As we are enjoying the four* different species of hummingbirds that frequent our garden each summer (well, mostly enjoying, except for their regular acts of aggression towards one another—mostly by males, they just can’t help themselves), I think back to some truly enchanting encounters with these marvels exactly one year ago. In early August 2025, … Continue reading Hummingbird Magic
When you arrive at your campsite and are greeted by this kind of critter, you know you are in trouble. Firstly, because you realize that their cuteness will constantly pull on your heartstrings, tempting you to give in to their incessant begging for food, despite your conviction that it's bad for wildlife to feed wildlife. … Continue reading Rascally Rodents
2026 invites us to brush up on our rudimentary Latin (my apologies if yours happen to be fluent). While we might need to remind ourselves of the meaning of the words sesqui-centennial (1 ½ times 100), e.g. 150 years of Colorado statehood, or semi-quin-centennial (1/2 of 5 x 100), e.g. 250 years since the Declaration … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!
When Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929) was invited to teach Chaucer and early English drama during Summer School at Colorado College in Colorado Springs in 1893, she could not have imagined that her brief but profound experience on top of Pikes Peak, our local landmark mountain, would inspire her to compose a poem which, in time, … Continue reading Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose: Katharine Lee Bates
Hello friend, It has been my intention for many months to write to you but I have struggled to put pen to paper—or fingers to keyboard. Personal, family, and global turmoil have left me feeling uninspired, uninspiring, and cynical, and I’m afraid this letter will not be upbeat. I have long been debating whether to … Continue reading Hello Friend
tanja britton 