Impression Evergreen

The vernal equinox Heralding the supposed start of spring, the vernal equinox is marked by more heavy snow. The struggle continues as southern storms wheel into the foothills leaving huge drifts and bitter cold in their wakes. As the wet flakes finally stop falling, the pine forest interior is a perfect place to experience the frosty aftermath. Somehow, these defiant trees manage to survive in the difficult climate that defines this area. Smothered under oppressive clouds, the forest is more silver than gray with hints of color that flicker in rebellious light. The trees are cloaked in an encrusted web of thick snow that binds to the needles like cement. Limber trunks and branches bow under the immense pressure of excessive weight but they never break. The dark, frozen woodland always seems to bounce back after the elusive blue skies return. The storm’s dispersal is certain to compose spectacular scenery as the mountain peaks start to jut out of a veil of smoky mist. The warmer

Evergreen Lake Trail Tracing the irregular contour of a scenic watershed, Evergreen Lake Trail is a looping artery centered in the heart of the foothills. On a hazy, autumn morning the water’s smooth surface faithfully reflects an unusually emerald-colored sky. Other anomalies also occur as the pall of silence evokes an eerie sensation that is unexpected after such a boisterous summer. During this seasonal transformation, the marshland glows with a sheen of vibrant color more vivid than years past. Surprisingly this watery world has remained fluid well into the onset of another mild winter. The predictable cycle of annual weather seems to have shifted so traditional patterns arrive later than normal, leaving the local inhabitants in a state of bewilderment. A scenic watershed A watery world Cycles have shifted Heart of the foothills A glowing marshland A sheen of color A state of bewilderment

Bergen Park Trail The Bergen Park Trail is a distinct walkway that circumnavigated a very old swath of ponderosa pine forest. The giant trees blot out the sun but some especially resilient rays of light pierce the canopy of sharp needles. The subtle luminescence is responsible for the soft shadows that creep across the summer’s last tufts of tall grass. At the southern section of the green belt, the scenery opens up where a pair of little ponds reflects the scenic backdrop. This mild season seems eternal as there has been hardly a hint of the snow that normally adorns the landscape this time of year. We will wait anxiously for the first big storm that generates the winter weather to which we’ve become so accustomed. Bergen Park Circumnavigates old pine Ponds reflect the backdrop Mild season seems eternal Waiting for a storm

The ranch It’s a smoky dusk in western Nebraska and as the spectral light begins to dissipate, the checklist of laborious chores comes to completion. Life on the ranch is hard as illustrated by battered grain bins and ragged hay bales but at least it’s not winter when the weather is brutal. The rhythm of life revolves around the horse as this beast of burden is indispensable to running a successful cattle ranch. This important work animal must be properly cared for from head to hoof, attending to its nutrition, hygiene and exercise. Weathered boots adorn the fence posts, signifying the passage of another tough year while the smoldering, prairie sunset marks the conclusion of summer. As darkness descends on the home place, the work day comes to an end and the peacocks go to roost.  The horse is indispensable Peacocks go to roost Ragged hay bales Prairie sunset A hard life Life revolves around the horse

Clash of the Seasons While the world is at war with an invisible virus, we have been witness to a dramatic clash between our two most volatile seasons. It is a classic battle between Good and Evil as impatient Spring tries to usher out an unwilling winter. A couple of weeks of warm weather almost wiped out the last pieces of evidence betraying the dark season. Not surprisingly, on the first day of spring, a fierce blizzard destroyed the early vestiges of calm. The next morning was bleak as rising temperatures mingled with moist atmosphere, resulting in a veil of condensed fog. Objects close-up appeared with crystal clarity but as the field of vision expanded, the shapes disintegrated into a screen of nothingness. Wet snow had poured down quietly through the night and accumulated into a heavy pile at least a foot high. The tall pine trees wilted and bowed under the pressure of tremendous weight while smaller ones were smothered in a blanket of flakes. The steely sunrise abs

An autumn excursion September is an unpredictable month that is sometimes warm and sunny, sometimes cold and windy. It’s that slice of the year when the people, plants and wildlife are in an urgent transition as they prepare for the inevitable winter hardships. The weather this fall in the foothills has been mild so the dried grasses are a warm mixture of orange and brown. Most of the aspen trees are just beginning to change but in the deepest, darkest drainages, the groves are glowing bright yellow. During our last excursion, along the forest’s edge, we watched as a herd of elk grazed heartily while the bull bugled theatrically. A family of Abert’s squirrels gathered food furiously and horded it safely in the heights of a ponderosa pine. Most of the birds are gone but a few will stay through the cold including the hardy red-tailed hawk who will extract voles directly out of the snow. It must be the finches’ favorite time of the year as they feed on the seed-bearing thistle