A nice bouquet of wildflower left uncut yet not unnoticed. Above: Richardsons Geranium.
These Alpine Forget-me-nots were only a few inches tall yet still swaying tightly as the wind was blowing that afternoon.
Some blooms were just starting others were wide open.
Blue flower melding with a bright blue sky were also on tap.
The Forget-me-nots not only came in blue but in white and grew no more than 2-3 inches tall.
Happy Friday and wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Our annual tribute to a perennial favorite wildflower of ours Painted Brush or Indian Paintbrush if you will. The plant belongs to the genus Castilleja of which there are over 200 documents species in the Americas. With 24 species in the Rocky Mountain region and with of those species nine in our local area we are always noting the subtle differences in colors, texture and shapes among these beautiful plants.
This years photos were taken on a hike up an alpine ridge with this beautiful orange-red variety being most prevalent that day.
Until we meet again.
Campion or “bladder” flower is one of those weed or wildflower flowers. Our local agricultural extension classifies it as a nuisance. We have several species in our area and this one is either a Bladder Campion: Silene latifolia or Parry’s Campion: Silene parryi. My untrained eye is unable to distinguish between the two and even if it is a weed it is a fine looking weed.
Just above tree-line we encountered a wonderful alpine garden. Innumerable varieties of alpine wildflowers packed to the gills growing in rockiest of rocky soil most only inches tall.
It was had to traverse the path up the ridge without an ill feeling of stepping on these wonderful flowers. 
So we just settled down close to the ground and photographed a field of flowers that seemed a universe unto it’s own. 
Wishing you a wonderful weekend and hope you can all enjoy a bit of time outside.
Granted no one wants ants in the pants but ants in the plants is another thing all together. One a fine summer day the ants were just as abundant as the wildflowers along the trail from the Rocky Mountain Penstemon pictured above to…
the Townsends daisies and Larkspur…
and the Painted Brush.
It’s not so bad to to have ants in the plants.
Gentle and elegant Wild Blue Flax dots the the west from prairies to alpine meadows and happily this summer we have seen our fair share
Either growing with a Townsends Daisy in a meadow…
or short as can be in an alpine rock garden.
A treat of summer and always a welcome sight
A Tri-Colored Bumble Bee getting acquainted with a Purple Coneflower. Although the introductions were awkward the date was a success.
There she was a beautiful Triteleia Grandiflora just hanging out minding her own business.
When who should appear and sit down beside her…
But this small little spider.
They make a fine couple don’t you think?
Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend.
The wildflowers were still singing and the music was sweet as sweet can be.
A symphony of yellow and purple as color was transformed to sound this summer day.
Happy Monday and wishing you a wonderful week.
An Ornate Checkered Beetle climbs the milkweed in search of pollen and his efforts are fully rewarded.
nature has no boss 
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