Colorado Hike with my Son

I went on a hike yesterday at Matthews Winters Park near (in?) Morrison, Colorado with my son and dog.  It made me appreciate what a beautiful state we live in. 

This first shot seems to epitomize, to me, Colorado's foothills at their finest.  The cobalt sky, green grass, red rocks and colorful wild flowers show off why the southwest is known for its colorful vibrance.  Oh, and the little guy and his dog on top of the rock - Denver's active lifestyle.  Okay, okay, I'm missing the snow-capped grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, but I almost captured it all!

It was late afternoon when we began our hike and the sun was at a beautiful angle in the sky, lighting up the hillside and making the seeding dandelions glow.  We were interrupted by a brief, light rain that's a common summertime occurance in the Denver Metro area, that made the whole scene glow even more beautifully.  This shot is after the rain.  (Note to self: Invest in an umbrella - yes, even in Colorado.)

We passed several hikers, many other dog-walkers, bicyclists and these two boulderers.  Welcome to Colorado - did I mention we're an active bunch?  So likely many of you are just hearing about bouldering for the first time.  What they're carrying on their backs are not heavy duty backpacks for a month in the wild.  They are bouldering pads.  Think of gymnastic pads you can carry on your backs. WHY?  Rock climbing large boulders that are too low to warrant tying into a rope and harness, but nobody's looking to hurt themselves on purpose.  So they arm themselves with padded landings and a partner to spot them and push or pull their fall to the pad. 

The boulderers passed by my son and dog on the path and commented on my son's excellent trail etiquette as he pulled the dog to sit out of the way and told the boulderers, "have a nice day!"  Lupine growing in the foreground.

How could I resist with a little kid and dandelions seeding everywhere?  Had to be done...

A Yucca plant in bloom.  I'm fascinated by these in general, and this particular spray of foliage was too appealing to pass up.  I love how this turned out with the surrounding tufts of little flowers like a bouquet.  And the yucca's sharp points are always photogenic and dramatic.  But the look of the photo somehow has an antique, soft feel to me. . .  The cloud cover, the pinkish tint of the Yucca blooms. . . I didn't expect as much from this shot when I took it, and now I love it!