Pine tree

We went to Rabbit Mountain this morning.. an open space area not far from here. Along the trail there are a number of Pinus ponderosa trees, not growing so tall here because of the relatively low rainfall. It has been a very wet spring, though, so growth has been much higher than normal, and the vegetation looks unusually lush. Lots of grasshoppers about, and other insects, but most of the flowers are over.

We couldn't believe the news this morning about a second fatal lightning strike yesterday afternoon along the Trail Ridge Road at Rainbow Curve. We walked the Ute trail (which starts from Trail Ridge Road) to Tombstone Ridge last Monday, in great conditions, so very sad to hear that a few days later a party was caught in a storm in the same area, one killed by lighting, and a number injured. The clouds build up in the afternoons, when storms commonly occur, so it's a good idea to go early, and get down from the high spots in good time.

PS I never seem to get my act together to get my monos ready for Mondays. It is Monday in New Zealand now, but of course I'm a day behind, so it's still Sunday!