MISC

JAN AND I- our shadows near the shadow lake damn (of course, Im the shorter one! )

MISC is the he name of the folder on my computer that holds 161 photos that haven't fit into any other trips or blog posts over the last few weeks.

MUSHROOMS, like this babe Amenita and Russala Emetica (both poisonous), are slowing down dramatically; I believe that the flush that all this precip. and warm weather will be the last. Still haven't found any oyster Mushrooms!

I strolled up the east inlet in the snow and rain- the clouds were thick and dark. I was turned around by a trio of bull moose- two had nice antlers and a mean face: the third was more like a joke! His two tiny, blunt points were lookin' like a pair of wooden spoons!

Its been interesting watching the moon- something Ive never paid much attention to... Just two weeks ago, we watched it fall into the west as just a sliver- during sunset. Last night I witnessed a full-moon phenomenon that light the forest for hours- ending in the west at dawn!

The PARRY GENTIAN above is one of a handful of common gentian species- its large, colorful flowers are pretty, but I think I prefer the dull Alpine species.

..... I get lost on the trails alot around here- through the park there seems to be a complex web of stock trails and closed ones that seem to be shown on NO map. You can often find signs, though multiple arrows for the same trail and NO trail signs can be a bit confusing!

We've had a marvelous chain of the most brilliant sunrises and sunsets! Each display is different from each other and each is always beautiful! Aside from such an event, if and when I stop or pull over on trail ridge road (hwy 34 going through the park) to take a general landscape, stream or plant photo, I am always joined by a long line- sometimes dozens- of park visitors. The hopeful tourists get out of their cars and trucks, or simply roll down the windows, and will often become disappointed and confused when I tell them what I am so focused on. These people are just sad; I was asked just two days ago about good places to view moose in the park. My reply was quickly interrupted as I explained about the short hikes up the North and East inlet trails- the NJ visitors were not willing to exit their vehicles (I was told that they were afraid of the mountain lions and altitude sickness accompanying every local walk.)