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ferine(Click each pic for the full photo):
Saturday the boys, Erik and I decided to explore the Big Dry Creek Open Space in Westminster (page two and page three {ignore last four thumbnails from a later date's walk}). We had driven past part of the trail many times through the years on our way to the Pacific Ocean Market, and remarked on how enticing it looked. Finally we took the day to examine what we could of it.
It was a beautiful and bright afternoon. The sky stretched forever, robin's egg blue, wispy clouds low to the north and east horizons. Kestrels wheeled in the distance at every glance. Caught a few on camera when perched, though most were out of reach of even the zoom lens.
The terrain's diversity was curious; an Old West desert one moment, then a lake, then a swamp, than a small river, with the flora morphing to reflect each. Despite more than a few bikers and joggers on certain legs of the trail, plenty of wildlife was out and about: all manner of birds, prairie dogs, rabbits--and that was only what we could see.
We spent the day there, yet only scoured a portion of the trail. We'll definitely return and explore farther. It appears woodsier from the road we take to the Asian Market, so we'll need to discover a parking spot at that point and go from there.
It's funny how many years it took to appreciate wilderness outside of the Continental Divide area. I felt alienated with the mountains so distant when I moved away at thirteen. Living in prairie was utterly foreign. I refused to accept any possibility of mystery or awe in it. I even thumbed my nose at the wildlife therein, pining only for my mountains.
My wholehearted love for this prairie-land, these plains, didn't occur until my mid-20's. Honestly.
Certainly the forest of my heart remains the Continental Divide area; but now I appreciate this land and its wilds. Perhaps it accepts me as well.
Saturday the boys, Erik and I decided to explore the Big Dry Creek Open Space in Westminster (page two and page three {ignore last four thumbnails from a later date's walk}). We had driven past part of the trail many times through the years on our way to the Pacific Ocean Market, and remarked on how enticing it looked. Finally we took the day to examine what we could of it.
It was a beautiful and bright afternoon. The sky stretched forever, robin's egg blue, wispy clouds low to the north and east horizons. Kestrels wheeled in the distance at every glance. Caught a few on camera when perched, though most were out of reach of even the zoom lens.
The terrain's diversity was curious; an Old West desert one moment, then a lake, then a swamp, than a small river, with the flora morphing to reflect each. Despite more than a few bikers and joggers on certain legs of the trail, plenty of wildlife was out and about: all manner of birds, prairie dogs, rabbits--and that was only what we could see.
We spent the day there, yet only scoured a portion of the trail. We'll definitely return and explore farther. It appears woodsier from the road we take to the Asian Market, so we'll need to discover a parking spot at that point and go from there.
It's funny how many years it took to appreciate wilderness outside of the Continental Divide area. I felt alienated with the mountains so distant when I moved away at thirteen. Living in prairie was utterly foreign. I refused to accept any possibility of mystery or awe in it. I even thumbed my nose at the wildlife therein, pining only for my mountains.
My wholehearted love for this prairie-land, these plains, didn't occur until my mid-20's. Honestly.
Certainly the forest of my heart remains the Continental Divide area; but now I appreciate this land and its wilds. Perhaps it accepts me as well.
