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Stories of Dennett (Wildflower) & Ben (Weed) & Our Guests

There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills

2 min readOct 29, 2024

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This is a view of a town with a few large buildings and a few roads that can be seen from a distance. A few layers of mountains appear quite blue in the background. The sky has few clouds and the land is hilly. On the left there is a large hill covered with evergreen trees and a few aspen with bright yellow leaves.
October in Cripple Creek, CO

(All photos were taken by the author.)

That old quote about gold made by Mark Twain so long ago recently came into mind. I don’t think I ever saw so much gold spread across so many miles in such rich shades.

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Close up of a few aspens with their golden leaves and white bark. They stand in front of a nearby lake beneath a partly cloudy sky. A few fallen aspen leaves lie on the sandy ground. Individual leaves are clearly visible on the trees.
Leaves of Gold

Autumn in Colorado hosts millions of trees showcasing their spectacular Aspen with leaves twisting and turning with each flutter, only to reveal another hue of iridescent yellow.

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A few weeks ago, I visited friends near Colorado Springs. I heard of their aspens, famous in fall for their shades of captured sunshine. Often in contrast to swaths of dark-hued evergreens surrounding them, there was an illusion of a spotlight pointing to emphasize their beauty.

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A roadside view with sand and pebbles in the foreground. Then the land drops off and a mountain blanketed with aspen and evergreen stretch to the horizon. Only a little of the blue sky is included. On the horizon, on the right, barely visible is a distant mountain appearing blue due to the distance.

I heard of the phenomenon, but don’t recall witnessing it, even though I visited Colorado during previous autumns. The winding curves opening to other variations on the theme of mountains hosting the green and yellows beneath crystal blue skies became mesmerizing.

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Shot from the side of the road, there is some brush and a small fence made of wire behind which stands a large copse of aspens in various shades of yellow. The backdrop is evergreens which stand in dark contrast to the yellow foreground trees. A cloudless blue sky hangs above.

I was speechless. Tears welled up more than once as words became inadequate to describe the awe I felt for my Creator, who allowed me such glimpses of gold. Priceless!

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Titled after Psalm 121: I lift my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? It comes from the Lord who made Heaven and earth. A dramatic blue sky holds cumulus clouds in various shades of dark grey to white. Below that is a jagged mountain range. In front of the mountains are some rolling hills with several aspen and evergreen. There is also a patch of diseased evergreens defoliated by insects. The foreground shows a placid lake, but it is not still so there is no reflection.
Psalm 121

I am an avid photographer, and I am nearly as excited about writing. Getting to know new people is always a fun challenge. I can’t do any of these things without YOU. I hope you will check out more of my writing on Medium in this publication and a few others that provide a place for me to participate.

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Snappy One
Snappy One

Written by Snappy One

photographer, Christian, humorist. Widowed grandma. Enjoy travel, especially cruises.

Weeds & Wildflowers
Weeds & Wildflowers

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Stories of Dennett (Wildflower) & Ben (Weed) & Our Guests