Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center: May 2020

With COVID-19 restrictions being relaxed yesterday, it was time to get back to some nature and take some pictures. As an added bonus Taryn agreed to come with me as long as she was allowed to bring Ginny, which I of course had no issue with.  Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center allows dogs on a leash, so that's where we headed.

Much of the trail system is still flooded from spring rains, so we didn't get to walk a full loop.  I decided to focus on getting some wildflower shots for iNaturalist as a record of what's in bloom now, starting with this Western Horsenettle.

Engelmann Daisy

Japanese Honeysuckle, which I could smell well before I could see it.

A fortunate spot just off the trail -- a ton of pill bugs going to town on a fallen log.

I was granted my customary one picture of the daughter.  I still vividly remember the hikes we took together back in the summer of 2008 after I left the Broncos, when she didn't mind having her picture taken so much.

Pink Evening Primrose

False Dandelion

Texas Thistle just starting to bloom.

Orange Sulphur nectaring on a Pinklady, with a tiny beetle I didn't even notice in person.

This Eastern Phoebe really wanted me to leave so it could eat.

It only took us about an hour to walk the trails that aren't flooded.  I'm blessed that my teenager is still willing to do this stuff!  Some of it likely has to do with six weeks of quarantine, but I'll still take it.

Hot Springs National Park, Part II

Click here for Part I.

Our arrival at Hot Springs National Park culminated with a beautiful sunset.  So I decided to tempt fate the next morning and see if we could catch an equally beautiful sunrise.

Taryn and I got into the park before 6 a.m. to hike to Goat Rock.  The skies looked promising en route, with a crescent moon peeking through the trees along the trail.

We were once again rewarded with wonderful colors in the sky, and a vantage point that provided some nice top framing from overhanging branches.  I eventually reached up and snapped off the one in the upper left without any needles that sticks straight down and ends in a little "Y."  I wish I'd done it sooner -- it distracts me a little in this otherwise nice shot.

We waited as the colors faded and the sun emerged over the hilltops so I could get my obligatory solar flare shot, then headed back.

I'm honestly not at all sure how Goat Rock got its name.  It looks nothing at all like a goat to me.

Blooms were emerging on a few hardy plants here in late winter.  Not surprising given the warm temperatures this season.

Taryn agreed to clamber up this tree trunk for a portrait, though I ended up preferring this candid shot of her "in action" to the ones where she ended up posing.

The clouds had thickened by the time we got back to the trailhead.  So I didn't get nice golden light on Gulpha Creek like I had right after sunrise.

Clouds or no, I'm always going to stop to shoot waterfalls and cascades.  They're like pretzel bites on a restaurant menu for me -- pretty much irresistible.

So we were 2 for 2 on sunrises and sunsets to start the trip.  I promised Taryn that with that sort of success, I wouldn't make her get up that early again over the next few days.  Seemed like a fair deal for a 12-year-old girl who agreed to spend half her spring break driving around Arkansas and Oklahoma with her dad. :)

Hot Springs National Park, Part I

Taryn and I made the five-hour drive from Dallas this past weekend to another national park I'd yet to visit -- Hot Springs. It's actually the closest national park to us, but it still took me more than a year to get to it. I may have just been saving the last one within reasonable driving distance.

We first headed to the top of the park's Mountain Tower, which Taryn insisted we climb up rather than taking the handy elevator.  Fortunately it's only 216 feet tall, and I've still got enough Colorado in my blood (and lungs and legs) to make that with no trouble.  The mid-afternoon sun was still pretty high in the sky, so the light was fairly harsh.  But the view back down to the town itself was still nice.

After heading back down to Bathhouse Row to check out the visitor center, we decided to hike out to Balanced Rock for sunset.  Twilight was already starting to descend when we hit the trail.

A short 1.4-mile walk got us to our vista just in time.  Sparse clouds and smoke from what appeared to be some controlled burns were showing promise for a colorful display.

Taryn took up position on the outcropping and left me to mess around with my equipment.  Her way of enjoying a sunset is certainly simpler.

There was an interesting division in the sky where the color just stopped abruptly for no obvious reason.  I've got no good idea what could have caused it, but it was an interesting effect.

I regretted not bringing my gradual neutral density filter to balance the exposure between the sky and the ground a little better.  But I still thoroughly enjoyed the scene.

After the sun dropped below the horizon I grabbed a quick shot of the lichen on the rocks.  Without a tripod, I never could have gotten this shot.

Nor could I have gotten this last one of Balanced Rock itself.  The light was well and truly faded as we began our return trek, and we were using the flashlight on Taryn's iPhone by the time we made it back to the car.  But it was good to get in a workout after spending most of the day driving, and a beautiful sunset is always a worthwhile reward.

More to come!

Colleyville Nature Center: April 2015

The kids have a four-day Easter weekend, and I didn't want them to spend the entire first day of it inside glued to a glowing screen of some sort. So I dragged them down to the Colleyville Nature Center, where I'd had an enjoyable first visit back in February. I figured it was close enough so we didn't spend a ton of time in the car getting there, and it took just 20 minutes. And it's small enough that we could walk through the woods and ponds fairly quickly, which we did.  In fact we were only there for an hour, but that was partly due to the mid-80s temperatures that we Coloradoans still aren't quite accustomed to. Heaven help us in July and August...

Fun sighting right off the bat -- a Texas Spiny Lizard, who decided to puff up and give me a push-up threat display as I was snapping his picture.  Amazing how well he blends in with the tree bark, other than those blue and orange patches.

Taryn wasted no time finding a tree to climb, then emphasizing just how "pro" she is (her word).

Dandelions gone to seed are pretty.  But I'd still rather not have them in my yard.

Some American Wigeons are still with us, though I suspect they'll soon be heading to their breeding grounds in the northwestern part of the continent.

And now, your moment of zen.

Ain't no party like a red-eared slider party!  I'm still a little surprised at how quickly turtles sunning themselves like this will typically jump in the water.  But I suppose it beats being wrong about my intentions and getting eaten.

The damselflies know it's spring, too.

Like I said, a pretty short visit.  But it's nice that this place has been preserved in the midst of so much development, and that it's so close to home!

Wichita Mountains NWR Scenery, Part II

Click here for Part I.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge wasn't all just receding lakes and controlled burn areas. It actually had some of the mountains referenced in its name, as well as some other surprises.

One such peak is Elk Mountain, which Taryn and I took the opportunity to climb.  A 2.4-mile out-and-back trail with 590 feet of elevation gain to the 2,270-foot summit.  And a windy trail at that.

The summit was so windy that I couldn't get a decent scenic shot of the surrounding landscape, even with a tripod.  But I'm more than happy with this alternative.

The refuge has an area called the Holy City of the Wichitas which I'd never heard of, but found really interesting.  Tucked away in southeast Oklahoma is a replica of what Israel is believed to have looked like during Biblical times.  It's the site of the country's longest-running Easter play, which was watched by a record attendance of 225,000 people in 1939.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out where they'd put that many people.  Or how they all could even hear the production back then. But I couldn't help but be impressed at how faith had moved people to create and maintain this place and this tradition.

We timed out our day carefully to end up at the top of Mount Scott for sunset.  I haven't seen many of these from summits.  I clearly need to try and do so more often.

I liked how long the sunset lasted.  In Colorado they're more abrupt as the sun drops behind peaks.  This one lingered and allowed us to savor it.

We had the chance to go back up Mt. Scott for sunrise the following morning.  But I decided to change it up and shoot from the shore of Lake Elmer Thomas instead.  The Photographer's Ephemeris helped me find just the right spot.  Taryn wanted me to make sure to mention that she actually took this photo -- as in, she pushed the button on the remote after I had the shot composed. :)

It's always a special moment when you see the sun actually break the horizon, and feel its warmth on your face.  I always feel blessed to experience it, and hope that never changes!

Wichita Mountains NWR Scenery, Part I

First road trip since our move last month -- a weekend visit to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.  It may not be at its most beautiful in January, but I needed some wide open spaces.  Preferably some with charismatic megafauna. :)

Fortunately, I brought some charismatic megafauna of my own.  Taryn isn't always eager to go on these little expeditions.  But she is always a joy to have along when she does come.

Mixed-grass prairie is an unfamiliar ecotone for me.  It's going to take me some time to learn how to properly "see" it.  But beautiful wispy clouds I understand wherever they may be.

Quanah Parker Lake was pretty low.  But the dead plants on the exposed shoreline provided a nice foreground for a shot of it.

I saw this smoke on the west shore of Burford Lake.  I was on the east side, so I couldn't get close enough to see what it was.  A couple of kayakers arrived and speculated that it was a smoldering log, and the burnt ground all around it did appear to have suffered a recent fire.  I called it in to the visitor center to be safe, but they didn't seem especially alarmed.

As I traveled further I understood why.  There had definitely been a very recent fire, with several remaining hot spots.  I walked onto the charred earth through a smell fondly reminiscent of a backyard barbecue to reach this lone tree.  I don't know if it will survive.  But I respect it for at least appearing to be trying.

The sun was high and harsh.  But it still created some nice sparkles on the water flowing into Burford Lake.

Lost Lake had some Canada Geese.  They clearly weren't as habituated to people as the ones from our old TrailMark neighborhood.  But it was still nice to see some "old friends" even if only from a distance.

Caddo Lake I got to early enough on Sunday morning that the scene wasn't completely washed out.  But the starkness of the dead trees and rocks and the ripples on the water made me feel that texture trumped color and go monochrome.

Click here for Part II.

Dayton Area

Zak, Taryn and I flew up to Ohio to visit my mom and her husband this weekend. The trip was a great, relaxing visit.  It's awesome for the kids to spend time with their grandparents, and vice versa.  And we got out to visit some area attractions and snap a few pictures!

Every time I see thistles I'm drawn to them.  Their color, texture and the way they stand out from their surroundings always catch my attention.

Visiting the Miamisburg Mound on Saturday was very reminiscent of our time at Brú na Bóinne in Ireland, a comparison I definitely pointed out to the kids.

The closest NPS unit is the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, which commemorates both the Wright Brothers and poet Paul Laurence Dunbar.  On the overcast day, blooms in the community garden made great photo subjects.

A whimsical garden decoration fit perfectly with the site theme.

Taryn commented that these blooms looked like they'd been tie-dyed.

Our day wasn't done, as we swung by the Aullwood Audubon Center to take a short walk on one of their trails.  Rains from the previous night had still left droplets on some of the wildflower petals.

The kids enjoyed the chance to skip some rocks in the Greater Miami River.

Sunday morning Taryn and I went searching for a place to shoot the sunrise.  My mom had mentioned that the Taylorsville MetroPark was especially pretty, so we went there.  We had to park outside the gates, which didn't open until 8:00.  Then we hiked a short trail to the river, which I neglected to anticipate would be too low and too wooded for seeing the actual sun break the horizon.  Nonetheless, the mist made for a striking scene.

Taryn commented that the park reminded her of Costa Rica.  I know she was referring to the humidity and dense vegetation, which was epitomized by things like a mushroom growing from a fallen tree.

Driving back to my mom's house over the Taylorsville Dam I noticed that the mist we'd seen earlier down on the river was even thicker.  So I pulled over to see if I could get a view with the sun in it from this higher vantage point and was rewarded with this gorgeous scene.

Today we made one more visit to the Aullwood Audubon Center before catching our flight home.  Taryn and I took a brief walk through the woods that included something irresistible to her -- a fallen log over a body of water.

A wonderful time with family, and wonderful getting to see some beautiful parts of the Dayton area!