Fossil tree

Last Saturday I rode the motorcycle from Arvada to the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Florissant Colorado. It was a great ride. I didn't know until I got there that there was a motorcycle rally in nearby Cripple Creek on the same day.

I'm on the right. On the left is a 34 million year old petrified redwood tree stump.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Florissant, Colorado.

34 million year old petrified tree rings.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Florissant, Colorado.

I like to take photos of clouds.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Florissant, Colorado.

Laura Ingalls Wilder never lived here.
Hornbek Homestead, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Florissant, Colorado.

Blue moon

I went out to photograph the sun setting over Eldorado Canyon Thursday night which also happened to be the night of the full moon. I was confident there would be a nice sunset because there were enough broken clouds there was also a lot of dirt, smoke, and water vapor hanging in the air. I really struggled to get anything usable but was able to snap a few good shots. I'm still finding my way around the Canon 70D but I'm not sure what was causing me so much trouble.

Sunset over Eldorado Canyon with the Canon 70D.

Facing east with the Canon 70D on a tripod. I used exposer bracketing to build an HDR image but chose only one of the photos. You can see the dirt and smoke in the air.

I took this photo just before sunset because I thought it was pretty. I used the Canon G15 point and shoot in HDR mode facing south. That land is on the other side of the highway and use to be Rocky Flats.

Funeral for a fireman

I watched the funeral procession for Denver fireman John Whelan Tuesday morning and took these photos.

Rocky Mountain Columbine

Conjunction

Conjunction of the moon, Jupiter and Venus. Venus is on the right.
June 20, 2015.

At the park

Blue Heron face off


Dwindling goslings started with 8 now there are 2


Domestic Mallards gone feral

Sunset at Arbor Lake

We need a little beauty today. Sunset at Arbor Lake, Arvada, Colorado.


Selfie in the park.

Lightning, thunder and hail! Oh my!

Lightning, thunder and hail over Arvada. This is about a 1/2 hour after video below. I brought the camera inside, then the cat and I went downstairs until the worst of the storm was over.

Lightning storm over Broomfield. This is second attempt at recording; I didn't have the camera set to video mode on the first attempt. (Note: this clip requires JavaScript to be enabled.)

Out for a spin

I took the motorcycle out for a spin this morning. I took Hwy 93 through Boulder to Hwy 66 east of Lyons then traveled east past Longmont to US85 at Platteville. I went south to Fort Lupton then west on Hwy 52 through Dacono to Hwy 118 at Niwot and rejoined Hwy 93 in Boulder. I stopped for lunch at the Sonic Drive Inn in Westminster and got gas across the street. It was a pleasant 120 mile ride. There were a lot of bicyclists on the highways today.

To art or not to art

Draw and paint from a photo.






Oh, it's not that bad.


Photo of Longs peak and Boulder flatirons from Standley Lake.


A value (light/dark/grays) sketch I made while there.

It's an ashtray!

It's an ashtray!
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It's an ashtray!
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Still life from photo

I'm not disappointed. I got the colors a little off but overall I'm happy with the result. Oil on canvas.

I will never forget !

Matthew Shepard died 16 years ago today from injuries he suffered five days earlier in a brutal hate crime in Laramie Wyoming. I will NEVER forget !



 

To Albuquerque and back

Last week my sister and I took a trip to Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. My sister arrived Sunday evening and we went out for a late dinner. We left Arvada Monday morning and stopped in Colorado Springs to lunch with our cousin Dick. Dick and his wife Terri are missionaries. They have traveled and lived all over the world. After lunch we took a tour of Garden of the Gods park. They grow really big rocks there.

Balanced Rock, Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Our great, great grand father, Edmund G. Ross, was Governor of the New Mexico territory for four years (1885 - 1889.) While he was Governor he lived in a house called Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe. It's not actually a palace - in reality it's a one floor adobe building. The building has a lot of history behind it and is now part of the New Mexico History Museum. There were a lot of people milling about and I didn't think is was very picturesque so I didn't take any pictures.

We went into the Loretto Chapel and saw the miracle staircase.

Spiral staircase, Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

We also went into the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The Basilica is very attractive.

San Miguel church was being re-mudded and didn't appear to be open. I would like to have seen more of Santa Fe and toured some of the museums but we both tired out fairly quickly, and most attractions charge an entry fee.

We toured the ruins in Pecos National Historical Park which include the remains of a Pueblo village, kivas, and a spanish mission.

We planned to spend a night in Albuquerque but turned it into a fast round trip instead. We visited Edmund's grave site, ate lunch, gased up and started back to Colorado.

I enjoyed the trip even though it was fast paced. I would like to have spent a few hours in Walsenburg, taken highway 12 around the Spanish Peaks into Trinidad, view the history in Trinidad, see Fort Union and spend some time in Las Vegas, NM. Unfortunately, I have to admit I don't have the energy or the money it takes to make such a trip.

Out walking

The Rocky Mountains as seen from Arbor Lake, Arvada, Colorado.

Oh deer!

The deer are in velvet at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.

Buck deer in velvet


Doe with fawns

360 degree horizon

Full moon rising

I've had bad luck taking photos of the moon. These are the best one's yet! Someone suggested my problem was caused by vibration when the mirror in the DSLR flipped up; they suggested I try locking the mirror up and use a time delay shutter or a remote. I figured out how to lock the mirror up and a used 2 second delayed shutter. I also tried a range of shutter speeds and ISO's.

Full moon rising over Arbor Lake, Arvada, Colorado.

The day begins