Returning Home

The weather cleared on Sunday, but since moving recently there is too much to do to go on even a brief trip! Returning to East Reservoir in Lakewood, Colorado, was a welcome visit to a known location shown here before, and a quick stop on the way to getting groceries for the week. But before I could return to my chores, I had visitors in a way I should start to expect when I visit. In the following image, I was using the equivalent of a 160mm telephoto lens with a fixed ƒ4.4 aperture to focus on the South Platter River valley, when a flock of birds flew into the drone’s line of sight.

I think I saw the same flock of about two dozen birds still flying around East Reservoir a few minutes later, when using a different drone. The birds weren’t close to either me or the drone, but flew right within my field of view just as I pressed the shutter! Once again, I was very lucky capturing birds in flight. Aside from that brief interaction, the waters and the trails were quiet and calm.

The views to the west were also inspiring. Snow-dusted mountains of the Foothills of the Front Range provided a backdrop to two reservoirs of the Kendrick Lakes neighborhood in Lakewood.

The view of Red Rocks Amphitheater from over East Reservoir shows the snow building as the elevation grows, culminating in a dense snowpack above the treeline. Before this outing to Lakewood, I had found a number of images that I had intended to share in this edition of the newsletter. Those images of local attractions, like the one below, should appear soon, like in a “Throwback Thursday,” coming soon!

The views behind downtown Lakewood and the two mesas in Golden to the northwest showcased the appearance of Long’s Peak above the rest. It’s almost warm enough to ride my bike up to Wright Park, near downtown Lakewood, but I first have to complete moving into my new home!

Turning slightly northward from the last photo, the entrance to El Dorado Canyon and the Boulder Flatirons appear inviting! I can pick out Leyden Rock to the left, while the mountains behind it appear dramatic and sprawling.

The skies over the metro Denver area cleared at sunrise for the first time in a week. The panoramas covering the breadth of the Front Range revealed Pikes Peak escarpment in the south, to Larimer County in the north.

The dawn glowed brightly when the sun rose. The grasses have started to grow out of their stupor, joining the first buds of the trees. While Second Winter may have just passed, Spring is still slowly getting started, this week may see a rush to heat things up.

And as the sun continued to rise, the flares from the reflection added to the brilliance. The grass was crunchy underfoot while hiking to the field for flying, but the frost soon melted while the temperatures steadily climbed.

The clear sky was a welcome sign after a storm-filled and cloudy week. But the ground itself also signified important news. One 360° panorama in the format of a Tiny Planet embodies the announcement that my Patreon is offering free music (and any level of support will be gratefully appreciated), in support of a project I call, “Drones for the Little Prince.”

You can guess why I was inspired by the story of The Little Prince with the image above. In the further image of East Reservoir at sunrise that follows, you might also guess why I’m also inspired to create, and write, and share.

I hope you enjoyed returning to East Reservoir. Thanks for reading all the way to the end, and please feel free to share your appreciation for the Colorado HIGH SKY with anyone you think might also enjoy!