merlin

Good light, but sunshine is not necessary. These were taken yesterday with overcast skies.

After more than two-and-a-half months, we hiked off trail up to the rock cliffs in the Nature Preserve. It was a wondrous experience to be amongst the ancient trees, amazing rock formations, lichens, cacti, shrubs, and incredible vistas. We wound up taking a more strenuous and exhausting route, being on the lookout for photographic opportunities, and the stillness, solitude, and magnificence of Nature was deeply moving.

You are the shiznit, George!

Marvelous photographs of amazing Nature scenes, George!

Impressive, to say the least!

😍

What is the name of the mountain range, George. Excellent photographs, as usual!

About 300 days of sunshine. It is rare for it to be overcast for more than two days in a row.

We set out mid-morning for our first ever winter visit to the canyon. The narrow, twisting road had a fair number of scary icy and snow-covered patches, but Diana's bad weather Michigan driving skills were up to the challenge. There were very few places to stop due to the snow banks, but we found a spot near the Terrero General Store and walked back to an old bridge with a path that went down to the river. The tall trees (Douglas fir, Colorado Blue Spruce, Ponderosa Pines), shrubs, rocks, and snow-covered hills were a wonderful backdrop for the rushing waters. We walked a bit, sat by the river, and drank in the marvels of Nature.

The cottonwood leaves start out as a light minty green in early spring, and then darker green until the gold of late autumn. Here a few of the aspens from a few years ago.

Amazing colors, Jerry! The best out here are the golds of the aspens and cottonwoods in autumn, and the scrub oaks.

More snow already this winter than in the past 20 years! But with the steep and curvy mountain roads, we are limited to nearby walks and not so many excellent photographic opportunities, unlike your amazing mountain shots.

Wonderful and inspiring set, George!