For humans, the term snowbirds designates individuals who try to escape winter and snow by moving to warmer, more temperate climes for a period of time. In the avian world, John James Audubon applied the name Snow Bird (Fringilla nivalis) to what has since been renamed Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis). Etymologically, both species names are … Continue reading Snow Birds
Nature speaks more eloquently than words and here are some wintry impressions (or expressions) from two different January visits to one of my favorite local destinations, Fountain Creek Regional Park, where Fountain Creek reigns supreme and showed itself from its fabulously frosty side. To enlarge a photo, click on it.
I will occasionally re-publish an older post under the heading Throwback Thursday. This one first appeared here on February 15, 2017. I decided to re-post it today as Jim Bishop, visionary castle-builder extraordinaire, died today, November 21, 2024 at the age of 80. RIP, Mr. Bishop! 🏰 🏰 🏰 🏰 🏰 🏰 🏰 🏰 🏰 🏰 … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: A Castle in Colorado
The last time I checked, Colorado was not considered a Nordic country. Yet rumor has it that our state has become home to a pair of trolls, those mythic beings of Norse mythology. Though many of the fabled trolls are considered mischievous or even maleficent, some have been known to be benign and beneficent, and … Continue reading Meet Rita, the Troll
When it comes to fall foliage in Colorado, Quaking Aspens (Populus tremuloides) garner most of the enthusiasm, and rightly so. But the majority of the state’s aspen grow only in the higher reaches of the montane zone between 8,000 and 10,000 feet (2,400 to 3,000 meters) and their glory is often short-lived. Fortunately for those … Continue reading An Ode to (Scrub) Oak
tanja britton 