Enjoy your Spring Blue Sky Day!!

Enjoy your Spring Blue Sky Day!!

     We are blessed in SW Colorado with many days of sunshine per year.  Along with roughly 300 days of sunshine annually comes the bright blue sky!  Nothing like it to bring cheer and good will.

Spring View of North Animas Valley Durango, Colorado

              Spring View of North Animas Valley Durango, Colorado. Photo by Ian Simon.

     SW Colorado has awesome mountain views in almost all directions.  Beautiful Durango is surrounded by 3,000,000 acres of national forest and twelve mountains over 14,000 feet tall.  A river runs through town.  In this photo you can see the North Animas Valley and a sliver of Animas river meandering through.  Animas Mountain (to the left) overlooks this verdant valley.  

     The greening fields are planted in alfalfa.  Fun fact: Did you know that La Plata County produces some of the finest Alfalfa in the world.  I once heard that the Queen of England herself purchases alfalfa for her stables from our area.  I asked Richard Ballantine if the story was true.  Richard said it was as his neighbor down the road from his farm supplied the contract.  Richard is an expert on alfalfa… winning the blue ribbon for the best alfalfa in the county.  As the alfalfa starts to grow it attacts an elk herd that loves to forage in this abundant environment. You can hear them bugle before you see them.  We also hear the permanent colony of Canadian geese, honking from their river home.  Eagles and hawks fly through the valley.  Bears forage as they wait for apple orchards to produce.  Our local wildlife is spectacular.

     When I first moved here, fourth of July weekend, 1995, I thought I had found God’s Country.  The first hour I was here I looked out into the north valley and thought that it looked like God’s hands holding the pastures.  A double rainbow appeared.  Through the years I have seen many rainbows in Durango…  like this double rainbow I captured in my yard.

Double rainbow

                                        Durango double rainbow photo by Sam Rose

       The majesty of the mountains with green trees growing on the sides of red cliffs is awe inspringWe all are blessed to visit here and more so for lucky Durango residents.   

        We live surrounded by natural beauty.  In spite of the pandemic we need to get out into the sunshine and fresh air every day.  As we spend just five minutes or more out in the natural goodness, it does help us relax and reduce stress.  Enjoy your Durango Blue Sky Spring Day!

Sam Rose

 

 

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