Hog Heaven

It seems like we are going and doing something every day.  I'm in hog heaven. Even though the weather was really nice today, we try to stay off the hiking trails on the weekends, especially on Saturdays.   This Saturday we were sorting through possible things to do, and we decided to take in the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Museum.  Good choice.  We were practically the only people there.  Not surprising since the winter is long, and now is the time the native 'Springers' want to be outdoors.

Now, we all know I love museums, and I can generally find SOMETHING interesting to see in each one even if I have to look really hard.  My expectation of 'fine art' in this relatively small town (500,000) was pretty low.  As we entered, I immediately was transfixed by the introductory piece in the lobby, and I began to get the sense this museum was going to be quite special.

One of three Dale Chihuly glass chandeliers owned by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Museum

Doesn't this lovely glass chandelier make a great impression?  Ought to; it's from the premier world glass artist, Dale Chihuly.  The art museum is between 'downtown' and the southern edge of the Colorado College, founded in 1874.  The college is full of lovely Victorian buildings and is a lovely campus.  The art museum, while more modern, seems fresh and attractive.

One of the things I'd admired while looking at the museum's website was one building but three functions:  Fine Art, School of Art, and Performing Arts Theater.  In 2005, the museum brought in a major Chihuly glass exhibition which revitalized interest in the museum, sparking the 2007 expansion and remodel. The theater was especially upgraded, but the non-profit museum purchased some major glass pieces to enhance the new portions of the building.  Here's the second chandelier purchased from Chihuly.  It took two days to install.

There is actually a Chihuly 'room' in the museum

One of the concepts which impressed me about this museum is their commitment to buying excellent art.  There are no second rate 'old masters' here.  Instead, there is a wonderful assembly of Hispanic and Western art as well as some excellent modern abstract art and a couple of magical realism paintings which took my breath away.  Here's one.

This is called "David and Goliath"

As we went from gallery to gallery, we were just marveling at what was being exhibited, and we started talking about our next visit to see the new exhibitions opening in a week.  It dawned on us perhaps we should become members of the museum.  So, before we left today, we bought a membership, and we will be attending the member's cocktail reception and preview next Friday night for the new major exhibitions of the summer.  

I had such a good time today.  I hope you enjoy my pictures of this great museum.

https://goo.gl/photos/5tXa21QKkoeKGybi9

Spring Time at Altitude in Colorado

When we live someplace for a long time, we tend to equate the seasons with that locale.  After twenty years on the Gulf Coast, it took me a couple of years to realize springtime didn't start in February in North Texas; instead, it waited until March.  When we traveled last year in Maine and Canada, we got the treat of multiple springs as we headed west in May and June.

Now, this year when we arrived in early May in Colorado Springs (6300 feet in elevation), the trees were just budding out, and there weren't really even any spring flowers in evidence.  This week, the first week of June, we've noticed more flowers, and the weather taking a definite warming trend.

Searching for some interesting hiking, we discovered Mueller State Park, just west of Colorado Springs, and straight up into the mountains.  Mueller advertises itself as 'What you think of when you think of Colorado'.  We drove up about 3000 feet up and tried our hand at, well, actually our feet at, hiking at 9200' feet.  Mainly, it was walk, stop, gasp, - repeat.  You only get about 2/3rd the amount of air we were used to in Sun City, but it certainly was much cleaner.  It takes awhile to acclimate to high altitude since you must make more red blood cells to compensate for the lowered oxygen levels.

Since we were taking it easy to avoid contracting altitude sickness, there was plenty of time to take pictures.  I thought you might enjoy Colorado in the spring.

https://goo.gl/photos/LLe76JTEynTrUC8r5

Garden of the Gods

One of the many things I really like about the city of Colorado Springs is the commitment to park spaces.  One of the most popular national attractions is Garden of the Gods.  What most people don't know when they arrive here to see it, is they are going to a Colorado Springs city park.  Furthermore, it's free to see these rocks, and it always will be because that was one of terms of the deed in 1909.

Garden of the Gods entered human consciousness as a landmark.  It's an easily recognizable group of rocks which are bright red!  You can see them for quite a ways from the east since they are in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.  They were like a beacon first to Plains Indians, then to the Spanish, the Mountain Men, and the wagon trains full of pioneers.

The core 409 acres was deeded to the city by the children of one of the founders of Colorado Springs.  While his will did not specifically  direct his children to give the land to the city, they honored his wishes and deeded the land to the city with only a few stipulations.  Over the years the city has bought more acreage, and one wealthy and influential Colorado Springs woman gave the money to build the visitor's center, and make access to the park more like a good national park.  It's needed because there are about two million people who visit each year.

One of the things we learned is the park was almost 'loved to death' - just too many people.  The CCC re-seeded the park with native plants which had almost been trampled to death and completely eliminated in some cases.  Gradually, access to the 'named' rocks got a controlled path through the rocks.

The park is also the trail head for more than a few trails up toward the higher mountains as well as easier hikes in the foothills.  The townspeople have named the 'rocks'.  See is you can find the 'kissing camel' or the three graces in the pictures.  This won't be our last visit.  There are parts of the park as well as the 'fundraiser' movie (you have to pay to see it) which we want to do.  

We can see the Garden of the Gods from our back deck.  I'm already starting to notice the differences in the rocks at different times of day.  Supposedly there's a few minutes at dawn (why, oh why does it always have to be at 'dawn'?) in which Pike's Peak catches the rising sun's light and within a few minutes the Garden of the Gods rock blaze with color.  The park opens at 5am, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to be seeing this phenomena.

Enjoy the pictures.

https://goo.gl/photos/CJ6vAWHDNtmGbdedA