Hiking the Wheeler Trail - My World

Over 2 days, my friend, Mary, and I hiked portions of the Wheeler National Recreation Trail.

Leaving from my house, we followed the sun-dappled Burro Trail to the junction of the Wheeler Trail.

The Wheeler National Recreation Trail is about 15 miles long
It reaches a high point of 12, 500' in elevation.

Spring runoff and rain create lush greenery along the trail.

We crossed small, still mountain streams.

At a few spots, we had to "walk the plank" to cross the swollen Spruce Creek.

This bright red bug was hiking, too, but avoided the wet spots.

The higher we climbed,

the wetter the trail.

Finally, at about 11, 500', the trail turned into a creek from snow melt.

All the moisture was good for early wildflowers.
(King's Crown and Buttercup)

We sat in the high alpine meadow to rest and watch for wildlife.

Mary spotted a bear foraging high on the hillside.

We also saw a herd of deer.
If you click to enlarge, you may see a deer standing on the snow about half way up the bowl.

After our break, we approached Francie's Cabin.
(I posted about a winter snowshoe to Francie's on March 13.)

The cabin is part of the Summit Hut System.
It sits at 11, 260'. It's not open to summer hikers.

We realized at Francie's that we needed to get back to tree-line.
A storm was brewing to the South.
We made it home just as the first claps of thunder heralded another downpour.
These trails and mountain vistas are a part of my world.
To visit others' worlds, click My World Tuesday in sidebar.

Evening in Breckenridge – Sky Watch

Watch the clouds:

Foaming and billowing,

Sinking onto the peaks,

Dispensing moisture,

Casting a soft twilight,

Offering a flaming exit...

As the sky says

-Goodnight-

These are my recent evening skies

in Breckenridge, CO.

To visit other skies around the world,

click on the Sky Watch link in the sidebar.

Parts of the Whole – My World

The forest is beautiful after all the spring rain.

An assortment of ground cover

creates a woodland carpet

in a multitude of textures,

beautiful colors,

and fanciful shapes.

Moss and lichen decorate rocks,

sometimes appearing like mortar

in the cracks.

Moss creeps up the aspens.

Stumps turn silvery.

Can you see a heart here?

Little cups form to catch moisture.

Or, just the opposite -

look like miniature umbrellas.

With any luck, this tiny seedling

will grow to look like this.

Welcome to my world -

where small things are a large

part of the majestic whole.

To visit other people's worlds,

please click link in sidebar.

Some Reflections - Sky Watch

Life is often harried and tumultuous.

Caught in the chaos,

we rush along, never stopping

to find a focus.

We need to remember
to take time, sit calmly...

- Contemplate -

Try to see the big picture.

Clear our minds.

- Reflect -

Discover the answers
lying just beneath
the surface.


To visit other skies around the world,
click on the link in the sidebar.

Small Wonders - My World

I live at the edge of a dense forest
on the fringe of a vast wilderness.

Most of the time,
I focus on small wonders.

Their sum adds to the total of my world.

When the sky turns blue after days of rain,

I take my cue from the Gray Jay
who knows these woodlands well.

I choose to follow this curvy path
through the spring-green forest.

As I climb higher,
the beaver ponds still hold a thin skin of ice.
Snow frosts their edges.

The willow bushes are budded
with their new furry coats.

The ground is spongy from snow melt and rain.
The puddles support their own ecosystem,
reflecting small wonders back to me.

Finally, I notice this Globeflower
peeking from a shelter of leaves.

Just a bit further and more Globeflowers appear,
watered by the spray of Lehman Creek.

Their delicate beauty is
another small wonder.

Paper-thin, they survive
and seem to glow.

Offering their paleness to the morning's chill.

Soon I see Violets beginning
to raise their heads.

Soaked with rain and wet with dew,
they lend their purple magic to the day.

On the way home,
an early clump of Paintbrush

Saturates the day with vivid color.

I see that the Arnica
has begun to bloom...

Bright as sunshine on the forest floor.

But, the biggest surprise...

Fragile beauty and perfect symmetry,

A small cluster of Calypso Orchids.
Rare - I have never seen them
in 20 years of hiking this trail.

I fall to my knees in the wet dirt
to see their faces more clearly.

Small Wonders!

My World wouldn't be complete
without mentioning the fox.

Jumping the rail
to peer in my windows,
I guess I'm one of his small wonders.

To see other worlds
both large and small -
click the link in the sidebar.