Morning photo: Who says there’s no wildflowers?

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Drought isn’t stopping the show!

Fireweed blooming among beetle-killed lodgepole pines on the Frisco Peninsula.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Yes, the drought is harsh and this year’s wildflowers won’t be as profuse as the past few summers, but don’t be altogether discouraged. Life goes on, and that includes the progression of blossoming plants in the high country. You might have to look just a little bit harder than in previous years, but sometimes, that makes it all the better when you find them. All pics taken by iPhone in the last two weeks. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Drought | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Morning photo: Old friends

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

The high country is abloom

A rare scree penstemon growing high in the Colorado Rockies. PHOTO BY STAN WAGON. Click on the image to visit his online wildflower gallery.

SUMMIT COUNTY — A pair of Summit County’s most avid hikers share some of their wildflower photos in this edition of the morning photo essay. Stan Wagon said he found this scree penstemon (Penstemon harbourii) growing in a familiar spot in the Peru Creek drainage, where he visits the flower each year. Learn more about penstemons, members of the snapdragon family) at the American Penstemon Society website. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, Environment, Morning photo, photography, seasons, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Summit County: Wildflowers need wild lands

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Unique interactive art show benefits land preservation, features painting demos, wildflower walks, sidewalk chalk art for kids and a gala art show

Wildflowers at Pass Lake, Summit County, Colorado.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Sixteen artists from around the country will gather in Summit County July 7 to July 10 to celebrate the high country wildflower season with art in an event that benefits the land conservation efforts of the Continental Divide Land Trust.

The Art & Wildflower Celebration is aimed at promoting greater awareness and understanding of the importance of preserving Colorado’s natural lands — because wildflowers need wild lands.

The public can watch the artists paint on guided wildflower hikes with alpine wildflower authorities or participate in guided mountain bike rides. Along with mountain biking and hiking, kids can participate in art workshops and sidewalk wildflower chalk painting while parents participate in photography workshops,  a paint-along with a professional plein air artist or wildflower gardening  classes with a local landscaping firm. (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge, Colorado, Environment, seasons, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Morning photo: Pure color

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Brighten up your day …

Poppy.

SUMMIT COUNTY — It’s been a bit gray lately, so I decided to dip into the archives and find some of the brightest flower pictures from 2010 to create some spots of color in the daily news flow. (more…)

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Morning photo: A short break …

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Roses

In the heart of the rose ...

SUMMIT COUNTY — Lovin’ the snow, but feeling like it was time for a short photographic rewind. I didn’t realize how many pictures of wild roses I took this summer. I think there are probably enough to put together a calender just of rose photos — which let me segue into the pitch for the Summit Voice calendar, for sale at RedBubble. More pics after the break … (more…)

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Morning photo: Adieu summer …

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Wildflower retrospective

Look deep into the heart of a flower — a rose — it's a great way to slow down for a few moments.

SUMMIT COUNTY — I was ready to post some fall color pictures this morning when I suddenly realized there’ll be plenty of time for that during the next few weeks. So often, we rush ahead without stopping to smell the proverbial roses. (more…)

Filed under: daily photoblog, photography, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Morning photo: Montane zone

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Scruffy mid-elevation habitat harbors hidden treasures

The tip of a willow branch, where a water droplet conceals a tiny insect. When the pussy willows start to show, you can start to at least think about the end of winter. Our willow areas often mark the boundary between wetlands and dry uplands and represent crucial wildlife habitat.

SUMMIT COUNTY — In between the spectacular high mountain meadows and the verdant riparian corridors is the montane zone,with the roughest and scruffiest vegetation. Plants living here have to adapt to wide range of temperatures, both seasonally and in the span of single day. They also have to be able to thrive in dry winds, periods of intense rainfall and everything in between. But this is the zone where the majority of life — including human life — happens, and there is an astounding variety of shrubs, flowering plants and grasses. More after the break … (more…)

Filed under: daily photoblog, photography, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Morning photo: Summit County, close-up!

Posted on August 8, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Buzzing on a sunny Saturday morning

A bumblebee is busy gathering pollen and nectar in Frisco, Colorado.

SUMMIT COUNTY — I’ve been using the pocket-size Fuji Finepix more and more for a poor-man’s version of macro-photography. Since I don’t have a macro lens for my Nikon DSLR, this works out just fine. And while it’s not true macro stuff, when the light is good, and if I hold the camera steady, the results aren’t bad, especially once I’ve done a bit of digital cropping. I’m still learning when and when not to use the flash, and,  more importantly, how to use the flash to get close to natural lighting. Yes, I used to be one of those guys that turned his nose up at compact point and shoot digitals, that is until I discovered how sophisticated they can be.

But the thing that I keep learning again and again is, it’s mostly about the light. Knowing how to use the light, being in the right place at the right time … and, holding the darn camera steady. Enjoy this close-up view of Summit County! The rest of the pics after the break … (more…)

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Morning photo: Pure gold

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

A golden sunset glow suffuses wildflowers along the Continental Divide

Just another batch of wildflowers in Colorado ...

SUMMIT COUNTY — I don’t often have the time to linger for pictures, so it was a real treat a few weeks ago when I spent a couple of hours above tree line, knowing that, at some point, the light would be just right. Taking the time set up the shot with a dark background paid off, as it highlights the rich golden colors of these flowers bathed by sunset light.

There’s much more Summit Voice photography. Revisit some of Summit County’s fun winter events, like the snow sculpting contest in Breckenridge with this link.

Cool off with scenes from the Frisco Gold Rush.

Or click here for scenes from the Frisco Gold Rush, Colorado’s oldest and largest Nordic ski race.

If you like what you see and you want to support coverage of environmental stories at Summit Voice, visit our online Imagekind photo gallery, where you can buy framed or unframed prints and greeting cards. Imagekind is pretty cool, because you can order different sizes and even preview different-coloreds mattes and frames to see what the finished product will look like. Click here for a preview.

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Morning photo: Summit County lupines

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

The best flowers are wildflowers!

SUMMIT COUNTY — It’s been a banner year for lupines in the montane zone of Colorado this year. Along with just the right amount of spring moisture, the lodgepole die-off has opened up a habitat niche for the ubiquitous plants, growing to fill in the forest floor where sunlight now streams through dead branches. You’d think it would be easy to photograph a plant this showy, but I keep looking at the images on my monitor and saying to myself, “Naah, that doesn’t look anything like what I saw out there on the hillside.” (more…)

Filed under: photography, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

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