The Aspens Are Changing!

Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

As you know, I love live web cams that show me some nature while I work and go about my day at my desk. This summer, we vacationed in Mountain Village in Telluride, Colorado. When we got back, I decided to see if there was a web came from Mountain Village. I'd watched one for Telluride, but it was mostly just a shot of the downtown streets. I wanted to see mountains and trees, especially the Aspens which I have always adored. (I even have necklaces with pendants that are real Aspen leaves. Toby bought me my first one on our first trip as a family to Colorado in 2017. I buy one nearly every time we're in Colorado as they fade and tarnish over time.) Anyway, back to the web cam. Score! There is one! 

I've been watching it almost daily to look for signs of Aspen trees changing colors for fall. I'd always heard that mid-September they can peak. For weeks, there was nothing. Eventually, I could see a little yellow green in the leaves. Then it seemed that literally overnight, the spectacular gold you hear about appeared. There is one very tall Aspen that is often to the right in the frame - it's unmistakable when you see it - that is still beginning to change. I'll be interested to see that one come into its own. I wish the camera were higher quality and moved slower or stopped more (I know, beggars can't be choosers), but you do miss a lot of detail as it pans from side to side. Nevertheless, you can see a great deal when it stops. 

This morning I received an email newsletter from Estes Park about Aspens with this great article in it about Pando, the largest colony of Aspens in the world - and, indeed - the largest living organism in the world and possibly the oldest. I knew Pando was in Utah, so I looked it up. Turns out that we drove within miles of it on our trip this summer as we were leaving Zion and headed to Arches. We drove right through Fishlake National Forest which is Pando's home. Toby commented over and over about this particular forest as we were driving through it on the Interstate - no doubt barely even really getting a taste of what it has to offer. So much left to see! 

So in reading the article about Pando, I learned it is in decline. That's terribly sad to me. They are working to save it. I think that's worthy and I hope they are successful. I was interested to learn that, like the Sequoias, Aspens actually need fire and "disturbances" to grow and regenerate. God had quite the complex, beautifully logical plan, when He created Earth and all her glory! 

It's no secret that we love the National Parks Service. If I may be a bit political here, I am appalled that Trump or the Republicans would actually consider privatizing any part of them. (That said, they have been woefully underfunded for quite some time now - including the prior Democratic regimes. There is plenty of blame to go around.) I've always considered myself a bit of a "Crunchy Con" even before I knew of that term. I understand that's making a comeback under a new name. Let's hope. (Some day I will write more about my admiration for Rod Dreher and a similar path we've taken in life particularly in terms of religious conversions. I've never met him, but his wife and I were in the same homeschool group many, many years ago when they lived in Dallas; although she and I never really knew each other. In an odd twist, my Orthodox Godmother is a distance relative of his which I found out just before I was Baptized Orthodox. But more on all that - perhaps - another time.)

I am behind on blogging. I have a number of little posts to write about our fall, but other responsibilities - like work, homeschooling, keeping the home fires burning - are preventing that. That said, a surprise, sudden business trip is providing me with some unexpected but excellent Kassiblog, too! fodder for next week. I can't wait to experience this and share it with you!

Until next time....

Thanks for reading!