Boulder does not keep it secret that flower color combinations always look amazing! Are these ongoing happy accidents of nature? NO! Nature has a plan based upon everything from bio-diversity to pollinator eye appeal. Complimentary colors yellow and purple are everywhere including in flowers. But why? Flower color combinations within a single flower always look […]

Our classic Boulder fireworks show, and the shows of our neighbors have evolved over the years. What was once the province of explosives, rockets, and colorful loud displays of pyrotechnics has morphed. While the “classics” are still extant, these classic fireworks shows have been influenced by safety, fire prevention, and common sense. Does that mean […]

Boulder is a perennial challenge. The winter’s lows can be VERY low for days at a time. Summer heat and desert dryness challenge everything that grows except cactus. In spite of the challenges, there are plants that are beautiful and perennial. Unlike annuals, as beautiful as they are, the perennials get planted once! I love […]

My favorite hikes have involved 3000 vertical feet. All of them almost to the foot, 915 meters. NOT LONGS! Longs is an imposing 5000 vertical feet of walking, 1525 meters. 14 miles, 22,500 meters round trip walk from the parking lot. Whether you are someone who jogs to the top in a bit over three […]

Boulder is in the center of world for many things. Denver lies 40 minutes to our South-East. To the immediate North-West, about the same distance away, lies Rocky Mountain National Park: a gem by which the sparkle of all other gems is measured. Once upon a time, before COVID-19, getting out of the park was […]

Our Photographer of the Month, Gwen Dordick and her hiking partner Lundie Guerard were in familiar territory at Brainard Lake. They are both photographers in this blog. From the parking lot to Pawnee Pass, 3000feet, 915 meters, above the parking lot. They are quite familiar with Long Lake, Brainard Lake, Isabelle, and the others passed […]

The cycle of a flower and fruit’s life is integral to the beauty we watch as flowers form form buds, develop into flowers, yield fruit, and finally reach the end of their life cycle as drying color and dropping petals.                                                An Iris in full bloom, with the inner working plainly visible The life cycle […]

The reintroduction of wolves in Colorado has been a contentious and complex issue, marked by a delicate balance between ecological restoration and human interests, particularly those of ranchers. After being extirpated from the state in the 1940s, gray wolves were officially reintroduced in Colorado following a 2020 voter-approved initiative, aiming to restore this apex predator […]

Sometimes the pictures speak for themselves. Words are superfluous! Educationally, discussing pollen, pollinators, honey bees, and more, while important and interesting, are perhaps less important than the visual images alone. I see these bee pics as falling in that category. Honey bees are essential pollinators, playing a critical role in the ecosystem and agriculture. These […]

Hibiscus Indoors Still Knows It’s Time To Flower Greeting the day with blooming flowers, indoors or out, is a great way to start the day. Inside: Hibiscus. Outside: Iris. The Iris is about three feet tall! The Hibiscus is perhaps 5″ across a single flower. The Hibiscus close-ups/macro pics are a wonderful presentation of the […]