It’s Thursday and yesterday was quite an interesting day. I managed to get my taxes to the tax preparer finally, only today I need to gather a few more things because things changed so much in 2009.

I’m up early this morning to get a head start on a day, which like yesterday, is full of potential for falling apart in a spectacular way.

So, today’s photograph is a picture of a cactus flower. I don’t know what kind of cactus, but it’s pretty common here. These beautiful blooms are paper thin and delicate and almost transparent when the sun hits them just right.

I saw it one day when I was stressed and in a real hurry to get out of here. As I was pulling out of the driveway, I saw a splash of color in my cactus planter. I stopped the vehicle, got out, got my camera and shot this picture of a gorgeous pink cactus flower.

There’s some history behind my enjoyment of these flowers. One June day (I think it was in the 90s), my ex and I went for a drive up Unaweep Canyon. When we got to Gateway, he headed west on a road that took us through a valley. As we traveled further into the little valley, I noticed that the valley floor was covered with color. That color was these blooming cacti. Completely covering the ground, on either side of the road, were spots of bright pink (like the pink in this picture), spots of bright yellow, and then what appeared to be a mix of those two colors—a light peachy orange. I think that was the first time I’d seen that variation, although it does show up around this area, too.

I’ve never seen a valley floor covered with color like I saw that day. Of course, I haven’t been up that road again at that time of year. I think, also, that was one of those things, accidental and perfectly timed.

That was one of the last times I went camping with George because of his penchant for scaring me with the terrain in which he chose to drive. At one point during that drive, I like to tell how he had a five-foot wide vehicle on a four-foot wide road. It was a switchback road, sandy and unsolid, and it included a shear drop. Eventually, I got out and walked until it looked safe again. I’m really not even sure why I went there with him that day, except that he had a way of guilting me into doing things I’d rather not. I love it outside, but he made it frightening for me, so I didn’t like going with him. This trip was the trip that solidified my resolve not to go with him again — and I don’t think I ever did.

In any case, when I saw this flower, smiling from the planter that day, brightening and lightening my day a great deal in the process, I was reminded of that June afternoon many years ago. Since I didn’t have a camera at the time, it is only a memory.

I need to get on with this day. I have a lot of work to do, and I have time to make up from yesterday’s personal difficulties. I have to ask some questions also, to move forward with some work.

I hope today goes more smoothly.

Cheers!

It’s Monday morning and I had a good weekend. The sunrise was pretty red this morning, so I thought I’d try to capture it. I really need a new camera. I’ll just have to figure out how to make that happen.

I had a strenuous walk on Saturday after an aborted attempt to hike Serpent’s Trail on the Colorado National Monument. I could have done it, but the person I went with didn’t feel well. I then walked the Audubon section of the River Trail on the Redlands. It felt so good it was hard to turn back. It was sunny and there was a cool breeze that kept me from overheating. Before getting back to the car, I was stung by a bee. That thing swelled up pretty interestingly, but it went down. Now it itches like crazy. Windex seems to help. Shades of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

It was my plan to get some fall color pictures Saturday and Sunday. After my walk Saturday, I went to Ouray and started heading up Red Mountain Pass. THAT is INTENSE. Even though they don’t really provide any real protection from plunging to the bottom of that ravine, guardrails seem to say “safer.” I stopped a few miles up to check out a map to see what was on the other side of that pass and I couldn’t see how to get back in good time without maybe navigating that pass in the dark. So, I’d like to go over it, but I’ll need to start out earlier, with a clear destination. By the time I headed away from the house after dinking with my camera, I really couldn’t decide exactly where I wanted to go. I should have just gone to Paonia and hit a couple wineries. I’m sure the colors would have been as good, if not better, than what I saw in Ouray. In any case, I took no pictures. Not sure about colors this year. What I saw was more dry and brown than lush and turning gorgeous shades of yellow, orange, and red.

I still have big plans for color shots. Perhaps I’ll head up over the Grand Mesa sometime this week or weekend, and see what I can find. Also want to go to Mud Springs and over, as well as travel up Unaweep Canyon to Naturita, Nucla, Norwood, and then over to Ridgway. Got lots of driving to do before the first snowfall. But, any more, I really don’t want to be home all the time.

So, with that under my belt, I need to get my day and week started here. Have lots to do. Am glad to still have a job.

Happy Monday!

I won first prize at PALS (Palisade Art Lovers Show) in 2008 for this photograph. I took this photograph behind the Butterfly Pavilion in Grand Junction, Colorado. After a snowfall, the sky cleared and the sun appeared and I went out to find some pictures. This seed pod was perfect and in its dampness, a rich and shiny brown that caught my attention. I composed this shot by placing the pods on the cleanest spot of snow I could find.