I moved to Red Bell Farm the summer of 2003. On my first trip north on Settlers Trail, I spied one of my very favorite Iowa wildflowers...butterfly weed. Here it is complete with the tiny visitor it was named for. That first summer back in Iowa there were only two small plants along the roadside; today when I took this photo, I counted at least 20!! I think that speaks well for Iowa conservation practices...no herbicides sprayed along roadways to kill weeds. The plant's scientific name is Asclepias tuberosa, and while it is a native wildflower in Iowa, it can also be grown domestically in your garden. It attracts bees as well as butterflies. I like to imagine what the Iowa tall grass prairie must have looked like before the farmers put plow to it...mile after mile of swaying grasses with these lovely orange spots of color tucked randomly throughout.
One of the things I love best about the United States is our diversity. This picture snapped the end of June in Vail illustrates that perfectly. There is Old Glory leading the parade of the worlds' flags atop a balcony loaded with flowers. This scene was at a local cafe, but it shows the international flavor of my favorite Rocky Mountain village. The sun didn't shine here in Iowa today...steady rain fell until mid-morning and it's remained cool, cloudy and breezy all day. The grey weather doesn't dim my enthusiasm for this holiday, though. I'll celebrate tonight with a glass of wine, a hot fudge sundae, and a multiple of sparklers on the back deck! Oh yeah...and the Boston Pops concert turned up full blast. Happy birthday, America!
Here's a riddle for you...click over to Dona Nobis Pacem and read today's entry. Can you guess what the picture is? Do you know what the poem is about?
This blog post is dedicated to Laury who loves 'dancing diamonds.' I didn't realize just how hard it is to photograph these lovely light reflections on water until I tried to capture them last week in Vail. This is Gore Creek which flows through Vail Village. It tumbles and rushes this time of year especially since Colorado has experienced one of the wettest springs ever recorded. I loved how the sunlight danced over the water. Further on downstream and in the middle of town, Gore Creek becomes a playground for both man and beast. It hosts kayak competitions in the early spring and later on this summer, locals will bring their canine friends to play in the water and cool off from the hot mountain sun.
This waterfall is another one from the Betty Ford Gardens.
Yes, I know it's weird, but I frequently ask those close to me this question: "Which to you prefer....still or moving water?" There's no doubt in my mind which I prefer...moving water, hands down. This beautiful little waterfall is only one of several in the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, CO. It made my soul sing to stand on the bridge and listen to the rushing water and feel a tiny bit of its spray brush my face. I love moving water in all its forms...crashing waves on coastal rocks, the gentle lapping of the ocean on smooth, sandy beaches, the gurgling of a tiny brook through an alpine meadow or the rush of icy snowmelt over alluvial rocks left by glaciers long melted. Moving water refreshes me. It matches the restless nature of my soul as it seeks new experiences, new adventures, new ways of being. Which do YOU prefer...moving or still??
I had so many more photos of my week in Vail, but when I got home and saw my hollyhocks in glorious full bloom, I knew I had to share them with you. I picked up a little baggy of seeds at the Winterset Historical Center the first fall I lived here at Red Bell Farm. The woman behind the desk had collected them from her hollyhocks and was giving them away. I scattered them along the front of my house without even digging holes to plant them in. And they flourished!Although many people think hollyhocks are too old-fashioned to plant, I love them! They are big and bold and powerful flowers. Their deep red color looks beautiful against the cream siding on my house. The plants are so loaded with the heavy flowers that they are bending over the walkway to my front door. To me, hollyhocks shout "Summer!"
Would you trust these people with your life? Believe it or not these are all healthcare professionals...managers and directors of air medical programs across the country. They and their staff take care of and transport the sickest of the sick and most critically injured patients. Last night, tho, they were just havin' fun...Western style! Our host, 4Eagle Ranch, graciously provided an instructor who did a great job getting everyone out there and learning the slides, the kicks and the booty-shakin' moves of line dancing. The band was awesome! It was a most memorable evening...even for those of us who only took pictures and video!
It's insidious. It starts with a simple blog and a few entries about your life, your family, the things that you find fascinating. Before you know it, one blog isn't enough; there are things you want to share about other parts of your life--parts that everyone won't find fascinating, but that are important to you. Then one Sunday you have a niggling thought, and a song begins to play over and over in your head. It's a simple Latin round from the 16th century...Dona Nobis Pacem. In the blink of an eye, a new blog is born! I am suddenly the author of a second blog, one that will be filled with another part of my life...the part that searches for spiritual meaning, the part that spills out in spontaneous poems of praise and prayer.
I moved to Red Bell Farm the summer of 2003. On my first trip north on Settlers Trail, I spied one of my very favorite Iowa wildflowers...butterfly weed. Here it is complete with the tiny visitor it was named for. That first summer back in Iowa there were only two small plants along the roadside; today when I took this photo, I counted at least 20!! I think that speaks well for Iowa conservation practices...no herbicides sprayed along roadways to kill weeds. The plant's scientific name is Asclepias tuberosa, and while it is a native wildflower in Iowa, it can also be grown domestically in your garden. It attracts bees as well as butterflies. I like to imagine what the Iowa tall grass prairie must have looked like before the farmers put plow to it...mile after mile of swaying grasses with these lovely orange spots of color tucked randomly throughout.
