Another fabulous mini-vacation in Crawford, Colorado.

[intheflow]

My friend recently moved to Crawford, CO, near the rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and invited me and Bear out for Christmas. Due to various reasons (illness and bitter cold, primarily) I didn't get to the rim this time out (though I've been there before). But I still took some photos I'm very happy with and thought I'd share. :)

I got there after dark, but when I awoke the next morning, there was a buck standing in the side yard.



A great white hare was startled into running when he saw Bear and I on our walk around the yard.



I'm pretty happy with this flicker shot, though shots like these make me long for BlueInAK's long lens with stabilizer!



Pretty winter landscape.



The quality of light in Crawford is quite beautiful. My last evening there, my friend and I took the back way into the nearest town with a market. It was close to sunset and the light was on the cusp of turning pink, very soft and lovely. We drove passed this barn and I made her stop the jeep so I could take shots. I loved it so much I took shots at two different angles. (I'm such a nerd!)





This is probably my personal favorite of all the photos I took. I love the speed limit for the cows, and also that one white face among the black cattle. :)



I hope you all had as relaxing and lovely a holiday, and may we all see more peace and prosperity in the New Year! :toast:

[Adsos Letter]

1. These are lovely, intheflow. THAT RABBIT!

That rabbit shot startled me when I scrolled down to it. Unbelievable how animals can exert themselves. An absolutely wonderful and perfect shot. :thumbsup:

That cold still hangin' on? If it's like the one Kim had it's probably more like the flu. Hope you fully recover soon! :hug:

Gotta' say it again: I LOVES ME THAT RABBIT! :D

EDITED TO ADD: I just had to look at that bunny again; I mean, look at her/him go! :rofl:

[intheflow]

2. Full disclosure:

Bear was chasing it. :blush:

But it was HUGE! I'd estimate 25-30 lbs! And even though I cropped that photo, I took several photos and Bear is no where in the frame of any of them. I mean, that bunny WAS flying!!

Bear chased him into the woods, probably to his rabbit hole, but to Bear's credit, he doesn't dig and go after burrowing critters and he came back just a few seconds later, out of breath, not covered in blood, grinning widely. He just likes the chase.

Actually, it was my friend who was sick this time. I'm over my bout with whatever it was. :)

[qnr]

3. Those are some great shots. The rabbit story is interesting. It reminds me

of my boys. If a cat was on a sidewalk, it was fair game for a fun chase, but as soon as it touched stairs or a porch they considered it 'safe.' They never harmed any animals, but enjoyed the running.

That second view of the barn really shows off its character. I love the varying colors and textures in the landscape shot.

[intheflow]

8. Bear actually caught a squirrel once.

But he didn't kill it. He caught it and dropped it, where it lay frozen in terror. But he came right to me when I called him away from it. He doesn't even tear the squeaker out of stuffed toys, he squeaks them gently once and spends the rest of his time licking, grooming and cuddling them.



He's a lover not a killer.

















...unless you come in the house when I'm not home. Then he'll bite your face off!

[Celebration]

4. Love every single one of these

Much as I love animal photos, I think I like the barn and fence even better. No, it's impossible to choose. Good job! You will look back at these in a few months and be transported there in your mind. I love vacation photos.

[Blue_In_AK]

5. I remember those Colorado jackrabbits.

They are HUGE. That's a really great action shot.

I love all of these, but the second barn shot is my favorite. I really like the way it's composed.

[intheflow]

9. Yeah, we have lots of little bunnies around Denver.

In fact, there was just a couple at the library who had their car hood open when i walked out. I had talked with them briefly in the library, about an hour before, so I was sure it was car trouble. In fact, they discovered a bunny in their engine! He'd been burned (not too badly, not at all gory) and was frozen still, scared. They were waiting for animal control to come get it. But that bunny was probably 4 or 5 lbs. at most. Those mountain rabbits are as big as a Springer Spaniel!

[HarveyDarkey]

6. That's one of my favorite parts of the country

You've captured why with all your photos.
Not all that far from the Black Canyon is the Great Sand Dunes. Have you ever been there?

[intheflow]

7. Yep, last May:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=280&topic_id=54632#54712

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=280&topic_id=54633

:hi:

Crawford is a bit far out for me, but I could live in Crestone very, very easily!

[truedelphi]

10. These photos capture the Colorado I knew

The rabbit - like it's been said - look at that critter go!

And the barn - I used to hang out in a place called Gold Hill, and there were so many ramshackle places like that. When I think of Colorado, I always think of places built of wood with the light streaming through.

Thanks for sharing these.

[intheflow]

12. Gold Hill is a very pretty area.

And you're right, there are a LOT of these kinds of barns throughout the mountains, most about century old now or more. It must be the low humidity that preserves them because you'd think the snowfall alone would knock them over, skeletal slated things that they are.

[truedelphi]

20. One other thing that made Colorado miraculous to me

You could go hiking in the most forbidding places on earth, and just when you realized no other human had ever trod the terrain, and then you'd come face to face with some old car from 20 years earlier totally abandonned right there!

And you'd think, "Did they helicopter this wreck in here?" Those things never ceased to amaze me!

Anyway I haven't been back to CO since 1981. I am so scared it is all over built and gentrified. But your photos helped relieve me on that score.

[hippywife]

11. My favorite is the

mountain range behind the fence and the old wheels. Love it! Sounds like you enjoyed the kind of vacation I would absolutely love!

I've never seen such a huge rabbit! Bet he'd make some really fine eatin', properly braised, of course. LOL

:hi:

[intheflow]

13. Those aren't old wheels.

That's a kind of irrigation equipment. You know when you fly over the country and a lot of the fields are circular-shaped? This is the watering gizmo that allows for that.

[hippywife]

14. Oh, now I can see it.

I went back and looked. I lost the rest of it in the fence when I looked the first time. Really gorgeous shot, too!

Is that a pic of you with the Bloody Marys in the other thread?

[intheflow]

15. No, that's my friend Deb

bringing me a bloody mary before we opened gifts. :D

[hippywife]

16. She looks like

a very nice person. Glad you got to spend your holiday with a very good friend in a gorgeous place. :hug:

[intheflow]

17. She truly is one of the nicest people I know.

An absolutely tireless fighter for peace and social justice. AND she's a killer bartender! This is why she is my hero. lol

Thanks for the hug, hippywife. I need that today! :hug:

[JeffR]

18. Love the hare, the barn & the cows.

Thanks for sharing your trip. Great to see and savor these.

And Happy New Year!

[NashVegas]

19. Wow, Those Are Great

And I do love the cattle shot.

[intheflow]

21. Finally! Another cow lover!

:loveya: