Rain, Sun, Mountains

Today is the official solstice (actually, the exact moment was at 5:45 GMT this am- but I wasn't awake). We have had an unusual amount of rain here in Colorado this spring, and things are feeling positively midwestern. It is green in places we don't expect green, my vegetable garden is going nuts, the wildflowers are blooming (and so are the bugs). Considering that we live in high desert (really- check the average rainfall), it isn't feeling very desert-like this year. But that does make for some nice images. 

The one above was taken at Cottonwood Lake last week. We were on a family camping trip. This lake is only a mile or so East and about 1000 feet below the continental divide. The trees have just turned green up there, and the flowers were just blooming. It rained almost every night. This shot was taken early in the morning after the clouds had almost burnt off.

All the rain has some things blooming that we don't normally see much of this time of year. As we drove home through South Park last Sunday (yes- its a real place with real people, though we didn't see Cartman), there were huge bunches of Columbine along the side of the road. I have never see the state flower in such concentration. 

The shot above is of a columbine just about to bloom, taken on a very damp morning up by Cottonwood Lake.

Oh yeah- today is also Father's Day. Thanks Dad. And thanks to all the fathers out there.