Water and flowers

Flowers bloom all summer long. Different flowers... But there's a moment in midsummer when the water lilies open up and create a colorful tapestry on the surface of ponds and lakes... And that's the perfect time to take a stroll and admire these flowers.

 

Fast falling water... waterfall!

With the really hot days here in Denver, everyone is looking for a way to escape it... at least on the weekends. So, a couple of weeks ago, we decided to do the same and searched for a place to go. The Lost Lake hike came to mind, and we settled on it. I did this hike a few years ago (click here to see it - Lost Lake hike) and really liked it. I didn't remember it being especially hard, but this time we decided to do only a part of it.  The goal was just to get to the waterfalls and relax there for a while...

 

Mostly white... and yellow ;)

I don't have a real explanation… but when I reviewed the flower photos I took at the Botanic Garden, I realized that most of them were white... and yellow. Just a few were other colors, mostly purple or pink. I guess I didn’t intentionally choose a color palette, I just captured whatever caught my eye but still, it was an interesting observation.

 

Pine Valley Ranch Park hike... the second part...

The first half of the hike was easy (you can check it out here to refresh your memory - Pine Valley Ranch Park hike... the beginning). Walking along a flat trail beside the stream was pure bliss. But soon I asked myself: Am I really ready to head back home? And the answer was simple - nope. So instead of returning to the trailhead, I turned right onto a winding trail that disappeared into the trees, luring me toward some kind of adventure. (Right - no, I didn’t look at the map and had no idea where this trail might lead me.)

 

In full bloom

Yep, the flowers are in full bloom now. And every time I wander around the Botanic Garden, I am enchanted by all this beauty...

 

Pine Valley Ranch Park hike... the beginning

I am always looking for some places to escape the summer heat, and sometimes I find some real gems... Like Pine Valley Ranch Park, which I found and explored last week. The trail starts with a crossing of the North Fork South Platte River, and the bridge doesn't make my heart beat faster...

 

Wild, bright and bold. Right, the FLOWERS of Summer!

I love flowers. Any flowers. No exception (okay, you get me, almost no exceptions)... But summer flowers are a special treat. They are bright... they are wild (even when they grow in  gardens) and they are bold... They are special :) And this Prairie Sunflower is one of them. It grows everywhere and attracts not only my attention, but also ton of bees and flies :)

 

Sunday, Mountains, Clouds, Sun, and Rain..

Saturday night, we checked the forecast for Sunday and quickly realized we had to go somewhere. The choice was clear, either stay in Denver and roast, or escape to the mountains and stay unroasted and (relatively) cool. Unsurprisingly, we were ready for a quick getaway. After all, who enjoys being seared by the blazing sun?

We considered a few spots and settled on a short hike at Kenosha Pass. Not too far, but far enough. Not too high, so we could stay below the tree line, but high enough to enjoy cooler temperatures. So the next morning, after an hour drive, we arrived, unloaded, and took in the scenery. The high-altitude meadows and mountain ranges looked amazing… but the sky stole the show - it was CLOUDY!