An Ace in the Hole

Last Sunday was warm and sunny
after Friday into Saturday's 
cold snow and colder wind.

I kicked myself out the door
and down to the park along Piney Creek.

I was dragging my feet, 
thinking: 
Everything is brown and dead.

What could I possibly find to photograph
that interested or excited me?  
Same old same old. 

City of Aurora Park Along Piney Creek

The winter sun had burned off 

the thin cover of snow

except in the shadowy areas facing north.

An Ice-Covered Pond 
and Snow Lingering in the Shadowy Areas

I was feeling dreary myself ~

downright punky.

Bullrushes Along Piney Creek

I had to give myself a pep talk.

Here I was, alive and safe,

in this beautiful corner of the world,

and I was ~ whiny???

Swift self-kick to the tush,

and the hunt was on!

I challenged myself to find 
the beauty and the interesting 

hidden in brown and dead.

Here is some of what I discovered.

 Ponderosa Pines in the Ponderosa Preserve

Aurora, Colorado

Sparrow

Cottonwood Trunks

Water Plants in Piney Creek

Sere Cottonwood Leaves

A Mallard Couple
Middle Pond

A Quiet Small Pool
Along Piney Creek, Aurora
Signs of a flash flood that ravaged the creek bottom in 2012 are still visible.

A Scrim of Ice on the Creek

Sunday Afternoon Drive

Muzzle-Licking Fun!

Melting Ice on the Upper Pond

 Trail and Culvert Under Aurora Parkway
This was filled almost to the top during the flash flood in 2012.

Waiting on Spring

A Sparkle of Water

Sunbathing on a Roof

Sunbathing on a Cottonwood Tree

And sometimes you get lucky ~

and land an ace in the hole:

Walkers gather to photograph
a great-horned owl
nesting in a pot on a house deck!

Sometimes the cure for a punky mood

is a good, swift self-kick in the tush!