In search of...flowers!

Over the years, I've seen so many pretty wildflower/landscape photos from this one area in CO, so I finally looked it up to see if would be a doable destination for me.  Turns out A. Basin wasn't that far away - just a couple hours or so.  So me and Zou hit the road, ready to check out this iconic location.

 Past Lake S. C.

 Such a pretty, dramatic day.

 On C. Pass Rd.

 Such awesome mountains - and weather!

 Not a bad homesite...(although a bit of a trek for groceries and stuff...!)

 Creek paralleling C. Pass Rd.

 Where the road starts to get good (ie, you could fall off the side if you're not paying attention...).

 A little swampy...

 A little rainy - 

 - A LOT beautiful!!

 Destination:  A. Basin.

 First things first - dog stop!

 Back in and continuing on into the basin a little ways more.

 Overall, I was a little disappointed that the flowers weren't more...  But I think that's because Colorado has SO much - it leads to very high expectations!!  But it was still super pretty, and to be fair, the flowers were pretty numerous...

 A couple other folks enjoying the day and the place... 

 I had been hoping for more columbine - these were the flowers I'd most associated with this spot from the photos I'd seen.  And there were a few little bushes, but it looked like elephants (aka tourists with cameras - yeah, like me, I'm afraid!) had been tromping through the field in general, the flowers no doubt suffering as a result...

 Another visitor...(a cute one!)

 And then there's you know who...

 ...Zou!

Atta girl!

Saying good-bye to the basin. 

 On the drive back out...

 I thought I saw something in these willows...  Yup, sure 'nuf!!!!  QUICK, get that long lens on!!!!!!!!!  And get back to some kind of vantage point!!!!  Because...that's a moose calf in there!!!!!!!!

 But...be careful, because...that's Momma right there!  A very watchful momma...!!  You can bet she's ready to go, so you'd better be too!!  (actually, just don't push it so that she feels compelled to give chase in the first place!)

 Find the two brown spots - mom and babe (don't know if that's the same calf I first saw who then moved, or if there was a second one...).

Other people I know have seen moose in this area too, but right on the road - easy prey for the photographer!  But me?  Nah, I gotta find the ones where the only parts visible are an ear and maybe an eyeball...!

 Yes Mom, I see them too!

 Great skies on the way back.

 Another very nice house (close to where that other one is).

 River flowing into Lake S.C.

Back at the BMR - almost "home!"

Walking the dog...

 And now, we're back to my favorite subject - my little Zou girl!  And back to our favorite local walking path...!

 Ever-patient, posing yet again for her mum!

 Pretty flowers, pretty Zou.

 A Zouhock, Zoumallow, Zoustemon, Zoupine, Zouspur,...?!  A Zou by any other name smells just as doggy good!!

 Zou surveys the terrain ahead...

 ...and over there looks and smells pretty good too...!

 Her and her shadow...

 My partner in crime - and practically everything else!

 My HunnyBunny.

 OK, time for a flashback...

Yes, you've come a long way baby!  (funny, doesn't really look like the same dog, does it?  But she was cute as hell back then and is such a pretty, sweet girl now!!)

 More flores!  (think these are white campion)

 Oh look!  Who's that?!  Yup, Mama's Girl again!

 C'mon.  She's a beaut, ain't she?!  (even if some think she's a BOY dog...  She IS pretty handsome, but females can be handsome too!  Yeah, Mommy's biased to be sure, but that's my job!!!)

 Another view of the pretty ditch...

 Zou checks some of her p-mail...

Back across the bridge, back to the car...

Night light

The need to get out and explore hit again this one day, but it struck in the late afternoon.  It was partly inspired by the cool storm clouds - always the potential for good photography lighting...  So out me and Zou went.  Not knowing where we were going...we were just going...

 A pretty barn along our route to wherever.

 We found a dirt road.  No idea where it went.  Was kind of late and getting dark (although partly just because of the storm).  Always a gamble...but usually one worth taking!  The clouds pretty much closed in so no wow sunset or cool lighting, but we did have to stop a couple times and try for some lightning shots!

 I LOVE lightning and thunder!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was a little worried about where we might be, just because I really didn't want to have to backtrack.  That would get us home pretty late - Bill would be wondering what the heck happened to us.  But those of you who truly know me know I have a bit of a wild hair, as they say...  I'm sure I inherited it from my dad.  So we kept going, and I kept hoping that this road would get us to something I recognized, and ultimately get us home.  We were headed in the right general direction - but that could mean nothing whatsoever...!  If the road petered out or took a sudden 90 degree jog, as often happens!

But, as luck would have it, we finally came to a spot I DID recognize!  We wound up connecting with that road Zou and I had explored a couple of weeks earlier - right near the rock park.  Phew!  Bill wouldn't need to call out any search parties tonight   ;)   (fortunately, he knows me well enough not to do such a thing - I always come home, just maybe not in the expected time frame...).