sunrise and the morning star

greeting the dawn

Sunrise at Great Sand Dunes National Park, Thursday August 23, 2007

hide-and-seek

Back to Belmar Park and some photos of Kountze Lake. The drenched vegetation added an extra chill to the already cool air. I walked towards a cottonwood out on an island that was filled with cormorants, sitting quietly in branches. One flew off to an unknown location while the rest stayed.


I watched as I heard the honking of a flock of geese approaching and flying overhead to land with great splashing reverie across the lake.

As I headed back to the car, I came up rather close to a Great Blue Heron. Herons are notoriously shy. They NEVER stick around for you to photograph easily. This fellow was the exception. I kept creeping closer and closer and he just kept walking about looking for food. He even played hide-and-seek behind the willows.


Today I am off on another adventure – a week at Great Sand Dunes National Park for some work.

Photo Friday: Old

just a little hint of things to come

back to work - grrrrrr

taken yesterday morning on my walk around downtown Denver just after sunrise

This morning at the lake, most of the geese were sitting quietly on the water, not making their usual ruckus. It was so peaceful that I decided to join them....sort of!

There is a place at the end of the lake where the water comes in that is lined with boulders. You can walk down them to the edge of the water and sit almost at "goose level" I am always careful when I walk on these big rocks - I have slipped and almost fallen many a time on the ice that accumulates in the cracks and pockets when it is cold. You've heard of black ice on the roads. Rocks can have the same thing - it is a very good idea to avoid it here!!

So I spent a peaceful morning shoot - watching the colors change - not trying to decide where to be - just being here!

Back at home I notice a very common feeling - why do I always feel alert and ready to face all of my weekend chores - NOW THAT IT IS MONDAY & TIME TO GO BACK TO WORK??? Does anyone else feel that way?

Which way should I go?

Some mornings when I arrive at the lake, it is totally quiet and the surface of the water is as smooth as glass. I may hear geese somewhere across the lake or see a few lines of current and varying shades of color in the distance. But it seems almost as if Mother Nature is holding her breath in anticipation of the beauty that is about to unfold.

This morning was quiet; I saw no one for the first minutes. However still the air seemed, the surface of the lake was crisscrossed with lines of motion. How could that be with the air so still? Unlike some mornings, there were many geese riding the current, arranged in lines stretching out across the entire lake surface.

It seems as if the lake has an energy of its own.

A peach glow stretched out across the horizon and I could anticipate an approaching intense color in the bands of gray clouds. At 1.2 miles around, it is not possible to be everywhere around the lake for a good photo angle when the color is at its best. Every morning is a game of which way should I go? You may see me hurrying west with a brilliant sunrise behind me as I rush to a spot that I know will be best – or - possibly off to the east to carefully descend those old remnant steps to the lake surface for a view of sunrise glow on the surface of the water with the lavender sky above the front range mountains in the background.

For you see, there really is something special about every view of the lake.

going with the flow of the day

It was one of those mornings when one thing led to another. I drove to a park that overlooks the Denver skyline. The sunrise seemed gray at first and a possible wash-out but I summoned some patience and finally, the clouds put on a beautiful display.

Instead of heading home right after sunrise like I usually do, I decided to take photos of some buildings that I have had my eye on for some time. One place was an old brick tower/smokestack surrounded by the newer hospital. I am a little nervous about photographing when I am not working under the cloak of darkness. As I was walking around taking photos, a man approached me and asked if he could help me. It seemed like a strange question since I was clearly taking photos. I told him that I was just taking photos and asked him if he had a problem with that. From his response I guess you could say that I didn’t make a good first impression. My question to him came out much more defensive than I had intended. I guess I blew that first chance!! He just walked away with no further comment.

I wandered around another building and saw that I was taking photos of an old hospital built in 1939 that was now part of the newer hospital complex. On the front were three panels of painted murals, now almost completely faded/deteriorated to just faint outlines of people. My curiosity was quite aroused. Who painted these murals and why had they been allowed to deteriorate to such a sad state? I waited for the morning light to shine on all three before leaving for home.

On the way home, I noticed a big red double-decker bus advertising, “Party-Buses” I laughed because this bus was so run down and seedy looking. Now would you want to rent a party bus based on this??

At home I did a little Internet searching and found that Louise Emerson Ronnebeck painted my murals in 1940. These and most others of hers have not survived. I found reference to a biographical portrait of her and emailed the journal to request a copy. Within 10 minutes I received an electronic copy of the story of Louise’s life. Talk about instant gratification! I am still curious though – I want to know more.

I’ve come to the end of my weekend, happy with the experiences I had yet just ever so weighed down by all of the chores that I didn’t get done. Oh well – that is what lists are for…

Green Mountain from Golden Hill Cemetery

I am spending my days and week-ends revisiting old haunts for sunrise and getting my house in order. You see what is like leaving your home in the care of an 18 year old boy for two months! My home really didn't fare too poorly but there is still a lot of cleaning and de-cluttering.

We are entering a little monsoon weather phase. Thunder storms and gentle persistent rain are a welcome change. Extra moisture in the air results in beautiful clouds - all day long.

A refreshing time for the soul.

Photo Friday - Wet

tiny treasures adorning a sandbar in the Rio Grande

(must get on hands and knees to enjoy!)