Staunton Park or Lazy Chipmunk Saga ;)

Staunton Park is a great place to spend a few hours hiking and looking for wildlife. Going there, we hoped to see some Abert's Squirrels but... we were not lucky and didn't even catch a glance of them... But I shouldn't complain, because other squirrels were not only there, but were also ready to pose ;)

 

Scottsdale - the West's most Western town

Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, the city was incorporated in 1951 with a population of 2,000. At the 2020 census, the population was 241,361.

 

Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix

It was a long day - we hiked in Sedona (click here to see - Sedona - Cathedral Rock hike) and stopped to explore Jerome on our way back to Phoenix (click here to explore - Jerome AZ, the town with a story...). So the next day we decided to take it easy and enjoy something within the city. We chose the Desert Botanical Garden as it promised a lot to see. As the spring season begins to bloom, the Desert Botanical Garden is transformed into a wonderland of vibrant colors and unique desert flora. The garden's 140 acres of stunning landscapes and winding paths provide the perfect backdrop for a day of exploring and appreciating the beauty of the desert. In late April, the garden is in full swing, with a variety of plants in bloom and wildlife making their presence known.

 

Jerome AZ, the town with a story...

The hike to Cathedral Rock in Sedona (click here to see it - Sedona - Cathedral Rock hike) was great. Amazing scenery and nice weather... what else can you ask for? On our way back, we decided to take a longer route and see a small town of Jerome, which is about an hour from Sedona and occupies the slopes of the mountain and climbs up to the sky...

 

Sedona - Cathedral Rock hike

Saguaros looked absolutely amazing (click here to see - Saguaro National Park - King Canyon and Gould Mine hike) but we got toasted while hiking there. We also had other plans and wanted to explore somewhere cooler, so the next day we drove north to explore the Sedona area. Located at 4350 feet (shut up those who live in a mile high city, I know how you feel about such silly elevation ;) ) Sedona offers a pleasant coolness (compared to Phoenix). Known for its red sandstone formations and vibrant colors...

 

Saguaro National Park - King Canyon and Gould Mine hike

Saguaro National Park is home to an impressive number of saguaro cacti... By the way, while talking to a ranger, I found out that they pronounce it as sa-WAH-ro ;) But... regardless of how you pronounce it, you will find a lot of them there... and they are truly magnificent...

 

Yellow and green...

And some red ;) It is all about flowers and leaves...

 

April snow, flowers and leaves...

This Spring is different. It is colder than usual and almost nothing blooms even though it is almost May. But it was not the same a couple years ago... By mid April everything was in bloom already... Until we looked outside one morning and couldn't believe what we saw - a fresh blanket of snow covering the beautiful blooms and leaves

 

Big and small

The last time I shared images of Denver it showcased numerous skyscrapers dominating the city skyline. Look here for yourself - Skyscrapers or Denver we don't always like
However, not all of downtown Denver is soaring towards the heavens. There exists a variety of small buildings, with many not exceeding three stories.  For this post, let's take a stroll along the streets of downtown starting at the intersection of Welton and 20th St. This location is just a short walk away from the city center and provides a unique experience in contrast to the skyscraper-dense downtown.

 

Black and white...

And this is not what you imagine when you hear "black and white". I mean it's definitely about black and white, but about white and black birds, not about movies, photos or chessboards ;) And these birds are black and white in their own beautiful way.

 

The rodeo

Finally the interlude was completed and the main event began. Actually we had never been to a rodeo before and had no idea what to expect. Our seats were far away so we had a hard time seeing what happened on the far end of the arena... But later, at home when I looked at the pictures I realized what a drama we were witnessing that day.

 

The day before...

Yep, this is the day before the time when all flowers are in full bloom. The day when the buds are ready to open, but still waiting for the right time...

 

Rodeo - the beginning - Cheyenne Frontier Days - Part 2

We left the Indian village after the dancing stopped (click here to see - Dance, dance, dance... - Cheyenne Frontier Days) and moved closer to the arena, where we planned to watch the rodeo. The rodeo is held every day at 12:45PM during the 10 days of the Cheyenne Frontier Days.

 

Irises and tulips in the Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden in Spring is a perfect place to spend a few hours. The flowers are in full bloom and it's impossible not to admire them.

 

Dance, dance, dance... - Cheyenne Frontier Days - Part 1

The last full week of July is an important time in Wyoming. The Cheyenne Frontier Days event lasts 10 days and attracts a lot of people. And one of the attractions is the Indian Village, where you can learn about the life of the tribes.

 

Warm and nice day in Roxborough Park

By this time we no longer doubted that Fall had come... Frosty mornings but sunny days. The air was warm during the day but cold in the late afternoon (and especially in the mornings). The trees were mostly bare and the grass withered. Warm clothes took place on the hooks and were used often.... Fall time...

 

City park birds and animals...

This is an early spring and everything in the parks is waking up. The grass is getting greener every day, the buds are about to blossom... And all the animals are even more active and are constantly looking for something tasty... Just look at this squirrel that is looking hungrily at someone who passed by with a hamburger in his hand ;)

 

Flower, ants, butterflies, bees and flowers again

Just some more bright subjects. Mostly yellow, I guess...

 

Teton Park - just passing by...

Click here to see the last part of our Yellowstone adventure - Yellowstone Park - the last part, I guess...

Next morning we woke up early and immediately left the hotel and headed back to Denver. We stopped by the Yellowstone river and looked around. Last night snow powdered the ground but by morning it had almost completely disappeared.

 

A day of cormorant's life

Gorgeous black bird with a long neck, orange accent and green eyes... Double Crested Cormorant is a large waterbird... You can meet this bird near rivers and lakes throughout the States - they are widely distributed from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico.

 

Yellowstone Park - the last part, I guess...

Click here to see - Yellowstone Park - upper half of the Mammoth Hot Springs - Part 8

It was already around 2PM and we were tired. We had some lunch and refueled ourselves. But it didn't help much. We were full of impressions, overwhelmed by the places we saw and could hardly take more of it. So the rest of that day was kind of fuzzy and foggy.

 

Flowers of the mountains

Flowers are beautiful, aren't they? But they are especially good in the mountains. They are simple and intricate at the same time...

 

Yellowstone Park - upper half of the Mammoth Hot Springs - Part 8

Click here to see the bottom part of the - Yellowstone Park - Mammoth Hot Springs - Part 7

As I mentioned earlier, 10 minutes to drive and we stopped at the upper parking lot not really that far from the place we just left. We walked a few steps on the boardwalk and froze... Because everything around was covered with bright white snow... Snowy fields.... Hills of snow... but... how could it be? We took a closer look and found out that it wasn't snow at all, but salt and minerals. 

 

Yellowstone Park - Mammoth Hot Springs - Part 7

Click here to see the morning start - Yellowstone Park - on the road from here to there - Part 6 

At some point we found ourselves heading out of the park. No, we didn't plan to leave just yet, but we wanted to see the gate in the Montana entrance. And... I have to say the gate looked really worth driving an extra half an hour to see it.

 

Yellowstone Park - on the road from here to there - Part 6

Click here to see - Yellowstone Park - Grand Prismatic Spring and Old Faithful - Part 5

It was a long day full of impressions after a mostly sleepless night so the following night we slept like a log (or better to say as a wood-pile ;) ). Next day in the morning we left the hotel early and were on the road again. First we stopped at the Upper Falls again and stayed there listening to the sound of crashing water...