the red rock cliffs.
In May, Shyla found the desert to be hot and sneaked into many puddles of water throughout the desert.
Each day in the desert, it had cooled down by sunset, and Shyla was glad to laze in the boulders with me waiting for the best light.
I feel the same way :)
ReplyDeleteWow, that sky shot looks surreal, with the color contrast between land and sky.
I was walking in the woods with Piper today, by a tumble of massive stones that I always thing is a likely place for a bear's den, and I suddenly remembered the mamabear and the 43 escape attempts. And I laughed again :)
It also struck me funny that at first I thought the cub was yelling because mama was pinching him a little with her teeth, as she hauled him back inside. But the cub kept on hollering even after she had turned him loose! So I guess he was just registering a complaint at the unfairness of having the strictest mama on the mountain ;).
It is indeed so beautiful. And your incredible photography skills bring all of it to life. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with everything you wrote, and I love the photos! I think Shyla needs sunglasses. My granddog, Flower, a black Lab, visited this past weekend. She walked the trails with me, rolling in the snow that still dots the landscape. We love our mountain home but also like to visit the red rock desert mesas nearby.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful! Love all of the gorgeous flowers☺
ReplyDeleteCould not be more beautiful, thank you ...
ReplyDeleteAn inspiring post and perfect for See Beautiful. Through your eyes we get to see so much beauty we otherwise would miss.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful. Every part of the world has it's own special beauty.
ReplyDeleteBeauty everywhere! Shyla sure found a nice place to cool the paws!
ReplyDeleteOh man, those photos are just beautifuls!!!! I missed the bear postie, I'm gonna go back and check it out! Butts gurl, you look FABulous in the golden light of the desert!
ReplyDeleteSeein' BEAUTIFUL....
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
SEE BEAUTIFUL!!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Your pictures are extraordinary! LOVE the cactus and the level of detail is just amazing! Thanks so much for sharing your eye for beauty with us!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful world!
ReplyDeletelove
tweedles