There is something about this simple picture of one of our favorite fishing holes during a recent snow flurry that just mesmerizes me. Even now I can almost feel the cold right down to my bones and my nostrils search for the faint fragrance of sage that perfumed the air around the pond.
My computer's online connection has been out of commission for several days so I totally missed the call for this month's Round Robin Challenge but I'm going to submit an entry anyhow because the theme is so fun. I'm not good at setting up posed pictures, but I think these ones actually came out pretty well. The models are, of course, my children.
Check out all of the other participants by clicking here: Round Robin Challenge, Super Model
With my computer offline I have not been inspired to go out with my camera until this morning. I drove to the pond immediately after dropping my daughter off at school. I went straight to the grove where the whitetails bed down but they were nowhere to be seen. In fact, with the exception of a couple of squirrels and a few birds, there was little sight of any wildlife at all. My disappointment was short-lived though. I love being out in the wild as the world is waking up.
I never get tired of the view of Pikes Peak, as you may have noticed by now. Ironically, for as much as I love the mountain, I have only actually been to the top a few times because of my extreme fear of heights. Now I will only visit the summit if someone else drives for me, the road is too winding, narrow and close to the edge of the mountain for my comfort.
Pikes Peak in 2006. The snow is slowly melting and rumor has it there won't be any new snowfall for a few weeks. The one thing I miss about my old house is the view I used to have of the snow blowing off the top of the Peak on windy days. Now I come to the Ponds to enjoy the view, but I don't mind in the least bit.
A nesting box stands vacant in the half frozen water, but the Canada geese have already returned and hopefully by late spring there will be a new generation of geese in the ponds.
A sleepy cottontail kept me company when I went for an early morning stroll at the Bluestem trail. It has already gotten its nice warm winter coat on but it seemed to be enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. It wasn't the least bit shy, and even hopped a little closer to investigate the sounds made by my camera.
