Moving and marrying

My love and I are having a wedding and then moving to the other side of the country entirely.  I have not only been busy with the impeding move, but with sightseeing.

It may seem odd to go sightseeing so close to home, but it occurred to me that in my 15 years in Colorado, there have been a lot of things I've missed.  I think most people probably go on vacations away from home and take far less time to look at what is actually around them.  We've discovered a lot of loveliness on our recent adventures.  I hope we can fit in a few more before the wedding.

This is a lovely dried seedpod we discovered while exploring.  I wanted to take it home with me, but it was park land, so that would be naughty.  My love photographed it for me instead.

I get dancey sometimes.  (I think I'd just done a pirouette.)

where the colombines grow

Spring's coming around and, hopefully, we'll have flowers soon.

Living in Colorado, with its rather usual climate, I've ended up learning a lot about native plants. Initially it was just out of a desire to find things that could survive our scorching summers and lack of rain. However, I've found that a lot of pretty, odd, delicate native plants were available through local nurseries and that there was a sound ecological reason for using them.

Native species of plants can die out due to the effects of human settling and cultivation. If we keep some of the wee delicate blooms in our garden, we are helping to ensue their presence for future generations. They are also quite delightful and out of the ordinary.

I've discovered many dainty little plants that rather like the dry climate, high altitude and hot weather. It's nice to have something a little different, and, because they often take less water, its very handy in times of drought.

Most areas have a native plant society that can help provide information on what's available locally. Locally run plant nurseries are often helpful as well, carrying an array of native plants.

Colorado Native Plant Society