A County First

Colorado holds a few records in the United States: With 6,800 feet (2,073 meters), it has the highest mean elevation among the 50 states. It is also the only state whose entire area lies above 3,280 feet (1,000 meters). El Paso County, where we live, is the most populous of Colorado’s 64 counties, based on … Continue reading A County First

Bedewed is Bejeweled

As I’m leaving Woodland Park behind me and driving north on Colorado State Highway 67 early on this August 18 morning, layers of mist hover over the damp meadows that border the road through this high and wide mountain valley. This summer’s monsoon season has been even more generous to neighboring Teller County than to … Continue reading Bedewed is Bejeweled

Ab Ovo

Unless one is into raising chickens or other poultry, the opportunity to watch a bird develop ab ovo—from the egg—doesn’t come along every day. Up until my encounter with a pair of jelly bean–shaped hummingbird eggs during a hike at our local Cheyenne Mountain State Park on July 4, which I shared with you here, … Continue reading Ab Ovo

The Taste Of Summer

If someone were to rummage through our recyclables, they would notice an inordinate number of empty grape jelly jars during the summer months. Do we have a sweet tooth? Yes. Are we responsible for the consumption of these vast amounts of jelly? No. So who is? It’s actually several members belonging to our avian garden … Continue reading The Taste Of Summer

Miracles Come in Small Packages

Out of the corner of my eye I see a fluttering movement in the green of the forest and when I espy a hummingbird, I’m not surprised, as there are a number of species who bless us with their presence during the summer months. My slightly nonchalant sensation changes once I watch this female dive … Continue reading Miracles Come in Small Packages