Mountain Majesty in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado

The sky was a beautiful blue with white puffy clouds when we headed down the mountain. The view was snow capped mountain tops as far as you could see. The air, even though summer, had a raw bite that reminded you with each step that you were at the mercy of a landscape that had no mercy or pity for your human frailty. It is a feeling of smallness and at the same time a feeling of being connected to all the wonder about you.

A storm front approached and it was time to leave lest we be reminded again of our short comings. I looked up just in time to see the approaching clouds create an angle that matched the mountains perfectly creating a zig zag window in the vista. Do you see it? Then in an instant the clouds obscured the amazing view and we retreated to safety below. I hope you enjoyed this little diversion and my newest black and white photography.

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Mountain Majesty
The rugged Rocky Mountains of Colorado rise up to touch the storm clouds creating interesting matching angles. View from Mount Evans, Colorado
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Sunday Morning Gallery - Black and White Photography Part 1

I do not work with black and white photography often although I admire the work of other photographers immensely. Because of being inspired by the wonderful black and white photography that I have seen I have been playing with some of my own photos recently. I hope you will tell me what you think. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Sunday Morning Gallery - Song of the Flower

Many talented poets and writers have written about flowers so today I will share a favorite of mine.


Song of The Flower

I am a kind word uttered and repeated
By the voice of Nature;
I am a star fallen from the
Blue tent upon the green carpet.
I am the daughter of the elements
With whom Winter conceived;
To whom Spring gave birth; I was
Reared in the lap of Summer and I
Slept in the bed of Autumn.

At dawn I unite with the breeze
To announce the coming of light;
At eventide I join the birds
In bidding the light farewell.

The plains are decorated with
My beautiful colors, and the air
Is scented with my fragrance.

As I embrace Slumber the eyes of
Night watch over me, and as I
Awaken I stare at the sun, which is
The only eye of the day.

I drink dew for wine, and hearken to
The voices of the birds, and dance
To the rhythmic swaying of the grass.

I am the lover's gift; I am the wedding wreath;
I am the memory of a moment of happiness;
I am the last gift of the living to the dead;
I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow.

But I look up high to see only the light,
And never look down to see my shadow.
This is wisdom which man must learn.

- Khalil Gibran

Canadian Geese

I really love Canadian Geese. Living near Fort Collins, Colorado, I am very aware that many consider them pests. Fort Collins is home to more than 10,000 full-time residents and about 100,000 migratory geese. They poop everywhere and they especially love to frequent golf courses. And then there is the recent plane crash that Capt. "Sully" Sullenberger landed in the Hudson River. Yes, Canadian Geese were the cause. But all that said I admire their beauty, their antics, and their monogamous nature.

A friend of mine who used to hunt geese told me he had to stop hunting them. After shooting one unlucky bird the mate kept flying overhead honking and would not leave the area after the rest of the flock flew away. He was so touched he gave up hunting.

Adult geese are also great parents often seen leading their goslings in a line, usually with one parent at the front, and the other at the back. While protecting their goslings, parents often violently chase away nearby creatures including humans by giving off a hissing sound and giving chase. And believe me, if you are unlucky enough to be chased by a goose, you will run!

Abstractions in Nature

Abstractions in nature always catch my eye. I'm always the first in my family to see wildlife and I think it is because I see patterns in nature. If there is an interruption in pattern it draws my eye everytime.

On a cold winter morning I happened upon the graceful feather prints left in the snow by a wild turkey flapping its wings. It took me a couple minutes to figure out what I was looking at but a nearby prehistoric looking footprint tipped me off.

Rose hips are a favorite subject of mine and the green background set them off perfectly.


























A summer walk along the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park found a beaver pond just as the sky opened with a gentle rain.



























Woody stems from last summer poke up through the crusty snow to form shadows of an ancient alphabet.




















A Colorado blue sky framed by tumbleweeds catches the flight of a single raven.

Seven Things You May Not Know About Me

I have been "tagged" by Beholden to Nature to share seven things you may not know about me. So here we go.

1) For the last ten years I have lived in an off-the-grid home. We have our own solar power system, a deep rock well (literally) with water that tastes like snow, and no utilities except propane for hot water and back up heating. Our main heating is with wood from our 40 acres of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir trees. We are official forest stewards through the Colorado State Forest Division and manage our thinning of the forest with moderation and care. Contradictory to popular impressions of this lifestyle, we do not lack any modern conveniences nor do we use kerosene lamps.

2) I actually grew up in Ohio. But my love for the West goes way back!






















3) My photo of our golden retriever, Champ, was featured in the Sierra Club's Daily Ray of Hope.

4) I lived in a van by choice for three months with my husband and three year old daughter in the summer of 1980. We traveled over 3,000 miles.

5) From 2000 to 2007 my husband, Ric, and I collaborated on the first blog to ever appear on DenverPost.com. We called it "The Colorado Journal" and it documented our daily life living off-the-grid.

6) I am a voracious reader. I love award winning literature, pulpy genre fiction, and nonfiction equally depending on my mood.

7) The best friend I ever had was a dog. My forever girl, Keota.

Sunday Morning Gallery - For the Love of Trees

I live in a world surrounded by the beauty and peaceful nature of trees. I see them first thing in the soft blue morning light after a fresh snow. I see them outside my antique window, the only one that occasionally gets frosty. I see them on a misty spring walk with the forest floor a rare emerald green. I see them in the evening after a thunderstorm has beaten and tossed them about only to see them still standing tall even in their death. And I see them peeking through wisps of fog as the whispers flow up hill and around their mighty trunks like a cat brushing a leg. To live in a world of trees is to find the heartbeat of nature and hold it close as a lover until your heart and theirs beat together.