For the last few years we have been hearing Cordilleran Flycatchers in the garden were we enjoy Friday-morning coffee after a hike in Garden of the Gods. Trouble is they are so small, SO fast, and rarely stay in one place for long, making picture taking tough. Suddenly a youngster seemed interested in people and we started to wonder, who’s watching who?
Colorado Springs, high desert with average elevation about 6,000 feet and average annual rainfall of about 7.5 inches. We have had showers nearly every day since early May, some days raining much of the day. We set a daily rainfall record on June 12 and from January 1 to June 13 our rainfall total is 14.71 inches setting an all-time record. Along with the rain we experience hail, lightening, tornado warnings, and flash flooding. Thank goodness I live on a hill–except for the lightening and tornado warnings 😉 . Pikes Peak experienced an unprecedented blizzard on Tuesday with snow drifts as high as three feet and ice layers up to half an inch thick on the roads. Yes, there were people up there but all survived the ordeal. It has been a very long and cooler than usual spring.
Now for the good news.
It is really windy as we start our hike to the overlook of Upheaval Dome in Canyonlands National Park. Watch your step as we head to this incredible geologic wonder!
We are still dealing with blowing sand and high winds which is blotting out any chance of blue sky. No worries, we’ll get our “blue” in other places–just wait. For now, though, we have only a 1/2 mile walk uphill to Upheaval Dome’s overlook so let’s go.
Mesa Arch at sunrise, one of the most visited and most photographed places in Utah if not the world. Just Google it and you will see beautiful sun stars and landscapes through the 27-foot arch. No worries, we are not going out that early, too much sand in the air from the 24-hours of sandstorms across Utah. No sun stars today, but let’s not miss the arch, up close and personal in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park.
