first spring nature walk

nature always seem to capture my imagination, whether its the designs in dead tree bark, the shimmer of sun on water or the first sign of life hidden in the debris of autumn. i'm constantly amazed by the aesthetic wonder and creative genius nature has to offer if we are willing to be patient.

i've been away for a while. isolating before it became recently fashionable. introverts look at the world differently, and this is the lens thru which i view and live life.

this past winter was difficult, the cold keeping me inside more often than not, rusting my ancient bones in place. so when i finally found a sunny day in between colorado's mini blizzards, i wound up on my usual adventure trek through the local sawmill pond preserve, wherein i took a few hundred photos. i'll share a few of my favorites here.

_{still mostly wild winter grasses and bare trees as i meandered along the many paths}

_{wild strawberries from last season hiding along the embankment}

_{orange lichen grow as a field of wild flower on this empty canvas of bark}

_{a limpet like dried up flower still retains some natural grace}

_{the first vibrant signs of spring, buried under a layer of yellowed grass}

_{spiny cactus hides underfoot, the yellow spikes blending in well with the grass}

_{talk about sticking things, you'd never guess what this innocuous little plant can do}

_{stickems come in all shapes and sizes; the dried seed pods attach to clothes and need to be picked off one by one}

_{remains of last years harvest}

_{desert flowers amaze me with the way they spawn wind seeds to self propagate}

_{the secret life of water plants}

_{the magic of water alludes to an untouchable world below the surface}

_{water can look light and gentle or dark and deep, but always mysterious}

_{peaceful is best, when the last light of day plays along the shimmering ripples}

_{i call this one fingerfalls because the wood paints ghostly fingers of water cascading into a cold plunge and spray}

_{most people consider wood static, but bark has an energy of its own in the slow of the grain}

_{each piece can by a thumbprint, a sculpture or a masterful work of art}

_{still others can mimic the fossilized bones of the ancients}

a gorgeous sunset to finish an enjoyable day, despite the dystopian world of human crises. still, life goes on. and in it we find the peace we need for the coming days ahead.