Along the trail

On July 11, 2020 By Mike and Christy8 Comments

Dancing gently in the breeze these flowers made a walk along this trail one to remember.

It’s a bird?

On July 5, 2020June 28, 2020 By Mike and Christy6 Comments

Well almost as big as a small hummingbird. A White Lined Sphinx Moth working it’s way around the flowers for a quick sip of nectar. The length of that tongue is amazing.

C is for Comma

On June 23, 2020June 20, 2020 By Mike and ChristyLeave a comment

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A short pause is in order today to just soak in the beauty of the Comma, butterfly, that is. One of the earlier butterfly species to grace the skies in our area each summer many of the earlier arrivals we observed actually overwintered as adults. Some finding refuge from the winters freeze deep in crevices of a trees bark.

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Some we found warming themselves collecting minerals from the moist soil on the forest floor.

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Whereas others were often found feeding on the new growth of the trees and shrubs.

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Yes, C is for Comma.

Wildflower Monochromes

On June 17, 2020June 14, 2020 By Mike and Christy1 Comment

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Just for fun another basket of spring wildflower rendered in monochrome.

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Enjoy. WIldflower_monochromes_675612 copy

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The Assassin

On June 14, 2020 By Mike and Christy1 Comment

While checking out the Coneflowers the other day we came across this really cool insect called an Assassin bug.

At one point we found them stalking prey in their world of flowers. The other insect noticed the Assassin on their trail and quickly hopped away avoiding becoming a meal.

Assassin Bugs are ambush hunters that use their long rostrum to inject digestive enzymes into their prey. Their bite is said to be quite painful yet without long term consequences.

So from now on I will be keeping my eyes open and hands a safe distance from this guys home in the coneflowers as summer carries on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduviidae

Glacier Lillies

On June 8, 2020June 1, 2020 By Mike and Christy6 Comments

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Our annual photographic homage to one of our favorite spring flowers the Glacier Lilly.

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We follow their progressive blooming form the edge of the foothills up high in the mountains seemingly ushering in spring in each progressive life zone.

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Beautiful from afar…

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as well as up close.

Hidden gems

On May 28, 2020May 28, 2020 By Mike and Christy5 Comments

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On a recent walk through sagebrush scrub and grassland we were treated to numerous hidden gems along the way. Lupines flowering amongst the grasses still mainly brown after a winters sleep.

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Shooting stars in clusters were dispersed along the way. Never a thick carpet, just a sprinkling, every now and then.

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Bluebells dangled in little clumps…

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and Penstemon light the way.

Hidden gems indeed.

An unassuming walk

On May 14, 2020 By Mike and Christy5 Comments

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Just the grass greening up in a landscape filled with sage and juniper. Quiet, perhaps the sounds of Meadowlarks and Sparrows singing, an unassuming landscape in a quiet place.

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Yet upon closer inspection we were provided with quite a treat. Chocolate Lily – Fritillaria atropurpurea were hidden in theses still greening grasses.

“Chocolate lily, also called “rice root” by Indian people, has bulblets that look like grains of rice. The bulbs grow relatively close to the surface and are easily extracted. Bulbs were dug in spring (before flowering) or in summer or fall (after flowering) using a digging stick, a wooden spade, or the fingers”

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Some were on full display and added a a wonderful splash of color and gave us quite a surprise on what we thought would be a unassuming walk through an early spring landscape.

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