In June I went to Denver for a conference, then to Boulder to visit my Aunt Pris and cousins Dan and Liz. We went on several good hikes- such beautiful country. Also had a nice visit and dinner with a good friend whom I seldom see, now a professor at U C Denver.

Sunday, July 16th, a walk at the arboretum with Dennis to see what was going on in the prairie, which was burned to the ground in March. You’d never guess it now.

Green Dragon fruit

Compass plant

Rattlesnake master is profuse again this year

Paw Paw fruits. No doubt the critters already have their eyes on these, waiting for them to ripen.

And last Tuesday, a hot bicycle ride to work. The rest of the week we have had temps above 100. I decided not to go on a 35-mile training ride this morning- probably would’ve been fine but I’d rather take my first longish ride of the season on a more pleasant day. Tomorrow, perhaps, with a friend.

And today, Saturday, July 22. I have been hearing a young Coopers hawk crying all week long and worried that he or she had been abandoned to figure out how to survibe on her own. But this morning as I was watering the herbs I looked up and saw mom Coopers hawk on the neighbors roof, calling to the youngster, who joined her. No doubt she wants to be fed. It’s a steep learning curve, I imagine, learning how to feed oneself as a youngster. Here, mom hawk is on the right, youngster on the left.