While I was out...

The last 24 hours were adventurous in ways other than the 50-mile detour, too. My sketchbook and I managed to sneak about an hour and a half at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo late on Tuesday afternoon. Penguins, gorillas, sleepy komodo dragons with only their heads visible, and a few other critters were reasonably cooperative. I like being at the zoo late in the day. I think I saw 5 people who weren't staff, otherwise I had the place to myself.

This morning I took a little hike with my friend Linda and some of the other ladies who volunteer at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Scrub oak woodlands are among my favorites... and today they were chock-a-block with Steller's jays, mountain bluebirds, chickadees, flickers, meadowlarks... a northern harrier quartering the meadow and a red-tailed hawk working the ridge. A great, great way to start the day.